Longboat home sale keeps strong year rolling

The sale of a Longboat Key home in July further solidifies a busy year for luxury sales on the island.

Beverly St. Hilaire and Tak Konstantinou of Michael Saunders & Company’s St. Armands Circle office represented sellers Ralph and Sheri Trine in the $6.88 million sale of 5060 Gulf of Mexico Drive on July 20. Regency Realty Services of Boca Raton represented the buyers.

Four sales have already eclipsed the $5 million mark on the island and two properties have sold for more than $6 million this year.

The Trines bought the property in 2009 for $4 million.

The 14,123 square foot home, referred to as Villa de Como, was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style by local architect Mark Sultana.

The five-bedroom, five full and two half-bathroom estate was the winner of HGTV’s “Making an Entrance” Sweepstakes.

According to a release from Michael Saunders & Company, the home features expansive balconies, an in-law suite and an infinity-style swimming pool overlooking Sarasota Bay.

“As enthusiasts of fine architecture, it has been a joy to have Villa de Como in our lives and continue to enhance the allure of its Spanish character,” said Sheri Trine. “We’re looking forward to seeing it live as a family home and sharing its grandeur.”

“In the same way you cannot absorb the entirety of many European cities in one visit, Villa de Como requires extensive observation to appreciate the great deal of detail that both the architect and the Trine’s have integrated into the décor and structure,” said Beverly St. Hilaire of Michael Saunders & Company. “The new owners will have access to some of the best views of Sarasota Bay along with immaculate, high-end interior design and amenities.”

A neighbor to the south sold the property at 5050 Gulf of Mexico Drive in May for $7 million, the highest price in 10 years for a bayfront home on Longboat Key.

This sale is the latest in a series of multi-million dollar luxury home and condominium transactions since the first of the year.

• A Lido Shores home sold for $7 million last week
• A condo penthouse in Longboat Key’s Aria building sold in April  for $5.4 million, the highest condo sale of the year in the Sarasota area.
• A condo in the Ritz-Carlton building on Lido Beach sold for $5 million in April.
• A Bird Key home and connected lot sold for $8.6 million in April, the highest sale of 2018.