1585 PINELLAS BAYWAY S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715

At the quiet southern end of Tierra Verde, the last stretch of island before Fort De Soto, this end-unit townhome sits on a sheltered waterfront cove in an extraordinary community of just eight owners. Dolphins and manatees are regular visitors to the cove, egrets and great blue herons work the shallows, and ospreys and frigate birds pass overhead.

East and west exposures fill the home with light from morning to evening. You'll enjoy water views all day long from this 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence with a top-level bonus room. Luxury vinyl plank flooring runs throughout, with custom boxed stair treads that bring a modern feel to the whole house.

The lower level holds a guest suite with a full bath, its own private entrance and its own parking space, giving visitors flexibility and privacy, plus a one-car garage with room for storage. The primary suite overlooks the water and includes a walk-in closet and an ensuite bath; a second guest bedroom gives family and friends a comfortable room of their own.

The expansive patio outside the upper-level bonus room, with views out over Tampa Bay, is the natural spot for morning coffee or an evening with friends. Tierra Del Mar is a boutique townhome community that is expertly managed, with ample reserves, low fees and well-kept grounds.

The metal roof was installed in 2013 and rated for 40 years. Owners have use of the resort pool immediately next door, and the community's waterfront positioning includes kayak storage and a launch, with the kayak and canoe trails of the Tierra Verde islands beginning right at the dock.

The cove is deep, bridge-free water to the Gulf; no boat slip is included with this home, but slips in the community are occasionally available to rent. Tierra Verde is the gem of Pinellas County, reached by the Pinellas Bayway and surrounded by Boca Ciega Bay, Tampa Bay and the Gulf passes.

The island has its own marinas and waterfront dining, a farmers' market a short walk up the Bayway, and the Gulf is a short run by boat through Pass-a-Grille Channel or Bunces Pass, with Shell Key Preserve just across the channel. Across the Bayway, the island park has courts for tennis and pickleball, a playground and a ball field.

Pass-a-Grille and St. Pete Beach are a short drive west; downtown St. Petersburg's restaurants, shops and museums are about 20 minutes by way of the Bayway and I-275, which continues on to Tampa International Airport. Just south of Tierra Del Mar, an easy bike ride down the Bayway, is Fort De Soto Park, the largest park in the Pinellas County syste

m: 1,136 acres across five keys, with beaches that have been named the best in America, a campground, fishing piers, a paddling trail, a dog beach, a Spanish-American War-era fort and ferries to Egmont Key and Shell Key.