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$690,000? Before You Say “That’s Expensive,” Let’s Talk About What You’re Actually Buying.

Writer: Jonathan Rose
Jonathan Rose
Sep 15
6 min read

14610 Laguna Drive | Water’s Edge at Peppertree Pointe | Fort Myers, Florida




There are two ways to shop for real estate.


The first is pretty straightforward:

How many bedrooms? How many bathrooms? How many square feet? What’s the price?


Perfectly reasonable.


It’s also a little like choosing a restaurant based exclusively on the number of chairs.

Because sometimes the thing you’re actually buying isn’t contained within the four walls.


And 14610 Laguna Drive in Fort Myers may be one of those properties.

So let’s address the elephant lounging comfortably on the screened lanai:

$690,000.


There. I said it.


Now you don’t have to whisper it to your spouse while scrolling through the photos.

The more interesting question isn’t:

“Is $690,000 a lot of money?”

Of course it is.

The better question is:

“What would I have to get for $690,000 for it to feel like a surprisingly good value?”


Now we’re having a much more interesting conversation.


First, You Get the House.


And this isn’t exactly the house you buy while saying, “We’ll update it someday.”

14610 Laguna Drive is a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath lakefront residence with approximately 2,061 square feet of living space, set within Water’s Edge at Peppertree Pointe.

The home has already undergone extensive renovation and offers a modern coastal interior, soaring ceilings, plantation shutters, custom woodwork, an updated kitchen, newer stainless appliances and an open floor plan filled with natural light.

Then there is the lanai.

Oh, the lanai.

Instead of staring lovingly into your neighbor’s air-conditioning compressor, you’re looking across the lake.

Morning coffee?

Lake.

Glass of wine?

Lake.

Questioning every life decision that resulted in you spending February somewhere that requires an ice scraper?

Lake.

There’s also a private dock at the property for fishing, kayaking and paddleboarding.

And that’s where the math starts getting more interesting.


Because You’re Not Just Buying 14610 Laguna.

You’re buying into Water’s Edge at Peppertree Pointe.

And this is where I think buyers who simply compare price-per-square-foot can miss the plot.

Water’s Edge is a 249-home community along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers’ Iona-McGregor area, composed of seven distinct neighborhoods.

And tucked inside it is something you don’t find in every Southwest Florida neighborhood:

An actual waterfront lifestyle.

The community’s own association lists amenities including:

Two heated swimming pools.

Two tennis courts.

A private waterfront park.

A private sandy beach along the Caloosahatchee.

A boat-launching ramp.

Trailer storage.

And Peppertree Pointe Marina — a private 36-slip marina accommodating boats up to 26 feet.

Eligible Water’s Edge and Peppertree Pointe homeowners may lease marina slips, subject to availability and association requirements.

Translation:

You don’t necessarily have to own a multimillion-dollar Gulf-front estate to participate in the Southwest Florida boating lifestyle.

That’s a pretty important distinction.


“Wait. There’s a Private Beach?”

Yep.

This is usually where people look at me suspiciously.

Water’s Edge maintains its own small sandy beach and waterfront park on the Caloosahatchee River.

So imagine this:

It’s January.

Your friend up north texts you a photograph of his driveway.

There are 11 inches of snow on it.

He’s wearing something called “thermal base layers.”

You reply with a photograph from your neighborhood beach.

Friendship over.

Worth it.


Then There’s the Marina.

This deserves more attention because it changes the character of the community.

Peppertree Pointe Marina sits directly on the Caloosahatchee River and provides access toward the Gulf of Mexico.

The community association describes the marina as having 36 slips, accommodating boats up to 26 feet, along with a boat ramp and trailer storage.

Water’s Edge says homeowners can lease slips through the marina, subject to the community’s rules and availability.

So let me ask you something.

If boating matters to you, would you rather spend your entire housing budget trying to put the house directly on a Gulf-access canal…

or would you at least want to know what it costs to own the house you actually love while having access to a community marina nearby?

That’s not a rhetorical sales question.

It’s a financial question worth investigating.


And About That “Premium” Price…

Here’s where I’ll do something unusual for a REALTOR® trying to sell you a house:

I’ll tell you there are less expensive homes nearby.

