Lawn care:  About $125 per month which includes weed wacking

Pool:  About $125 per month for a weekly visit four times per month.  Chemical balance each visit and scrub pool twice in a month.

Tree trim:  Depends on what needs to be done but often includes pruning palm trees.  I know who to call for inexpensive tree service.

Pest Control:  In general, it’s a quarterly service but expect around $300 per year.  Important to  know is the service provider will come out on a days notice if you have an issue without charge.

Power washing:  This is an annual service to anticipate which will cover your house, lanai, pool cage, roof, etc.  The cost varies by size of home.

Boat lift:  Often over-looked but it will bite you in the butt if you don’t keep it maintained and that is the voice of experience!  There are only a handful of companies doing this and will depend on type of boat lift and condition.  Call me for boat lift companies that have treated me fairly over the years.

Piling Wrap:  Many homes already have their pilings wrapped below the water line and that is a good thing.  If your homes has not had the pilings wrapped then you should consider doing it.  This is a one time expense.  The piling wrap is a heavy synthetic material that protects the pilings underwater from worms and sea creatures eating the pilings and damaging them.  Its much cheaper to take preventative action than to install pilings down the road.  Again, a one time service and cost is dependent on the number of pilings and condition.  Good to know that existing pilings that have problems can be saved at a much lower cost than a new piling.

Garbage/trash service:  There is no specific additional cost with this in Punta Gorda Isles or Burnt Store Isles.  The service also includes bulk pick-up at no additional cost.  Tree trimings, lawn debri pick up is also included in the service.

Water:  The cost of water in SW Florida is considerabley more expensive than other areas.  Of course, it is a function of usage.  For a family of two with heavy usage, including multiple boat washings in a week, laundry every day, etc. and you can anticipate $100-$130 per month.  If you have lawn irrigation this cost will go up significantly.

The post What Is The Cost Of Ownership Of A Waterfront Home in Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles?  Part 3 ADDITIONAL COSTS OF OWNERSHIP appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

What many don’t realize is that the canal systems are a host to many fish species!  Imagine fishing off your dock and cooking your catch the same day.  How about catching your own Blue Claw Crabs off your dock and have a crab feast?  Yes, this is all real and will be right in your back yard, right off your dock.

Your lanai will often be a host to lots of parties and get togethers.  Part of the party fun is having some of your guests fish off the dock!  When someone hooks a fish it creates a lot of excitement and fun!  There are fish everywhere in these canals!  This is a year around fishery.

Here are the species you can expect to catch that are all great table fare:

Redfish

Black drum

Snook

Speckled trout

Sheepshead

Snapper

Grouper

Spanish Mackeral

Blue Claw Crab

Non-edible species like tarpon are frequent visitors and some are over 100 pounds!  My first experience with tarpon was about 20 years ago when I lived on a sailboat canal home off of Tropicana in the old sailboat section.  I was working on real estate, looked out the window and saw tarpon rolling in the canal.  I grabbed a rod and threw a lure out and hooked a 5 foot 75 pound tarpon!  The tarpon ran a lot of line off heading towards the end of the canal and jumped 3 feet into the air.  It landed with a huge splash and every dog in every house within 2 streets started barking!  A most wonderful memory that I still revisit in my mind.  Of course, this fish broke the line and got away but not before a final splash down creating chaos in nearby homes with dogs 😊

Other non-edible species include: jack crevalle, gafftop sail catfish and hardhead catfish.

Many fish roam the seawalls particularly ones with rocks.  Fish love the pilings as well.  Fish also love boats that rarely move and in particular sailboats.  Catamarans and deep draft large keel sailing vessels offer hiding places for fish to ambush from.  Often huge goliath grouper will call these places home as do big snook.  Snook are great eating and similar to grouper.

The best canal baits are live shrimp and live minnows.  A variety of lures will work including spoons and plastic swim baits as well as diving plugs.

Buy a couple of crab traps and put chicken in them for bait.  You will enjoy checking the traps daily and collecting large delicious crabs.

