photo mosaic of Naples, Florida pier, Bayfront, Bayside, dolphin jumping, magenta orchid, water birds silhouetted against the sunset
Marco Island’s JW Marriott sold. Find out to whom and for how much

Marco Island’s JW Marriott sold. Find out to whom and for how much

J. Kyle Foster | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

The iconic JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort on Marco Island is being sold, and the new owners plan major renovations.

Barings LLC, the $481 billion asset management arm of insurer MassMutual is selling the luxury hotel operated by Marriott International, along with its Hammock Bay and Rookery golf courses in Naples, to Sculptor Diversified Real Estate Income Trust, Inc., for $835 million cash, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Marriott did not return a request for comment by deadline.

One of the few JW Marriott properties located directly on the beach, Marco Island’s resort opened Dec. 18, 1971, as a Marco Beach Hotel and Villas. Built by the Mackle brothers and their Deltona Corporation development company, the property was sold to Marriott in 1979. It was later sold to MassMutual.

When did Marco Island’s Marriott become a JW Marriott?
On Jan. 1, 2016, after $320 million in renovations, the Marco Island Marriott officially re-branded itself as the luxury-tier JW Marriott Marco Beach Resort. The brand operates more than 100 hotels globally, with select, dedicated luxury beach resorts in key destinations including Marco Island, Los Cabos (Mexico), and Phuket (Thailand). These properties focus on direct beach access and high-end amenities.

Read more on naplesnews.com.

Sea cows are plying the Gulf again as coastal temperatures rise

Sea cows are plying the Gulf again as coastal temperatures rise

Chad Gillis | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

It’s that time of year ― the Florida manatee migration is underway.

Each spring thousands of manatees move from warm-water spring and winter havens to coastal bays, rivers and the Gulf beaches.

Wildlife experts are advising boaters and the public to be aware of the moving sea cows and some boating zone changes that will be in place April 1.

“During this time of year, manatees are more likely to be present in rivers, canals and nearshore waters,” a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission press release reads. “Manatees overwinter in Florida springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites, and will gradually disperse from these winter habitats as water temperatures rise each spring.”

Lee County typically produces more boat kills than nearly any county in Florida, but Collier County waters account for far fewer deadly encounters.

The Endangered Species Coalition and Save the Manatee Club sent out a press release in favor of manatee protection zones.

“Manatees were one of the first animals protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1973, and their recovery is deeply connected to the Act,” said Susan Holmes, executive director of the Endangered Species Coalition. “When they were first listed, there were fewer than 1,000 manatees in the United States. Today, there are over 8,000 of these gentle giants.”

Read more about the manatees on naplesnews.com.

Naples Beach Club opens wellness sanctuary. What does it cost to use?

Naples Beach Club opens wellness sanctuary. What does it cost to use?

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

With our newest season of Spring here, the Four Seasons made it official this past week with the latest of its Southwest Florida rollouts at its sprawling 125-acre compound on the Collier County shore.

After a bit of a soft opening, the reinvented coastal Naples Beach Club location announced The Sanctuary is ready to begin treating Southwest Florida residents at its “wellness destination set across three serene levels, designed to elevate holistic health and vitality with offerings.”

What’s contained in those three relaxing levels of ahhhhh within the 30,000-square-foot “transformative refuge” at 801 Gulf Shore Blvd N.?

Let’s find out. Here’s what to know on the triple-decker, what some of its offerings cost, and what else is making debuts as the new venue formally known as Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort, floats deeper into 2026.

Sanctuary’s ‘5 elemental pillars of Ocean, Sky, Plant, Air and Heat’
The idea here ― at least the way it was presented to In the Know ― is rooted a little bit with the philosophies of the Calusa, the indigenous stewards of our shores well before you were born.

And with the similar aim to cultivate strength, balance and vitality through every stage of existence, treatments are organized around five elemental pillars of Ocean, Sky, Plant, Air and Heat. Sorry, Homer, no sixth element of beer.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

Will you be visiting Naples 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.

9 billionaires from SW Florida make Forbes list. See where they rank

9 billionaires from SW Florida make Forbes list. See where they rank

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

It’s no secret that Southwest Florida is home to some of the richest people on earth.

The latest World’s Billionaires list by Forbes includes eight from Naples and one from Marco Island. Most of the names are familiar, while two are new.

The list is based on the value of a person’s assets, including stakes in private and public companies, real estate, art and more – as best determined by Forbes.

Among the new names appearing on the list: Christina Rohde, 50, of Marco Island, who debuted at No. 1,440, with a net worth of $3 billion.

