Every regional housing market has a few hidden gems, and in the case of Sarasota, River Forest happens to be one of them. Prospective home buyers who discover River Forest tend to fall in love with the neighborhood very quickly, and it is easy to see why: in this small subdivision of just 86 well-maintained homes, many are waterfront properties overlooking Phillippi Creek. Since River Forest was developed in the 1960s, quite a few Florida ranch-style homes have been remodeled over the year, and they lend the neighborhood a nice retro ambiance.

Despite being located just east of the Tamiami Trail and south of the Suncoast Porsche dealership, River Forest feels like a hidden community buffered by mature greenbelt sections. The lot sizes tend to be larger than 12,000 square feet, and even the two-bedroom homes feature generous interior space. If you are in the market for properties located close to the beaches of Siesta Key and Downtown Sarasota, you can find them at River Forest for less than $300K in 2019, and you will get the benefit of living in a tranquil neighborhood with lots of nearby suburban comforts.

The convenient location of River Forest means easy access to casual dining restaurants such as Sweet Tomatoes and Olive Garden, but you also have more elaborate food options such as PDQ and the Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar, which is located on a small island. Families will enjoy living five minutes away from Phillippi Estate Park and the Red Bug Slough Preserve. The nearest Publix supermarket is less than 7 minutes away at The Landings shopping center, and the Siesta Drive bridge connecting you to the beaches is just as short drive to the north.

Some of the waterfront homes at River Forest feature private docking space, seawalls and fishing piers, but they are not listed very frequently; you will have to coordinate with your real estate agent to be notified of new listings.