Just days into 2024, Bonita Beach saw a record home sale of $12.9 million.
It beats the previous high paid for a single-family home on the beach by more than half a million dollars, set in October.
Property records show the new record sale closed on Jan. 3.
Not surprisingly, the 5,300-square-foot beachfront residence in Bonita Springs has plenty to boast about, from its open-floor-plan design and beachfront entertainment deck to its floating wood beam ceilings and smart home lighting and automation systems.
“This residence is a showcase of visionary design, both inside and out. No details were overlooked. Built to the most current and stringent codes with concrete block construction, it is a beachfront masterpiece with exquisite features and finishes,” said Doug Grant, with John R. Wood Christie’s International Real Estate’s Grant Group, who represented the sellers.
In county records, the seller is identified as Alfred Geis, along with wife Kris Monaco-Geis, and a revocable trust in his name. He’s a former owner in the Geis Cos., a multimillion-dollar development and construction business, based in Cleveland, Ohio.
The discreet owners are listed under the name of a limited liability company, Azure Retreat, with an address in Columbus, Ohio.
The two-story, trophy home at 26692 Hickory Blvd. sold after 131 days on the market. It has four bedrooms, plus a den, and five bathrooms.
Stand-out features include:
- A second master/VIP suite, a four-plus-car garage, and a private elevator. Other notable interior attributes: A chef’s kitchen with Thermador appliances, quartzite counters and an adjacent walk-in bar, and white oak hardwood floors.
- Outdoors, there’s a vanishing edge pool and spa, overlooking the beach, a fireplace, and a kitchen with a gas grill.
- The home, within steps of the Gulf of Mexico, has a metal roof, motorized screens and storm shutters, and hurricane resistant windows.
According to the Grant Group, during the devastating Hurricane Ian, the home performed exactly as it should have with “no water damage on the main living level or above.”
“Like the majority of waterfront homes in our region, the lower/garage level did have some water. Minor exterior repairs were made to the landscaping, garage doors and driveway pavers,” Grant said.
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The previous record sale on Bonita Beach was for $12.25 million. That was for a 5,771-square-foot house built in 2016 at 27586 Hickory Blvd.
With five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, the enviable residence had belonged to evangelist David Turner, who bought it in 2021 for $7.5 million.
Of the top 10 sales recorded in Lee County last year, half occurred on Bonita Beach.
More:Luxury market levels off: Southwest Florida’s top home sales in 2023
More like this:Luxury market levels off: Southwest Florida’s top home sales in 2023
While the county had some big sales in 2023, none beat its record of $17.15 million, based on data from the Southwest Florida Multiple Listing Service, or MLS. That record was set in 2021, for a Caribbean-style manor on Captiva.
There are higher-priced listings that could beat that record, including one oversized estate on Bonita Beach going for $24.5 million.
That pales in comparison to Collier County’s record home price of $62 million – set in 2022.
With six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, the resort-style, Gulf-front retreat, with a living area of more than 11,800 square feet under water, in Aqualane Shores, one of the most coveted neighborhoods in Naples, sold at its asking price.
The luxury market has leveled off since then.