This Week in the 239
Hi, it's Jeremy. Naples beaches are getting 208,000 tons of fresh sand, a Boston investor paid $27 million for the Trianon Centre in Park Shore, and the city's New Year's Eve fireworks are on track to come back bigger. Sea turtle season is wrapping up with 558 nests, Collier is weighing cuts to its advisory boards, and Amendment 3 polling is all over the map with Election Day on Nov. 3. Here is what mattered from Naples to Bonita Springs.
⚡ The 239 in 60 Seconds
📈 Rates hold: The 30-year fixed averaged 7.40% for a second straight week, versus 6.27% a year ago (Freddie Mac, Oct. 15).
🗳️ Mail ballots: Collier sent more than 57,000 vote-by-mail ballots and about 19,000 have come back; the deadline to request one is 5 p.m. Oct. 22, and requests are well below 2022 and 2024 because state law now requires a new request each cycle (WINK News).
💡 Didn't know that: Naples logged 558 sea turtle nests this season, 73 more than at this point last year, and 441 nests have hatched so far (the headline calls it a record, but the city release does not state the prior record); nesting season ends in about two weeks (WINK News).
🎆 Fireworks are back: Naples plans a New Year's Eve show of about 3,000 shots, roughly triple past displays, with a contract vote with Pyrotecnico expected at the Oct. 21 City Council meeting (Gulfshore Business).
New Around the 239
🎬 Paragon eyes the former Alamo Drafthouse space at Mercato with 11 screens, targeting Dec. 18 or early January → [Source: Gulfshore Business]
🍳 EJ's Bayfront Cafe and EJ's Meridian Cafe change hands; new owners keep the names, menus and staff → [Source: Gulfshore Business, Tim Aten Knows]
The 239 Market: This Week's Market Pulse
Biggest deals this week:
Biggest deal of the week
🏢 A Boston-based owner, Farley White Interests, pays $27 million for the Trianon Centre at 850 Park Shore Drive and 3777 Tamiami Trail N. in Naples: 46,470 sq. ft. of leasable area on 2.7 acres, built in 1990 and 1993, closed Sept. 30, about $581 per sq. ft. of leasable area. The seller, Tom Longe, says he and his father developed it, and it was not on the market before this deal (per Gulfshore Business). No notable Lee County closed sale surfaced this pull.
Redfin read (not NABOR or COR data; interim week). Redfin's latest data month is still August (July for Estero), so these are the freshest Redfin figures available, not new-this-week numbers:
Bonita Springs (September 2026, new this week): median sale price $514,755, down 6.4% year over year; 336 homes sold, down 0.8%; median days on market 87, down 9 days; sale-to-list 94.4%, up 0.5 points.
Naples (August 2026, still Redfin's latest month; Redfin revised its numbers since last issue): median sale price $1.208 million, down 13.7%; 272 homes sold, up 13.3%; median days on market 124, down 22 days; sale-to-list 92.8%, up 2.0 points. Redfin's Naples figures are not comparable to NABOR's.
Takeaway: in both markets homes are selling a bit faster and closer to asking than a year ago, while Bonita Springs prices are drifting lower.
Jeremy's Take: A $27 million office sale for a property that was never listed tells me capital is still hunting for Park Shore quality, even with rates stuck at 7.40%. On the residential side, Redfin shows faster sales but softer prices, which fits the buyer-leverage story I keep seeing. I will be watching the NABOR September numbers to see whether that holds up in Naples proper.
30-year mortgage rate: 7.40% as of Oct. 15, unchanged from last week and up from 6.27% a year ago. [Source: Freddie Mac PMMS]
Curious What’s Selling Near You?
See What's Happening in Your Neighborhood:
📍 239 Community Spotlight - Pine Ridge
Pine Ridge offers an unusual combination in Naples: estate-sized homesites and a private, wooded feel close to Vanderbilt Beach, Mercato and Waterside Shops. The neighborhood includes older homes on substantial parcels, custom estates and properties purchased for renovation or redevelopment. Many homesites are an acre or more, though lot size and property rules vary.
The quick look
Setting: A non-gated estate neighborhood in central Naples, known for mature landscaping, generous homesites and a quieter residential feel.
Homes: A mix of established residences, renovated homes, custom new construction and redevelopment opportunities. The land, location and potential of a parcel can matter as much as the existing home.
Equestrian use: Horses may be permitted on select properties. Eligibility depends on the parcel’s zoning and applicable covenants, so it should be confirmed property by property.
Location: Vanderbilt Beach, Mercato and Waterside Shops are nearby, with downtown Naples and Fifth Avenue South also within reach.
This Week in Naples & Bonita Springs
🌾 UF researchers in Immokalee are testing AI tools and field robots for Southwest Florida farms → [Source: Gulfshore Business]
Amendment 3 update: The polls disagree sharply. RISMedia's Oct. 14 roundup cites an NBC 6 South Florida/Mason-Dixon poll released Oct. 7 with 55% yes, 26% no and 19% undecided, and a Sun Sentinel piece describing three other polls ranging from 42% to 63%. Passage needs 60%. If approved, the measure would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 and lower the annual assessment cap for non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, per RISMedia. Florida Realtors, the main backer, has spent $18 million on its campaign, and the Florida Policy Institute estimates $12 billion in recurring local revenue losses, per the same source. The full explainer is live, and voters decide Nov. 3.
