Nestled in the heart of sought-after Panther Ridge, you will be delighted to discover “Villa Dolce”, a charming, gated estate and barn on 9.4 acres (no wetlands)! The home will remind you of a picturesque home in southern Italy inside and out. A huge oak tree gives shade in the front yard, and the lush tropical plantings add a natural beauty to the exterior of the home. Once inside, you will fall in love with the vaulted ceiling that encompasses the Family Room, Kitchen, Sitting Room, Dining Room & Master Suite. The current owners converted the porch to a sunroom and added an office outside the Master Suite (the new areas have impact glass windows/doors) and updated almost every room in the house including the floors, and recently painted the exterior. The kitchen features beautiful wood cabinets, granite countertops, pendant lighting, and a modern backsplash as well as a copper double sink, (Reverse osmosis too), plus the range is hooked up for gas if you prefer that over electric (water heater is also propane). The Owner’s Suite has 2 walk-in closets, stunning floors, and the Spa Bathroom has a soaking tub, large walk-in-shower, and double sink. The two guest bedrooms also have new flooring, and the guest bathroom has been updated as well. You will LOVE that the metal roof was installed in 2018 (it’s gorgeous), and just wait until you see the Italian inspired patio! It’s HUGE- over 2,000 sq ft huge (56’x36’) with pavers. If you love to entertain, then this amazing area is exactly what you need. The large outdoor kitchen features a wood burning pizza oven (only 1 year old), Griddle, custom BBQ spit, and a ton of countertop space so everyone can pull up a bar stool and eat their hamburgers hot off the grill. As the outdoor kitchen is under a metal roof, the chef can continue to cook and the guests can continue to eat, even if it’s raining. After a fantastic meal, enjoy a glass of wine and watch sensational sunsets under the Pergola. It’s so peaceful here, so quiet, and you can see the stars at night. There is also a 4-6 stall barn (barn is currently being used as a workshop) with the ability to also add a tack and feed room. The entire property is fenced and ready for your four-legged friends (horses and cows are allowed). Fruit trees are in abundance here, and include orange, lime, finger limes, kaffir lime, surname cherries, turmeric, ginger, kumquat, persimmon, calamondan, keylime, pecans, macadamia nut, lychee, loquat, guava, olive, grapevines, passionfruit, mango, avocado, fig, sugar apple, star fruit peach, peach, mulberry, & bamboo. Panther Ridge is right next to Lakewood Ranch, which has been designed to include 8 designated shopping districts, rich with local boutiques, retail outlets and restaurants. Free concerts, wine festivals, celebrity golf tournaments and performing arts displays are just a few of the local events. The community offers top-tier public schools, many of which have earned A-ratings. Charter and private options are also available, as well as numerous colleges and universities. Amenities are important to Panther Ridge residents, but the real reason people want to live here is simple- there is nothing that can compare to living on a big homesite, sitting on the front porch and soaking in the peace and quiet. It is a rare commodity in a busy world, where space and the privacy it affords is hard to come by. If you love land and privacy, then there is no better place than Villa Dolce!