Pre-Hurricane Milton – Naples, Florida
Hello Naples Friends, I’m taking a little break from my 2024-2025 real estate forecasts to offer an update about Naples the day before Hurricane Milton is projected to hit the peninsula of Florida. Those who know me best know I was born a storm nut in the heart of Tornado Alley. Hurricanes and how people prepare (or fail to prepare) have always fascinated me. Before I moved to Naples I read the entire internet about Hurricanes. I’m not teasing. I read everything there was to read about them. Back in 2002, Only one Hurricane (Donna 1960) and some no-name storms had hit Naples up to that point. We have a few more under our belt and it’s true, with experience come intelligence. I am happy to report that Ian taught us some things, and as a result, we will be better prepared in the future.
For context, at 3:47 p.m. Collier County is predicted to experience Tropical Storm conditions. Typically, those aren’t that exciting! Of course, the paths can shift like they did during Charley and Ian so we never know until we know. We’ll hang tight and as soon as we can get back out to let you know what’s going on, we will. If you live in a condominium, count on your managers being busy and not returning phone calls. You can expect the same from your home staff as well. If you have a preview or drive by request, you can send them to me and I will do my best to take a look at your property. It may be challenging if we are without power.
Current Situation West of 41
Ever since Hurricane Charley, one of my rituals (if time and weather permit) is to drive the coast to observe the beauty of Naples, Florida, give one last thanks for our good fortune, and see how seriously people take precautions. Today, my son and I took that drive, except this time, Austin took the wheel with his newly acquired learner’s permit. He got some experience driving during inclement weather while I took photos of our coastline. Yaaay! Here’s what we saw:
Better Care Of Cars
We lost an enormous amount of cars during Hurricane Ian. In fact, it is estimated that there were 358,000 cars lost because of that storm. Driving through areas like Pelican Bay, we saw evidence of Montenero, Grosvenor and Dorchester moving cars to their upper decks to keep them away from potential storm surge. Bravo managers and staff who orchestrated those moves!
Minor Flooding
Minor flooding was already observed in low-lying areas of Park Shore and Moorings but the most significant flooding was found in all the usual places around Olde Naples.
Committed Guards
In preparation for Ian, the guard at Bay Colony prepared by bringing 3 uniforms and stayed during the entire storm. When his guardshack became an island, he manned the gate! If guards leave, they’re required to open the gates. Today, not only was Bay Colony’s gate still protected but the gate in Naples Cay was also still secure. If you live in either one of these areas, you owe it to your security to say, “Thank you.”
Unsecured Construction Sites
We drove by a single-family construction site in The Moorings where an entire stack of plywood sits on top of some framework completely unsecured. It would seem it wouldn’t take a very high wind to turn that wood into frisbies. If you live next to an unsecured construction site, I encourage you to take photos just in case any of those materials end up in your pool or living room! Your insurance company will appreciate it.
Naples Resilience Is Second To None
About three months ago, I took a ride up the coast to Sanibel to see how recovery from Ian (2022) was going. Bonita Springs, Fort Myers and Sanibel are still reeling from the force of that storm. I have traveled to areas like New Orleans, Mexico Beach, and Panama City years after major Hurricanes have hit those locations. In every scenario, those towns haven’t recovered nearly as swiftly as Naples does. I’m not saying a tenured veteran can’t see before and after differences but I can say to an untrained eye, many would not believe that storm hit us as hard as it did. We can thank the decision makers we put in place and the 1,000’s of people who help Naples get back on our feet. We also have a no-joke Governor who takes recovery, extremely seriously.
In Closing
I hope you enjoyed my pre-Hurricane Milton update. Stay safe and if there’s anything I can do, please let me know!
Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!
239-595-6223