Living in Florida's Space Coast
Sanders Subdivision
Sanders Subdivision is a short row of estate tracts on South Tropical Trail near the bottom of Merritt Island, and every parcel in it is on water. Lots run 0.83 to 6.2 acres. Several reach clear across the island with Indian River frontage on the west and Banana River frontage on the east, most of them behind a private gate at the end of an oak lined drive.
Sanders Subdivision In Merritt Island, Florida
Every address here is South Tropical Trail, and that single fact tells you most of what you need to know. There is no interior street, no loop and no cul de sac. The tracts front the Trail and run east or west from it to a river, and access to the houses is generally by private drive through a gate set back from the road. Neighbors are measured in hundreds of feet rather than in lot lines.
The dual frontage parcels are the reason people seek this stretch out. A property that carries the full width of the island has Indian River water on the west and Banana River water on the east, which in practice means sunrise from one dock and sunset from the other. One tract in the plat runs about 6.2 acres with more than 540 feet on the Banana River and roughly 200 feet on the Indian River, docks on both. That configuration barely exists anywhere else in Brevard County.
Houses span 1959 to 2006 with the middle around 1965, and they range from a 1,270 square foot cottage to a 4,906 square foot residence, with most near 2,699. Construction is block with stucco and concrete, ranch on the older parcels and two story on several of the newer ones, with garages running two to five bays. Three of the last seven had in ground pools. Water service is public and wastewater is septic, which is normal for acreage this far south.
Pricing is the widest of any plat on the island. Asking prices have reached $4,950,000 for the largest river to river tracts, while completed transfers have run $872,500 to $1,685,000 with the middle near $1,100,000 and about $575 a square foot. Marketing takes time: roughly 89 days to contract, and sellers have been settling near 88 percent of their original asking price. At this level the buyer pool is small and patient, and both sides should plan accordingly.
Due diligence here is different from due diligence on a subdivision lot. Locate the septic tank and drainfield and confirm capacity for the bedroom count. Have the seawalls and dock pilings looked at by someone who works on this coast. Confirm who maintains the private drive and under what agreement. And get a written flood determination from Brevard County Public Works, Floodplain Administration at (321) 617-7340 rather than relying on a map screenshot.
Sanders Subdivision At A Glance
Sanders Subdivision at a glance, where the lot line matters more than the floor plan.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | South Tropical Trail, southern Merritt Island near the Pineda Causeway, ZIP 32952 |
| Built | 1959 to 2006, most homes around 1965 |
| Home size | 1,270 to 4,906 square feet, about 2,699 typical |
| Bedrooms | 2 to 5 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 6 |
| Lot size | 0.83 to 6.2 acres, about 1.37 typical |
| Construction | Block with stucco and concrete, ranch and two story, shingle and metal roofs |
| Association | None. No dues, no board, no covenants administered by an association |
| Waterfront | Every parcel. Four on the Banana River, three on the Indian River, several with both |
| Water access | Navigable, with river access and intracoastal frontage. Private docks on several tracts |
| Pools | In ground pools on a portion of the homes |
| Garage | 2 to 5 bays |
| Access | Private drives off South Tropical Trail, several with gates at the road |
| Lot character | Many trees, oak lined drives, deep setbacks from the Trail |
| Utilities | Public water with septic tank |
| Age restricted | No |
| Taxes | Roughly $4,923 to $38,343 a year, middle near $10,771 |
| Price range | Transfers $872,500 to $1,685,000, asking prices to $4,950,000, around $575 per square foot |
Sanders Subdivision Details
Indian River And Banana River On One Deed
A river to river tract gives you both shorelines and both light shows, sunrise over the Banana and sunset over the Indian. Only a handful of these parcels exist on the whole island and they almost never come up two at a time.
Acreage With Deep Water Frontage
Lots run from just under an acre to 6.2 acres, with navigable frontage and existing docks on several. That is enough ground to keep a boat, a shop and a guest house without any of them being visible from the road.
Privacy By Design, Not By Fence
The houses sit far back from South Tropical Trail behind long drives, many of them gated at the road and lined with oaks. Nobody drives past your house on the way to somewhere else, because there is no somewhere else to drive to.
