A master-planned community in West Bradenton, Palma Sola Trace combines attractive settings, a neighborly atmosphere, and great location. The name references the eponymous bay to the west and the old American word for well-worn path or trail.

A wave-like sign sits atop a flag stone base in the center median of the divided entrance on 75th Street, welcoming visitors. There is another entry farther to the south. Gated pedestrian access to 71st Street West in the southeastern corner of the neighborhood allows residents to walk to the Paradise Bay shopping mall on Cortez Avenue, which has a Winn Dixie, Starbucks, Bonefish Grill, HomeGoods and Marshalls.

When Taylor Morrison, one of the largest home building companies in the United States, planned Palma Sola Trace, it decided to offer several home products to attract a variety of buyers – much like a golf course community, but without the links.

As a result, there are three distinct sections with paired villas, coach-style condos and single-family homes. Residents range from young to elderly full- and part-timers, including retirees, empty nesters still working, families with children, and snowbirds.

“It’s close to Anna Maria Island, but not as expensive. A lot of people are buying there as a getaway home,” said Brenda Boyd May, president and CEO of Boyd Realty. “Ideal for full- and part-time residents, it feels like home and home away from home: You can shut your door, leave, and come back and everything is intact.”

Development of Palma Sola Trace started in 2006, just as the real estate bubble burst, so building it out took some time. The last home wasn’t finished until 2017. Now, there are 546 residences on 100 acres, with 10 ponds and attractive nature spaces throughout, providing lush Florida foliage.

A total of 148 one- and two-story single-family homes occupy the northern section. Grouped around Summerwind Circle, they range from around 2,000 to 3,100 square feet of living space, with two to five bedrooms and a two-car garage. Many have private swimming pools.

The other two sections are south of Palma Sola Creek, which traverses the neighborhood. A footbridge connects the walking trail from the family residences to the clubhouse and swimming pool.

On the west side, 126 paired villas with two and three bedrooms feature floor plans ranging from 1,565 to 1,950 square feet of living space.

Boyd May’s listing at 3922 Bridlecrest Lane is a three-bed, two-bath villa with 1,825 square feet under air. It has a den and upscale kitchen and comes furnished. Located near the south entrance, its screened-in porch offers a lovely view of the backyard. “The outdoor wall is covered with beautiful plantings,” said Boyd May. “When you’re inside, it feels like you’re in a garden house.”

The subdivision on the southeastern side features 276 coach-style condos, with living areas above the ground floor garages. Scenic design elements include wrought iron balcony rails for some of the second-floor windows. Living space ranges between 1,200 and 1,650 square feet in two- to three-bedroom condos.

Palma Sola Trace’s amenities include a clubhouse with gathering rooms, a library, and a kitchen, a Nautilus fitness center, a tot lot, and a curvaceous, lagoon-style swimming pool that is heated year-round. Residents take advantage of a host of community activities including yoga, book clubs, lunch groups, dances, parties and holiday events.

A master association and CDD look after ponds, streetlights, the clubhouse, pool, bridge, and other common areas. The condos and villas have their own HOAs as well, which are responsible for building upkeep and lawn care. The single-family homes have no HOA of their own, but the master association takes care of their landscaping. Fees range from around $200 to $310 a month.

Residents of Palma Sola Trace enjoy the convenient location. District schools Seabreeze Elementary and W.D. Suggs Middle are less than a mile away. Private schools like Edison Academics, Inspiration Academy, and Ave Maria Prep are nearby, too, to the west. Bayshore High School and IMG Academy are within easy driving distance.

Palma Sola Park and G.T. Bray Park, Manatee County’s largest recreational activities facility, are minutes away. For links enthusiasts, the Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Course, Manatee County Golf Course, and Bradenton Country Club are all within a 3-mile radius. Beach lovers appreciate the close proximity to Anna Maria Island.

Currently, there are two homes on the market in Palma Sola Trace. One is Boyd May’s villa listing, priced at $499,000. The other is a single-family three-bedroom home with an asking price of $675,000.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Villa, single-family home listed in master-planned Bradenton community