Naples is the land of plenty. It is the west coast version of Palm Beach or Boca Raton. Naples is chic, elegant and expensive. You will see many “ultimates” in Naples. The ultimate mansions, cars, boats, boutiques, styles, restaurants, hotels and more are all found in Naples.

Naples is a city in Collier County nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and the Everglades. Naples combines breathtaking natural beauty with relaxed, sophisticated living.  The median income is high, the cost of living is high and the people who live there are very fond of their place in the sun. You can find wonderful art galleries, all types of cultural performances and attractions and  some of the most beautiful estate homes in all of Florida.

While the economy of Naples is largely based on tourism, there are a number of other, smaller business concerns that give Collier County a year round economic solidity. Health Care is big here, with the NCH Healthcare System centering the sector. There are many doctors and clinics also covering various elements of general and specific healthcare.

Naples and Collier County have some of the finest gated golf course communities found anywhere. There are beach front and canal front homes that will take your breath away. It is estimated that over 250 Fortune 500 CEO’s have winter homes here. Celebrities are also part of the local scene. A few names who have homes here that you may recognize are Larry Bird, Rocco Mediate, Mike Ditka, Robert Ludlum, Bob Seger, Steven Spielberg, Billy Crystal and others.

There are approximately 80 championship golf courses in the Naples area. There are about ten miles of beautiful soft white sand beaches bordering the Gulf of Mexico. While in Sanibel it is fun to walk the beaches looking for shells, in Naples it’s fun to walk the beaches looking at the huge homes and four star hotels.

Downtown Naples is one of those rare places where you park your car and just walk. You visit the stores and shops, stop for lunch at a variety of great restaurants, or just sit and watch the people go by. There are upscale shopping districts, some built right on the water, that have every elegant brand name store you can think of. There is a European
elegance to Naples that not too many places have.

The Naples area remained virtually uninhabited until after the Civil War when small groups of farmers and land squatters began making their way south in mule wagons, ox carts and boats. Many of the early settlers hunted and fished for a living. They grew crops of sugar cane, tomatoes and pineapples. They trapped otters and alligators and sold bird feathers. Cattle ranching is one of Collier County’s oldest pastimes. Soon railroads were built which helped the ranchers get their products to various markets.

By the time of World War II thousands of soldiers and airmen came to Naples for military training. The current Naples airport was first built in 1943 to train pilots for air-to-air combat. Approximately 75 planes were part of this early Naples training base. Many veterans returned to Naples after the war to live here permanently and start new businesses.

Naples has a cosmopolitan flair, a strong and vibrant art life and a large variety of community and charity events. Residents can live in a cozy cottage, a beach front high rise condo, a regular neighborhood of smaller homes or grand estates.  Real Estate is a major industry here. There are all kinds of selections, from small condos to beautiful estates. While prices are a little higher than the rest of Florida’s west coast, there are still good deals to be found. Our agency knows Naples well and we would be happy to introduce you to the world of buying and selling homes in this very special city.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES

Naples is the main city in Collier County. Some people use the term “Naples” to encompass both areas. There are many varieties of neighborhoods and developments in Collier County. Some are everyday streets that can be found anywhere; others are private gated enclaves for the rich and famous. While the Naples area is expensive, there are many places within the county where housing costs are more realistic. Listed below are some of the more well known areas of Collier County. It is just a description of some of the communities available. There are dozens and dozens of other choices. You may search for these using our property search function under “Naples.” We would be happy to help you with our expertise in locating the home or condo that fits your requirements.

OLD NAPLES

Think of the Naples Pier stretching out over the Gulf. Look in both directions. This is the area usually called “Old Naples.” Many of the homes here are old and the architectural styles reflect the vintage times. It is an eclectic place, with small cottages, modern condominiums and beach front estates. Almost all of the streets in Old Naples run east to west, and end at the beach, so it’s an easy walk or bike ride to take in some sun or a beautiful sunset. This area is fairly close to shopping and excellent restaurants. If you’re looking for a distinctive home with the older characteristics of style choices, from the turn of the century to modern times, you may want to visit Old Naples. Condos can be priced from $400,000 to $4 million. Single family homes can go from $600,000 to $13 million.

