Naples Wellness Check

How are you Doing?

Many of us care so much about the people in our sphere that we often forget to take care of ourselves. You know what I mean. Dad’s running around all day at work to keep businesses running and workers on task while mom’s are equally stretched with their tasks, kids, home stuff and likely, managing her own career. We barely slide into home plate just to start all over again the next day. It all becomes a blur sometimes. Taking care of so many tasks to keep our worlds together and friends and family feeling special. Hobbies are a deep breath but hardly the calm we truly need to remember why we are alive. A Naples wellness check, or any town’s wellness for that matter, is directly correlated to the individual wellness of its people, and vice versa.

I start with this metaphor to frame a question that seems to be swirling around this magnificent little (I know, kinda opposite words there) town we live in.

How is Naples doing?

For more years than any of us truly know, this area we call Naples, has served up joy upon a silver platter for generations of humans, flora & fauna. Naples the provider, life the beneficiary. But maybe Naples needs a wellness check. On one hand, you have rigid conservation laws that protect our supremely important coastal areas, which are critical to the survival of a multitude of estuarine species and include economically and ecologically valuable nursery areas. But on the other hand you see quite a shift in the socioeconomic status of Neapolitans by the large influx of people moving here.

I’m a capitalist, so I am not saying that is all wrong. But seeing how median home prices have jumped over 81% from January 2020 until February 2024, with rent blasting off like a shuttle from Cape Canaveral as well, those healthy tips from 5th Aver’s go less and less far for someone who is trying to earn a decent living to eventually become a homeowner. Depending on who you talk to, you may hear that there is a land problem in Naples. Nothing left to build on. This is how you get a half acre lot in Port Royal with an asking price of $63,000,000. No house, just land.

Others buy the house just to tear it down so they can build it just how they want it. It truly is a great life. For people who make far less, but still would like a nice home, the options are ever increasing in price. To buy a piece of land out in Golden Gate Estates often times involves mitigating wetlands, which can be a large increase in building costs. Other land is just unattainable as the DEP has barred anymore development of large swaths of land in SWFL. On one hand, the cost of housing continues to rise, but on the other, the beautiful wetlands, estuaries and mangroves are protected for generations to come. It’s a bit of a pinch that is causing many people who have called Naples home for decades to have to move away. On a side note, why is there economical encouragement for apartment life in this country? With proof that owning property stimulates a much healthier society, you gotta wonder what these suits in Washington have up their sleeves.

Just how having a starter job that is designed with a starter “minimum” wage should not be considered for a long-term living wage, renting should not be a lifelong ambition. As stated in the previous section, it is quite important for everyone in this country to own property. For the prosperity of everyone. And while we have an absolutely amazing slice of paradise here in SWFL, it can be better. It can always be better. Restricting corporations from buying up housing just to rent it back to people and building more quality single family homes would go a long way in showing love for the American population

For help on your next real estate transaction, give me a ring.

Your Agent & Friend for Life,