Bonita Springs-Questions (Naples, Immokalee, Estero: foreclosure, hotel, houses)

[Richard818]

Just to put an exclamation point on this for the sake of not misleading people, a GL homes chandon in Stonecreek (Collier) and Valencia Bonita (Lee) are the exact same models. Market value of home in Lee County is about $47,000 less than Collier.

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by Richard818

Lee County taxes are higher but not a significant amount and certainly not the disparity bbtondo cites- guaranteed there is more to that story. Looking at the trim notices will tell all.

Totally agree and tried to explain that.

I just did a quick comparison, about 30 mins of my life i won't get back.

Village Walk home (Bonita Springs) with an assessed value at $320k has a property tax bill THIS year of $4447. River stone home (naples) with an assessed value of $317k has a property tax bill of $3100. This does NOT include either area's CDD fee. Bonita also has the new library on there for $152 which your friend probably wasn't paying for in years past. If you remove that, you're left with a difference of $1200. ($3100 vs $4300). So the taxes are higher? Yes..

But double (or almost double)? Absolutely not. Lee county isn't some New Jersey of Florida with crazy high taxes. And coming from Miami, these taxes aren't even the highest I'm accustom to seeing over in Dade & Broward county. Florida doesn't even have the highest property tax rate given the fact that we have no income tax. I Believe our property taxes as a whole rank pretty well in the country.

And using my rule of thumb? the owner of the Village walk home paid $490k in 2006. Thankfully for him the re-assessments have lowered his taxes or else he'd be paying $8k or $9k in places like Miami-Dade! (Riverstone guy paid $407k in 2013 and also has had reductions over time as the market has adjusted accordingly)

Both these homes I used are currently for sale on the MLS too and both have similar asking prices and both have homestead exemptions on them.

[Richard818]

Originally Posted by Marc Middleton

Totally agree and tried to explain that.

I just did a quick comparison, about 30 mins of my life i won't get back.

Village Walk home (Bonita Springs) with an assessed value at $320k has a property tax bill THIS year of $4447. River stone home (naples) with an assessed value of $317k has a property tax bill of $3100. This does NOT include either area's CDD fee. Bonita also has the new library on there for $152 which your friend probably wasn't paying for in years past. If you remove that, you're left with a difference of $1200. ($3100 vs $4300). So the taxes are higher? Yes..

But double (or almost double)? Absolutely not. Lee county isn't some New Jersey of Florida with crazy high taxes. And coming from Miami, these taxes aren't even the highest I'm accustom to seeing over in Dade & Broward county. Florida doesn't even have the highest property tax rate given the fact that we have no income tax. I Believe our property taxes as a whole rank pretty well in the country.

And using my rule of thumb? the owner of the Village walk home paid $490k in 2006. Thankfully for him the re-assessments have lowered his taxes or else he'd be paying $8k or $9k in places like Miami-Dade! (Riverstone guy paid $407k in 2013 and also has had reductions over time as the market has adjusted accordingly)

Both these homes I used are currently for sale on the MLS too and both have similar asking prices and both have homestead exemptions on them.

Thank you. Its good to see another educated realtor give accurate information to the public and lets not forget the total assessed value is structure PLUS land so backing out the land the % difference based on structure (sqft) is even less.

[NEPats6SB]

I was looking at two GL Communities. One was in East Naples and the other in Bonita Springs. I decided that higher taxes is better than urban sprawl, horrible traffic, and higher prices. The property in Bonita Springs is also as convenient to places I would want to go in North Naples.

[JPrzybylski07]

Originally Posted by NEPats6SB

I was looking at two GL Communities. One was in East Naples and the other in Bonita Springs. I decided that higher taxes is better than urban sprawl, horrible traffic, and higher prices. The property in Bonita Springs is also as convenient to places I would want to go in North Naples.

Not wanting to pay the higher prices is understandable, but traffic sucks everywhere in season (doesn’t really suck that bad since I compare where I’m originally from which is Chicago).

Urban sprawl was part of your thought process why?? There’s urban sprawl in Bonita too.....