Good to Know
🗳️ Mail-ballot deadline: Requests are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 22; confirm the current process with the Collier County Supervisor of Elections (WINK News).
🔧 Home Tip of the Week
After a hard rain, take a 10-minute drainage walk around your property while the water is still moving. The goal is to spot problems before the next storm.
Look for standing water near the foundation, along fences and at the low end of the driveway.
Check that gutters, downspouts and swales are clear, and that downspouts discharge away from the house.
Note any area that stays wet for a long time and take dated photos.
Keep drains and inlets near your property free of leaves and debris, and ask your HOA or the county about shared drainage.
For persistent issues, check with a licensed contractor or your community's rules before changing grading.
☀️ Weekend Weather
This is NWS's marine point forecast for the Naples coast, issued 2:46 p.m. CDT Thursday, Oct. 15, so check for updates. Friday: High near 89°F, chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Saturday: High near 84°F, chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunday: High near 83°F, northeast wind 15 to 20 knots with gusts to 33 knots, showers likely late in the day. Source: National Weather Service. We’re finally cooling down a bit, and we’re all ready for it.
📅 5 Things to Do This Week
Naples Polish Film Festival: Fri., Oct. 16 through Sun., Oct. 18, Norris Center and Regal Naples (tickets from $17; opening gala from $60).
Fall Arts & Crafts Fair: Sun., Oct. 18, noon, Promenade at Bonita Bay.
Cars and Coffee 239: Sun., Oct. 18, 9-11 a.m., Mercato.
Miami City Ballet: Tue., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., Artis-Naples' Hayes Hall ($71).
The Doobie Brothers: Walk This Road Tour: Wed., Oct. 21, 8 p.m., Hertz Arena, Estero (from $29.50).
Also this week: Free Films Al Fresco, a family movie at Mercato Piazza, Tue., Oct. 20 at dusk (per Florida Weekly).Looking ahead: The 18th annual Naples International Film Festival opens Thu., Oct. 22 at Artis-Naples and runs through Oct. 25, with additional showings Oct. 23-24 at Paragon Theaters Pavilion (per Florida Weekly; the Paragon story lists the Pavilion run as Oct. 23-25, so confirm dates with the festival).
👀 What We're Watching
By next Friday we'll know whether Thursday's Freddie Mac survey (Oct. 15) keeps rates at or above 7.40%. The issue after that should bring NABOR's September report, expected around Oct. 23, per last week's issue.
Featured Listing: Pet Friendly Annual Rental
Property Spotlight: Lakefront Rental in Naples Reserve
This home captures the Naples lifestyle: lakefront sunsets, resort-style amenities, and easy indoor-outdoor living, all in a furnished annual rental. This furnished annual rental pairs a flexible layout with lakefront outdoor living. Built in 2020, the home has 3 bedrooms plus a den, 3,148 square feet, and an upstairs bonus suite with its own full bath, built-in bunk beds, and separate living area. The oversized lot faces west, bringing sunset views over the water. Property Video Tour.
The quick look
Rent: $7,800 per month
Outdoor living: Screened lanai, heated saltwater pool and spa, outdoor kitchen, and pool bath
Interior: Open kitchen and great room, walk-in pantry, impact glass, smart home features, and three-car garage
Naples Reserve amenities: Clubhouse, resort-style pool, fitness center, tennis and pickleball, boat ramp, and walking and biking trails
Pets: Up to two dogs may be considered with approval; restrictions apply
The 239 Five
Restaurant: LowBrow Pizza & Beer, 3148 Tamiami Trail E., East Naples. The tagline is "Serious about Pizza & Beer...and not much else," and the pies come out of a wood-fired oven, with local Florida beers on tap and a chalkboard of non-pizza options. Consistently voted one of the best pizzas in Naples. Enjoyed dinner here last night with the family and it was delicious!
Event: Free Fallin': The Tom Petty Concert Experience: Sun., Oct. 18, 7 p.m., Arts Bonita, from $48.
Local fact: Naples' first traffic light went up in 1948 at "Four Corners," where Fifth Avenue South meets 9th Street South (U.S. 41), and the city's first bank, the Bank of Naples, opened on Fifth Avenue South the next year (Fifth Avenue South history).
Outdoors: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary hosts an 8-mile BYO bicycle backcountry tour Sat. at 8:30 a.m. ($60) and Yoga at the Sanctuary Sun. at 8:30 a.m. ($25).
Worth knowing: Sizzle Dining's 10th year set a record 105,655 meals across 137 restaurants, and the organizers gave a $105,655 check to Blessings in a Backpack (Gulfshore Business).
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Have a great weekend!
Jeremy
