- February 5, 2026
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Longboat Key is famous for many things. The golf and the tennis. The endless beach. The atmosphere of luxury that surrounds the place. But let’s face it: When it comes to Longboat it’s all about the view.
That’s the secret of the appeal of this 4,200-square-foot home up toward the northern end. From virtually every room, every porch, every veranda — even the bathroom window — you look out to a classic view. You’re facing west, which means as the sun descends every afternoon, you’ll see some spectacular sunsets. In the near foreground, there’s a pool and then generous swaths of sand that run down to the Gulf. The color of the sky is always different, always changing. It’s a wide, open view; chances are there’s not another human being in sight.
This is the home of Dan and Belle Fangmeyer. They used to have a place in Holmes Beach and naturally, they had driven up and down Longboat Key many times. There was a house that Belle always looked forward to seeing. It had a stately, traditional look, a sort of Caribbean/Georgian style.
The home had an excellent provenance. It was designed by Clifford Scholz, one of the town’s most prominent architects, and it was built by Perrone Builders, well known for their superior work. It actually dates back to 1997, but the style, as defined by Scholz, doesn’t date. It has, in fact, a graceful quality that many more modern homes lack.
Then one day as Dan was driving past on his way to Sarasota, he saw the house was for sale. The Fangmeyers quickly arranged a tour. “We fell in love with it,” he says, and in no time at all they made an offer.
The Fangmeyers also have a home in North Carolina. It’s a much more rustic place, set on the side of one of the picturesque mountains that cover the western part of the state. It’s also rather large — over 5,000 square feet — and pure “country” in feeling, with so much charm that it has even served as a wedding venue. With the acquisition of their Longboat Key estate, the family now had a lifestyle that was hard to top — a beach home and a mountain retreat.
The Fangmeyer home is set on three quarters of an acre, a lot that seems larger due to the expansive beach on the Gulf side. The property is gated, with a circular, paved drive and extensive tropical landscaping that provides an extra measure of privacy. This part of Longboat is called Sleepy Lagoon, and with good reason; there are no high-rises here, just large, private residences.
Dan is quick to thank Belle for providing the home with its heart and soul. “She’s got an eye,” he says proudly. “She decorated it all herself. It’s her vision, her taste.”
At first glance, the interior is surprisingly formal for a beach house. But it is this traditional feeling that gives the home its charm. Belle’s color choices are spot on. The color blue predominates, an appropriate choice that draws in the blue from the water and the sky and unifies the space — indoors, outdoors, it’s all sunlight and the colors of nature.
Architect Scholz’s homes are famous for their perfect proportions, and you sense this immediately in the living room, an 18-by-22-foot space with travertine marble floors and a crystal chandelier. Three large windows (the center window is also a door) open onto a spacious terrace. Classical pillars frame the wide expanse of sand and water, making it one with the architecture.
A fireplace topped with a colorful landscape dominates one side of the living room. On the opposite side is the kitchen, sort of attached but discretely separate. This is a house with beautiful manners.
Gleaming white with touches of gray, it boasts premium appliances (Sub Zero, Viking, Neff) and an old-fashioned wooden island with a selection of copper pots hanging over it. Nearby is an informal eating area, and yes, it has a view, as does the kitchen sink.
But it is the primary suite that gives the home its most spectacular feature. Located on the highest level, where the view is at its best, this may well be one of the most noteworthy bedrooms in town. Eighteen by 24 feet, it looks out at the Gulf, past a terrace and the sand. Congratulations are due to Scholz. He figured out the perfect way to frame this incredible view. And you don’t even have to get out of bed to enjoy it.
You’ll also see the view from the bathtub. The two enormous closets are viewless, as they should be, but in the adjacent study you will see it again, although subtly muted as to provide the right mood for contemplation or just a good hockey game. And check out the fresh flowers. They are everywhere. They are, in fact, Belle’s passion. On the lower level, you’ll find her completely equipped flower arranging workshop. Some of her creations are for the home; others are for the Fangmeyers’ church, Christ Church.
Dan and Belle have two daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, so the feeling of the place is that of a real home, yet one packed with amenities and perfect for family life. “It’s a warm home,” Dan says. One amenity that stands out because it’s so rare on Longboat is a deeded boathouse just across Gulf of Mexico Drive. It’s where the family keeps their 30-foot pontoon boat, along with its 12,000-pound lift.
The Fangmeyers will soon be altering their lifestyle — slightly.
“We don’t need two big houses,” Dan says, so they are looking for something smaller on Longboat, all the while keeping the place in North Carolina.
What will he miss most?
His immediate answer: “The view at sunset.”
