The Founders ClubA buyer's guide by Janelle MertinsCall (813) 394-3313

Sarasota, Florida · ZIP 34240

The Founders Club homes for sale, and what to know before you buy

Behind a 24-hour guard gate in east Sarasota, The Founders Club keeps 262 custom homes on more than 700 acres of preserve, around a Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course. Janelle Mertins has closed 35 home sales there.

At a glance

A small community on a lot of land

262 homes on more than 700 acres works out to fewer than one home for every two acres of the community, with oaks, lakes, and preserve between the streets and the fairways.

Homes
262, all custom
Land
700+ acres of preserve
Golf
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Gate
Guarded, 24 hours
HOA (2026)
About $5,900 a year
CDD
None

The homes

Custom estate homes, from the first ones to brand new

  • Built 2006 to 2026

    The homes listed this year run from the community's early custom homes to new construction finished in 2026.

  • About 3,200 to 6,400 square feet

    Single-family custom homes, with views of the course, a lake, or the preserve depending on the street.

  • Two builders today

    The community's own builder page names London Bay Homes and John Cannon Homes for new homes when a homesite is available.

From the homes listed in The Founders Club as of September 30, 2026, and the HOA fee published for 2026. Prices and the homes for sale change every week: see them live on Janelle's Founders Club page.

The club

Golf and club life

The club describes "the intimacy of a Club with only 275 Golf Memberships." Beyond golf there are the clubhouse, a fitness center, tennis, pickleball, and walking trails through the preserve.

Membership is its own decision, with levels and terms the club sets. Before you choose a home, know how each level works and what it includes. Read Janelle's guide to Founders Club membership levels and dues.

Before you make an offer

Questions worth asking about any Founders Club home

  • What the view is now, and whether it can change: course, lake, or preserve
  • Which membership level the home's buyer expects to join, and what joining costs
  • The roof's age, impact glass or shutters, and a wind mitigation report for insurance
  • The flood zone (an elevation certificate matters only in an A or V zone; a home in Zone X needs none)
  • For a newer home: what is left of the builder's warranty, and whether it transfers
  • How the price compares with recent Founders Club sales of similar size, age, and view

Choosing your agent

Why the agent you choose matters in The Founders Club

  • She knows how these homes were built

    Before she represented buyers and sellers, Janelle sold new homes for a Fortune 500 builder, then led sales and marketing for custom luxury home builders. She can explain how a custom home was built, from the structure and the windows to the finishes, so a buyer and the buyer's appraiser can see why it is priced where it is.

  • She prices against the builders, too

    London Bay Homes and John Cannon Homes still build new homes here. A buyer looking at a resale home also sees the builder's price for a new one. Janelle knows how builders price homesites, upgrades and options, so she can show what a finished home is worth with its pool, landscaping and upgrades already in place.

  • Success is the price, not the count

    A long list of recent sales shows how busy an agent is. It does not show what those sellers received. Ask every agent you interview how close their sales came to the list price, how many needed price cuts, and how long the homes took to sell.

Why one discounted sale matters to every neighbor

With only 262 homes, The Founders Club has few sales in a year, so each one carries weight. Appraisers and the next buyers use recent sales of similar homes to judge value. A home sold at a deep discount to move it fast becomes one of those sales, and it can pull down what the homes around it appraise for and sell for.

The best result for a seller is the highest price the market will pay: a price set from what the home really offers, and marketing that reaches the buyers who will pay it. That protects the seller, and it protects every owner in the community. Ask Janelle how her Founders Club sales compared with their list prices.

Go deeper

Everything else on Janelle's website

Questions

The Founders Club, answered

Where is The Founders Club?

In east Sarasota, ZIP code 34240, about 22 minutes from downtown Sarasota, about 24 minutes from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, and about 34 minutes from Lido Beach outside rush hour.

Do I have to join the golf club to buy a home in The Founders Club?

Club membership is a separate decision with its own levels and terms set by the club. Ask Janelle how membership works for the home you are considering, and read her membership guide for the levels and what each includes.

Is there a CDD in The Founders Club?

No CDD assessment applies. The homeowners association fee was about $5,900 a year in 2026; confirm the current fee for any home before you make an offer.

Can I build a new custom home in The Founders Club?

Yes, when a homesite is available. London Bay Homes and John Cannon Homes build there. Janelle represents buyers with the builder from the first meeting.

What should I look for in an agent to sell my Founders Club home?

Look at results, not only the number of sales: how close an agent's sales came to the list price, how many needed price cuts, and how long they took. Knowing how custom homes are built and how the builders here price new homes helps set a price buyers and appraisers accept. Janelle worked in new home sales for a Fortune 500 builder and for custom luxury home builders before representing buyers and sellers.

Janelle Mertins · Compass

Thinking about The Founders Club? Talk to Janelle

Janelle has closed 35 home sales in The Founders Club. Call or text for the quickest answer, or email her about the home, the club, or the move you have in mind.