Welcome to Zota Properties

Our mission at Zota Properties is simple: to provide expert guidance, exceptional service, and a personalized approach that makes every buying or selling experience seamless and rewarding.

Sarasota evening skyline - boutique Sarasota real estate

Our Mission

Why Choose Us

At Zota Properties, we’re more than a real estate team — we’re your trusted partners in every step of buying, selling, or investing, delivering a smooth and enjoyable experience tailored to you.

Ingrid Pope

Founder and Licensed Real Estate Broker

Why I created Zota

For more than 35 years, I've worked in real estate, mortgages, accounting, business operations, and finance. Throughout my career, I realized that buying or selling a home is rarely just a transaction. It often comes during one of life's biggest transitions.

I've seen families overwhelmed after the loss of a loved one. I've watched retirees struggle with leaving a home filled with decades of memories. I've seen people navigating divorce, career changes, financial uncertainty, and new beginnings.

During those moments, what people need most isn't another salesperson.

They need someone who can bring clarity when life feels chaotic.

Someone who listens before speaking.

Someone who can simplify complicated decisions.

Someone they trust.

That's why I created Zota.

I wanted to build a boutique real estate company where relationships matter more than transactions and where every client feels guided, supported, and genuinely cared for from beginning to end.

Because moving isn't just about changing addresses.

It's about moving forward with confidence.

Ingrid Pope - Licensed Real Estate Broker

Licensed Real Estate Agent

For Dana, real estate begins with understanding.

Understanding where her clients are today, what they hope comes next, and what matters most to them along the way. Because buying or selling a home is rarely just about the property — it often represents a new beginning, a changing lifestyle, a growing family, or simply the decision that it’s time for something different.

Originally from Philadelphia and now proudly calling Sarasota home, Dana brings warmth, integrity, and genuine personal care to every client relationship. She takes the time to listen, understand her clients’ goals, and guide them through the real estate process with clarity and confidence.

With knowledge of the Gulf Coast market and a thoughtful, client-first approach, Dana works to make each transaction feel as organized and effortless as possible. She believes her role goes well beyond negotiating a sale or finding the right property. It’s about being a trusted resource, anticipating needs, answering questions honestly, and making sure her clients feel supported from beginning to end.

Family is at the center of Dana’s own life, and that perspective shapes the way she serves others. She understands that a home is more than an address — it’s where life happens.

At Zota, Dana has found a philosophy that mirrors her own: relationships come before transactions, people deserve to feel genuinely cared for, and exceptional real estate service begins by simply listening.

For Dana, the greatest measure of success isn’t just reaching the closing table. It’s knowing her clients are happy they chose her to help them move forward.

Dana Kessous

Why Choose Zota Properties

People Before Transactions
We take the time to understand your story, your priorities, and what comes next — because real estate is personal.

Guidance You Can Trust
Clear communication, thoughtful advice, and honest answers help you make confident decisions at every step.

Local Knowledge. Personal Perspective.
We know Sarasota, Manatee, and Florida’s Gulf Coast — not simply as a market, but as the place we call home.

A Better Way to Move Forward
Whether you’re buying your first home, downsizing, relocating, selling a longtime family home, or beginning a new chapter, our goal is simple: make the transition easier.

The Zota Standard
Professionalism, integrity, preparation, and genuine care aren’t extras. They’re the standard by which we do business.

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