Episode 2 of The Lowry Report is here — and this week Sarah and Jonathan turn the market update into a game. With the median single-family home in Sarasota County still under $500,000, a million dollars stretches remarkably far, and "What Does a Million Buy You?" shows exactly what that looks like across new construction, the coast, and the country-club communities.
There's plenty happening around town, too: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens broke ground on a $60.9 million expansion, Osteria 500 earns the Business Spotlight (yes, the pizza oven really is built on a Fiat 500), and our featured listing at 8294 Grande Shores Drive is price-improved to $999,900 — a perfect example of what "just under a million" buys in Lakehouse Cove at Waterside.
Watch the full episode above, skim the highlights, or read the complete transcript below. And don't miss the giveaway — we're giving away a free sunset cruise for two on Sarasota Bay, and it takes about ten seconds to enter at findyoursarasota.com/cruise. Thinking about buying, selling, or building? Call Sarah at (941) 400-9026 or Jackie at (941) 414-1748.
In This Episode
- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens breaks ground on a $60.9M Phase Two expansion (already ~98% funded), with a 32,000+ sq ft renewable-powered conservatory opening in 2028.
- Around the Ranch: the Waterside Place Farmers Market on Sunday mornings, Sarasota Paradise soccer at Premier Sports Campus, GROVE's five-course Mediterranean wine dinner, and the Siesta Key Drum Circle at sunset.
- Business Spotlight: Osteria 500 at Waterside Place — wood-fired Neapolitan pizza baked in an oven built on a real red Fiat 500 shipped from Naples.
- Market game: with the county median still under $500,000, a million dollars puts you comfortably in the top tier — new construction, a coastal condo, or a golf-and-country-club home.
- Listing Spotlight: 8294 Grande Shores Drive in Lakehouse Cove at Waterside — a customized modern home, price-improved to $999,900.
- Sarasota fun fact: Sarasota Bay is home to the longest-running study of wild dolphins anywhere in the world, running since 1970.
- Enter free to win a sunset cruise for two on Sarasota Bay at findyoursarasota.com/cruise — entries close August 31.
Full Episode Transcript
Read the full transcript
Cold Open
SARAH: Good morning, Lakewood Ranch — I'm Sarah Lowry.
JONATHAN: And I'm Jonathan Lowry. Welcome back to The Lowry Report — the show your neighbors are watching, your Realtor is quoting, and your dog is probably ignoring.
SARAH: We have a packed show today. So packed, I made a list.
JONATHAN: Folks, she loves a list.
SARAH: I contain the chaos. He adds the sound effects. Coming up — Selby Gardens is about to welcome twenty thousand new roommates…
JONATHAN: …the leafy kind. We also play "What Does a Million Dollars Actually Buy You?" —
SARAH: — Jonathan eats pizza in the name of journalism —
JONATHAN: — it's a tough job —
SARAH: — and we meet some of the most famous families in Sarasota Bay. Grab your sweet tea. Let's get to it.
Top Story: Selby Gardens
SARAH: Our top story: one of Sarasota's crown jewels is growing. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has broken ground on Phase Two of its master plan — a $60.9 million expansion — and the community has already funded about 98% of it, which tells you just how loved this place is. The centerpiece is a spectacular new conservatory: more than 32,000 square feet, home to over twenty thousand plants, and running entirely on renewable energy. Twenty thousand plants under one roof — basically a five-star resort for ferns. It opens in 2028, and it's one more reason the whole country keeps falling in love with Sarasota.
Around the Ranch
JONATHAN: Let's get into what's happening around the Ranch. First — the Waterside Place Farmers Market is going strong Sunday mornings, right on the water: local produce, fresh coffee, live music, and the friendliest vendors around. I go for the produce and somehow always leave with kettle corn and a houseplant I did not plan for. No regrets. And sports fans — Wednesday night, our Sarasota Paradise take on the Chattanooga Red Wolves at Premier Sports Campus right here in Lakewood Ranch, kickoff 7:30. Now, "Chattanooga Red Wolves" sounds like a Yacht Rock cover band — but I'm told they can actually play. Grab your tickets, bring the family and your best outdoor voice, and come cheer on the home team.
