Here’s what almost $7 million will buy along the Gulf. Hint: It’s gorgeous

It’s early in 2018, but a single-family, gulf-front home on Longboat Key recently sold for $6.8 million, making it the highest price paid for a single-family home in Manatee County this year.

Or last year, for that matter.

It’s also the most paid this year for a home in Sarasota and Charlotte counties as well.

The 5,851-square-foot, four-bedroom, 4 1/2 bathroom home, which was built in 2010 at 6899 Gulf of Mexico Dr., went under contract in nine days, according to a press release from Michael Saunders & Company.

Located on the north end of Longboat Key, the home was built by Whitehead Construction and designed by architect Robert Rokop.

The property was high on selling agent Janet Walter’s radar as soon as it came to market, and she had a buyer in mind who she declined to identify.

“I have known these customers for years, back to my college days at Denison University,” Walter said in a press release. “As soon as we started discussing their move from San Diego to Sarasota, I began scouring the inventory to find them just the right property. When I learned this one was coming to market, I immediately scheduled a preview and Facetimed with them for over an hour at the property. They fell in love immediately.”

Walter scheduled a tour and took the prospective buyers by boat to see the property from the water, and then spent time showing them local amenities to see if the location would fit their need for privacy and convenience.

Michael Saunders, CEO and Founder of Michael Saunders & Company, helped seal the deal.

“Having a home on the north end of Longboat Key has always been special to me and my family,” Saunders said. “I’m so honored that my story inspired them to consider making it their home as well.”

Since 2003, there have been 17 sales over $5 million on Longboat Key – eight in Manatee County and nine in Sarasota County. This is the fourth-largest sale in the past 15 years on the Key.

There are 12 active properties in the MLS listings over $5 million on Longboat Key, four of which are listed at more than $10 million.

In 2017, the largest real estate sale in Manatee County was $4.6 million for a home in The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch.

Manatee County’s second-largest single-family home sale in 2017 was $4.5 million for a 6,483-square-foot beachfront home on Anna Maria Island.

Tina Rudek of Rose Bay International, Inc. was the listing agent for this year’s $6.8 million Longboat Key home sale.

This story was originally published March 27, 2018 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Here’s what almost $7 million will buy along the Gulf. Hint: It’s gorgeous."