Smart Money, Retirement Buying Power

Over 20 Naples Home Builders Offer Luxury, Location and Value in the Florida Riviera

Naples Home Builders
Published on August 28, 2015

Second Quarter 2015 existing homes sales in Naples mostly remained stable overall from the same period last year, and prices moved little in the middle prices ranges (though homes priced below $300K and over $2MM saw 17 and 18 percent increases respectively), per the Naples Area Board of Realtors® MLS. With stabilized foreclosure rates and increased job growth, inventories of existing Naples homes for sale are relatively low, particularly in price ranges up through the $400,000s where there was less than four months of inventory available as of June, according to the SWFLAMLS. Most telling of the healthy, if not slightly simmering, Naples market is a 20% decrease in Days On Market. All of this has sparked a building boom in the Florida Riviera that started in 2014, with the luxury market gaining the most momentum.

New construction is flourishing all around Naples, and Naples home builders are offering products in a wide variety of styles, locations, and price ranges—although you should still expect to pay more than in other areas of Florida. Let’s face it, Naples is divine for so many reasons. The weather, the beaches, the arts and culture scene, the friendly residents, we could go on and on. Availability and pricing of new homes in Naples are very much driven by location (i.e., the beach) and the second home market. In many communities, well over half of all homes are owned by seasonal residents or foreign buyers

Whether you yearn for a condo by the beach, a townhouse in North Naples, or a single family home in an amenity-rich East Naples bundled golf community, there is a builder out there with a floorplan in a community to meet your needs and desires. Over 20 builders are actively constructing in the Naples area, ranging from national mid-priced and luxury builders to regional custom builders. Here is a list of some Naples home builders and projects you may be interested in:

AQUA AT PELICAN ISLE

Ironshore Capital Partners (“Ironshore”) is the current developer of AQUA, having acquired the project from the previous developer in 2011. Ironshore specializes in residential development in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states, with projects in Maryland, the Carolinas, and Florida. This luxury high rise project overlooking Wiggins Bay, the yacht basin, and the Gulf of Mexico consists of two towers, a private marina, and a very long list of resort-style amenities. Ironshore is extremely well capitalized and financially stable, with $6B in investment capital. President Thomas W. Jeffrey explains why AQUA buyers can feel good about their decision, “We are 100% committed to making AQUA the finest new luxury, marina-front condominium in Naples, and we have the financial stability to assure the result. Ironshore Capital takes a long-term view of its investments, and has no debt on AQUA or any of its real estate holdings.” Good to know.

ASHTON WOODS

Ashton Woods, headquartered in Atlanta, started in 1989 and builds in the Atlanta, Austin, Charleston, Dallas, Houston, Killeen / Ft. Hood, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, San Antonio, Sarasota, and Tampa markets in addition to Naples. New home buyers can choose from several floor plans at four new neighborhoods in Naples Reserve and two in Fiddler’s Creek in South Naples. Pricing ranges from the upper $300s to the mid-$800s. The private builder is financially strong and prides itself on the quality of its new homes. Ashton Woods was recognized as the 2013 and 2014 “Most Trusted Builder in AmericaSM” according to the Lifestory Research Most Trusted Builder in America StudySM. They also certify their homes’ energy efficiency.

BORDEAUX HOMES

This Naples home builder specializes in custom estate homes in new home communities, as well as teardown lots in established Naples neighborhoods. The husband and wife team of Nelson and Sandy Bordeau is highly detail oriented and says about their team, “We listen and we care.” Bordeaux Homes is a second-generation company that has built throughout the Naples area and currently has homes under construction in the North Naples golf communities of Twin Eagles and Mediterra, and the master-planned community of Bonita Bay.

DIAMOND CUSTOM HOMES

Now building in the central Naples country club community of Grey Oaks and at the Northeast Naples golf community of Quail West, Founder Mike Diamond has been building in southwest Florida for over 20 years. Diamond has also built executive and estate homes in Sarasota, Olde Naples and on Marco Island. The custom builder received recognition for Best Master Suite and Best Use of Custom Wood at the 2014 Sand Dollar Awards—Collier Building Industry Association for his Capistrano model at Quail West, which is a collection of five distinct neighborhoods in 110 acres surrounding two Arthur Hills championship golf courses. The gated country club community’s jewel in the tiara is a 70,000 sq. ft. club house with pro shops, full fitness and locker room facilities, fine dining and more. Quail West home prices are in the one to six million range. Diamond also received a 2013 Best Kitchen Design for the Alessandra at Grey Oaks.

