Cascades At Sarasota

Please note: The review by VAE319 dated Oct. 15, 2014 is no longer valid. In 2018, the HOA ended its contract with Hotwire Communications and signed a contract with Spectrum. Spectrum guarantees internet download speeds of 100 Mbps. My speed tests consistently show download speeds over 115 Mbps. and upload speeds over 11 Mbps. The TV package is Spectrum TV Bronze. I am a realtor and, from my experience, Cascades of Sarasota offers the most home and highest level of amenities for the price, with relatively low HOA dues for these amenities. In the past year, pickle ball courts and horseshoe pits have been added to the list of amenities and the clubhouse has just undergone a $1,000,000 renovation, all without additional assessment to the owners. Thanks to the conscientious stewardship of our HOA Board of Directors, our HOA budget continues to cover ongoing expenses while maintaining a healthy reserve for future investment. I have been a full-time resident since 2006 and, in addition to my satisfaction with the community, I appreciate the convenience of Cascades' central location between Sarasota and Bradenton, with easy access to local shopping and major highways.

This is a wonderful, welcoming community with much happening. I have lived here as a snowbird since 2007 and as a full-time resident since 2014. As an update to the pages on the website, we have a full-time activities director who publishes a monthly newsletter and arranges for entertainment in our clubhouse. We also have a very active travel club organizing trips. In addition to our 6 har tru tennis courts and 3 bocce courts, two pickle ball courts have been built this year. Currently our clubhouse is being renovated to bring it up-to-date. We are only about 20-25 minutes from wonderful beaches and 15-25 minutes to the many cultural events in and around downtown Sarasota. The newest Florida indoor mall - University Town Center - has recently been built nearby and provides a summer walking destination and many new places to eat. There are 2 Public supermarkets within a mile of Cascades and a new Wholefoods, Wawa, Aldi, Fresh Market, and Detweiler markets are close by. There is also an international rowing venue adjacent to the new mall. The internet is slow but negotiations are underway to upgrade our service in the near future.

There is plenty to like about Cascades. The community is quiet, the neighbors are pleasant, many activities are available to residents. The Homeowners Association functions smoothly, and oversees regular maintenance and improvements to the grounds and clubhouse. HOA fees are reasonable. Staff is pleasant and accommodating. We have owned our property since 2010, and have a Medallion Home - the description on this website should be updated to reflect the fact that while Levitt began construction of the community, Medallion took over the remaining lots in 2010 and completed the community. One of the reasons we bought in Cascades is that the homes are not exactly alike, but they compliment each other. With regard to the comment about Hotwires spotty service: this contract is not a lifetime commitment. Soon there will be an opportunity to negotiate with cable and internet providers, and I have no doubt that our HOA officers will do their usual thorough job in vetting them and finding the best provider for the residents at a reasonable cost.

The community itself is very nice but the cable situation is awful. You have no choice in companies as this neighborhood has a contract with Hotwire Communications. You must have Hotwire cable. It's awful. My internet is either down or super slow. The TV is satellite and constantly has a bad connection. If you live here, you are stuck with this company. BEWARE...if you enjoy TV or need a good internet connection, this company will thoroughly tick you off!