Sarasota Local Moving: Costs, Moving Options, and the Best Places to Live

Moving across town in sunny Sarasota comes with a few challenges, especially in the brutal summers, but there are several ways to get the job done. We’ll break down your options for local moving in Sarasota with the average cost of a move, the best neighborhoods in town, moving and storage companies, and an analysis of the city’s moving trends. Plus, a few tips and tricks to make your move easy.

Average Cost of Sarasota Local Moving

The cost of your Sarasota move is dependent on several factors, including how far you’re traveling, the amount of stuff you have, and how much time you need to get your move done. We’ve broken down the average cost of different styles of local moves below, from moving with a container to driving a rental truck.

An average local Sarasota move with PODS will run around $300 - $500 for a three-bedroom home.

PODS Containers
Moving with a PODS container is your best option to make your move fit your schedule. All you need to do is call ahead and have a container delivered to your home, load it up with your things, and then have PODS deliver it to your next home, or keep it in the secure Sarasota storage facility until you need it. 

If you’re wondering how much it costs to hire movers in Sarasota, an average local Sarasota move with PODS will run around $300 - $500 for a three-bedroom home. This includes the transport of your container as well as one month’s worth of built-in storage. 

Editor’s Note: PODS pricing depends on the specifics of your move, like what time of year you’re moving, the distance you’re traveling, and the amount and size of containers you need. For the most accurate estimate of your specific move, call (855) 706-4758.

Traditional Moving Companies
Traditional moving companies tend to be pricier, but if you need an A-to-B, full-service move, and already have your timeline put together, they may be worth looking into. 

For a local Sarasota move, you can pay anywhere from $100 to $120 per hour for two movers and a truck. You will be responsible for paying for the labor and the cost of transportation as well. Another thing to keep in mind is the cost of packing materials, which can cost around $200-$500, so for a full-service mover, you can pay anywhere from $2,200 to $6,600 for a local move in Sarasota. 

Rental Trucks
If you’ve got the time, muscle, and extra hands on deck, a rental truck may be worth looking into for your local Sarasota move. 

This is the most labor-intensive and potentially time-consuming option, especially if you’re short on extra help to load, unload, and then bring your things across town.

Still, a truck can be helpful in a pinch, and you can score a decent deal. Take good pictures of the truck once you pick it up, and document any problems with it. You can be charged for damages during your move, and you’ll also be responsible for fuel, insurance, and driving the truck across town. So, that initial price may not be as good as you initially think.

See how PODS stacks up against traditional moving companies and rental trucks.

Storage Options in Sarasota to Take Advantage of

Are you considering getting a storage unit to store your belongings in Sarasota? Here are some options to consider!

Storage is an underrated aspect of moving. You can tend to forget how much stuff you have over the years, and when it comes time to pick up and go, the realization sets in that you have less room in your next home than you originally thought. 

While we do recommend going through your things once in a while and donating/selling them, you may find that squirreling away some precious-but-not-essential things comes in quite handy during moving season. Enter the humble moving and storage container.

Getting a storage container in Sarasota can help to make your move a little bit easier, so you don’t have to go through everything all at once. Simply load up everything you have into the container (nonessentials first), unload your necessities into your new home, then send what you don’t immediately need into storage at the Sarasota PODS Storage Center. Key benefits include:

• Offers Alternative Space You May Need
  One of the best things about portable storage containers is that they offer a ton of extra space if your home or apartment doesn’t have enough, or it could be a great method to move everything from one place to the next in Sarasota.
  
  Storage containers come in a variety of sizes, so you can choose just the right amount of storage for packing away anything that's too big for your home or apartment, or that you rarely use — extra furniture, camping equipment, seasonal clothing, and holiday decorations, for example. While you will pay a monthly fee to be able to rent the storage unit or container, it can help you in the long run to keep your things in a safe space where no one will touch them.

• Makes Moving From One Place to the Next Easier
  Another great reason to consider getting a storage container is because of the fact that it can help make your local move to Sarasota so much easier. Instead of moving everything that you own to your new home in a single day, you can use a portable storage container to space your move out over a couple of days (or as long as you like).

Why Are People Moving to Sarasota? 

