Laura Layden
This rare, secretive family compound at 4405 W. Gulf Dr. recently hit the market on Sanibel for $27 million.Enjoy the photos provided by La Casa on news-press.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.
Legendary composers and iconic musicals highlight the upcoming Artis—Naples season.
The Naples entertainment venue has announced its 2026-27 performing arts subscription season, which features Baker Museum’s upcoming exhibitions, concerts and more.
Here’s what to know.
‘Engage, inspire and entertain’
The 2026-27 season marks the organization’s third year under the artistic leadership of Sharon and Timothy Ubben Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley. Additional performances and exhibitions will be announced in July 2026.“As Artis—Naples enters its third season under Alexander Shelley’s artistic leadership, we continue to build on a strong foundation while evolving as a multidisciplinary organization serving Southwest Florida audiences,” said Artis—Naples CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen in a news release.
‘Artists confront the world’
The Naples Philharmonic Masterworks Series kicks off in in late October as Shelley conducts Beethoven and Brahms, with South Korean classical pianist Yeol Eum Son performing.The November concert features Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird, setting the stage for 2027 when Shelley conducts a series of concerts in March 2027 of Beethoven’s symphonies 1 through 9.
“In Beethoven’s symphonies, in large-scale orchestral and vocal works and in the more intimate language of chamber music, artists confront the world as it is while reaching toward what it might become,” Shelley said in the news release.
‘Hamilton’ returns for Broadway series, and lots more…read on naplesnews.com
TAre you looking for a home in the vibrant Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Home Sales in March Highlight Market Strength
Naples, Fla. (April 24, 2026) – Brisk pending and closed sales activity in the Naples housing market during March (+15 percent and +26.7 percent, respectively) signal improved market conditions and confidence. Sellers who priced properties competitively for today’s market or were open to negotiation – especially in the condominium market – enjoyed swift sales in March. Broker analysts reviewing the March 2026 Market Report by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island), are confident price corrections that began last summer helped to accelerate the market’s momentum during Q1 2026 and anticipate strong home sales into Q2.
Values Hold Steady
Overall pending sales increased 15 percent to 1,394 pending sales from 1,212 pending sales in March 2025. Overall closed sales increased 26.7 percent to 1,054 closed sales from 832 closed sales in March 2025. Both pending and closed sales activity during March outperformed activity in any March since 2016, with the exception of 2021 and 2022.
Overall median closed price decreased 11.5 percent to $575,000 from $649,950 in March 2025. The median closed price in the single-family home market increased 2.4 percent to $771,950 from $754,000 in March 2025. Conversely, the median closed price in the condominium market decreased 11.5 percent to $430,000 from $486,000 in March 2025.
“The condominium market was struggling to find its footing after the onset of the mandatory inspections and reserve studies. But sales are improving in the condominium market as evidenced in the March Market Report. So those concerns appear to have been addressed and fixed,” added Cindy Carroll of Carroll & Carroll Appraisers and Consultants.
Entry Level Returns
Several brokers reviewing the March Housing Market Report remarked that the current mix of inventory provides ample choices across all price categories. The report also showed single-family homes in the $500,000 – $1.5 million price category command the highest inventory level compared to all other price categories reported.
“New listings are down slightly [14.1 percent/ytd], and this has put a governor on our inventory. That may be because some potential sellers are staying in their homes longer, especially since many locked in low interest rates before the rate rise began in 2022,” said Hughes.
The NABOR® March 2026 Market Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. NABOR® sales statistics are presented in chart format, including these overall (single-family and condominium) findings for 2026:
Are you seeking a home in the Bonita Springs – Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Naples Daily News
The following information comes from a May 2023 article by Mark H. Bickel in the News-Press, on the 40th anniversary of RSW.
If the Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples-area had a front door for the world, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) would be it.
It was May 14, 1983, when certified operations began at the 3,500-acre site southeast of Fort Myers, marking the beginning of a new era in aviation for the region.
RSW has continued to grow in the last four decades and that includes the number of passengers traveling to and from Southwest Florida.
May 14, 1983
The current airport opened at a cost of $90 million. It featured a 350,000-square-foot terminal and 14 gates. There were 3,600 parking spaces.
The airlines serving RSW when it opened? Nine domestic – Continental, Delta, Eastern, Finair Express, Northwest, Ozark, Pan Am, Republic, United. There were seven nonstop destinations: Atlanta, Houston, Orlando, Miami, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
Laura Layden | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News
Forbes has named the 250 greatest living self-made Americans.
Among the elite group: A few Naples residents, who also happen to be billionaires.
The new list is the latest installment of the Forbes 250 initiative — a year-long project launched in 2026 to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
The Self-Made 250 List spotlights Americans whose journeys began with a “profound disadvantage” and whose success stories are defined by “resilience, reinvention and ambition.” Listees include well-known celebrities and icons such as Oprah Winfrey, Lebron James and Dolly Parton.
Locals on the list include long-time Naples resident Shahid Khan, ranked at No. 21.
Khan, 74, owns auto parts supplier Flex-N-Gate and the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. According to Forbes, he immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan with $500 in his pocket, before building his industrial and sports empire that includes the Fulham Football Club.
Per Forbes, the business mogul is also the richest man in Naples — and Southwest Florida. He sat at No. 193 on the 2026 World’s Billionaires list by Forbes, retaining his position as one of the top 200 wealthiest people on the planet.
Who else is on the list? Read the full article 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.
Mark H. Bickel | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News
Women who own small businesses in Naples have something to brag about.
According to a study by Coworking Cafe. a listing service for flex workspace solutions, Naples-Marco Island ranks No. 1 among the top small U.S. metros for women-owned businesses.
The study was released in March in honor of International Women’s Month.
“We’re celebrating the women who don’t just break glass ceilings, they build the foundations beneath them,” the website said.
According to Coworking Cafe, female entrepreneurs represent one of the most dynamic forces reshaping the American economy.
Women-owned businesses now account for nearly 23% of all U.S. firms, and with business formation rates surging in unexpected corners of the country, the geography of women’s entrepreneurship is shifting quickly.
By the numbers: Naples businesses owned by women
- Ranks #1 among small U.S. metros
- 18.2% self-employment (#1 for this metric)
- 2,409 business formations per 100K (#2)
- 46.4% GDP growth since 2019 (#4)
Read what the Co-Working Cafe study said about Naples on naplesnews.com.
Are you seeking a home in the Bonita Springs – Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
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