Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club

Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club in Venice draws buyers who want a full resort lifestyle without the financial weight of a mandatory golf membership or Community Development District assessment — and that combination is genuinely rare at this scale. The community's 27-hole Ted McAnlis-designed course is the anchor, but because golf membership is optional, the buyer pool skews toward active retirees and pre-retirement couples who want resort amenities, a manned gate, and a beautifully maintained setting without locking into a golf commitment.

From a commute standpoint, Venice is the sweet spot between Sarasota and the growing West Villages corridor at Wellen Park. Healthcare professionals and professional-services workers in Sarasota can reach their offices in roughly 30 minutes, while HCA Florida Venice Hospital is just minutes from the gate. That proximity to two distinct employment centers quietly keeps the community attractive to working-age buyers as well as those fully retired.

What makes the housing stock distinctive is the combination of generous footprints — homes routinely run 1,600 to over 3,000 square feet — paired with preserve, lake, and golf course views on a 1,000-acre canvas that includes wetlands and live oak corridors. Buyers cross-shopping Pelican Pointe typically look at Wellen Park communities and Sarasota's Palmer Ranch corridor. Venice's walkable downtown and Gulf beaches within three miles usually seal the case.