Gulf Harbour is a master-planned, gated community located on historic McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers, Florida.  Comprised of 18 distinct neighborhoods in a 547-acre waterfront setting, Gulf Harbour offers upscale living in a convenient location close to the beaches and Downtown Fort Myers.

Boaters, golfers and tennis enthusiasts can enjoy the world-class facilitates of this much-beloved community.  Gulf Harbour offers a wide range of housing options from the exclusive riverfront Edgewater neighborhood of single-family homes to luxury high rise condos at Palmas Del Sol and The Paramount to coach home enclaves…..there is an option for every lifestyle choice.

2011 has been a busy year for real estate within the gates of the Gulf Harbour community.  So far this year, 95 properties have changed hands at Gulf Harbour.  Prices range from a low of $77,500 for a 2 BR / 2 BA / 1,172 foreclosed condo in Rivers Edge to a high of $3.25M for a 5 BR / 6 BA / 7,256 SF riverfront home in Edgewater Estates.

Here is a resource to view active Gulf Harbour real estate listings.  Our team is very active in this community and can be helpful in narrowing and expediting your search for a new Gulf Harbour home.

The most expensive home to sell in Lee County, Florida during August 2011 was a Fort Myers riverfront estate home located within Gulf Harbour.  This 7,256 SF home is located at 11350 Longwater Chase Court, Fort Myers, FL and features 5 BR / 6 BA.  The selling price was $3.25M / $448 SF, which was 81% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Realtor Gary F McNear of McNear Real Estate for closing this transaction.

Honorable mention for 2nd most expensive Lee County residential property sold in August 2011 was a single-family waterfront home located within Captiva’s Tween Waters neighborhood.  This 3,500 SF home located at 15557 Captiva Drive, Captiva, FL features 4 BR / 4.5 BA.  The selling price was $2.1M/ $600 SF, which was 70% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Realtor Phaidra A. McDermott of John R. Wood Island Real Estate for closing this transaction.

In August 2011 there were six residential transactions in Lee County with a selling price over $1M, down from 13 in July, 22 in June and 16 in May.

Here is a resource if you are interested in learning more about Fort Myers luxury homes that are currently listed for sale.

Gated communities are the dominate type of neighborhood in the Fort Myers area.  With several hundred to choose from, searching for a home in a Fort Myers gated gated community can be a daunting task.  While the gates are meant to keep the bad guys out, they also make it challenging for home buyers to take a peek and see if the neighborhood is a good fit.

Gated communities are located throughout the entire area of Fort Myers, but a couple of areas that have a significant concentration of fine gated communities include the Daniels Corridor and Summerlin Corridor.  These two roads are a familiar to many of our visitors as this is the most common route from the airport to Sanibel and Captiva

After deciding on location and price range, another key decision point for many buyers is the level of amenities available in the community.  The Fort Myers area has many top notch gated golfing communities, but also a vast selection of gated communities that are not associated with a golf course.  Many second home owners like this gated, non-golfing option as they have the peace-of mind for their asset when they are back home without the carrying cost of a golf community.  Amenities available at Fort Myers gated communities range from basically nothing other than the gate at one end of the spectrum all the way to concierge services  and spa treatments at the other.

Our team specializes in gated communities in the Fort Myers area and has over the years visited them all.  Here are some of our favorite gated communities:

• Unique architecture: Paseo
• Coach homes: Lucaya
• Luxury amenities and services: Miromar Lakes
• Privacy and natural setting: Blackhawk
• 55+ full service: Pelican Preserve
• 55+ value: Cinnamon Cove
• Estate homes: Gulf Harbour
• Value: Parker Lakes
• Location: Bell Tower Park

If you are in the market for a new home in a Fort Myers gated community, our team is here to assist in an information-rich,  low-pressure manner.

Per our MLS over the past 12 months, 63 homes sold in Gulf Harbour.  These sales have ranged in price from a low of $115,000 for a detached villa in Rivers Edge II to $1.3M for an Edgewater single-family home. The MLS data does not reflect the $5.12M sale of Casa Del Rio by of a former Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman to AC/DC guitarist Cliff Williams.