I tell all of my customers if they ever have trouble catching fish off their docks to call me and I will show them how.  Hopefully, you will enjoy this extra benefit of waterfront living in Punta Gorda!

The post Aquatic Life in Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles Canals appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

First, there are two inlets to the harbor but not all home locations allow you access to both.  One exit out of the canals is Ponce Inlet and the other is Alligator Creek via Buckley’s Pass, aka the bird cut.  It is important to note that when looking at a map it appears there is a third exit out that is about half way between Ponce and Alligator Creek.  This is not a navigable waterway!

There are homes that access the harbor from the Peace River and have no access to Ponce or Buckley’s Pass and will be covered more below.  There is one exception to the aforementioned and that are the homes on the Colony Point Canal system.  Homes on the south of the Colony Point Bridge area are sailboat waterfront using Ponce.  To the north of the Colony Point Bridge area are sailboat waterfront homes using the Peace River.  Boats that have less than a 12-13 foot bridge clearance can have access to both exits when living on this canal system.

The first thing for sailors to understand is that you will always have access to both inlets, Ponce de Leon or Buckley’s Pass.  Neither exit will encounter a bridge and no concerns with mast height.  Your home proximity with the closest exit will likely dictate your preference.  Implied in this statement is that you purchase a home that is truly sailboat water with adequate depth and no bridges.  For draft concerns with a sailboat the general rule is 6 feet of water at mean low tide at all times in this area and this goes for both Ponce Inlet and the exit into Alligator Creek.  Unusual low tides on full moons with winter winds will cause the tides to get below the norm.

Here is a snap shot of what exit for what area in Punta Gorda Isles (PGI).

Buckley’s Pass, to Alligator Creek

• The area bounded by Aqui Esta Blvd to the NORTH, intersected by Bal Harbor Blvd. to the WEST down to the end of Bal Harbor and only the homes to the left or east of Bal Harbor. This is known as the Bird Section and is sailboat water.  The longest boat ride times at slow idle is about 25 minutes to Buckley’s Pass.  For the Catamaran Sailor this pass is plenty wide for you to get through.  Once through this pass you turn right into Alligator Creek.  The harbor will be visible within a ¼ mile.  Follow the channel markers carefully or expect a soft grounding!
• The area bounded by Bal Harbor south of Aqui Esta, located off of Suzi and Casey Key Drive at the very southern end of Bal Harbor. This general area does not have a specific name but will have the shortest boat ride out of Buckley’s Pass.  Here are the street names in this area and expect less than 25 minutes to the pass, with most having much shorter boat ride times.  Here are the street names:  Suzi, Los Alamos, La Costa Island, Key Largo, Casey Key, Useppa, Pine Island.  Homes on these streets also have access to Ponce Inlet but a much longer boat ride time.

Ponce de Leon Inlet

• All homes SOUTH of West Marion and to the WEST of Bal Harbor Blvd exit out of Ponce and are sailboat friendly streets.
• All homes SOUTH of Bal Harbor and accessed by DEBORAH DRIVE which heads basically west with many streets that branch of Deborah area using the Ponce Inlet.

Peace River Exits

• All homes NORTH of West Marion exit into the Peace River. This area is known as the Old Sailboat Section or the Original Sailboat Section.  A few of these canal systems boast more than 6 feet of water.

The post Boaters! How To Get Out Of The Punta Gorda Isles Canal System appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

Starting from north to south, the top of the map shows a number of canal systems that exit into the Peace River.  The arrow that is marked on the far right is indicating Bass Inlet which passes by Fisherman’s Village.  On some maps its hard to tell there is really a canal exit there but it is an important one for sure serving lots of homes.  To the left at the top are many canals exiting into the Peace River.  These primarily exit from the “old sailboat section” or “original sailboat section” that many sailors prefer because of the super short ride to open water and deep water mooring for their vessels.

The primary exit into the harbor is via Ponce Inlet or Ponce de Leon Inlet as marked with an arrow.  For boat ride times from many locations within PGI you can click on a box at the top of my website to see exact times from different streets that will help you understand this important aspect of buying a home.

