What qualifies as a waterfront home in the local MLS?

The MLS includes gulf frontage, bay, river frontage, canal, lake, lagoon, basin and seawall. A home can be listed as waterfront even when the water feature is a man made lake or drainage canal.

Do all canal homes have gulf access?

No. Some canals are salt water with navigable routes to the Gulf. Others are fresh water drainage canals with no boating access.

What is the most expensive type of waterfront real estate?

Gulf front homes and gulf front condominiums are typically the most expensive due to limited supply.

Are there alternatives to buying directly on the beach?

Yes. Many gated communities offer private beach clubs or managed beach access while allowing owners to live on lakes or preserve views.

What should buyers verify before purchasing a waterfront home?

Confirm the waterfront type, gulf access, view orientation and any seawall, dock, lift or boating restrictions.

Is Bonita Springs good for boating?

Yes. Bonita Springs is an outstanding place for center console fishing boats, pontoon boats, jet skis and paddle craft. It is not known as a sailing community. Water depth, the draft of your boat and how far west you live all affect your access to the Gulf of Mexico. Paddlers can follow the Great Calusa Blueway, a marked paddling trail that begins at the Imperial River in Bonita Springs.

Waterfront Homes For Sale Bonita Springs Florida

Everyone has a different idea of what a waterfront home really is. Consumers come from all over the United States and all over the world to buy Bonita Springs real estate. Since Florida has so many waterfront homes buyers often start searching for waterfront homes for sale. Our local multiple listing service or MLS offers the following criteria as waterfront in the search filters: basin, bay, creek, fresh water, gulf frontage, intersecting canal, lagoon, lake, mangrove, on the gulf beach, rip rap, river frontage, seawall.

Waterfront homes for sale in Bonita Springs Florida “Waterfront homes” can mean many things in Florida. Waterfront can be a home on a canal. Very often in the mind of a buyer a canal means gulf access but Southwest Florida also has fresh water drainage canals without gulf access or boating access. That is where the confusion begins. A canal home can have no gulf access.

Southwest Florida is also home to many lakes. What many people consider a lake here is often more of a pond or retention area. Most of the lakes are man made in Southwest Florida. Homes and condominiums are built on raised fill pads for drainage purposes. The dirt is claimed by digging lakes which creates instant waterfront homes and additional waterfront real estate.

One of the largest man made lakes in the area is in the community of Miromar Lakes in South Fort Myers. The lake is approximately seven hundred acres and is surrounded by luxury real estate and some of the most desirable waterfront homes available within a gated community.

The prime waterfront real estate is gulf front on Bonita Beach. Bonita Springs is known as “The Gateway to The Gulf”. Homes on Hickory Boulevard and Barefoot Beach Boulevard enjoy spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico throughout the year. This is the highest tier of waterfront real estate.

Waterfront gulf access homes in Bonita Springs Florida Living on the Gulf of Mexico allows a home owner to walk directly from their residence onto the sand. In addition to single family homes there are also gulf front condominiums on Bonita Beach. Beachfront condominium living is considered luxury real estate due to limited supply which makes it the most expensive form of waterfront ownership.

In the pricing hierarchy of waterfront real estate bay front property follows gulf front and riverfront real estate follows bay front.

Boating Life in Bonita Springs

Bonita Springs is a unique place to own a boat. I have personally lived on a variety of creeks, rivers and bays here. Bonita Springs is not known as a sailing community. It is an outstanding place for center console fishing boats, pontoon boats, jet skis and paddle craft.

Where you live on the water makes a big difference. Along the rivers, the water depth and the draft of your boat determine how easily you can get around. The farther west you live the easier your access to the Gulf of Mexico. Living farther west also eliminates much of the idle time spent in the no-wake zones along the rivers.

Paddlers have their own marked route. The Great Calusa Blueway begins at the Imperial River in Bonita Springs. Channel markers and signs guide kayaks, canoes and paddleboards through Estero Bay and up the coast. The Blueway is part of the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, which goes around the entire state.

One of the fun times of my life was living in Little Hickory Shores at the junction of a bay and a canal. My twins were young and we had a small center console fishing boat made just for knocking around. The kids couldn’t break anything on it and it was easy to rinse out with the hose. We loaded up the twins and our Dalmatian, Kelly, to watch the sunrise or the sunset and ran the boat right up on the beach. It was small enough that even I, as a woman, could push it back off the sand by myself. That was the ease and unseen luxury of living on Little Hickory Bay.

Southwest Florida buyers also have alternatives to direct beachfront ownership. Several gated communities offer private beach clubs where residents enjoy access to gulf front property owned and maintained by the community. This allows home owners to live on lakes or preserve views while still enjoying a private beach experience.

In Bonita Springs, Estero and North Naples the following communities offer beach access or beach club amenities: Mediterra, Bonita Bay, Pelican Landing, West Bay Club, Pelican Sound, Quail West and The Brooks communities including Shadow Wood, Spring Run, Copperleaf and Lighthouse Bay. Rapallo offers a beach shuttle service. Residents of The Colony enjoy private access through the Bay Club.

There is waterfront real estate available for a wide range of budgets. The key is understanding the differences and knowing where to look. If you are ready to begin your search for waterfront homes in Bonita Springs schedule a strategy session today or call 239-273-7430.