Distressed property transactions (8 short sales & 3 foreclosures) represented 18% of total number of transactions at Gulf Harbour last year. This figure is significantly lower than the overall market in Fort Myers where more than half of our transactions were distressed sales.

With 174 active listings, just over 10% of the homes at Gulf Harbour are listed for sale.  At current consumption levels, the Gulf Harbour inventory represents a 33 month supply of homes listed for sale.  Most real estate experts agree that inventory levels above six months represent a buyers market, which is what we have today at Gulf Harbour.

We have reviewed the current market at Gulf Harbour, now it is time to identify some buying opportunities at Gulf Harbour.  At the lower end of the price range, Rivers Edge with current asking prices in the low $100,000s offers a value-option at Gulf Harbour.  The coach home communities of Grande Cay and Tamarind Cay both have interesting options starting in the mid $100,000s.  High-rise condos at The Shores start in the $500,000s and offer amazing views out over the Caloosahatchee River/intracoastal waterway. For single-family homes, the Edgewater neighborhood currently has 26 homes for sale with many aggressively-priced options.

AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams is selling his Mediterranean-style Gulf Harbour home for $1.375M.  The single-family home is located on Compass Point Drive in the Edgewater at Gulf Harbour neighborhood and features 4 BR + den / 5 BA and 4,510 SF.  This courtyard-style home includes 4 garage spaces, an outdoor kitchen and a soundproof music studio.

Williams recently purchased the Casa Del Rio estate in Gulf Harbour for $5.12M from former Ambassador to Portugal and WCI founder Al Hoffman.  While we know that President Bush visited Casa Del Rio for a fundraiser during Hoffman’s ownership, we do not know if fellow AC/DC front-liners Malcom and Angus Young ever visited rocked in William’s studio.

Here is a resource to view all the available Gulf Harbour homes for sale.

With literally hundreds of communities to choose from, it can be very confusing for an out-of-towner or newcomer to search for a gated community home in the Fort Myers area.  Two key decisions that can help to narrow your search are: (1) What type of amenities do you require and (2) What part of Fort Myers do you want to live in?

Amenities

Gated community amenities in the Fort Myers area run the full spectrum from luxury country club or marina to nothing more than a front gate.  One of the most polarizing amenities is golf, people either want it or they don’t want it and the expenses associated with it.  Many gated communities offer a central pool and clubhouse with a fitness center.  The fitness center amenity is popular in Southwest Florida as homes are built without basements, where most people in the north keep their exercise equipment.  You can really assist your Realtor in narrowing your gated community search by thinking through the amenities that you require.

Location

Fort Myers gated communities are located along the main thoroughfares in the city.  Popular Fort Myers roadways for gated communities include Daniels Parkway, Summerlin Road, McGregor Boulevard and Colonial Boulevard. Many of our customers find it helpful to segment their search via these main Fort Myers real estate corridors.

Some of my favorite Fort Myers gated communities include:

Golfing: Fiddlesticks; Renaissance
Luxury: Devonwood; Gulf Harbour; Miromar Lakes
Architecture: Paseo; Portofino
55+: Heritage Cove; Pelican Preserve
Boating: Caloosa Yacht & Racquet; St. Charles Harbour
Water skiing: Harbourage
Value: Calusa Palms, The Forum; Parker Lakes

The most expensive and sought after real estate in Fort Myers is located along the Caloosahatchee River in South Fort Myers.  This area includes neighborhoods located off both historic McGregor Boulevard and Iona Road.  Both of these streets both run parallel to the river and are dominated by residential waterfront communities on their river-facing, west sides.

McGregor Boulevard, which is lined with majestic royal palm trees, was home in the roaring 1920s to our original snowbirds…..Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone.  Today, 90 years later, it is still home to prominent snowbirds as well as many of the movers and shakers of our community.  The McGregor Boulevard communities of Palmetto Point, Gulf Harbour and the Palms of McGregor are luxury waterfront neighborhoods.  Old Fort Myers offers history lovers a chance to own a period house from the days of Edison, many of which have been wonderfully restored.   Boating enthusiasts are drawn to the popular riverfront communities of Caloosa Yacht & Racquet Club, The Landings and Town & River.

