Gulf Access Bonita Springs“Gulf Access” is Sometimes an Embellishment

Buyers of real estate sometimes give direction just vague enough to get them disappointed:  “Find me something nice, in a nice area.”  First, they don’t know if I think an area is “nice” the way they think an area is nice.

You know, every man has a different opinion about whether a woman is beautiful or not so deciding if real estate is nice or fun or convenient or whatever is relative to the search for real estate.  Gulf access real estate varies wildly.  Finding something “gulf access”, which means accessible by boat to the gulf, is one of those areas of challenge, particularly when breaking into entry level gulf access real estate.

Sometimes there isn’t more than a stream or a sliver of a canal in the back that qualifies a home for being gulf access real estate.  There are even some gulf access homes where it is necessary to go under very low bridges or even through a culvert pipe to get to the main waterways.  That, of course, limits the size of a boat. The amount of debris in the water may also limit the use of jet – ski or vessels with impellers.

Further adding confusion for consumers searching for gulf access real estate is that there are a couple of neighborhoods with a community boat ramp or common, shared docks (usually first come, first serve).  This type of real estate usually shows up as gulf access real estate in searches, however there is no canal or waterway attached to the property.  Communities with this type of access include:

While most of the real estate in these communities enjoy gulf access through means other than a back yard canal, it does provide a unique opportunity for gulf access home ownership for residences that normally wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, such as tower residences, low rise condos and villa homes.