2013: Top 10 real estate transactions

1 - $6.8 million
LONGBOAT KEY GULFSIDE
In July, Alan Graf Jr. and his wife, Susan, of Memphis, Tenn., bought the home at 6001 Gulf of Mexico Drive for $6.8 million. Graf is executive vice president and chief financial officer of FedEx Corp., according to the company’s website.

The sale was the highest amount paid for a Longboat Key residence since April 2011. The property’s buyers searched for three years, on Siesta Key, Casey Key, Lido Key and the mainland bayfront, before finding the property.

The new 6,959-square-foot home has four bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms and more than an acre of Gulf-front land. James Abrams, who purchased the vacant 1.12-acre parcel for $1.8 million in 2011, was the seller of the property.

2 - $6.75 million
L’AMBIANCE
L’Ambiance Penthouse M, at 435 L’Ambiance Drive, sold in April for $6.75 million — the highest price recorded for a condominium in Sarasota County history. The buyer was Peter Skokos, trustee.

Penthouse M went under contract just 19 days after it was listed. The sellers were Michael and Joanne Masin, who paid $5.95 million for it in 2005.

The 5,170-square-foot unit has four bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms and 2,400 square feet of wraparound terraces. The unit has a new kitchen, lanai, doors, windows, flooring and exterior floors.

3 - $5.7 million
LONGBOAT KEY GULFSIDE
In April, Mary Banning, of Belleair, sold her home at 6301 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Gordon and Margaret Hartman, of San Antonio, Texas, for $5.7 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, five baths, one half-bath, a pool and 6,571 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $1.55 million in 2000.

4 - $4.75 million
BAY ISLES SOUTH
A Bay Isles South home at 560 Harbor Point Road sold in May for $4.75 million.

The home was featured in January as the Wall Street Journal’s “House of the Day.”

The seller, Timothy Clarke, paid $2.75 million for the property in 2005 and built the new 5,041-square-foot home two years ago.

Built in 2011, it has four bedrooms, four baths, one half-bath, a pool and 5,041 square feet of living area.

The buyer was Sara Connor, trustee, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

5 - $4.5 million
COUNTRY CLUB SHORES
Robert Young sold his home at 642 Ranger Lane in July to Troy Dolan, of Blairsville, Pa., for $4.5 million. Built in 2001, it has six bedrooms, seven-and-a-half baths, a pool and 7,091 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $3.85 million in 2006.

6 - $4.3 million
COUNTRY CLUB SHORES
Michele and Douglas McNeil, of Longboat Key, sold their home at 620 Bowsprit Lane in December for $4.3 million to Coffeeville Ltd., of Sarasota.

The home has more than 7,000 square feet and a two-story, glass-domed entryway showcasing a dolphin sculpture with multiple water and light settings.

Other features include a four-car garage, private dock with a 30,000-pound boatlift and davit, 2,400 square feet of outdoor living space, an infinity pool, bubbling spa and overflow lap pool. Built in 2001, the home has four bedrooms, five baths and one half-bath.

7 - $4.25 million
ST. ARMANDS KEY
A waterfront St. Armands Key home closed in April for $4.25 million.
The sale price was the highest amount paid for a single-family home on the island since 2007.

The 6,123-square-foot home at 112 N. Washington Drive has 141 feet of frontage on Sarasota Bay.

Priscilla Doulton, trustee, sold the home to NAH LLC. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, four baths, one half-bath, a pool and 6,125 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $1,395,000 in 2000.

8 - $4 million
BIRD KEY
A waterfront home on Bird Key sold in May for $4 million, the largest residential sale in that neighborhood since July 2012.

John Brown and M. Leslie Dover, trustees, of Reno, Nev., sold the home to William Brody, trustee, of Sarasota.

The 5,352-square-foot home, on 619 Mourning Dove Drive, has panoramic views of the bay and the city. It has four bedrooms, six baths and one half-bath. The home, built in 1999, also has a heated pool and spa, extended dock and two Jet Ski lifts, in addition to a wine cellar, bar and three-car garage.

9 - $3.8 million
COUNTRY CLUB SHORES
Gary and Sandy Clayton, trustees, of Abingdon, Va., sold the home at 596 Outrigger Lane in April to David and Connie Wells, of Longboat Key, for $3.8 million. Built in 2004, the bamboo-wood home has five bedrooms, five baths, one half-bath, a pool and 5,496 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $4.3 million in 2006.

10 - $3,565,000
POSITANO
In February, Linda Lake, trustee, Roderick Crawford Jr. and his wife, Dawn, sold the Unit 500 condominium at Positano, 4995 Gulf of Mexico Drive, to William and Amy Heckethorn, of Dyersburg, Tenn., for $3,565,000. The unit, built in 2007, has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,343 square feet of living area.