[NEPats6SB]

Originally Posted by JPrzybylski07

Not wanting to pay the higher prices is understandable, but traffic sucks everywhere in season (doesn’t really suck that bad since I compare where I’m originally from which is Chicago).

Urban sprawl was part of your thought process why?? There’s urban sprawl in Bonita too.....

The GL property I was looking at is at the end of Bonita Beach Rd, so the traffic seems much lighter and the Logan Boulevard extension also opens things up. The East Naples mess on Immokalee Rd up from the property Collier Blvd and an upcoming project there seemed a bit much. I am used to traffic, but that doesn't mean I have to look for more of it.

[gitondowntheroad]

Originally Posted by JPrzybylski07

Not wanting to pay the higher prices is understandable, but traffic sucks everywhere in season (doesn’t really suck that bad since I compare where I’m originally from which is Chicago).

Urban sprawl was part of your thought process why?? There’s urban sprawl in Bonita too.....

It's becoming unbearable, that whole area around Bonita is becoming a blur in sprawl (I wouldn't call it urban though

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by gitondowntheroad

It's becoming unbearable, that whole area around Bonita is becoming a blur in sprawl (I wouldn't call it urban though

Its becoming unbearable in Bonita?? Are you serious? This is basically a small town, not a city. And the area he's talking about has nothing but a Publix shopping center. They are finally going to start building stuff that will be ready in a couple of years, but stuff we need...like a decent hotel for people to stay in instead of the Dump behind the gas station off I-75. They're going to open an actual nice restaurant to eat in rather than a pizza place and Chinese take out like we have now. Heck they're even going to put in some office condos so people can actually work in Bonita and not just visit here 5-6 months of the year.

As a Miami realtor, the underdevelopment in Bonita Springs is almost criminal in my opinion. Straight shot down Bonita Beach Rd and you're at a gorgeous beach! And there's a hotel, a motel, a couple of mom & pop restaurants, 2 Publix's, Post Office, Ace Hardware, and some Walgreens. That's it for about an 8 mile stretch from Bonita National to the Beach Parking Lot.
Clearwater, St Pete, Ft Lauderdale, Miami Beach, etc. would be 'unbearable' compared to this place.

All of my clients in Miami are being told they need to stop looking for high cap rate, run down properties with questionable tenants and start buying up land or these gorgeous townhomes/villas that rent to A+ tenants in A+ neighborhoods

[bbtondo]

Originally Posted by NEPats6SB

The GL property I was looking at is at the end of Bonita Beach Rd, so the traffic seems much lighter and the Logan Boulevard extension also opens things up. The East Naples mess on Immokalee Rd up from the property Collier Blvd and an upcoming project there seemed a bit much. I am used to traffic, but that doesn't mean I have to look for more of it.

I agree with you on not buying anything off of Immokalee Rd. Everyday you come in and out of your community you deal with horrible traffic and truck "races". When you say "East Naples", you mean east of I75? I believe "East Naples" is further south.

I have a friend that bought in Palmira in bonita which is close to where you were looking? It sounds like you're looking even east of that community? It's really far away from a lot of things. But, with the Logan Extension it makes the drive to Naples faster. Is your thought to buy "cheaper" in Bonita and go to Naples often?

What are your interests? If you plan on going to the beach you're going to make a day of it from East Bonita Beach Road.

Again, I know a lot of people that bought in Bonita and are always traveling to Naples for beaches, restaurants, etc. Be aware that Barefoot Beach has a Bonita Springs address but is in Collier County which means it's $8 per day to park there. Residents of Collier Co get a free sticker to park.

IMO I would buy in Naples for whatever my budget is. Especially if your budget is $500,000 and up.

Unfortunately, it looks like it's a sellers market in my area. Houses are selling quickly and for more money than I would have imagined.

Good luck!

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by bbtondo

Unfortunately, it looks like it's a sellers market in my area. Houses are selling quickly and for more money than I would have imagined.

Good luck!

Must be priced well. My old home was just taken off the market after being pending for well over 60 days but it’s not in the $500-600K range.