Bonita Springs voters decide the fate of a $35 million rail-trail bond on Aug. 18, Naples just recorded Old Naples' priciest home sale of the year, and mortgage rates barely budged this week. Whether you're house-hunting in Collier or watching your tax bill in Lee, there's a lot riding on the next seven days.

Old Naples' biggest sale of 2026 just closed: a Gulf-front home at 26 2nd Avenue South sold for $27 million, the highest price paid for an existing residence in Old Naples this year. 🔗 Old Naples' Highest-Priced Residential Home Sale of 2026 Closes at $27 Million [Source: citybiz]. The sale was represented by Premier Sotheby's International Realty's Village office. The 8,770-square-foot, six-car-garage beachfront home was completed in 2025 and sits on 120 feet of direct Gulf frontage.

On the investment side, Bitcoin-linked firm Cardone Capital paid $89.75 million for the 282-unit Orchid Run apartment complex in Collier County, part of its "10X Naples + Bitcoin Fund." 🔗 Bitcoin-fueled Cardone Capital buys Orchid Run apartments for $89.75M [Source: Gulfshore Business]. A Naples investor also closed on the retail center Uptown Center along Immokalee Road for $26 million. 🔗 Naples investor acquires Uptown Center for $26M [Source: Gulfshore Business]. North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District paid $3.495 million for new office-condo headquarters on Pine Ridge Road. 🔗 North Collier Fire District buys $3.5M headquarters [Source: Gulfshore Business].

Market snapshot: A Florida Gulf Coast University economic report released Aug. 3 found the regional housing market still cooling from its 2022 peak: residential active listings fell 14.4% region-wide in Q2 2026 and single-family building permits dropped 20.3% in the first half of 2026 (6,877 permits) versus a year earlier. Within that report, Collier County's single-family median home price reached $850,000; the excerpt available for this pull didn't break out a separate Lee County figure. Region-wide, single-family sales hit 2,678 in April, the highest monthly total since 2022. 🔗 FGCU: Southwest Florida housing market keeps cooling [Source: Gulfshore Business, Aug. 5, 2026]. Separately, Redfin's Naples market page shows the average Naples home price at $1.3 million as of July, down 8.3% year-over-year, with homes taking about 83 days to sell and averaging two offers. 🔗 Naples, FL Housing Market: House Prices & Trends [Source: Redfin]. For Bonita Springs, Houzeo's market page lists an August 2026 median list price of $649,000 with homes spending a median of 187 days on market. 🔗 Bonita Springs, FL Housing Market in 2026 [Source: Houzeo]. Note: other aggregator estimates for Bonita Springs put the year-over-year median closer to $565,000, so treat exact price levels as directional rather than precise until NABOR's next official report. NABOR's own August Naples market report is scheduled for release Aug. 21 and wasn't out as of this pull (🔗 NABOR Market Statistics [Source: NABOR]), so check back once it drops.

Jeremy's Take: The headlines this week tell two different stories depending on where you sit. At the very top of the market, buyers with real capital aren't blinking: that $27 million Old Naples closing and Cardone Capital's $89.75 million apartment purchase show confidence hasn't gone anywhere for the right property. But the FGCU numbers are the more useful read for most area buyers & sellers: listings and permits are pulling back, which usually means less competition and more room to negotiate for buyers who've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a better entry point. If you're thinking about listing this fall, I'd rather have an honest conversation now about pricing to the current market than watch a home sit. Reply to this email if you want a read on your specific neighborhood.

30-year mortgage rate: 6.67%, down slightly from 6.69% last week, versus 6.58% a year ago. 🔗 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) [Source: Freddie Mac, week of 08/13/2026]

Naples retail is reshuffling at Park Shore Plaza: TJ Maxx is taking the 27,000-square-foot space Saks Off 5th vacated this spring, Sierra (also a TJX brand) is moving into the former Party City spot, Just Salad is building out a Granada Shoppes outparcel, Vero Ristorante Italiano is targeting the former Moe's Southwest Grill space, and Bora Mediterranean Cuisine is under construction in Freedom Square where Z's Music Kitchen used to be. Total Wine & More is also planning a second Naples-area location in the space Michaels vacated at Tamiami Crossing. 🔗 Tim Aten Knows: New retailers, restaurants coming to Naples [Source: via Tim Aten, Gulfshore Business, Aug. 7, 2026].