Now, to the immediate south of Ponce Inlet there is a clearly visual channel which takes you from the “rim canal” to the open waters of the harbor south of Ponce Inlet.  This channel IS NOT AN EXIT!  It has confused many people over the years.  This canal is known as the “barge canal” that moved dredge material in and out during the construction of the canal systems.  When the canal systems were complete they blocked both ends of the canals to navigation.  It makes no sense that they abandoned a navigable water way but that is what happened.

More recently, as of April 2020 Buckley’s Pass was created at the southern end of Punta Gorda Isles which created a passage way from the “bird section” and other areas of Punta Gorda Isles.  A smart move by the city to shorten boat ride times.  This pass enters into Alligator Creek.  The intention is to keep this exit and the tributary of Alligator Creek at 6 feet mean low water so that sailing vessels and other deep water craft can navigate safely without bumping bottom.

The last point I want to make is that many people fear getting lost in the canal systems.  When I moved here we did not have chart plotters that make it easy to follow your trail back home.  Without that luxury you still should have no worries.  If you get turned around ask a neighbor out on the dock where you are at.  Of course, a cell phone will show you a map and your location as well.  Either way, after a few tries from your dock you will smile about your fear of finding your way out…..I did! 🙂

The post Sailboat – Powerboat Access To and From Punta Gorda Isles: Where Are The Exits? appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

Many of my customers are sailors and cruisers.  There are also quite a few that are fisherman as well.  The one thing in common is that everyone likes to fish a little bit or when company is in town nothing is more fun than people catching fish off the dock!  Add to that who doesn’t like a fresh fish dinner?  It’s all part of the lifestyle.

The obvious part of my real estate service of 19 years to my customers is finding the right house for them and their boat at the right price.  My service continues long after the sale and includes helping you choose the right boat, what services and contractors to use that are honest and fair AND a guarantee that you can catch good fish off your dock to eat!  Of course, I am there for anything and everything else as long as you live in this town.

So, the “Catch Fish Off Your Dock Guarantee” in Punta Gorda Isles or Burnt Store Isles goes with the closing on your home.  This is an easy guarantee for me to make because the canal systems are home to so much aquatic life.

Snapper, Redfish, Speckled Trout, Flounder:  Do I have your attention yet?  Yes, fish you can order at the finest restaurants are swimming in the canals and pretty easy to catch if you know how.  Imagine how much better they taste when just caught and cleaned (yes, I can show you how to clean fish as well? 🙂

Other species that live in the canal are:  Snook (taste a good bit like grouper), Goliath Grouper, Sheepshead, Tarpon, Mackeral, Mojara, Black Drum, Jack Crevalle and a bunch of others.  One thing that you might be surprised to know is that blue claw crabs migrate into the canal systems and they are big!  Crabs are delicious and easy to catch.  Being from Maryland and catching crabs on the Chesapeake since I was a boy makes me an expert in cooking them as well.  Crabbing in the canals of Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and Charlotte Harbor is pretty easy but there are some subtle things that will catch you a lot more crabs.  If you don’t like eating crabs (however unlikely), they make excellent fish bait for everything that swims.

Other sea creatures that you will see include dolphins, manatees, stingrays and an occasional shark will reveal the telltale fins coming through the surface.  Tarpon are a regular visitor into the canals and you will see massive schools of Jack Crevalle (one of the hardest fighting fish that swims) pushing baitfish up against docks and seawalls and creating a literal whitewash of water as they hord baitfish and feed.

When showing homes you will likely see fish jumping of significant size.  They are Black Mullet.  The are fun to watch.  Punta Gorda Isles canal systems are a spawning location for Black Mullet and massive schools come and go all the time.  Mullet has a reputation for being very fishy in flavor and not good to eat unless smoked.  Trust me they are fishy smoked too HOWEVER, they are a delicious fish to eat if you do the right things.  First, Mullet do not take a hook in line but are easily trapped with throwing a cast net off the dock.  After netting the Mullet, gut and bleed them immediately then place in ice cold water.  When ready, fillet like any other fish and you will see perfect white flesh with a wonderful texture.  Fresh Mullet done like this are as good as any fish out there.  So much fun living on the water!

