The most visited link on our website for years now has been “Beach Cottages” – no surprise there – the beach cottage dream. However, the beach cottage term in itself has changed in meaning. There is the classical beach cottage, a 1500 sq ft home on the beach, done in beach or coastal decor, casual in furnishings, exudes the charm that won our hearts in years past and still today. And there is the new beach cottage, 4000+ in sq ft with all the modern conveniences, furnished in today’s luxuries.
If you are still dreaming of that beach cottage, there is only one affordable area to search in – Hickory Blvd – the 2 mile road along Bonita Beach. You will have both choices, charm of the older homes
or the conveniences and features of newer construction.
If any area has done extremely well in the latest sales activity seen since Oct. of 2011 – Hickory Blvd has definitely broken a new record.
So let’s get you up to speed:
2010 – A total of 13 homes sold on Hickory Blvd – 3 of which were off the beach (bay-side) and 10 beachfront homes (6 old charm & 4 newer construction).
2011 – A total of 12 homes sold on Hickory Blvd – 3 of which were off the beach (bay-side) and 9 beachfront homes (5 old charm & 4 newer construction.
Frist Quarter 2012 – A total of 4 beachfront homes closed and 7 under contract. That is 11 sales transactions and that is only the 1st quarter of 2012.
So what are your chances of grabbing one of these beachfront homes before it’s too late?
- Bonita Beach – the only beach area for Bonita Springs, is only 2 miles long – main road being Hickory Boulevard.
- There are only 134 beachfront home sites on Hickory Blvd (9 vacant lots + 15 Tear Down potential new construction + 47 Newer construction and 63 older charming homes.
- If we add the recent sales (2010) 10 + (2011) 9 + (2012 so far) 11 = for a total of 30 recent solds – we can rightly presume those will not be on the market for sale soon – that leaves 104 sites – with 9 vacant lots & 15 tear downs, we are now down to 80 potential resale home sites – with 6 of those under construction custom built for their owners, that leaves 74 – 3 are being built by builders for sale, we are now down to 71 total potential resale homes. So if you are looking for the charming beach cottage – there are only 47 total from which new listings for sale might come on the market – and 33 if you are looking for newer construction resale. Considering we have been running at the rate of 10% of total beachfront homes come on the market in any one year…. it is really slim picking – and with that type of low low inventory, guess what? Yes, higher asking prices to match the demand will kick in very soon. Currently only 7 beachfront homes are available for sale (a 5 month supply, if so).
In summary: If you are seriously considering a purchase of a beachfront cottage, here is our coastline prices starting south with Port Royal at $8+M – Olde Naples $9+M – Moorings & Park Shore (all Hi-rise condos) – Pelican Bay only 12 homes on the strand for $14+M (when available) – Vanderbilt Beach (only 7 homes when available) at $3.5+M for an older home and $6+M for newer – still heading north and entering Bonita Springs; Barefoot Beach at $3+M – Bonita Beach at $1.5+ for an older home and $3+M for newer homes… 6 more miles up the road we enter the south end of Fort Myers Beach at $1+M for old charm & $2+M for newer construction.
Seriously considering the purchase of a beachfront cottage this year? Give us a call and let’s discuss a plan of action to make this happen for the right price and the right home…. Call us today at 239-272-4848 for Tim and 239-776-5077 for Ellie.
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