$11.5M Beachfront Home Is 3rd-Highest Sale On Longboat Key: Saunders

LONGBOAT KEY, FL — A 10,000-square-foot Longboat Key estate recently sold for $11.5 million, making it the third-highest home sale in the barrier island’s history, according to a news release from Michael Saunders & Company.

It’s the second-highest sale on Longboat Key this year, the real estate company added.

Team Dunn with Michael Saunders’ Siesta Key office represented the buyers in the sale of 3105 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

The home boasts 175 feet of beachfront directly on the Gulf. It also has a huge waterslide that starts from the rooftop deck, the company said.

The three-story home was listed for $12.9 million in June 2021.

Lin Dunn, a real estate agent with Team Dunn, said the buyers, who have owned two bayfront homes on Siesta Key, had always dreamed of living in a seaside sanctuary where they could enjoy gorgeous views, gentle waves and turtle nesting season.

“When they contacted us to see the property, they were mostly intrigued by the photos in MLS and were shocked that they fell in love with the home. The home is definitely even more appealing in person and the Gulf views are amazing,” he said.

Joel Schemmel of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty represented the sellers, who built and customized the five-bedroom, nine-bath residence, Michael Saunders & Company said.

The home features refined finishes and luxurious amenities, including polished limestone and wood flooring, a three-story curved staircase, home theater, library, game room, sky lounge, seven-car air-conditioned garage, commercial-grade elevator, and generator.

With its scenic setting in mind, the home was built with expansive windows, sliding doors and voluminous balconies showcasing breathtaking views of the water and tranquil white-sand shoreline.

On the side of the home is a heated saltwater infinity-edge pool, elevated spa and an eye-catching waterslide.

Earlier this year, a nearby Gulf of Mexico Drive home sold for $13.75 million and in 2020, an estate on the southern end of Longboat Key sold for a record-setting $16.5 million, with Michael Saunders & Company’s Michael Moulton representing the sellers.