If you’ve been house hunting in our area, after a while everything very well may start to blur. You’ve got your gated communities, you’ve got your condos, you’ve got your remodeled resales. Maybe it’s time to think outside the box and take a look at something completely different, like this beauty up in Palmetto.

 

OK, maybe beauty isn’t the right word. The exterior, while in what is called the "Key West” style, is actually a little boxy and over scaled. But when it comes to taking advantage of what makes living here special, this house hits a home run.

It has a spectacular location, right on the Manatee River in the nicest part of Old Palmetto, a charming town that’s off the beaten track but still convenient to everything. The river is a mile wide at this point and the view south to Bradenton is peaceful and calming. Boats, fish, manatees and gorgeous sunsets are everywhere; even the thunderstorms are beautiful. There’s a long dock with two boat lifts, a jetted and heated outdoor spa, and lots of decks and porches facing the view. Inside are three bedrooms and four baths, all in 2,452 square feet.

 

The ground level has a guest suite and a two car garage, plus storage and a weight room. (I’m not quite sure what a weight room is—do you lift them or just get weighed?). The main living level is on the second floor. The master bedroom is particularly large, with a sitting area and a very upscale bath with a great view from the tub.

 

Aside from being a pleasant and old-fashioned place to live, Palmetto is equidistant from Sarasota and St Pete. You can be in either city in less than 30 minutes. Just think about it—work at your downtown job then come home to a waterfront paradise in a picturesque old town. It doesn’t get much better than that.

 

300 13th Ave. West, Palmetto, is priced at $849,000. It is listed by the Taylor Realty Group, 941-896-7799.