September 18-September 24, 2026
Hi, it's Jeremy. Big week for headlines that aren't about real estate for once, though there's plenty of that too: Barneys New York is quietly building its comeback story in Naples, Collier County's property values actually fell for the first time in ten years, and if you're weighing whether to make Florida your permanent address, there's a hard deadline creeping up at the end of this year. Naples and Bonita Springs both get their moment below, plus five things worth doing this weekend.
⚡ The 239 in 60 Seconds
🏙️ Luxury retailer Barneys New York is opening at Bayfront in Naples later this year, its first U.S. comeback location since bankruptcy.
💰 Collier County property market values fell 3.23% year over year, the first annual decline in a decade, even as taxable values still rose.
🏗️ A 600-apartment, 190-room hotel project in Estero is now underway after securing an $81 million loan.
🏫 A new $50 million technical school opened in Lee County this month.
💡 If you're hoping to lock in Florida's bigger homestead exemption before it's even law, the clock is already ticking: buyers have to close and establish residency by Dec. 31, 2026, or they wait five extra years for the full benefit. If you missed our full breakdown of what it does and who it affects, read it here. No new developments on the amendment itself surfaced this issue.
New Around the 239
The 239 Market: This Week's Market Pulse
This week's market pulse (Redfin):
Naples: Median sale price $1,204,203 over the last 3 months, down 14.0% year over year; 278 homes sold in August, up from 240 a year ago; median days on market 124, down from 145 a year ago. Redfin,
Bonita Springs: Median sale price $544,640 over the last 3 months, down 0.97% year over year; 373 homes sold in August, up from 347 a year ago; median days on market 90, down from 96 a year ago. Redfin
Marco Island: Median sale price $874,421 over the last 3 months, down 13.9% year over year; 253 homes sold in August, up from 218 a year ago; median days on market 110, down from 119 a year ago. Redfin
Jeremy's Take: Inventory is compressing hard across both counties, but the sales picture is a little more mixed than the headlines suggest. Naples/Collier's NABOR-reported closed sales were up double digits in July, while Redfin's weekly pulse shows Naples' own price pulling back 14% year over year and days on market improving to 124, a sign the price correction is real even as transaction volume holds up. Bonita-Estero's closed sales actually dipped 5% in August even as pending sales rose 7%, which usually means more deals are working their way through the pipeline than the closed number alone shows. Add in Collier's overall property values dipping for the first time in a decade, and buyers finally have some real leverage again after years of sellers holding all the cards. Worth watching whether NABOR's August numbers, due out any day now, tell a similar story for Naples.
The Naples area board of Realtors (NABOR) and Bonita/Estero board of Realtors (CCOR) release their sales stats in the next couple days, next week we’ll review those in detail.
30-year mortgage rate: 6.95% as of Sept. 17, 2026, up from 6.76% the prior week and 6.26% a year ago. Freddie Mac PMMS
Curious What’s Selling Near You?
See What's Happening in Your Neighborhood:
📍 239 Community Spotlight - Park Shore
Park Shore was Naples' first true master-planned neighborhood, and it still reads that way today. The Lutgert family began assembling 760 acres of raw land along the Gulf in the early 1970s and built the community from the ground up around a single defining feature: a 1.33-mile paved beachfront promenade running the length of Gulf Shore Boulevard, still one of the most walkable stretches of waterfront in Naples.
Park Shore also holds a genuine first for Florida real estate. Colony Gardens, a 29-unit building overlooking Venetian Bay, was the state's first-ever condominium development when it went up in the early 1970s. Venetian Villas followed in 1976 with a Mediterranean-influenced design built out over the water, and by the mid-1990s, Park Tower and Venetian Tower had risen alongside them, giving the neighborhood its now-familiar high-rise skyline along the beach.
At the center of it all is Venetian Village, the open-air shopping and dining hub on Venetian Bay that opened in 1988 and still anchors the neighborhood's social scene, with boutiques, waterfront restaurants, and a mix of original and newer tenants. Between the promenade, the bay, and the village, Park Shore has stayed one of the more distinct, walkable pockets of Naples' beachfront since the day it was platted.