Of course there are.

There are also more expensive ones.

As of this writing, another 3-bedroom home on Laguna Drive is publicly marketed at $575,000.

So why wouldn’t you simply buy that one and pocket $115,000?

Excellent question.

That’s exactly the question a serious buyer should ask.

Because real estate isn’t priced by bedroom count alone.

You need to compare renovation level, living area, bathrooms, lot and water orientation, outdoor living, finishes, condition, dock configuration and the things you would potentially spend money changing after closing.

The competing property is publicly marketed as approximately 1,913 square feet with two bathrooms. 14610 Laguna offers approximately 2,061 square feet and 2.5 baths, along with its own individual renovations, finishes, lakefront setting and outdoor experience.

Does that automatically make one worth more than another?

No.

That’s for the buyer to decide.

But it certainly makes the comparison more interesting than:

“Three bedrooms versus three bedrooms.”


Here’s the Question I’d Ask Before Crossing 14610 Off Your List.

Forget $690,000 for about thirty seconds.

Imagine you’ve already moved in.

You wake up.

Walk into a bright, renovated coastal home.

Coffee goes onto the lanai.

There’s water outside instead of another backyard.

Maybe later you drop a kayak from your dock.

Maybe you head toward the community’s riverfront.

Maybe you sit on the beach.

Maybe boating is your thing and the marina becomes part of your weekends.

Maybe none of that matters to you.

And that’s important too.

Because if you wouldn’t use the lifestyle, don’t pay for the lifestyle.

But…

What if you would?

What would comparable access to all of those things cost you if you tried to assemble them separately somewhere else?

House.

Renovation.

Lakefront setting.

Dock.

Marina access.

Boat ramp.

Private riverfront.

Beach.

Pools.

Tennis.

Fort Myers location.

Gulf-oriented boating access.

Suddenly we’re no longer comparing countertops.

We’re comparing lifestyles.


The Bargain May Be Hiding in What You DON’T Have to Buy.

This is what fascinates me about certain Southwest Florida properties.

“Value” doesn’t always mean the lowest asking price.

Sometimes value is replacement cost avoided.

You don’t have to buy the renovation after buying the house.

You don’t have to create the lake.

You don’t have to build a neighborhood marina.

You don’t have to purchase an entirely separate waterfront property just because you’d like access to the Caloosahatchee.

And I’m reasonably certain Lee County will object if you attempt to construct your own private beach without asking anyone.

There goes the weekend.

Instead, much of the lifestyle infrastructure already exists around you.

That’s why I think calling 14610 Laguna simply a “3-bedroom home for $690,000” misses what makes it interesting.


So Is 14610 Laguna Drive a Bargain?

I’m a REALTOR®.

You already know what I’m supposed to say.

So I’m not going to say it.

Instead, I’ll ask you the question I’d want someone to ask me:

If this home gave you the Southwest Florida lifestyle you’ve been trying to create anyway, what would that lifestyle be worth to you?

Because maybe $690,000 is outside your number.

That’s completely fair.

Maybe another property makes more sense.

Also fair.

But if you’re looking for a renovated lakefront home and boating, water, outdoor living and a genuine waterfront community are on your list…

You probably shouldn’t dismiss this one from a thumbnail and a price tag.

Come experience it.

Walk through the house.

Stand on the lanai.

Look across the lake.

Then let’s go beyond the front door and talk about what ownership in Water’s Edge actually provides.

After that, you tell me whether $690,000 looks different than it did before.

No pressure.

No awkward “So… are we writing an offer?” conversation while you’re still standing in the kitchen.

Just information, perspective and one beautiful Southwest Florida property that deserves to be evaluated for what you’re actually buying.


14610 Laguna Drive

Water’s Edge at Peppertree Pointe -Fort Myers, Florida

Offered at $690,000

Curious, but not “schedule-a-showing” curious yet?

Perfect.


Text “LAGUNA” to (239) 893-6203.

I’ll send you the property information and community details so you can decide for yourself whether it’s worth seeing.


Jon J. Rose, REALTOR®LPT Realty

Southwest Florida Specialist 

Relationships built on trust. Not transactions.

 
 
 

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