The post Punta Gorda Isles: Fish and Sea Creatures in the Canals of Punta Gorda. Fishing and Crabbing and eating what you catch appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

Punta Gorda Canals, in the City of Punta Gorda

Stagnant water:  The canal systems in the city of Punta Gorda have excellent water flow with generally 4 tides a day.  The tidal height is normally around 2 feet from high to low.  It can go over 3 feet tide swing with certain wind directions and moon phase.  As such there is No Smell and No Stagnant water anywhere in the canal systems.

End of Canal Concerns:  Many people come here with fears that if they buy a house at the dead end of a canal that it will become a scum patch of floating weeds, debri, etc that stinks and causes problems.  First, the dead end of the canal lot has an excellent view shooting right down the canal.  But to the point, I have sold many end of canal homes and my customers love the views and never have a problem.  Does an occasional coconut float to the end, yes.  Do I have to worry about smell and decomposing seaweed, dead fish- No!  I can tell you if you consider the Florida Keys for a canal home they do have serious problems at the end of their canals.

Alligators in the Canals:  No, you can take this off your list of worries.  Alligators live in freshwater and the canals are salt water.  I would be remis to say I have never seen an alligator in the canals but only a couple of times over 18 years.  This was in the summer months with lots of rain and the alligator apparently got confused coming down the Peace River and into the canal.  The alligators have no place to rest in the canals and cannot get onto the properties.  Nothing to have any worries about.

Boat ride times are too long in Punta Gorda canals:  The typical boat ride time to open water to put up sail or put down the throttle is 10-25 minutes.  There is a section in Punta Gorda Isles known as the “Bird Section” that “had” some homes with an hour ride out.  A new exit route has been built and will open in April 2020.  These homes will now have about a 30 minute ride out.  So with that said, pretty much any location will have less than that boat ride out.  Burnt Store Isles does have locations that exceed the 30 minutes and we can talk about this specifically.  Don’t rule out Burnt Store Isles on hearsay!  There is a lot inaccurate information about this neighborhood out there.

Water depth concerns in the canals:  You have no worries about water depths in the canal systems.  They generally average 8 to 15 feet with plenty of canals with deeper water.

Water depth concerns at my dock:  Most homes have plenty of water off their docks from 6 to 8 feet and more on low tide.  It is extremely rare to see a vessel listing on its keel because of low water.  On occasion it is less however.  If you have a deep draft sailboat, trawler, sportfish or yacht you may need a private dredge.  Easy to do and low cost, normally under $3,000.  The marine contractor dredges for you and takes the spoils and deposits in extra deep spots in the canal systems.  No biggie.

Water depth concerns in the exit passage ways:  The City of Punta Gorda maintains the Ponce de Leon Inlet to 6 feet mean low water and periodically addresses trouble areas when they develop.  The Army Corp of Engineers maintains Alligator Creek (exit for Burnt Store Isles) to 6 feet mean low water and they too occasionally do maintenance dredges.

Fish and wildlife in the canals:  I will end this topic with something you might not have expected.  The canals are full of fish, crabs and other sea life!  Some of the best eating fish can be caught from your dock including redfish, snapper, flounder, sheepshead, snook, speckled trout and mackeral.  The canal systems also have blue claw crabs, easy to catch and delicious!  You can expect to see manatees and dolphins swim past your dock as well.  Schools of huge black drum over 50 pounds live in the canals as does tarpon and jack crevalle.  Add to that a variety of shore birds, you will always have something interesting going on at waters edge.