Two Causeways Within Minutes
The Pineda Causeway has a diamond interchange right at South Tropical Trail, giving you a straight shot west to Interstate 95 at exit 188 or east to State Road A1A. State Road 520 is north for Cocoa Beach and Cocoa.
Mathers Bridge At The South End
The 1927 swing bridge at the bottom of the island connects South Tropical Trail to Banana River Drive in Indian Harbour Beach. It is 700 feet long, low, and one of the most photographed structures in Brevard County. It also puts the south beaches within a short drive.
A Market That Rewards Preparation
About 89 days to contract and settlement near 88 percent of original asking price means there is genuine room to negotiate at this level. Buyers who have already handled financing, survey and insurance questions are the ones who get the best terms.
Homes For Sale In Sanders Subdivision
Current availability along the Sanders Subdivision stretch of South Tropical Trail. These properties come up rarely, and when they do the acreage and the frontage tell you far more than the square footage does.
Sanders Subdivision Frequently Asked Questions
Are all the homes in Sanders Subdivision waterfront?
Yes. Every parcel in this plat fronts water, four on the Banana River and three on the Indian River, and several tracts carry both because they span the full width of the island. Views are river and intracoastal, and most of the frontage is navigable.
What is a river to river property?
It is a parcel that runs from the Indian River on the west side of Merritt Island to the Banana River on the east, with shoreline on both. The largest tract in this plat has more than 540 feet on the Banana River and roughly 200 feet on the Indian River, with docks on each side.
Is there a homeowners association?
No. There are no dues, no board and no association administering the plat. With that comes the responsibility for your own drive, your own seawalls and your own septic system, which is the trade most buyers at this level prefer.
Sewer or septic?
Septic tank with public water. On acreage that size the system usually sits well away from the house. Confirm the tank location, the drainfield condition and the permitted capacity for your bedroom count during inspection, and ask for the last pump out record.
How long do these properties take to sell?
Around 89 days to contract, and sellers have been settling near 88 percent of their original asking price. The buyer pool for a million dollar plus riverfront tract is small, so both patience and preparation matter more here than speed.
What are the property taxes?
Annual bills have run roughly $4,923 to $38,343 with the middle near $10,771. The spread reflects acreage, improvements and how long the homestead exemption has been in place. Budget from your purchase price, since a sale resets the assessed value.
Can I add or rebuild a dock?
Docks, seawalls and boat lifts go through Brevard County Planning and Development as a Residential Marine Construction permit, with a separate Natural Resources review for shoreline work and a survey less than 180 days old. Confirm what is already permitted before you assume you can replace it in kind.
How do I get to the beach and to Interstate 95?
Take the Pineda Causeway east over the Banana River to State Road A1A near Patrick Space Force Base, or west to US 1 and Interstate 95 at exit 188. Mathers Bridge at the southern tip is the short way over to Indian Harbour Beach.
South Tropical Trail, Merritt Island 32952
Sanders Subdivision occupies a stretch of South Tropical Trail in the 32952 ZIP code near the southern end of Merritt Island, a couple of miles below the Pineda Causeway. The island is narrow here, which is what allows a single parcel to touch both rivers. Coming from the mainland you take the Pineda Causeway east from US 1 and exit at South Tropical Trail, then run south. Coming from the beaches you cross Mathers Bridge at the tip and head north on the Trail.
Drive times run in two directions. West on the Pineda Causeway puts you at Interstate 95 at exit 188 in about fifteen minutes, with Melbourne and the Suntree corridor just south of that. East on the same road crosses the Banana River to State Road A1A near Patrick Space Force Base and the south Brevard beaches. North on South Tropical Trail is the scenic run up to State Road 520, Cocoa Beach and the Cape.
Near Sanders Subdivision In Merritt Island
Considering Sanders Subdivision?
A river to river tract on South Tropical Trail is not something you find by refreshing a search page, and the ones that matter are often known about before they are advertised. My partner Nichole and I track this end of the island closely and can tell you what has changed hands, what is being prepared and what an owner might listen to. Call or text (321) 212-7676.
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