Guest post provided by: lelyhomesforsale.com
Prompted by a recent guest post as well as my work the past few months with a family that has a multitude of pets and is looking for a rental investment that will eventually turn into their forever home, I wanted to share some insight into the pet-friendliness (or lack thereof) of the local Naples real estate market. While answering the title question, “Can my pet live there?” I also hope to share some additional insight for those looking to make a move to Naples with their fur babies:
- To HOA or not to HOA? While there are a lot of other factors to consider when choosing whether your new home will be in a community with a homeowners’ association, if you want to be sure you can have any and all pets in/around your home, a non-HOA community is by definition going to allow you—and your pets—free rein. If you prefer to go the HOA route, you will want to investigate (or better yet, let me) any limits on pets before even considering a property.
- What about rentals? Whether you are thinking of renting to try out an area before you buy or you plan to rent out your property for some portion of the year, you again want to be crystal clear on the pet policy as many associations have different rules for owners versus renters. Simply put, in many communities where an owner can have multiple pets, renters are prohibited from having any pets at all.
- What are some typical limits? The answer to our original question—Can my pet live there?—will vary in some associations based upon what kind of pet(s) you have or how many. Some associations limit you to 1 or 2 pets. Some just limit the number of dogs (bring that litter of cats). Others have limits on how large a dog may be. Or, they may have restrictions combing any number of these. While it is unlikely someone in the association is going to weigh your lab to see if it is just under or over a 50 pound limit, you may need to find another community for that St. Bernard.
- What’s life going to be like for my pet? Now that you have found a community or three that will allow you to bring your faithful companion(s), what can you and they expect? Life in a beach condo building where you are taking an elevator down multiple times per day in order to walk your dog versus a single family, coach, or villa home with a community dog park provides a sense of the range you might expect to encounter and need to consider.
With these general considerations in mind—and rest assured, I am happy to discuss your particular situation and the needs of your furry friends to recommend some great options—here’s a snapshot of some communities in my immediate area to help with your expectations:
- In Lely Resort, pet policies vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. In the more in-and-out (weekly/daily rental policies) communities of Coral Falls and Greenlinks, only owners can have pets, and they are limited to two pets of 50 and 35 pounds, respectively. In my old neighborhood of Lely Island Circle, by contrast, it was a daily occurrence to wave to one neighbor out walking her multiple dogs seemingly twice the size of her. For the majority of homeowners in Lely Resort who have memberships at the Player’s Club & Spa, they also have access to a popular dog park centrally located on Wildflower Way just north of Sam Snead’s.
- In Fiddler’s Creek, there is similar variance by neighborhood. Generally, in coach homes and condos, owners are limited to 2 pets of ~40 pounds or less. Single family homeowners have no limitations.
- In Winding Cypress, 3 is the limit with all aggressive breeds excluded.
- At the Isles of Collier Preserve, there are no limits.
Thanks again to Furever Friend for sparking the idea for this post and for contributing so many helpful tips for pet owners making the move to Naples. I hope to help you or someone you know to find the right home for them and their pets, so please be in touch anytime!