The next wave of residential and commercial development in Manatee County will take place east of I-75 and north of the Manatee River, specifically in the town of Parrish. Smart home buyers have been paying attention to this quiet section of Southwest Florida, where they can find very attractive neighborhoods such as Creekside Oaks in Parrish.

Located four miles east of I-75 and just a mile north of Highway 301, Creekside Oaks is an elegant gated community ideal for house hunters who are looking for spacious single-family residences filled with extras and surrounded by nature preserves. As the name of this community suggests, there is a creek running along the southeast side, thus giving about a dozen lucky homeowners waterfront views. Most of the homes at Creekside Oaks were completed between 2005 and 2008; since they were intended to appeal to upscale buyers and real estate investors, they have been immaculately maintained, and in many cases they have been upgraded.

In mid-2019, pricing at Creekside Oaks started around $370K for a thoroughly upgraded six-bedroom home with four bathrooms, gas fireplace, designer kitchen, spiral staircase, breakfast cafe area, bathtub plus shower stall in the master suite, plus views of the creek and nature preserves. You have to be on your toes when listings become available because this is a very desirable neighborhood, and also because of all the development projects planned for Parrish. Creekside Oaks residents currently have a nearby Publix supermarket at Parkwood Square, about five minutes away, but future plans include the Shops at Harrison Ranch and Creekside Commons, the latter project expected to host a major tenant such as Walmart. More proposed projects include a regional campus for the State College of Florida plus a new high school.

Driving to Holmes Beach from Creekside Oaks takes about 40 minutes, about the same distance to the beaches of St. Petersburg; in fact, many people who commute to the Tampa Bay area for work or school are increasingly considering making Parrish their new home.