The western side of Iona Road is also lined with riverfront communities and is a very popular area with boat and yacht owners.  This area offers very quick, unrestricted access to the open waters of the Gulf. Luxury boating communities along Iona Road include Jonathan Harbour, St. Charles Harbour and Connie Mack Island.  Upscale Iona Road communities offering outstanding boating opportunities include Catalpa Cove, Harbour Isle and Intracoastal Harbour.

Simon Cowell has ended his longtime illustrious bachelorhood with an engagement to make up artist Mezhgan Hussainy.  The Captiva Gold Coast is by far the best choice for these two lovebirds as it offers the exclusivity and privacy required by a star of Cowell’s magnitude.  The home I picked out for Simon is a modern 12,000 SF  gulf front estate on Captiva Drive listed for $18M.

Despite an attire and vocabulary that never ceases to amaze, Randy Jackson is truly a man of the people.  I can’t imagine Randy living in a suburban home with a manicured front lawn.    While I initially thought of downtown luxury high-rise development High Point Place as a fit for Randy, there is nothing currently on the market designed for someone of his stature.  A good fit for Randy might be a penthouse unit at the Paramount at Gulf Harbour.  A 4,370 SF unit done up in South Beach pastels listed for $2.25M is my pick for Randy.

Wow, is Lee County really big enough to handle all these Idol stars?  For Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia De Rossi, a waterfront estate on Barefoot beach would seem to be a good fit.  With a number of pets, Ellen and Portia definitely need a single-family home.  How about an 8,030 SF contemporary European inspired Barefoot Beach home with a huge gourmet kitchen for preparing those vegan delicacies, a fitness center and salt water aquarium.  The asking price of $12.575M is a drop in the bucket for this couple.

Oozing with class and style, Kara DioGuardi and recent husband Mike McCuddy need a home to support the growing social demands of Kara’s blossoming career.  With her Italian heritage, an estate home on the shores of Lake Como at Miromar Lakes might suite Kara just fine.  My pick for Kara is a 5,032 SF waterfront home listed for $3.995M in the Isola Bella neighborhood of Miromar Lakes.

Wow, I have left the toughest for last…..just where does ubiquitous metrosexual Idol host Ryan Seacrest belong?  My first thought was Gator Greenwell’s almost finished estate in Alva, but there might be a little too much dust on the roads of Alva for Seacrest’s Bentley.  Suddenly it dawned on me that Ryan belongs on Andy Rosse Lane in Captiva.  I can visualize him holding court at the Key Lime Bistro and the Mucky Duck during the same evening.  How cool would it be to witness a chance meeting between Ryan and Simon at one of the Andy Rosse Lane establishments?  Currently, Ryan can pick from five Andy Rosse Lane homes currently for sale.

Deep-water enthusiasts with a taste for large boats and yachts make their home in the South Fort Myers community of Palmetto Point.  With wide canals, deep unrestricted access and just a few minutes ride to open water, Palmetto Point is truly a boater’s paradise.

Palmetto Point is located in South Fort Myers along venerable royal palm lined Mcgregor Boulevard.  Located directly to the west is prestigious Gulf Harbour Yacht and Country Club and to the east is a protected Conservation 20/20 Preserve. Palmetto Cove residents can join Gulf Harbour as a non-resident member and enjoy all the amenities of this community.

Homes at Palmetto Point range from majestic estates with over 8,000 SF to modest 3 BR single-family ranch homes.  In the last year, 5 homes have sold in Palmetto Point ranging in price from $476,000 to $2.5M.  There are currently 22 homes available for sale at Palmetto Point ranging in price from $549,900 to 14.9M.

View active Palmetto Point Listings.

Gulf Harbour, located along famed McGregor Boulevard in South Fort Myers continues to be a very popular Southwest Florida community.  Already in the first 15 weeks of 2010, 24 properties have been sold at Gulf Harbour.  Condos sales have dominated the Gulf Harbour transactions in 2010 with 20 of the 24 sales.  Affordability has been a key driver with 11/24 transactions at or below $220,000.

