All Forum Posts by: Robert Alpizar

Quote from @Henning Jakobsen:

Quote from @Robert Alpizar:

Quote from @Henning Jakobsen:

Hi guys. First time poster here. We just sold our condo in Ft. Lauderdale and have our eyes on Naples since we have rented here (Naples Park) over the holidays for several years. Any advice on a spesific gated (or non-gated) community in North Naples which will be good for a investment single family house (LTR) up to around 900K? Are gated communites more attractive for LTR? Living in Europe, we would prefer LTR as it seems more stable/hassle-free/less tear and wear. We would also like to use the property ourselves during Christmas and Easter, and then rent out the rest of high season.   

When it comes to long term rentals in Naples, you have many more options than AirBNB Weekly Short term rentals. There is also the option for seasonal rentals during Jan-April at a much higher rate than annual (Seasonal Rates are typically 2-3X the annual rate)... each have their pros and cons. I recently came across a great gated neighborhood in Central Naples with low HOA fees that actually allows weekly rentals (that's a very are thing in Naples). Gated Communities are appealing to Long Term Renters but there are other factors as amenities, school zone, etc. At the price point you mentioned there are also some very good options in popular communities that are not gated... such as Willoughby Acres or Palm River. These are very desirable due to the school Zone and Family Friendly Environment - we see a lot of long term tenants in these communities. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply, very helpful indeed. It has to be a seasonal rental (30-90 days) for sure, as we would like to use it ourselves in shoulder season. I thought the term LTR covered that, sorry. 

Palm River estates is indeed very nice, my concern is that renters want “amenities” and that a gated community would be a better option. But we are not too keen on huge HOAs either, of course. 

I happen to live in Palm River Estates and absolutely love it here. We have a pool and are 3 Miles from the Beach so we are content with those amenities... the location also offers countless options for Shopping, Dining and Entertainment. With that said, I can see why having amenities within the community would be appealing to tenants... although I do not think it would be a deal breaker for a lot of seasonal tenants. It would just have to make sense based on the cost of HOA Fees and the rate properties within the community fetch. A lot of investors are understandably worried about high fees, but if a property rents for much more in the community, the investment makes sense.... for instance we manage condos in golf communities with very high fees, however those units rent for MUCH more than the condos with low fees and no golf. So I would suggest exploring a few communities and looking into the numbers to see if it's right for you... after all you will be using the property as well and need to like where it is and what it offers.

Quote from @Henning Jakobsen:

Hi guys. First time poster here. We just sold our condo in Ft. Lauderdale and have our eyes on Naples since we have rented here (Naples Park) over the holidays for several years. Any advice on a spesific gated (or non-gated) community in North Naples which will be good for a investment single family house (LTR) up to around 900K? Are gated communites more attractive for LTR? Living in Europe, we would prefer LTR as it seems more stable/hassle-free/less tear and wear. We would also like to use the property ourselves during Christmas and Easter, and then rent out the rest of high season.   

When it comes to long term rentals in Naples, you have many more options than AirBNB Weekly Short term rentals. There is also the option for seasonal rentals during Jan-April at a much higher rate than annual (Seasonal Rates are typically 2-3X the annual rate)... each have their pros and cons. I recently came across a great gated neighborhood in Central Naples with low HOA fees that actually allows weekly rentals (that's a very are thing in Naples). Gated Communities are appealing to Long Term Renters but there are other factors as amenities, school zone, etc. At the price point you mentioned there are also some very good options in popular communities that are not gated... such as Willoughby Acres or Palm River. These are very desirable due to the school Zone and Family Friendly Environment - we see a lot of long term tenants in these communities. Hope this helps.

Quote from @Brian Camey:

FurnishedFinder might be a decent option. Their listing cater to traveling nurses, and I intend on using them for my rentals in Naples

I agree. I have a Property Management company in Naples and we use Furnished Finder to fill off season dates. It’s $99 to list a property. 

@Linda Weiner Hi! I've seen seasonal rentals in our market that have a fee for the pool heater ($150/Month). This was on a $45,000/Month Rental in Olde Naples but I'm sure you can apply something similar to offset the cost. Maybe even just add it to the rate so it's not an extra fee. Pool Heaters are definitely a must, prior to getting one, I wouldn't use our pool other than in Summer months. Hope that helps!

My opinion might be a bit biased as I live in and love Naples but based on how well I see others do with their STR's in Naples, I would say yes. Some will say Naples is pricier for Southwest Florida but so are the nightly rates compared to nearby cities. Naples has a lot to offer travelers and has always been a popular travel destination city. Just make sure you stay out of the "City of Naples" where STR's are not allowed. I just made a BP Post about that topic... check it out here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...