SARAH: A couple more for your calendar. Friday night, GROVE in Lakewood Ranch is hosting a five-course Mediterranean wine dinner — a tour through Spain, Greece, France, Lebanon, and Italy in one evening. Five countries, five courses, zero passport. And on Sunday, head to Siesta Key for live music all weekend and the famous Drum Circle at sunset on Siesta Beach. Bring a drum, or just bring your dancing shoes — no rhythm required. And believe me, mine has been tested. It's one of those only-in-Sarasota experiences everyone should have at least once.
Business Spotlight: Osteria 500
JONATHAN: And now, the part of the show I fight Sarah for — the Local Business Spotlight. As promised, I ate pizza for journalism, and I regret nothing. Osteria 500 at Waterside Place has quickly become one of the best waterfront restaurants around — authentic Italian, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, fresh handmade pasta. And here's the showstopper: their pizza oven is a beautiful mosaic dome that sits on top of a real red Fiat 500, shipped all the way from Naples. It's the only car in Florida that's never stuck in traffic and always full of cheese. That little Fiat, by the way, is where the name comes from. You dine right on the water over Kingfisher Lake — and if you're lucky, our friendly neighborhood alligator stops by from a safe distance. Dinner and a show. Come hungry — carbs are a love language — and tell them The Lowry Group sent you.
What Does a Million Buy You?
SARAH: Okay — market time, but we're making it a game. Here in Sarasota County, where the median single-family home is still under $500,000, a million puts you comfortably in the top tier — but what does it actually get you? Jonathan, three homes. Guess which one is closest to a million.
JONATHAN: I was born for this.
SARAH: Home A — brand-new construction in Lakewood Ranch, around 2,800 square feet, three-plus bedrooms, modern finishes, beautiful water view.
JONATHAN: That one. I can feel it.
SARAH: Home B — a condo closer to the coast. A little smaller, but you're steps from the Gulf.
JONATHAN: Okay, now I'm second-guessing myself.
SARAH: Home C — a home in a golf and country-club community, resort amenities, the whole lifestyle.
JONATHAN: …Is the answer "yes"?
SARAH: The answer is yes — because around a million, all three are on the table in this market. That's the real headline: your dollar goes further here than almost anywhere people are moving from. It's about lifestyle, not just square footage.
JONATHAN: And it just so happens, we have the perfect example…
Listing Spotlight: 8294 Grande Shores Drive
JONATHAN: Exhibit A of what just under a million buys you: 8294 Grande Shores Drive in Lakehouse Cove at Waterside — now price-improved to $999,900. And this is not your typical Florida floor plan. It's a customized, genuinely modern home — three bedrooms plus a den, nearly 2,800 square feet — with three-inch quartzite countertops, a waterfall island so gorgeous you'll want to do your taxes on it, and a striking great-room feature wall with a built-in fireplace. Out back, a spacious covered lanai opens to a peaceful water view. In a neighborhood full of beautiful homes, this one has its own personality. Link's in the description — go look, fall in love, and give us a call.
Fun Fact + Giveaway
SARAH: Before we go — your Sarasota fun fact of the week. Right out in Sarasota Bay is the longest-running study of wild dolphins anywhere in the world. It's been going since 1970 — more than fifty-five years — following the same dolphin families across generations.
JONATHAN: The researchers know them so well they can recognize each dolphin on sight — they've got names, family trees, the whole thing. Honestly, they've got better beach access than any of us.
SARAH: And you just might meet one — because all month, we're giving away a sunset cruise for two on Sarasota Bay.
JONATHAN: It's free, it takes about ten seconds — just head to findyoursarasota.com/cruise. Entries close August 31st, and we announce the winner right here on our September 3rd show.
SARAH: While you're there, like this video, subscribe, and drop us a comment — let us know what you'd like to see featured on the show.
JONATHAN: For The Lowry Report, I'm Jonathan Lowry —
SARAH: — and I'm Sarah Lowry. Have a wonderful week, Lakewood Ranch —
JONATHAN: — and let's Find Your Sarasota. See you next Thursday.