Four Gulf Harbour single-family homes have sold in 2010 ranging in price from $705,000 ($213 / SF) for a 3,315 SF Seaside Estates home to $5.12M ($387/SF) for a 13,233 SF estate home on Longwater Chase in the Edgewater neighborhood.  This transaction was notable as it involved former WCI Chairman and Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman selling to AC/DC member Cliff Williams.

Williams is upgrading from another luxury home in the Gulf Harbour community, which is now on the market for $1.375M.  It is great to see a Williams staying put a Gulf Harbour.  I am ready to go if fellow AC/DC band members Malcolm or Angus Young want to join him in the neighborhood!

Casa Del Rio, the home of former WCI Chairman and former Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman, is on the auction block.  Hoffman was also Chairman of the Republican Nation Committee and his Gulf Harbour riverfront home has hosted fundraisers and been visited by presidential candidates including George W. Bush and John McCain.

Many consider Casa Del Rio to be the finest home in Fort Myers, but is it just too much house for this town?  Casa Del Rio has been on the market since November 2005 when it was originally listed for $17M.  The price was been reduced twice to $14.9M but no takers over a four plus years it was on the market.

The auction is scheduled for March 13, 2010 and will be conducted by Daniel DeCaro Real Estate Auctions.  It is an absolute auction, so the house will be sold.  If you are interested, the 2009 property tax bill on this home was $56,085.73 and HOA fees totaled $2,668/month.

No speculation on a buyer, but my money is on Tom Werner, the Chairman of the Boston Red Sox.  If this does come to fruition, I called it in 2006!

Today there are 182 properties for sale in Gulf Harbour’s 18 distinct neighborhoods. A whopping twenty Gulf Harbour properties are currently listed at asking prices below $200,000. These twenty sub $200K listings include condos at: Long Pond Village; Rivers Edge 1; Rivers Edge 2; Rivers Edge 3 and Rivers Edge 4.

If you looked at Gulf Harbour in the past (and who hasn’t???) and thought owning in this great community was a major stretch, maybe its time to take another peek…..

Did you hear the news that rocker Rick Derringer of “Hang on Sloopy” fame is now a Realtor in Sarasota. Derringer has recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Steve Ray Vaughn and once toured with the Rolling Stones. We wish Rick well in this new endeavor and I will think of him trolling the MLS every time Sloopy plays on my iPod. (yes, I really have Sloopy on my iPod)

One thought that came to me while reading about Derringer was what if the Stones decided to move to Ft. Myers and wanted me to find them new homes. Do we really have inventory here on the Gulf Coast to satisfy the real estate cravings of Mick Jagger, who has recently been house hunting with girlfriend L’Wren Scott in the upscale West London neighborhood of Barnes.

For Mick and L’Wren the choice is fairly obvious to me, a Gulf Harbor Mansion, owned by former WCI CEO and current Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman might just do the trick. The seven bedrooms and nine baths spread across 13,233 sq. ft should provide plenty of room for the extended Jagger clan. A potential negative to Mick is that this home hosted a political fundraiser for “W” a few years ago. The asking price a cool $17M.

When I think of Keith Richards, Ft. Myers Beach is about the only place around here where I could even remotely imagine Richards living. This bay front Flamingo Harbour Mansion has a one-of-a-kind post-modern style that just might appeal to Keith’s unique sense of style. I can visualize Keith floating in the quarry stone pool with a cigarette in one hand and an icy cold beverage in the other. The $3.195M asking price should be pocket change for Richards.

Ronnie Wood is a natural for urban living. I initially thought of a penthouse on the river, but couldn’t find the right right one. Well maybe Old Fort Myers along the river is the place for Ronnie. This beautifully renovated home on Valencia Way was constructed in 1926 and features 116 feet of river frontage. The Mediterranean-styled exterior should certainly appeal to Wood and invoke memories of his partying days at his pad on the Spanish Island of Ibiza. This home is listed for $2.999M.