The post Dispelling Myths About Punta Gorda Canal Systems and Waterways appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

Locally there is a term used known as the “Power Boat Section”.  This is strictly in reference to Punta Gorda Isles only.  The power boat section of PGI is a clearly defined area that has a bridge that restricts mast height or upper stations on power boats when leaving your dock and heading out to open water.  The average bridge height for overhead clearance is around 14 feet on most of the bridges that are ONLY found on West Marion Avenue that runs east to west and is a major thorough-fare into the neighborhood.  The first bridge as you head west is located just west of Fisherman’s Village with the water exit below known as Bass Inlet.  The second bridge is just past Maria Court to the east and the last bridge which is the highest is just past Divinci Drive to the east.  The waterway at Divinci Drive which we call the Colony Point canal is the only canal that runs from the Peace River and Ponce de Leon Park.  This canal system has significant water flow because it has two exit points.  If you are on the north side of the bridge you are sailboat friendly on the south side of the bridge its sailboat friendly but you must travel to Ponce Inlet, about 18 minutes or so to get to open water.  Homes on the south side of this bridge can easily go under the bridge with quicker exit to the Peace River if mast height or helm station clearance is not an issue.  Plenty deep water in this canal system as well.

The physical land boundaries to the Power Boat section are roads as follows:  West Marion to the north, Aqui Esta Blvd to the south, Coronado Drive to the west and Magdalina Drive to the east.

Over time the sailboat lots were identified as more valuable because of the lack of a bridge.  The reality of the boating world is that sailors actually are a much smaller segment of the boating population than power boaters.  To me, the logic is not there but the selling price of a power boat lot is almost always less than a sailboat lot.  The power boat lots are also quick access to the Peace River, meaning 15 minutes or less for most homes.  That’s the short story.  Many of the power boat lots are a very good bargain.  They have quick access to open water, good water depth and most boaters will not have a problem with the bridge clearance.  Still the sailboat accessible lots sell for more money and I expect that trend to continue.

The post What Does The Power Boat Section Of Punta Gorda Isles Mean?  Is It Less Valuable Than The Sailboat Section? appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

I often introduce both neighborhoods to my customers as they begin exploring the area and find some prefer one over the other.  He are the primary differences between PGI and BSI.

• Let’s start with the distance to the heart of town.  Yes, Punta Gorda has a center of town that is the focal point of all who live here.  It’s a bit of an old fashioned kind of feel to this town and we love having a town that is easily recognizable where many fun things take place.  I bring this up because that is one feature of Punta Gorda that people focus on and some choose Punta Gorda Isles over Burnt Store Isles because PGI is a couple of miles closer to the town center.  In fact, I have many customers that bike ride from PGI to town which allows them to attend many cool functions, music concerts, flower festivals, sailing regatta’s, etc. and then bike ride back to home.  Especially nice after a few adult beverages!  However, not all of PGI is really close enough for a bike ride to town.  So, PGI gets the edge over BSI on this consideration.
• Age and appearance of the neighborhoods is different in some ways. Burnt Store Isles was largely built in the 90’s and 2000’s and has a newer, fresher appearance overall than Punta Gorda Isles.  This visual appeal tips the scales for some folks to desire BSI over PGI.  However, PGI has a variety of appearances within the same overall neighborhood.  First, let me explain that Punta Gorda Isles is a very large area.  Within it, are sections that were constructed at different points in time.  There is a lot of coverage on these sections elsewhere on my website with extensive detail, if interested.  For instance, the oldest area is the original or old sailboat section with homes from the 60’s to current.  The older construction architecture is obvious but these homes are still beautiful.  The power boat section (see my blog  on the power boat section for more detail) has a vast number of homes from the late 60’s and 70’s with newer ones mixed in. The area known as the “Bird Section” looks very similar to Burnt Store Isles because it was largely developed in the same time frame from 90’s to current and boasts the newer curb appeal.  Other areas with in PGI also resemble BSI as well but don’t have a specific definition or name to identify but I could certainly tell you the streets.  One example, is the area off of Suzi Street, very beautiful!
• Water Frontage, Canals, Boat Ride Times To Harbor and Other Considerations. I will try to keep this short as my website has a huge amount of specific information regarding this.  The comparison of PGI to BSI in regards to boat ride times to open water is a very important consideration to the mariner!  PGI has boat ride times that range from 5 minutes to 40 minutes to open water, now with the opening of Buckley’s Pass (see my blog on this).  BSI has boat ride times that range from 17 minutes to one hour.  However, I would say the average boat time ride out of PGI is well less than 30 minutes and largely the same can be said with BSI.  Burnt Store Isles pathway to open water is through Alligator Creek versus PGI canals exit out of Ponce de Leon Park, Buckley’s pass to Alligator Creek and the original sailboat section exits into the Peace River.  Exiting into Alligator Creek puts you significantly further south on the harbor which is the direction most boaters go (towards the gulf and islands).  With that consideration a 10 minute boat ride to Ponce Park and a 20 minute boat ride to the mouth of Alligator Creek will land you both there relatively about the same time.
• Exposure to street noise and other extraneous unnatural sounds. Basically, both neigborhoods are very quiet and peaceful.  An occasional plane may pass over but not an issue.  Road noise is generally not a factor in a home buying decision.
• Proximity to shopping is great at both locations. Generally, you will be less than 10 minutes to most anything you can thing of!
• Golf courses. Both have their own course.  Andrews South is the course in PGI and Twin Isles Country Club is the course in BSI.  Both are very popular.  BSI has a more extensive facility, with more amenities and thought to be a more challenging course.  Both have social memberships and combinations of golf and social as well.

