Neighborhood · Sarasota, Florida
Bay Island
Bayfront living between downtown and the Gulf
8
Homes for sale
$4,220,000
Median list price
$1,185
Avg price / sqft
30
Median days on market
Bay Island sits at the head of the Ringling Causeway, a small waterfront enclave where the bay opens up on one side and the Gulf beaches of Lido Key sit minutes away on the other. It's a low-key, water-first pocket — pools, docks, and short drives to both the sand and the restaurants of downtown Sarasota. If you want the barrier-island lifestyle without living all the way out on the key, this is the address that splits the difference.
This is a high-end, thin-inventory market: just 9 homes are active, with a median list price of $3,950,000 and asking prices running from $750,000 to $12,500,000. Homes trade at about $1,142 per square foot and sit a median of 59 days before going under contract, so buyers have room to negotiate — sellers took home 92% of asking over the past year. If Bay Island feels tight, the neighboring Indian Beach / Sapphire Shores area and the Rosemary District downtown offer more entry points into the same corner of the city.
Bay Island is a community in Sarasota, Florida.
Quick facts
$750,000 – $13M price range
4,172 sqft median home
15 sold in 12 months
On the market now
Homes for sale in Bay Island
$12,500,000
546 FREELING DRIVE, SARASOTA
5 bd · 6 ba · 4,353 sqft
$4,490,000
604 NORSOTA WAY, SARASOTA
5 bd · 5.5 ba · 4,536 sqft
$3,950,000
847 FREELING DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 4.5 ba · 4,034 sqft
$949,900
617 SIESTA DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 4 ba · 2,709 sqft
$750,000
749 SIESTA DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 2 ba · 1,978 sqft
$5,825,000
527 FREELING DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 4.5 ba · 4,310 sqft
$8,395,000
3820 FLAMINGO AVENUE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 5 ba · 4,775 sqft
$2,995,000
732 SIESTA DRIVE, SARASOTA
3 bd · 4.5 ba · 3,743 sqft
Every active listing inside the Bay Island boundary
Open full map search →Find your fit
Browse Bay Island
By feature — on the live map
Where the market lives
The numbers that matter
The Bay Island market
15
Sold, last 12 months
$2,950,000
Median sold price
92%
Sale-to-list ratio
What sellers actually get vs asking
43 days
Median time to sell
Bay Island vs Sarasota
Median list price
Price per sqft
Days on market
Median sold price — 3-yr, 3-mo rolling
▲ 219.9% yr/yr
Homes sold per month
Live Stellar MLS data — every listing and closed sale inside the Bay Island boundary. Rolling medians smooth single-month swings in small communities.
For the school run
Schools Bay Island is zoned for
Attendance boundaries overlapping this community — always verify zoning with the district.
What it really costs
Owning here
Owning the median Bay Island home
≈ $23,925/mo
$4,220,000 median · 20% down · 30-yr fixed at 6.9% · taxes/HOA from live listing data · insurance is a Florida estimate.
Population
531
Median age
61
Median income
$151,850
Median home value
$2,000,000
Beyond the listings
Living in Bay Island
Culture
Top 1% in the U.S.Sites to See
This population finds the most beautiful sites just by looking up. Sunrise, sunset or sometime in between, these people love to marvel at man-made and natural wonders.
Hobbies & Interests
Top 4% in the U.S.Wanderlust
Always thinking about their next destination, this population loves exploring new places abroad or right in their own backyard. They hold onto past trips by sharing their favorite memories and pictures year round.
Beliefs
Top 5% in the U.S.Conservation
Good stewards of the earth, this population advocates for a cleaner environment and responsible use of resources. They often encourage others to recycle and use clean energy.
Lifestyles
Top 7% in the U.S.Wealth Signaling
Interested in the finer things life has to offer, this population wants to display their lifestyle by discussing luxury products. Often references jewelry, cars, and home features.
Relationships
Top 10% in the U.S.Dating Life
With dating comes highs, lows, and lots of questions. You can find this population talking about dating advice, breakups and how to express their feelings.
Hobbies & Interests
Top 11% in the U.S.Natural Beauty
This population marvels at the beauty of nature, and they want to capture every breath-taking scene.
Straight answers
Bay Island FAQs
Is Bay Island a good place to live?+
It's a small, water-focused neighborhood at the base of the Ringling Causeway, so you get bay frontage and quick access to Lido Key's Gulf beaches plus downtown Sarasota. Homes here lean toward pools and waterfront — eight of nine active listings have a pool and five are on the water. Assigned schools include Phillippi Shores Elementary, Brookside Middle, and Sarasota High.
Is Bay Island expensive?+
Yes — it's one of Sarasota's premium waterfront addresses, with a median list price of $3,950,000 and seven of nine active homes priced above $1M. Prices run from $750,000 up to $12,500,000, and homes trade at roughly $1,142 per square foot. If that's a stretch, nearby Indian Beach / Sapphire Shores offers more range.
What do homes cost in Bay Island?+
Over the past 12 months, 15 homes sold at a median price of $2,950,000, while current active listings carry a higher median of $3,950,000. The median home runs about 4,034 square feet at around $1,142 per square foot, so you're generally looking at substantial waterfront and near-water properties.
How is the market in Bay Island right now?+
Inventory is thin at just 9 active listings, and homes sit a median of 59 days before selling. Sellers averaged 92% of their asking price over the last year, which tells you buyers have some negotiating leverage at this price point. With only 15 sales in 12 months, it's a low-volume market where the right listing doesn't come along often.
What about HOA fees and property taxes in Bay Island?+
HOA data isn't consistently reported for this enclave, and none of the current listings are in a gated community. The median annual property tax runs about $17,536, in line with the neighborhood's high-value waterfront homes. Your exact figure will depend on assessed value and any homestead exemption.
Keep exploring
More Sarasota neighborhoods
Neighborhood boundary by edgeAI; listings matched to the polygon. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Stellar MLS.
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