G'Luck! :)

Really depends on your budget and style but an affordable quality option would be: 

Rocco J Costa III Architect Phone: (239) 877-6973

For a higher-end home I'd reccommend:  https://hlevel.info or https://www.mhkap.com

There are only a handful of options that offer 1+ Acres… the most affordable being Golden Gate Estates which is a very large area that runs from just East of I-75 even further East into the Everglades. You also have Logan Woods and Oakes Estates that are in the Vineyards area (Vineyards itself is a Golf Community). West of I-75 you have Livingston Estates and Pine Ridge Estates that are $1M+. Oakes Estates and Logan Estates (anything West if Collier Blvd “951”) is pretty pricey… you’re best off buying in Golden Gate Estates and try to by something as close in as possible. That area continues to grow and is always in demand.

Hi @Mark Baker

I’m a Real Estate Broker and Property Manager in Naples and thought I’d chime in… 
So $600-900k isn't going to get you a house in 95% of the Naples City Limits. Definitely not Park Shore… you can avoid AirBNB style STR's buy simply buying in any HOA. If you want to be outside of an HOA there are a ton of nice neighborhoods where you can rent on 30+ Day Seasonal terms.

Based on what you described you may want to consider Palm River, I live there and it’s one of the first communities in Naples (1960’s) and has gorgeous established landscaping that you simply can’t find in newer communities. It’s a very desirable and stable community that fits within your budget… also just 3.5 Miles to two different top rated beaches (Vanderbilt Beach and Delnor Wiggins) there’s also Willoughby Acres just next door and plenty of other options.

Connect with a good Realtor and explore… you have plenty of options.

My property management company also manages mostly seasonal and off season rentals (30 Days - 6 Months). If you need help or have questions.

I don't really have personal experience in doing this but it definitely sounds like soundproofing and creating private individual spaces is key in doing this. Maybe even add a door in the back that can be locked or open as you might get families that want to rent both sides but still have access to each other.... kind of like how hotels do with the connecting door in the room. Good Luck... can I ask what area? I'm in Naples and curious.

Quote from @Nathalie T.:

Hi everyone,

Recently moved to Naples FL, and after one weekend enjoying the pool and the beach, we couldn't help it: we started to think about real estate. We would like to buy a single family or townhouse in Naples' region as a primary residence for now, keeping in mind that life can change and that this property may be turned into a STR or an annual rental. Looking at the current listings for rent online, it looks like the market is unbelievably juicy. I see 3 or 4bed townhomes charging $12,000/m for STR, but the same could go for $6,000 annual. Are these prices realistic or listed by dreamers? There's a high competition on the rental market, can these listings really go for this kind of rent? Obviously, the demand is fuelled by the pandemic and work from home effect, how was the rental market pre-pandemic?

What are the locations/ communities around that could both be pleasant at a primary home and a smart rental investment (HOA rental policy, rent,...)

It's a lot of questions, and we actually would love to talk and meet other investors in the region.

Thanks!

@Nathalie T.

Hi! @Stetson Miller pretty much covered it all... As a broker and property manager in Naples, I'd like to add that we see peak season Jan-April... all of the seasonal properties we manage are booked nearly a year in advance. (Rates are higher than off season rates Oct-Dec as well but really peak Jan-April.) On the off season, we have done pretty well finding short term rentals (30 Days- 6 Months) as there are a lot of people in between homes in our market whether they are waiting for a home to be built or moving into town and want tor ent short term before they buy. Traveling nurses are also a common theme we are seeing with our off season rentals. When you say short term rentals, do you mean weekly airBNB style rentals? If so, you'll want to look at properties outside of an HOA and outside of Naples City limits which is a small area near downtown Naples, mostly West of 41. 30 Day rentals are allowed nearly anywhere in Naples... some great communities to consider depending on your Price Point is Palm River (I live here), Naples Park (AirBNB Heavy Neighborhood), Bonita Shores, Bayshore Arts District, Lakewood.

Regarding the $12,000 rental rates... it really depends on the area and property. I've done $45,000/Month rentals for homes in Olde Naples and at the same time $3,000/Month for a run down 2/2 condo further from the beach. But yes, seasonal rates and demand here are very high. As you've experienced, Naples has A LOT to offer... numerous top rated beaches, tons of shopping, dining and entertainment. Hope this helps! :)