According to her Forbes profile, she’s the largest shareholder of a family-owned German technology company, Rohde & Schwarz, with annual revenue of more than $3 billion (in euros).

Find out who else is new to the list on naplesnews.com.

NABOR Market Report | February 2026

NABOR Market Report | February 2026

Naples Area Board of REALTORS®

February Buyers Absorbing Inventory Rapidly

Naples, Fla. (March 20, 2026) – Buyers from the north and east descended on Naples in February resulting in a 55.9 percent increase in pending sales (homes under contract) compared to February 2025; and a 23.4 percent increase in pending sales compared to January 2026. Broker analysts reviewing the February 2026 Market Report by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island), remarked that agents were busy in February in both the resale and new construction home markets.

With the deadline for structural integrity reserve studies and milestone inspections on condominiums three stories or higher and over 25 years old if within three miles of the beach now in the rearview mirror (December 31, 2025), pending sales of condominiums in Naples during February rocketed up 82 percent to 714 pending sales from 392 pending sales in February 2025.

“Unlike many areas on the east coast of Florida, milestone inspections of condominiums that fell under the new state requirements in the Naples area revealed fewer issues because they were built well originally and have been maintained to a higher standard,” said a Broker.

Eyes on the Horizon

Overall closed sales in February increased 21.3 percent to 718 closed sales from 592 closed sales in February 2025. Not surprisingly, closed sales in the condominium market increased a remarkable 39.3 percent to 390 closed sales from 280 closed sales in February 2025. In comparison, the single family homes market had a 5.1 percent increase in closed sales during February to 328 closed sales from 312 closed sales in February 2025. The momentum for closed sales in the single family home market is expected to continue as pending sales in the single-family home market increased 33 percent in February to 600 pending sales from 451 pending sales in February 2025.

The overall median closed price in February decreased .4 percent to $647,500 from $650,000 in February 2025. Of the 6,447 properties in inventory during February, there were 2,104 price decreases recorded in the month. Increased pending sales activity in both January and February indicate sellers are following REALTOR® advice to price homes competitively for a faster sale.

The rush of sales is reducing overall inventory, which decreased 15.1 percent in February to 6,447 properties from 7,594 properties in February 2025. Not even a historically consistent level of new listings is helping to replenish what’s being sold. New listings decreased 13.5 percent to 1,527 new listings from 1,765 new listings.

New Builds Fill the Gap

“We are four years out of the top of the market and maintaining stability,” said Cindy Carroll of Carroll & Carroll Appraisers & Consultants, LLC. “Everything we are seeing today in the new construction market will only improve the resale market.”

However, according to Carroll, new construction of speculative homes in several desirable communities like Aqualane Shores, Royal Harbor, Vanderbilt, and Pine Ridge are oversupplied. “There are few homes under $10 million in Aqualane Shores. In fact, there is one and a half years of inventory in this community. And we’re seeing similar oversupply issues in pockets around Old Naples too.”

This isn’t stopping new home development in Naples though. Bone added that “construction by several developers on 14,000 new homes is slated to start in eastern Collier County in the next nine to 12 months. Being near the beach isn’t a driving factor in home sales for Naples anymore. Most of these new communities will be 30 miles from I-75.”

Closed sales of single family homes in eastern Collier County (34114, 34117, 34120, 34137) increased 19.1 percent in February.

The NABOR® February 2025 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 2025:

NABOR Report February 2026 report chart

Perception vs. Reality

According to Mike Hughes, Vice President and General Manager for Downing-Frye Realty, Inc., “Some buyers are still sitting on the fence because they believe interest rates will go back down soon. But the reality is, if sales activity continues to reduce inventory at the rate we saw in January and February, then it’s likely these buyers will have less room to negotiate price when they do finally reenter the market. Plus, prices could also rise again because of the laws of supply and demand, so waiting and hoping for an incremental rate drop may not improve home affordability.”

Are you seeking a home in the Bonita Springs – Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Collier chugs forward with rail-to-trail plan. Who is paying for it?

Collier chugs forward with rail-to-trail plan. Who is paying for it?

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

Plans for a major walking and bicycling trail in Southwest Florida are one step closer to reality.

On March 10, Collier commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of finalizing the county’s purchase of about 24 acres — or about 1.5 miles of the Seminole Gulf Railway — to be included in the first phase of a new recreational trail.

Extending into Lee County, the trail, known as BERT (Bonita-Estero Rail Trail), has been years in the making.

After debate, Collier commissioners agreed to fund virtually all of the county’s land purchase with money from Conservation Collier, a voter-approved, taxpayer-funded program established in 2003 to acquire and preserve environmentally sensitive lands.

Read more about BERT on naplesnews.com.