D R HORTON

One of the nation’s largest home builders, Horton has a reputation for delivering value whether in affordable tract neighborhoods or luxury, semi-custom home developments. The publicly traded company has been #1 on the Builder 100 list (Builder magazine awards) for 12 consecutive years, based on annual closings and gross revenue. Their new Naples homes for sale can be seen at Chiasso in the Veneta section of Fiddler's Creek where families will find spacious floorplans (3,000 sq. ft. range) starting from the upper $500s. Horton is also building executive homes on half-acre or greater lots in Quail West (4,000 sq. ft. range) starting at around $1.1MM. The builder has been active in several North Naples communities over the past few years, and has inventory homes sprinkled throughout the area, so check their website for move-in ready opportunities.

FOX CUSTOM BUILDERS

The gated communities of Quail West and Miromar Lakes are two Naples developments where you can see the work of this custom home building company. Fox prides itself on never building the same home twice, and building for the lot in order to take every advantage of unique water, golf or preserve views. Fox is careful to involve the owner with every phase of a home’s construction. The private country club community of Quail West features 36 holes of championship golf, while Miromar Lakes has received the National Association of Home Builders Gold Awards for Community of the Year and Best Clubhouse—the building industry’s top awards. From estate homes to villas to beachfront residences, Fox specializes in beautiful custom home designs that reflect both the homeowner and the surroundings.

FRONTDOOR COMMUNITIES

Mike Langella and Terry Russell were president and CEO of a large regional homebuilding concern before starting FDC. Based in Atlanta but building predominantly in South Carolina and Florida, the team has won many national awards and recognitions, and they take a personal interest in each project. See FDC’s current line-up of new homes in Naples at Andalucia, a family-friendly community near good schools and all that Naples has to offer. The spacious Florida-style single-family residences start in the high $400s.

GL HOMES

Another of the largest builders in America, GL has been building since 1976 and is currently active in several communities on both the east and west coasts of south Florida. In Naples, see beautifully decorated model homes (some of which are for sale) in Riverstone and Marbella Isles. Riverstone in Northeast Naples is a gated, low-density community that includes over 370 acres of lake and preserve area, as well as six acres of lifestyle amenities. Marbella Isles, also gated, is situated in Central Naples. It, too, provides residents with a complete amenity package including resort-style pool, clubhouse with entertaining facilities, fitness rooms, indoor sport courts, tennis, bocce and more. Homes in Marbella are arranged around a series of lakes, offering water frontage or views for most home sites. You’ll find over a dozen GL floor plans in different series at both communities, ranging from just over 2,000 sq. ft. under air to over 4,000, with pricing in the $500-800K range. GL is known for delivering a long list of high-quality features as standard, with the opportunity to upgrade if desired. The builder has several quick-delivery homes available for those who can’t wait to live in Naples.

KEY LUXURY BUILDERS

Winner of the 2015 Merit Award from CBIA Parade of Homes for its “The Cortile” model home in Quail West, this luxury home builder is proud of the relationships they build with home owners and the payoff that attention to detail provides. Key constructs semi-custom and design build homes on owned sites. Other services include renovations and teardowns. Their exquisite homes feature solid 8-foot wood doors, hurricane impact windows and doors, 3-car garages, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, Kohler fixtures, and Emtek door hardware as standard. Visit The Cortile, a custom masterpiece consisting of over 11,000 sq. ft. built around five courtyards with an incredible kitchen, wine room, summer kitchen, detached cabana guest quarters and so much more, to see Key’s impeccable craftsmanship. 

LENNAR

Treviso Bay and Fiddler’s Creek in Southeast Naples are two Naples gated communities where you can experience Lennar’s line-up of new home floor plans. The nation-wide, publicly traded homebuilder began in 1954 and is solid as a rock. Lennar is known for its “Everything’s Included” approach, including security and “green” features. At Treviso Bay, see Terrace and Veranda condos, and Coach, Executive, Manor, and Estate single-family home plans starting from the low $200s. At Fiddler’s Creek, find Coach, Executive, and Estate series homes ranging from the $300s to the upper $600s. Both developments offer value and beautiful community amenity packages, with Lennar’s neighborhood in the country club golf community of Fiddler’s Creek leaning toward the nature lover, and focusing on a resort lifestyle at Treviso Bay.

