Treasure Island Waterfront Homes —
The Gulf Coast that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Treasure Island sits between St. Pete Beach and Madeira Beach with a personality all its own. More laid-back than polished, more local than tourist — and for the right buyer, that's exactly the appeal. Waterfront homes for sale in Treasure Island often come in at better value than equivalent access in St. Pete Beach, with Gulf-front properties, Intracoastal access homes, and canal properties at price points that tend to make buyers feel like they found something.
The buyers who get Treasure Island right aren't trying to impress anyone. They want the water, the lifestyle, and they've done enough homework to know they're getting real value relative to the neighboring islands. The buyers who miss on it usually treat it like discount St. Pete Beach, which misses the point entirely.
What most buyers don't know until they're already under contract.
Treasure Island recently updated its policies to allow residential lots to be elevated with fill dirt again, after long-standing limitations. That materially changed the conversation around rebuilding and flood mitigation for a lot of properties here. It's the kind of local policy detail that most agents won't know about — and it affects how you think about long-term ownership costs if you're buying a property that needs elevation work.
Sunset Beach, the southern portion of Treasure Island, has its own character — more eclectic, older single-story homes, and a different flood exposure profile. Some Sunset Beach homes saw significant flooding during recent storms. If you're looking at property down there, elevation strategy and rebuild planning deserve extra attention. I've seen flood insurance estimates vary significantly between Sunset Beach addresses depending on elevation and documentation — the difference is real money.
Post-Helene and Milton, the changing flood and insurance landscape across Pinellas County barrier islands means buyers are now routinely asking for flood damage documentation, insurance loss history, and elevation certificates as standard items. That's just how waterfront transactions work here now.
- Often better value vs. St. Pete Beach for equivalent access
- Gulf-front and Intracoastal access at multiple price points
- John's Pass Village and solid local restaurant scene
- Active STR market if investment flexibility matters
- Authentic Gulf Coast character — not performative
- Updated elevation policy creates more rebuild flexibility
- Elevation certificates are especially important here
- Sunset Beach flood exposure requires specific due diligence
- Canal depth varies — verify before falling in love
- Post-storm damage documentation now a standard buyer ask
Treasure Island vs. St. Pete Beach — the honest version.
Buyers comparing these two are usually choosing between relative value and premium infrastructure. St. Pete Beach has stronger walkability, more developed town amenities, and historically stronger buyer demand. Treasure Island often offers better value per square foot of waterfront, a more authentic local character, and — with the updated elevation policy — potentially more rebuild flexibility. Neither is the wrong choice. It just depends on what you're actually optimizing for.
Treasure Island, demystified
The questions people actually ask about Treasure Island.
Bridges, flood zones, insurance, and whether your boat actually fits. Answered by someone who lives here.
Who is the best waterfront real estate agent in Treasure Island, Florida?
Ideally one who lives here. I'm Carly Majorana with NextHome Gulf Coast, I live on Treasure Island, and I sell all of it, from Gulf-front condos to canal homes where the boat is the whole point. If you have a boat, I'll look at whether it actually works at that house before you get attached to the kitchen. Everything I've sold is on my Sold page, addresses and all.
Who should I hire to sell a waterfront house on Treasure Island?
Somebody who can explain your dock to a buyer. I'm Carly Majorana with NextHome Gulf Coast. I live on Treasure Island and I keep a 30-foot boat with a tower on a lift, so when a buyer asks if their boat fits under Blind Pass or how long it takes to get to the Gulf, I answer it. Most listings here say "boater's paradise" and stop. The lift, the seawall, the depth at the dock and the bridge on the way out are a big part of what a waterfront buyer is paying for, and I sell them like it. I sell Gulf-front too. Call or text me at (813) 415-4289.
How do you market a waterfront listing on Treasure Island?
From the water, mostly. Instead of a regular brokers' open I do a listing caravan by boat. The agents who sell the most high-end waterfront around here pull up to your dock, see the house the way a buyer would, and film it for their own people. I show it to buyers by boat too. If you want to know what a buyer would pay for it right now, ask me.
