My Future for Golden Gate Estates

February 26th, 2012

I have come to the point where I am constantly questioned on how I feel about the Estates community, so I would like to take a few moments out of my Sunday morning to share them with you.

I want to go back a little bit. The year was 1994 was when Dan and I purchased our first home in
Livingston Woods here in Naples for $89,000. Back then, if I remember, there was only the Bed Bath and Beyond Plaza at the four corners of Pine Ridge and Airport Road. The only way to get to work at that time was Pine Ridge to US 41 and up Vanderbilt to the Ritz Carlton. The Goodlette and the

Vanderbilt Extensions never existed, no Publix nearby, just a crappy Winn Dixie. Oh, and everyone could not believe we bought a house so far away! Imagine that.
Fast forward to the year 2006, the year we moved out here to the Estates. Since the Livingston house became too small and with the fourth son on the way, we knew the land we bought out here was in dire need for our dream house. So we built it and have been happy ever since.

But I must admit, I still miss the convenience I had back then. I am personally sick of having to plan one whole day if not two to get everything done in the trips to town, let alone trying to save on gas at the same time.

So with that all said, I want to let people know, I am totally in for growth and development here in the Estates. But, it has to be done right and done with the style as we see and enjoy in town. Yet there are few people who are afraid the Estates will become another Miami. I personally do not feel that is going to happen if done properly. We are in a area that is vast and we live in homes with properties of 1 or 2 acres or more. The land you own and live on is not going to change.

We also have to remember that Naples will continue to grow and the only way it's going to grow is east. That's Golden Gate Estates. Just like it grew for Livingston Woods. And you know what, the property values did not go down, they shot up higher than you can ever imagine. We sold that house for $370,000 by the way. Quite the profit.

So I want that shopping center right up the road, I want that park nearby, I want a to go out to eat at a nice place, I want to see more movies, I want that I-75 interchange, I want that (rumored) football stadium at Ava Maria I keep hearing about, I want Big Cypress to be built, I want the groundwork of roads accomplished to fulfill the needs of our future, I want them and I want them all!

And when developments and shopping plazas start popping up too close home, stop thinking they are going to build right on your property. Yes, some roads will need widening, and bridges will need built, but I am certainly not hearing too many boos about that (other than costs of course). So to those few who seem to fight every aspect that holds a great future for us, instead try to start enjoying the amenities that may come your way. It's the inevitable.

To those who read this and are practically foaming at the mouth right now? Sorry to burst your bubble, but your bubble burst a long time ago. And if you tell me to move to Miami, not going to happen. Maybe what should happen is you move to an area you know will never grow. You know, like Labelle,

Copeland, Jerome, Ochopee, Carnestown. I think you get my drift.
So think about it, did you see my Livingston house property go down after they built the four corners, added the Livingston Road, popped up shopping centers along with gas stations, movie theaters and hotels? No. And the same will happen here. One day, Golden Gate Estates will truly become, "The Estates".

Happy Sunday!

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