Sale of Longboat Key penthouse tops 2018 list

A nearly 8,000 square-foot Longboat Key penthouse, which sold last week for $5.4 million, is the highest-selling condominium of 2018 in the Sarasota area.

The four-bedroom, 5½-bathroom unit in the Aria building  is the Adiago penthouse (unit 501) and features a private elevator, a service elevator and a private terrace overlooking the gated community’s beachfront. In all, the penthouse occupies 7,800 square feet, including the outdoor spaces. About 4,000 square feet is under air.

 Aria is a 16-unit gated community along the beach at 2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive. It’s one of the island’s newest condos, opening in 2016.

The seller was represented by Tom Delaney of Michael Saunders & Company. The buyer was represented by Gigi Silverberg of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty on St. Armands Key.

The penthouse was originally listed at just under $6.3 million. It previously sold for $4.25 million in 2016. Another fifth-floor unit sold for $5.25 million in 2017.

The Aria sale presented what is likely to be an ongoing trend in condominium sales which is a desire for new construction, Delaney said in a release. 

“Buyers continue to show a preference for contemporary spaces with resort-style amenities,” he said. “The penthouse offering, along with the boutique nature of the building and the terrace amenities were highly coveted by prospects during the showings."