The post Punta Gorda Isles Versus Burnt Store Isles- Which One Is Better? appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

The ordinances are in general very liberal and not overly restrictive.  The pretense of the deed restrictions is to maintain property values and have a minimum level of rules to keep the neighborhood looking great.

Some of the biggest concerns my customers have regarding deed restrictions are as follows:

FENCES

Can I put up a fence for my dog in Punta Gorda Isles? Yes

How big of a fence can I put up?  The rules are generous but no tall privacy fences.

Can I put up a fence on the waters edge?  I see it all the time, so Yes.

Can I put up a fence on the street side?  No

PARKING OF VEHICLES IN THE DRIVEWAY

Can I have my business truck in the driveway? No

Can I park my car in the driveway? Yes

MOTOR HOMES, BOATS, TRAILERS, ETC PARKING

Can I park an RV in my driveway?  Not permanently but for a 3-day period if you are working on it and let the city know its not a problem.

Can I park my boat in the driveway?  Same as above

Can I park my boat trailer on the side of the house?  No, but there are very reasonable storage lots nearby to keep boat trailers, RV’s, etc.

SEE PART 2 FOR A CONTINUATION WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BOATS, HOUSE AND DOCK.

The post Part 1:  Punta Gorda Waterfront Neighborhoods Deed Restrictions, Neighborhood Covenants and What I Should Know About Them When Buying A House appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.

With that said, I never had a strong opinion as to how the creation of Buckley’s Pass, making a shorter boat ride into the harbor would affect property values.  With that said, it is implied I was not convinced it would, so I decided to look at current market trends as presented below.

Home Comparison

The metric I chose for comparison to the Bird Section’s currently long boat ride to open water was in contrast to the old (or original) sailboat section.  The old sailboat section in PGI has the closest access to the harbor, with deep water.  Most travel times to the harbor are 10 minutes or less for the old sailboat section.  Most travel times from the bird section to the harbor are 40 minutes or less with some much longer at over an hour at the north end of the bird section.

Looking at the 2018 home sales statistics from the MLS database, I chose to consider sales that involved only 3+ bedroom homes with a pool, which constitute the largest number of homes in either location.  Here are the stats:

Bird Section:  48 sales (as of December 1, 2018) at a median sales price of $520,000

Old Sailboat Section:  40 sales (as of December 1, 2018) at a median sales price of $465,500

So, the median sales price was significantly higher in the bird section and the total number of sales was higher.  The people that live in the bird section bought their home knowing that they might have a long boat ride out.  Obviously, they would not have bought if they didn’t like the house and location and most of these homes were not new construction.

You can read into this what you want but does this make you think property values will go up once Buckley’s Pass has been created?  There is a lot more vacant land in the bird section than the old sailboat section.  If shortening the boat ride times in the bird section occurs will this affect the lot values in the old sailboat section since they won’t be the only location in town with really short boat ride times?

The post Sales Comparison Bird Section to Old Sailboat Section in PGI: Will Buckley’s Pass Increase Property Values? appeared first on Sailboat Home Listings.