What’s the diff between SW Florida’s Rivergrass & the River of Grass?

What’s the diff between SW Florida’s Rivergrass & the River of Grass?

Phil Fernandez | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

Key Points

  • New housing communities are emerging across Southwest Florida, including in Naples, Estero, Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
  • Rivergrass development in Collier County has begun construction on more than 1,000 homes.
  • In Cape Coral, the $100 million Bimini Square project is debuting apartments, dining and healthcare services.
  • Estero’s Coconut Point is adding new businesses, including proposed apartments, restaurants and retail stores.

As Southwest Florida’s frosty February chill prevailed, new and proposed housing communities continued to emerge in Naples, Estero, Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

A landmark Collier County endeavor was among them.

Here’s what to know.

There’s Collier County’s Rivergrass, and then there’s River of Grass
Impact on the economy and perhaps traffic will come in the form of Rivergrass, different in shape but similar in name to the somewhat adjacent River of Grass, as author Marjory Stone Douglas dubbed the Everglades eight decades ago.

With Lennar leading the way, construction just kicked into high gear on more than 1,000 homes, where the address is 5063 Oil Well Road, Immokalee. The target is to have the first of the housing as early as autumn, according to Lennar.

What’s maximum number of homes allowed in Big Cypress area?
The path was paved by Collier Enterprises, which has been finalizing federal, state and local permits for three villages including Rivergrass and a town known as Big Cypress in eastern Collier that have been years in the making with opposition from environmentalists and other folks against urban sprawl.

The maximum number of homes permitted for all of it at this point is nearly 9,700. The combined commercial is slated to reach close to 1.6 million square feet.

Read the full article and get the scoop on Bimini Square in Cape Coral and Estero’s Coconut Point.

Are you looking for a home in the thriving Southwest Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Inspections | Arguably The Hardest Part Of Our Job

Inspections | Arguably The Hardest Part Of Our Job

Christian Ross | Ross Title – Ross Law

Inspections: Stop Editing the Buyer Election (and Start Coaching Your Customer)

Inspections don’t kill deals. Surprises do.

Most inspection drama is avoidable when you do one thing early: prepare your customer. Train them on what inspections are really for, the difference between defective vs. cosmetic, and what a reasonable response looks like—so they can make informed decisions without emotion running the show.

That was the overarching theme of our latest video on inspection strategy: educate first, negotiate second. This applies to both sides. Buyers need guidance so they don’t treat a home inspection like a renovation wish list. Sellers need guidance so they don’t treat every comment in a report like an accusation.

And that brings me to one of the most common mistakes I see on the NABOR standard contract.

The NABOR “Buyer Election” Trap: Don’t Cross Things Out

On the NABOR standard contract, after inspections, the Buyer typically sends a “Buyer Election” selecting a remedy (repair, credit, cancel, etc.). If the Seller decides they’re willing to agree to fix all “defective inspection items”—but wants to exclude certain items because they’re cosmetic—many people’s instinct is to start marking up the Buyer Election:

  • crossing out lines
  • rewriting the form
  • Countering
  • initialing edits like it’s a contract rewrite

Don’t.

When you start editing the Buyer Election, you create ambiguity and friction at the exact moment the deal needs clarity and momentum. You also increase the odds of a misunderstanding later: “Wait—did they accept the election or not?” “Is this a counter?” “What exactly are they agreeing to repair?”

Instead, keep the form clean and handle the “cosmetic vs. defective” distinction the right way.

Watch the video for more on this topic.

Buying or selling a home in the Naples – Bonita Springs area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

An $85M home sale in Naples broke a record in 2025, it didn’t last long

An $85M home sale in Naples broke a record in 2025, it didn’t last long

Laura Layden | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

In 2025, entrepreneur and billionaire David Hoffman bought a newly built estate in Port Royal for $85 million.

It set a new all-time record for a residential sale in Naples.

The record didn’t last long, however, eclipsed by the sale of a larger legacy compound that fetched $225 million in the same month — and in the same exclusive neighborhood, which has long been a magnet for Fortune 500 CEOs, business moguls and other notables of wealth and influence.

The mega deal, involving three adjacent waterfront properties all on Gordon Drive, didn’t just break a local record. It marked the largest home sale in Florida — and one of the largest in the country.

As for David Hoffman and his wife, Jerri, his high school sweetheart, they weren’t exactly out to break any records. They just wanted a big enough home to accommodate their big circle of family and friends.

The couple relocated from Illinois to Naples in 2015. Headquartered in Naples, the business is now run by their two sons, with families of their own.

With three married children, the family matriarch and patriarch have 13 grandkids. Hence, the need for lots of room for hosting and entertaining.

The Hoffmanns’ new estate — at 575 Admiralty Parade West — spans more than 17,000 square feet. It offers wide water views, sitting on nearly 2 1/4 lots, with 250 feet of frontage on Naples Bay. It has six bedrooms and 10 1/2 bathrooms.

Read all the details about this property and more luxury property sales in Naples, Florida on naplesnews.com.

Ready to explore the most exceptional properties of Southwest Florida? Contact me today to begin your journey. Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

An $85M home sale in Naples broke a record in 2025, it didn’t last long

Donahue family’s record-setting compound back on the market in Naples

Laura Layden | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

Once the most expensive residential listing in America, Gordon Pointe is back on the market.

When the Port Royal beachfront compound hit the market in February 2024, it made national headlines — at a then-record price of $295 million.

In January 2025, the rare piece of Naples real estate saw a price adjustment. The price tag dropped by $85 million to $210 million, mostly due to a decision by the sellers to keep pieces of the property they had originally included in their listing for themselves.

In August, the modified listing — with an address of 100 Bay Road — was quietly removed from the SWFLMLS (Multiple Listing Service).

On Feb. 2, Gulf Coast International Properties in Naples announced the property is once again on the market, and it’s now the company representing the sellers.

The new listing price was not disclosed.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

Ready to explore the most exceptional properties of Southwest Florida? Contact David today to begin your journey. Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Naples Winter Wine Fest auction raises millions for Collier children

Naples Winter Wine Fest auction raises millions for Collier children

Kendall Little | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

Money can’t buy sunny skies in Naples, but it can buy an all-inclusive luxury wine trip to Italy during the Naples Winter Wine Festival live auction.

Though skies were gloomy and rainy, hundreds gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Tiburon on Saturday, Jan. 31, to place competitive bids on luxury experiences during the annual live charity auction.

After an overnight call to move the Festival indoors due to weather, attendees used the cold conditions as an excuse to break out designer coats and scarves. Inside the Ritz-Carlton were dozens of tables full of both savory and sweet options for attendees to sample. Desserts were the most eye-catching items, with macarons that looked like burgers, smoked candied bacon-wrapped Oreos, and hibiscus cola creations.

The Grand Tasting room featured not only savory bites, but also tables lined with rare and vintage wines, many that aren’t otherwise accessible to the general public. Guests mingled and sipped wine throughout the afternoon leading up to the live auction.

Festival goers dressed to impress with sparkling designer tops, skirts, bags, jackets and of course, shoes. I mean, what else would you wear to bid hundreds of thousands of dollars on once-in-a-lifetime experiences?

This year’s auction lots were impressive to say the least. From wine excursions in Napa Valley to VIP experiences in France and Italy, there were over 50 luxury lots to bid on. The auction took place under an iconic white tent decorated with sparkly chandeliers and multi-colored lights.

“Every dollar on this day under that tent stays in Collier County,” NWWF public relations consultant Clay Cone said.

More about this year’s Naples Winter Wine Festival with photos on naplesnews.com.