Naples Florida Real Estate: Naples Florida...A Healthy Addiction.

Nobody prepared me when I stumbled upon Naples, Florida just over six years ago.  My husband, Jerry and I just happened to be vacationing at Fort Myers Beach in January of 2002 when we aimlessly took a drive to Naples to see what it was all about. 

We, like many unsuspecting tourists took Tamiami Trail South all the way down until we got to 5th Avenue through Old Naples:

From there we took a left and continued our track to Port Royal:

(This is one of the first houses I ever photographed in Port Royal.  I took the picture with my camera hanging out the window and just clicked aimlessly because there were cars behind us and Jerry didn't feel comfortable going too slow.  I have since retaken the picture.  This home is one of my favorites in Port Royal.) 

That was the end for me...or maybe the beginning.  We had traveled probably about half way down Gordon Drive when I turned to Jerry and said, you know...it's really pretty here.  Jerry was driving and didn't have the luxury of being able to take it ALL IN as I, but he agreed. A few minutes later I turned to him again and said, I will realllllllly miss you if you don't move down here with me. He laughed as it did sound funny coming out of my mouth.  Smart enough to not force the issue at that time I had already secretly made my decision to move to Naples....it really was that easy...scary...certain...and exciting. 

When we went back to Texas (home) a few nights later he was still pulling suitcases out of the car when he witnessed me pulling one of my real estate signs out and attempting to plant it in the rock infested front yard.  We lived on Lake Granbury on the side of a rocky cliff and yard sign insertion was not as easy as one might think. 

I think that's when he realized my funny comment made on Gordon Drive was really all business.  I remember him saying...ok...calm down.  There are a few things I need to do to the house before you put it on the market.

He completed his list of stuff to do, we put the house on the market at a time that seemed like an impossible endeavor as 9/11 had occurred the September before and people weren't banging down the doors to purchase Granbury Lake houses at that time...not in our location...not at our price. 

That's when one has to wonder if there was a bigger force.  We sold our house...in our location...at our price against every conceivable odd there was in a record time-frame I might add.  Meant to be?  Apparently.

Am I happy I made the move?  Yes.  I have a special affinity for Naples.  Not because I sell it and it's my job to talk up my town.  I LOVE NAPLES.  I feel like Naples is a sister.  She's too young to be a mother and to close to be a friend.  I've said it countless times before.  She has flaws and she has magnificent attributes and she is sneaky at times.  She doesn't capture the soul of every person who comes across her way but she whole heartedly captures the souls of some people who come her way...and I believe those are forever at her mercy and she's good to them for it....you take care of her...she takes care of you.