LONDON BAY HOMES

This luxury home builder has been constructing gorgeous custom and semi-custom homes in the Sarasota and Naples markets since 1990, including remodels, villas, townhomes and single family residences. Their Private Label Living approach to customer service is designed to deliver complete customer satisfaction. Currently, you can see London Bay luxury semi-custom homes and floorplans at Mediterra and Portofino at Miromar Lakes in far North Naples, and at The Estuary at Grey Oaks and Quail West in Central Naples. Each of these master planned, gated golf course communities offers top-of-the-line amenities and unsurpassed country club lifestyles. See several completed luxury London Bay executive homes ready for your unique luxury touches at Mediterra, where their floorplans vary from 2,800 to 5,300 sq. ft. and pricing starts in the low one million range.

MCGARVEY

Another custom home builder at Quail West, McGarvey Custom Homes calls its process the White Glove approach, symbolizing unwavering attention to detail. John McGarvey started a commercial construction company in 1984 based in Philadelphia and, upon relocating to Florida in 1997, continued commercial work in southwest Florida. The company expanded into luxury residential construction in 2001 and has been a preferred builder in several high-end communities. You can see McGarvey’ s elegant estate homes in Quail West, as well as at Talis Park.

MINTO BUILDERS

Started by four brothers in 1955, this Canadian builder and developer has operations in Florida and London as well as Ottawa, Calgary, and Toronto. In years past, they acquired their own lumber mills so they could ensure quality products going into their construction, and Minto was one of the first builders to look at issues surrounding sustainability. In fact, the company was named Green Builder of the Year two of the last three years by the Canada Green Building Council. In Florida, Minto has put over 20,000 homes on the ground in 44 communities. Today, you can see 15 beautiful Minto coach home and single family models in six collections starting from the low $400s at their new 2,400-acre development, The Isles of Collier Preserve. Located just minutes south of Fifth Avenue and downtown Naples, half of this gated, master-planned community is given over to nature preserves, forests, lakes, and outdoor-themed amenities like trails and waterways—biking and kayaking are common modes of transport here. Clubhouse, pool and tennis amenities are underway and memberships to an adjacent marina and private yacht club afford Gulf of Mexico deepwater access for fishermen and boaters, making this a great choice for active, nature-loving boomers.

NEAL COMMUNITIES

The Neal family has been in the construction business for decades, and in 1974 Pat Neal started Neal Communities. Since then, they’ve built over 9,000 homes in Southwest Florida, and Pat served in the Florida Senate. Some of Neal’s best-known southwest Florida developments are the golf communities of University Park and Lakewood Ranch Country Club. The builder has garnered numerous awards and accolades, with BUILDER magazine recently ranking Neal as one of the Top Fifty Builders nationally. They are now building quality homes in Canopy, a new gated, maintenance-included neighborhood in Northeast Naples. Three- and four-bedroom homes ranging from approximately 1,800 to 2,900 sq. ft. with lake or preserve views start in in the low $300s – a rare value in the Naples area.

PULTE HOMES

Another national builder with a reputation for value, Pulte offers 11 designs its new master-planned development, The Quarry, in Northeast Naples. The Quarry is a guard-gated community with an extensive resort-style amenity package including a 230-acre recreational lake (with boat docks for rent), an 18-hole golf course with clubhouse, restaurant and pro shop, the Lake Lodge and Beach Club recreational facility, lighted tennis courts, Bocce ball courts, billiard and card rooms, lagoon pool, lap pool, fitness center and more. The development is surrounded by over 800 acres of nature preserve and offers coach and single-family floorplans in several collections, starting from the low $300s and ranging upwards past one million.

STANDARD PACIFIC HOMES

Standard Pacific started in California in the mid-1960s and has grown across the country, building mostly in family-oriented neighborhoods in the largest housing markets, such as Florida, the Carolinas, Texas, Colorado, Arizona and, of course, their home state. Standard Pacific allows new home buyers to personalize with a wide range of choice in flooring, fixtures, and finishes. See nine spacious floorplans in two collections at Standard Pacific’s new Northeast Naples development of Bent Creek Preserve, where single-family homes start from the $350s. Homes here range from 2,000 to over 4,400 sq. ft., with three to five bedrooms in one or two stories. Families in this gated, master-planned community enjoy a rec facility with pool, tennis and fitness center and six community lakes. Prefer something closer to the beach? Standard Pacific will soon build coach homes in the gated, waterfront golf and boating community of Regatta Landing at Windstar on Naples Bay, starting from the mid $500s. 