As a local, we’re sure you’ve noticed the number of new faces in Sarasota over the past few years. In fact, PODS data indicates the Sarasota is the most-moved-to city in all the United States. With all the new people in town, you’ve likely noticed that general prices have increased, homes are harder to come by, and there always seem to be moving vehicles zipping around town. 

We’ve broken down some reasons why so many people are flocking here and the moving trends in Sarasota below.

Cost of Living in Sarasota
It’s more expensive to live in Sarasota (and pretty much anywhere else in Florida) than it was a few years ago. Still, Sarasota living is very affordable compared to big cities, such as New York, and Chicago, for example. It is about 22% less expensive to live in Sarasota than it is in New York and even rent can be around 37% less as well.  Everything from groceries, gas, rent, mortgage rates, utilities, and more are more affordable compared to many other parts of the country.

Add in the advent of remote work, and you get a tremendous influx of folks from all around the country coming to your coastal town. While it’s good for the overall economy in the long-run, in the short-term, those growing pains associated with so many new people drive prices up, make the housing market much more competitive, and clog up traffic.

Sarasota’s Slower Lifestyle Draws People by the Thousands
Coming from the tight quarters of Manhattan and downtown Chicago, or the oft-dreary weather of the Midwest makes the wide-open, beachy spaces of Sarasota seem a paradise. The secret has been out for a while now, and the coronavirus pandemic really spurred people to move to town. The warm sun, plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities, and the city’s relaxed pace have attracted new Floridians near and far, as we’re sure you’ve noticed. 

Certainly, that lifestyle is changing as the city grows, but for now, it’s still retained that beach-town charm that’s made it such a popular destination in the first place.

Tips and Tricks for Sarasota Local Moving

A little prep goes a long way to making your local Sarasota move smooth. We’ve compiled our best advice from 20+ years of moves here. 

Bring Water to Move During the Summertime
It’s hot in Sarasota. Duh. If you’re moving in the summer, peak season, be sure to bring plenty of fluids. Take plenty of breaks to rehydrate and recalibrate. You’ll be thankful you did, especially in these 95+ degree days.

If You Can, Plan to Move in the Winter
Summer is the peak moving season in Sarasota. Leases tend to end in this time, and with the kids out of school, it becomes easier for families to move around. So, if you can swing it, moving it during the cold months will save you money and headache. You’ll generally find more availability of PODS containers, movers, and if you’re renting, you may be able to score a deal from a landlord or apartment complex looking to fill vacancies. 

Get a Head Start
The earlier you begin your move, the better. You’ll save money by booking your move as soon as you can because moving companies like PODS have more availability the further ahead you book. Plus, you’ll find moving day becomes much less stressful if everything is booked and ready to go a month or two in advance.

Where Should I Move in Sarasota?

You can probably drive around Sarasota blindfolded, but keep your eyes on the towns and suburbs that surround the city. Here are a few places to get the ball rolling.

Siesta Key
The Siesta Key of MTV fame. This beach community is great for living that idyllic Florida lifestyle, but be prepared to fork over the dough. Homes here sell for a million-plus, and that’s not slowing any time soon. 

Laurel Park
Do you want easy access to the waterfront, the beach life, and a ton of other features in Sarasota? If so, then you should consider checking out Laurel Park as soon as you can! Laurel Park has so much to offer including kayak launch, and you will love its restaurant scene and more. It also has a chic and charming neighborhood that you will love. 

Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood is a master-planned community just off of I-75 with easy access to Sarasota proper. If you need a place that’s great to raise a family, this ‘burb’s A-rated schools will punch the ticket. 

Osprey
The classic image of a Florida beach town. Osprey is home to the Marie Selby Gardens, an historic outdoor botanical garden teeming with beautiful flora. As for the lifestyle, residents enjoy waterfront dining at Spanish Point and the average home sale price is in the 550s. 

Nokomis
Nokomis’s white-sand beaches are a big tourist attraction for this small town. With a perfect rural-meets-suburban mix, Nokomis gives its residents a quiet lifestyle that offers all the conveniences of the city. Homes here are generally less expensive than other areas in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro, with the average home value around $417,000.

Want to learn more about Sarasota? Find more Sarasota guides on the PODS Blog. • Living in Sarasota • Best Sarasota Neighborhoods • Long-Distance Moving to Sarasota