Waterfront can mean a lot of things depending upon where you are from…If I show someone from Michigan or Wisconsin, as an example, a home on a “lake’ in Naples they just chuckle and say, “You call this a lake?” That being said, we do have lakes, rivers, canals with both direct and indirect access as well as those man-made canals that were dredged out years ago to build the surrounding infrastructure in certain neighborhoods…We have channels and coves, and of course, we have bays…Clam Bay, Venetian Bay, Moorings Bay, and Naples Bay. There is no shortage of waterfront properties in Naples Florida.
Today’s blog post will concentrate on boating waters, specifically single family homes with direct gulf access.
If I do a cursory search in MLS I find 147 homes for sale in Naples with direct access. Starting prices at $224,900. for a quaint 1 bedroom bungalow off Haldeman Creek [oh, yes I forgot, we have creeks]. This cottage is located on a recently dredged canal and will accommodate a small boat. At the high end, a brand new, luxurious 5 bedroom residence boasting nearly 10,000 sq ft of living area priced at $14.9 million! Direct access homes [those on lots that do not have to go under bridges] are located in a variety of neighborhoods in Naples.
There are less than 60 single family homesites in The Moorings with direct access via Moorings Bay through Doctor’s Pass out to the gulf. The rest of the Moorings waterfront as well as Park Shore and a handful of lots in Coquina Sands all contend with bridges, but have some of the best views in Naples! Currently there are 31 Active Listings of homes on the water in these 3 neighborhoods, prices starting at $1.5 for a ‘tear down’ up to $5.2 for a brand new home. Only 2 of the 31 homes presently listed have direct access.
Aqualane Shores is nestled south of Old Naples and borders Naples Bay to its east. From 3rd Street to the west, the lots on Aqualane are referred to as ‘dry’ lots. Presently there are 27 direct access homes for sale in Aqualane Shores starting at $1,275,000 for a charming 60’s vintage pool home, on up to a newer bay front residence listed at $5.9. One of the nice things that this neighborhood offers is a boat in your backyard, walking distance to the beach, and a close proximity to the Third Street shopping district!
Golden Shores typically offers the best buys for direct access lots within the city limits of Naples–It is located on the east side of Naples Bay, still within a close proximity to all the downtown amenities. It offers unbelievable value starting in the $600’s. Its ‘sister’ communities are Oyster Bay, which has both single family homes and condominiums, and Royal Harbor which generally has the deepest canals and larger lots in this location. Oyster Bay, however, has the only waterfront street in all of Naples where the homeowner actually owns the property on both sides of the street–a truly unique feature that add tremendous value as it offers 160′ of frontage per household! Lots of extra docking for people that want more than one boat!
Another neighborhood on the east side of the bay, located in the Bayshore Redevelopment District is called Gulf Shores. Here we find smaller homes, mostly built in the 60’s and 70’s on navigable water and no bridges to the gulf listed in the $300’s.
Last but not least, the neighborhood of Port Royal offers deep water yacht basins, wide channels, bay views, large estate-size lots, and membership to the exclusive Port Royal Club. Port Royal is bordered by Naples Bay to its east and the beach to the west. Upon the acquisition of the land now known as Port Royal, its developer stated his ambition was to “make this the finest place to live in the United States.” Over a half century later, it is recognized as just that, and contains some of the most impressive mansions in the world! Presently there are 45 homes for sale in Port Royal starting at $2.5 million.
We hope this outline of the waterfront communities of Naples Florida has been helpful. My partner, Chip Harris, is a licensed boat captain, and many times we take our waterfront buyers out prior to making their final decision on one of our boats so that they can see the approach to their new home by water! If you are interested in looking at waterfront homes, please call us today! 239.370.0574
Thank you-Happy house hunting and happy boating!
The Naples Real Estate Blogger
*all info derived from the Naples SunshineMLS and is deemed accurate.