STOCK DEVELOPMENT

Stock is a family-owned operation that began in construction and development in southwest Florida, developing high-end communities in Estero, Fort Myers and Naples. Their custom home division, Stock Signature Homes, has crafted over 3,500 beautiful custom and semi-custom residences in the past decade, and the company has earned hundreds of awards—among them Collier County Builder of the Year for 2013 and BUILDER magazine’s list of top 100 US builders in 2012 and 2013. Stock has developed in Lely Resort and Quail West, and is a preferred builder in Twin Eagles and Fiddler’s Creek. The innovative company builds exquisite new homes in Naples’ finest upscale, gated developments located throughout the area in several price points, generally starting in the mid-$500-600s and rising to the millions. However, you may want to check out the value at Lely Resort Golf & Country Club, where townhomes start around $300K.

SUNWEST HOMES

President Arthur Scheinholz, Vice President of Construction John Payne, and Design Director Glenn Midnet bring together decades of expertise going back 30+ years and their talents for high-end residential construction and interior design to build over 700 luxury residences in golf communities, high-rise buildings and on Olde Naples lots that reflect a homeowner’s individuality. For over 20 years, Sunwest Homes has built in and around the Naples area in developments such as Pelican Bay, Collier’s Reserve, Pelican Marsh, Olde Cypress, and West Bay Club. Currently, Sunwest is a preferred custom builder at Talis Park in far North Naples. The planned, gated community is geared to a pedestrian lifestyle, offering walkability and resort-style amenities for eight cozy neighborhoods surrounded by nature preserves, waterways and fairways. A Greg Norman and Pete Dye-designed course at Talis Park Golf Club is rated one of Florida’s top golf courses by Golf Digest. New homes here reflect the Mediterranean and Caribbean architectural themes that play so well with a south Florida lifestyle. Sunwest is offering seven floor plans at Talis Park, working intimately with buyers to create their custom dream home.

TAYLOR MORRISON

This quality homebuilder with a century of combined building experience is developing and building in master planned communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida and Texas. In and around the Naples area, they’ve completed or are currently building in several fine neighborhoods. You can see their beautiful plans and Naples homes for sale at The Esplanade Golf & Country Club of Naples, where residents will enjoy an amenity-rich luxury lifestyle. The 1,800-acre gated community includes 1,000 acres of natural preserves and wetlands, along with 170 acres of lakes. Planned golf, tennis and other recreational amenities are extensive, and include a 15,000 sq. ft. clubhouse. Taylor Morrison is building 14 floorplans in three collections, starting from the low $400s at The Esplanade Golf & Country Club of Naples.

TOLL BROTHERS

This luxury home builder with roots in the Northeast started in 1967 and is currently building in 19 states. Toll Brothers is known for flexible floor plans and design options, with high-end Design Centers offering a large range of finish choices. This allows buyers to “customize” their homes to a large degree. Toll Brothers is building in three upscale Naples area communities. Palazzo in North Naples is a small, gated community of executive homes offering six plans and exterior yard maintenance. Prices start in the low $400s. Cordova at Spanish Wells Golf & Country Club has the full country club amenity package so popular in south Florida. Toll has five designs available on lakefront or preserve home sites starting again in the low $400s at Cordova. The builder is also active in the master planned community of Bonita Lakes, offering 12 designs in two collections. Toll Brothers, a publicly owned Fortune 1000 company (NYSE:TOL), has been named Builder of the Year by BUILDER magazine and won many industry awards over the years.

WCI

WCI has developed some of the best known and most popular master planned communities throughout the state of Florida, focusing on move-up, second home and active adult buyers. Their communities tend to be amenity-rich and deliver a lifestyle, from golf and country club to high-rise beachfront, in single-family and multi-family product lines. The builder is currently in approximately a dozen communities throughout Bonita Springs, Fort Myers and Naples. Homes for sale range from the $200s to two million. In Naples, visit Artesia to see cottage homes, townhouse-style condos and single-family villas priced in the $200-400s. In Carrara at Talis Park, WCI is the exclusive builder with 90 luxury penthouse-style residences and 15 mid-rise buildings that emphasize outdoor living. Lakes, fairways and greens provide the scenery.