Majestic Palms blends value with great location

COURTESY PHOTO Majestic Palms is a Pulte Homes, Inc. development off McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers. As potential first homeowners do, Ruben Rivera became a comparison shopper.

Rivera surveyed a number of gated communities in very different parts of Lee County. When he finally made his decision, the 24-year-old firefighter found a home conveniently located to work and play.

He purchased a first-floor condo in Royal Pointe at Majestic Palms, a Pulte Homes, Inc. development off McGregor Boulevard in south Fort Myers. Four-story condo buildings are featured in Royal Pointe, while carriage homes are the residence of choice in the community's other neighborhood, Sabal Pointe.

Rivera said his unit is within two miles of his workplace, the Iona-McGregor Fire Protection and Rescue Service District, and near Fort Myers Beach, where he kiteboards and fishes.

"I usually try to go out on the water at least once a week," said Rivera, who previously lived in a town home.

"The units are about the same size," he said about visiting other private communities, "but they all cost about 20 to $30,000 more. You couldn't beat the price (here)."

COURTESY PHOTO Four-story condo buildings are featured in Royal Pointe in Majestic Palms. In addition, he said the monthly maintenance fee was lower than that at other communities.

"The great location, it's definitely the draw to the community," said Jill Hoffman, vice president of sales and marketing of Pulte's Southwest Florida market. "With being so close to the beaches, the price is just phenomenal."

Marketing for Sabal Pointe began in September 2005, said Elizabeth Wendt-Kellar, public relations associate for Legris & Associates Inc. in Naples. Marketing for Royal Pointe started in June 2006, she said, and first closings for each were in 2006.

As of December, 152 homes of the planned 186 carriage homes in Sabal Pointe had been released, Hoffman said. The homes are located in 25 two-story buildings with either eight or six homes in each.

Sabal Pointe features four home plans, starting with 1,438 square feet of living area in a ground-floor interior plan for $176,900. A second-floor interior plan of 1,857 square feet costs $194,900. The neighborhood has three lakes, so most of the carriage homes have a water view. The pool is close to the cul-de-sac immediately left of the gate.

COURTESY PHOTO The Pheron Model Retirees Donna and Gary Conley, both 64, live in Sabal Pointe. They visited a number of developments before opting for a twobedroom, two-bathroom home with den and attached garage.

Donna Conley said their home is just the right size, more than 1,500 square feet, and they are happy to have a garage. They own a home out of state, but this is their primary residence.

"We liked the area, close to the water, the beaches," she said. "We liked it because it's a small development, and it was new."

Hoffman said 117 of 240 planned residences in Royal Pointe had been released for marketing as of December. Condos of 1,126 to 1,711 square feet of living area are in six mid-rises.

Royal Pointe is to the right of the gated entrance, where units in two buildings have a back view of the preserve there. The neighborhood pool is centrally located between the other four buildings.

COURTESY PHOTO The Spoonbill Model Rivera said his condo comfortably accommodates family and friends for stays. His Caledonia model, which starts at $180,900, has 1,623 square feet, the second largest among the four Royal Pointe plans. A kitchen borders family and dining rooms, and a screened lanai is at the rear off the family room.

"It's very spacious," he said. "It's an open floor plan with 9-foot ceilings."

Additional Pulte Homes communities are Whispering Palms in Fort Myers and Verona Pointe, Orange Blossom Ranch and Orange Blossom Groves in Naples. Pulte is among builders in developments such as River Hall and Sandoval in Lee County.