How much is homeowners and flood insurance on an elevated waterfront house in Treasure Island?
Less than most people expect, if the house is actually elevated. A newer home built to current FEMA elevation can pay a half or a third of what an older ground-level house at the same price pays for flood. The price of the house matters less than how high it sits. Rates also came down in 2026, which almost never happens. Get the elevation certificate and a real quote before you offer. More on what insurance costs here.
What is the bridge clearance where Gulf Blvd becomes Blind Pass Road?
11 feet, and it doesn't open. That's the Blind Pass bridge between Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach. The number is measured at high tide, so you get a little more room at low tide and less on a king tide. Measure your boat with the T-top and antennas up. Mine goes under at every tide, but the pass itself is shallow, so a deeper boat should check the chart first. Every bridge around here.
Does Treasure Island have fixed bridges?
A couple. The Treasure Island Causeway drawbridge is 21 feet when it's down and opens on a schedule during the day. The little fixed spans on either end of the causeway are 4 and 5 feet, so those are for kayaks. Johns Pass at the north end is a drawbridge at 28 feet, and Blind Pass at the south end is fixed at 11. Which ones matter depends on which canal the house is on.
Is Treasure Island good for boating?
Really good, if you're on the right canal. There's a pass to the Gulf on each end of the island and the Intracoastal right behind it, so you're not running forever to get anywhere. What decides it is the boat, how much water it needs and how tall it is with everything up. A 30-foot center console with a tower is fine. A big sportfish is a different street, and sometimes a different island.
Are Treasure Island home prices going up or down?
Mostly flat, even though the median looks wild. Houses that sold this summer had a median around $1.17 million, up from $765,000 last year, but nobody's house went up 52%. Last summer it was mostly damaged houses selling cheap. This summer it's the repaired and rebuilt ones. Condos are flat and there are a lot of them for sale, so if you're buying a condo here, take your time. Nobody's going to beat you to it. I post the numbers every month in my market report.
How does the 50% rule affect Treasure Island homes and condo-hotels?
If repairs or renovations add up to half of what the building is worth, the whole thing has to come up to current flood code. On an older ground-level house that usually means raising it or tearing it down. It hit Treasure Island hard after Helene, when the city sent out almost a thousand substantial damage letters. Condos and condo-hotels get judged as one building, so ask for the building's damage history before you fall for the unit. How the 50% rule works.
What changed with Treasure Island's fill dirt and elevation rules?
Treasure Island used to ban bringing in fill dirt to raise a lot. That changed in 2025, so now you can raise the lot itself and not just the house. If you're looking at a vacant lot or a teardown, it changes the build budget and what you'll pay for flood insurance later. What post-Helene lots cost to build on.
Is flood insurance required for Treasure Island waterfront homes?
If you have a mortgage, yes. Most Treasure Island waterfront is in flood zone AE or VE, and lenders require flood insurance there. Even paying cash, you'd want it. What you'll actually pay swings a lot from house to house, mostly on how high it sits, so get the elevation certificate and a real quote before you offer.
How does Treasure Island compare to St. Pete Beach for waterfront buyers?
Treasure Island usually gets you more house for the money and feels more local. Fewer tourists, more people who actually live here. St. Pete Beach is more walkable and has more of a downtown, with Corey Ave and Pass-a-Grille. If you want to walk to dinner, St. Pete Beach. If you want the same water for less, Treasure Island usually wins.
What is Sunset Beach in Treasure Island?
It's the south end of Treasure Island, down by Blind Pass. More laid back, with older single-story houses mixed in with newer elevated ones. Some of it flooded in recent storms, so on anything down there, look hard at the elevation and the flood history before you offer.
Carly Majorana · NextHome Gulf Coast · CLHMS Guild Member
Ready to look at Treasure Island?
I know what represents real value here versus what's priced on the lifestyle alone. Let's talk before you start scheduling showings.
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