There are plenty of instances when big money and bad taste hold hands and turn heads with ostentatious details and “did they really do that?” design. But this Indian Beach-Sapphire Shores home turns heads for all the right reasons. It’s a balance between Old Florida, Mediterranean warmth and modern chic—and of course, in this fast and furious market, 3139 Bay Shore Road is already pending a sale after just 10 days on the market. It’s listed for $7.5 million.

“I’m not surprised. You can't replicate this with new construction. It's enchanting, plus you're close to downtown," says Lisa Rooks Morris of Premier Sotheby's International Realty, who's representing the seller. "Everyone seems to want a brand-new, modern home, so it's great to have a unique property that has character.”

At more than 100 years old, the home has been through a few extensive remodels and expansions over the years. It was renovated in 1997 and expanded in 2001 with the addition of two wings, then renovated again in 2013 and 2017 by Ryan Perrone of Nautilus Homes. 

In addition to 140 feet of water frontage on Sarasota Bay, a guest home, a pool and a private, tropical-oasis vibe, it also has history.

It was built in 1912 by Chicago steel tycoon Marinus Vanderkloot, who used it as a fishing camp, says Morris.

In 1995, Richard (Dick) and Caren Lobo bought it and, with the help of architect Alan Anderson, turned its 1,800 square feet into a Mediterranean villa on Sarasota Bay that’s about twice the size of the original structure. The couple modernized the baths and turned a full attic into a treetop office for Caren. They added the swimming pool and—despite five big oaks that would doubtless cover it in shedding leaves—decided not to cage it to maintain a seamless connection to the natural environment. In fact, the home's 2002 transformation caught our attention so much that we wrote about it here.

The Lobos owned the home up until 2012 and more than a few household names came through to visit, including dancer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov, the Obamas and the Clintons, among other political bigwigs of the time. During his presidency, Clinton appointed Dick Lobo director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.

The current owners bought the home in 2012 for $2.5 million—now, "it's pending after just seven showings and has attracted people who want privacy and water views," Morris says.

The house has five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths—the main home’s light-filled layout spans nearly 5,000 square feet. A former carriage house, now a separate one-bedroom guesthouse, has a full kitchen and bathroom.

Arched windows and French doors frame a tropical outdoor oasis by the pool, with multiple entertaining areas, fire pits and gardens designed by award-winning landscape architect Richard Anderson. The property is also equipped with a built-in surround sound system, two-car carport and one-car garage that's been converted into a workshop. 

With all the love it's received over the years, its new owners won't have much to do other than fill it with their furniture. Unfortunately, the owners' lovely pieces aren't included in the sale.