Good to Know
🚧 S.R. 45 (Tamiami Trail North) at Tobago Boulevard will see nighttime/overnight right-lane closures starting Monday, Sept. 21 through Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., for drill shaft operations. SWFL Roads
🚧 The I-75 at Pine Ridge Road (exit 107) interchange rebuild continues with nighttime lane closures (7 p.m.-7 a.m.) and ramp closures (8 p.m.-6 a.m.) as needed while crews convert it to a Diverging Diamond Interchange; expected completion is mid-2027. SWFL Roads
🔧 Home Tip of the Week
Southwest Florida's late-summer humidity doesn't ease up much in September, and it's the time of year indoor air quality issues quietly take hold. This week's angle: keeping moisture and mold out of the house, not the storm-prep basics.
Check your AC's drip pan and condensate line for standing water or slow drainage — a clogged line is one of the most common hidden sources of mold growth in Florida homes.
Run bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans during and after every shower or cooking session, and make sure they're actually vented outside rather than into the attic.
Keep indoor humidity between 30-50% if your thermostat or a separate hygrometer can track it; a whole-home dehumidifier is worth considering if you're consistently running higher than that.
Inspect caulking and weatherstripping around windows and doors for gaps that let humid outside air seep in, especially on the west- and south-facing sides of the house that take the most afternoon heat.
As always, check with your HVAC technician or a licensed contractor for anything specific to your home's system or setup.
☀️ Weekend Weather
Saturday, Sept. 19: High near 88°F, showers and thunderstorms likely (70% chance), mostly sunny early. Sunday, Sept. 20: High near 88°F, showers and thunderstorms likely (70% chance), mostly sunny early. [Source: National Weather Service, Miami-South Florida, forecast issued/valid through 6 p.m. Sept. 20]
📅 5 Things to Do This Week
Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias: The 1976 Tour — Thursday, Sept. 24, 8 p.m., Hertz Arena, Estero. [Source: Events Naples]
Yates McKendree Band: Grammy Winner Blues — Saturday, Sept. 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs. $25-$35. [Source: Events Naples]
5th Annual Oktoberfest Party — Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 19-20, Hopsized Brewing Company, Bonita Springs. Free. [Source: Events Naples]
Naples Kick Off Classic — Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 19-20, Paradise Coast Sports Complex, East Naples. [Source: Events Naples]
The Olympian Artifacts Launch Party — Saturday, Sept. 19, 3-5 p.m., Books on Third, Downtown Naples. [Source: Events Naples]
The 239 Five
Restaurant worth trying: Perched on the seventh floor of The Perry Hotel on Tamiami Trail North, Tigress pairs rooftop water views with a menu curated by chef Dale Talde that leans into Cantonese-inspired modern cooking: dry-aged crown of duck, a Black Angus rib-eye with soy-black-garlic butter, and blue crab fried rice. The cocktail list is just as playful (the Tigresso Marteani reimagines an espresso martini with coconut rum, black tea, and five-spice), and Sunday brunch (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) brings bottomless mimosas and the Golden Tree Mimosa Tower.
Event worth attending: The ongoing Sizzle Dining's 10th anniversary run, 138 restaurants across Collier and Lee counties offering prix-fixe menus all month. Gulfshore Business
Local non-profit worth knowing: Conservancy of Southwest Florida, wildlife rehab center, nature exhibits, and boat tours on the Gordon River, run by the nonprofit that's been doing conservation work in Collier County since 1964.
Outdoor/place recommendation: Naples Botanical Garden (East Naples): 170 acres of cultivated gardens from around the world, good for a slower-paced outing.
Interesting local fact: Naples was named after a bet on beauty. Two Kentucky businessmen, a state senator and a newspaper owner, founded the town in 1885 and named it Naples because they thought the bay rivaled the Bay of Naples, Italy.
👀 What We're Watching
NABOR's August market report for Naples/Collier is scheduled to drop today, Sept. 18, the same day this issue sends. Expect fresh Collier numbers in next issue's Market section.
Property Spotlight
8117 Sandpiper Rd, Fort Myers | $449,000 | 4 Den / 2 Bath | MLS# 226017952
San Carlos Park investor opportunity, No HOA, No CDD, No Rental Restrictions. Solid opportunity for investors, 1031 exchange buyers, or any buyer comfortable with cosmetic updates. This 2018-built, 4-bedroom, 2-bath home offers 1,828 square feet of open-concept living space, a metal roof, fenced backyard, and covered lanai. Priced to reflect current condition, with strong fundamentals already in place. The kitchen features quartz countertops, 36-inch wood cabinetry, a center island with sink, stainless steel appliances, and pantry storage. Tile flooring throughout the main living areas, carpeted bedrooms, and a split-bedroom floor plan. Located between US-41 and I-75 with convenient access to FGCU & RSW International Airport. |
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Have a great weekend!
Jeremy
