Collier prices tops in state

Median Collier home price hits $500,000

Collier County median home prices hit $500,800 in August and continue to be the highest in Florida. This figure was up from $397,300 in August 2004 and up from $490,400 in July 2005.

My hunch is that these figures will continue to rise as long as prices continue to rise in the northern states where the inflow of Naples boomers originate. For many boomers, spending the extra money for a home in Naples is easily justified by the culture, dining and shopping that are all in close proximity. Other SW Florida communities lacking a real downtown experience like Ft. Myers, Cape Coral and Punta Gorda need to take action to create this type of environment.

The big challenge for Collier County will be for businesses to attract necessary workers that can no longer touch a home in close proximity to their job.

Collier homes costliest in Florida [News-Press]