On the closure side, the Aurelio's Pizza franchisee shut down both the North Naples and Estero locations this week, leaving the Chicago-based chain without a Florida presence for now. 🔗 Franchisee closes Aurelio's Pizza locations in Naples, Estero [Source: Gulfshore Business]. On the opening side, Another Broken Egg Cafe is planning a late-August return to the Naples area near Freedom Square. 🔗 Tim Aten Knows: Another Broken Egg Cafe returning to SWFL [Source: via Tim Aten, Gulfshore Business].

🔗 Rail corridor valued at $75M ahead of BERT vote [Source: Gulfshore Business]. Bonita Springs voters decide Aug. 18 whether to issue up to $35 million in bonds toward buying an 11.4-mile rail corridor for the Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT); independent appraisals value the full corridor near $75 million.

🔗 Bonita Springs sets property tax ceiling for 2026-27 [Source: Gulfshore Business]. Bonita Springs City Council voted to hold its maximum property tax rate flat at 0.847 mills for the coming fiscal year.

🔗 WeDriveU wins $12.5M Collier Area Transit contract [Source: Gulfshore Business]. Collier County awarded a new $12.55 million operating contract for CAT after passing over three higher-ranked bidders. A related story reports more than 150 current transit workers face layoffs when the outgoing contractor's deal ends in September: 🔗 151 Collier transit workers face layoffs in contract shift [Source: Gulfshore Business].

🔗 Collier County courts Cars on 5th after Naples split [Source: Gulfshore Business]. After Naples denied a permit for the annual luxury car show, county commissioners say they're working with organizers on a new venue for 2027, possibly on Bayshore Drive.

🔗 New schools open their doors in Collier County this August [Source: Naples Press]. Collier County Public Schools' first day was Aug. 11; Ave Maria Elementary opened July 30 and Mason Classical Academy's K-8 students moved into a new 108,000-square-foot North Naples campus this month.

🔗 When does school start in Collier County? Start times, tax holiday, more [Source: Marco News]. Florida's back-to-school sales tax holiday runs through Thursday, Aug. 20.

This week we're highlighting Pelican Bay in North Naples. The community stretches along Gulf-front shoreline with resident beach access via an internal tram system, plus two beachfront dining spots, the Sandbar Grille and Marker 36. Pelican Bay mixes high-rise and mid-rise condominiums with single-family homes, set among preserved mangrove forest laced with boardwalk trails leading out to the beach. Residents also have access to two 18-hole golf courses, tennis courts, and a fitness center through the Pelican Bay Community Foundation, and the neighborhood sits directly across from Waterside Shops and just minutes from Artis-Naples for dining, shopping, and the performing arts.
🔗 Explore Pelican Bay

We're in the thick of peak hurricane season, so this is a good week to confirm your homeowner's and flood policies are current before renewal time creeps up, since carriers can change terms or coverage availability with little notice. If you haven't had dead or overhanging limbs trimmed away from your roofline and power lines this summer, now's the time. Storm-loosened branches are one of the most common causes of preventable wind damage in Southwest Florida. It's also worth taking five minutes to review your evacuation zone and route (Collier and Lee county zones can shift between storm seasons), and to snap dated photos of your home's current condition in case you ever need to document a claim. As always, check with your insurance agent or contractor for specifics on your policy or property.

☀️ Weekend Weather

Saturday: High near 91°F, storms likely mainly after 2 p.m. (60% chance of rain). Sunday: High near 92°F and sunny. 🔗 National Weather Service forecast for Naples [Source: NWS, forecast issued 6:47 p.m. Aug. 13, 2026]

Next week: Bonita Springs voters decide the BERT rail-trail bond Aug. 18, and NABOR releases its latest Naples housing market report Aug. 21. We'll cover both results in next Friday's issue.

Enjoy The 239 Weekly? Know someone who always wants to know what's happening around Naples and Bonita? Forward this email to them.

Have a tip? Opening a business? Spot something changing around town? Have an event we should know about? Reply to this email.