Charlie Watts just looks like a Cape Coral guy, the gray hair and conservative clothing would allow him to blend in and have a real sense of anonymity. For Charlie the best fit would be a luxury condo at Tarpon Landings, a high-end gated community. Each unit has a private elevator and a minimum of two private balconies offering views of the marina and Caloosahatchee River. Tarpon Landings units are on the market for $3.559M.

Rocker Takes Up Realty [Tampa Bay Online]

Like the Roman Army invading Gaul in 55 BC, Red Sox Nation has descended upon Ft. Myers for spring training. We are also fortunate to be the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins, although their presence is dwarfed by that of the red hose.

With the entire spring training sold out and scalpers charging hefty premiums, some of Red Sox Nation might be shut out of the games and have some spare time. Might it be worthwhile for you to invest some of this time looking for your own place in the Florida sun?

Maybe it is also time for some of the Red Sox family to put down roots here in SW Florida. Based on our knowledge of the team and of the local real estate market, the following are some property recommendations.

For Manny Ramirez, a 20th floor penthouse condo at Mastique where the views are priceless and privacy is at premium. With private secure elevators, it is unlikely that anyone will be bothering Manny at Mastique. On the market for $2.295M

Principal team owner John Henry would be a good fit for Casa Yucca, the former Sanibel home of CIA Director Porter Goss, is listed for $18.9M. The gulf frontage is amazing is amazing, the only worry would be where he would dock his yacht.

For Big Papi David Ortiz, a penthouse condo at Beau Rivage along the River in Downtown Fort Myers seems like a natural. How cool would it be for Big Papi to take an evening stroll on his namesake Ortiz Avenue. Listed at $898,000.

Ace outspoken pitcher Curt Schilling and his lovely wife Shonda would be a good fit for a home on exclusive Waite Island in St. Charles Harbour. With six bedrooms and a guest house, the Schillings will have plenty of room. Listed at $3.8M.

General Manager Theo Epstein is a bottom line kind of guy. We think he would definitely factor in resale potential before making a decision. With strong resale results, an 11th floor condo at Riva del Lago would fit the bill for Theo. A four bedrooms unit would provide space for Theo sidekicks Ben Cherrington and Jed Hoyer to crash.

Bullpen stalwart Mike Timlin is an outdoorsman and country boy. For him a home with acreage in Alva seems like a natural. This riverfront home on 1.8 acres in Alva is listed at 1.95M.

Knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield is one of the teams best golfers and is destined for a home in Renaissance. On those off days between starts, Tim can enjoy playing 18 on the wonderful Arthur Hills designed course. Listed at $1.895M.

Chairman Tom Werner and girlfriend Katie Couric like to entertain and this Gulf Harbor Mansion, owned by former WCI CEO and current Ambassador to Portugal Al Hoffman should fit the bill. A few years back this home was visited by “W” for a political fundraiser. The asking price a cool $17M.

First baseman Kevin Youkilis is still working on his initial contract and is not yet cashing the big checks. For Youk, a townhouse in the Stoneybrook neighborhood of Gateway listed at $259,000 seems like a good fit.

Team architect Janet Marie Smith is famous for her renovations at Fenway including the beloved Monster Seats. This Ft. Myers riverfront home in Palmetto Point listed at $2.5M could blossom with her golden touch.

If any members of Red Sox Nation are looking for a place down here to call home, please drop me a note and we can try to find it for you. If during our home search, you want to talk about Coco’s OBP or Paplebon’s K/9 that will not be a problem on this end.

Al Hoffman who has recently been appointed as Ambassador to Portugal has list his Ft Myers riverfront home for $17M. This is believed to be the highest listing ever in Lee County. Hoffman is the former CEO of Bonita Springs development company, WCI Communities.

Not sure if marketing the home with the tagline “W ate here” will help much these days, but my money is on a deep pocketed conservative republican type stepping up for this property. Ft. Myers just doesn’t seem to have enough action to attract a Clinton Hollywood type.

Home’s yours for $17 million [News-Press]