THE MOORINGS AND COQUINA SANDS NEIGHBORHOODS

Many of these homes or condominiums have private boat docks with easy access to the Gulf of Mexico. These neighborhoods are centrally located in Naples and are close to US 41 for shopping ad eating. While these two areas were mostly built on the 1970’s, their location and style has withstood the test of time. Many of the condos and homes have been renovated and are both elegant and modern. There is lush vegetation on the lawns and the streets are lined with mature palms and banyan trees. All of the homes and condos in the Moorings and Coquina Sands are a short walk or bike ride to the beach. They are close to the beach front Lowdermilk Park which has public access to the beach as well as good parking and concession stands. A range of prices for condos in these neighborhoods would be $500,000 to $3 million. Single family homes would be approximately $1 million to $7 million.

PORT ROYAL

This is probably the foremost area of exclusivity not only in Naples, but in most of Florida. It is a section at the southern end of Naples that goes from the Bay to the Gulf. Many of the homes are situated on wide canals so owners can have their yachts in their back yards. There are also bay front and beachfront estates like you have never seen anywhere else. Port Royal is a Naples landmark. It would probably make most lists of the best neighborhoods in the world. There are only about 550 homes here. Many of them have great water views with lush gardens, serious acreage and docks that can house boats of 100 feet. If you are in the market for a large waterfront home, Port Royal should be considered. Prices range from $4 million to $26 million.

ROYAL HARBOR

This might be considered a smaller waterfront single family home community. There are about 410 homes here, most with swimming pools and boat docks. It is located on the east side of Naples Bay, and the deep canals provide easy access to the Bay, the Inland Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. Most boat docks are for vessels in the thirty foot range. This development is close to the beach and fairly near Port Royal. It has both older and newer homes. Prices range from $700,000 to $4.5 million, though many of the homes are in the $1 million range.

AUDUBON COUNTRY CLUB

This is a private gated 770 acre county club development located between Naples and Bonita Springs. It has just 400 residential choices which can be estate homes, villas or low rise condominiums. Most homes have golf course, lake, or nature preserve views. Over one half of the community is a nature preserve which includes sensitive coastal areas and inland estuaries. There is a Joe Lee designed championship golf course that has 28 lakes as part of the design. There are championship croquet courts and tennis courts that are part of the country club. Condominium prices are in the range of $500,000 to $750,000 and homes go for $600,000 to $3 million.

THE STRAND

This is a lower price country club option in North Naples. It features a 27 hole Gordon Lewis designed championship course and a 55,000 square foot club house. The Strand offers different levels of membership to permit residents to choose a recreation style most suited to them. This community has both condos and single family homes. Many are built around the course which is bordered by lakes and nature preserves. Condo prices here range from $250,000 to $550,000. Single family homes range from $300,000 to $1.5 million.

QUAIL WEST

This is a gated and guarded country club community of large homes and a huge clubhouse. The primary signatures of the community are two very special Arthur Hills designed 18 hole golf courses. These courses are beautiful and challenging. Quail West has many estate-sized homes which border the courses, lakes or nature preserves. The clubhouse offers multiple dining options and a full spa. Home prices range from $2 million to $10 million.

TIBURON

This is a country club community of homes and condos that is part of the Naples Ritz-Carlton Resort. In addition to the full hotel facilities, it has a large elegant spa and a Greg Norman designed golf course. This is the home of Norman’s yearly tournament, the Franklin Templeton Shootout. It is one of those golf courses that every golfer should play at least once. Through the hotel and in nearby neighborhoods there are many options for shopping and dining. Single family homes range from $1.3 million to $6 million. Condos range from $750,000 to $1.2 million.