Private Island Sale is Largest Single Residential Property Transaction Recorded to Date in Southwest Florida

BOKEELIA, FL —Little Bokeelia Island, a private island situated just minutes off Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast—midway between Sarasota and Naples—sold today for $14.5 million, establishing a new record price for a single residential property sale in Southwest Florida.

Co-listed by agents Klaus Lang and Jennifer Calenda, respectively of the Longboat Key South and Burnt Store offices of Michael Saunders & Company, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, the property was sold to buyers represented by Victoria Stultz, of the firm’s Palmer Ranch office.

Little Bokeelia Island was listed for $24.5 million, a price that included its 104 acres of waterfront land, a 1920’s Spanish-style estate home with attached guest wing, a cluster of several old Florida cottages that have been beautifully restored then neatly arranged around a village green; and the basic infrastructure and permitting rights for 29 construction-ready home sites.

“To sell a property of this magnitude takes time; so the sellers knew they had to be patient until a buyer finally emerged who felt as passionate as they did about owning such a unique and high-value property,” says Klaus Lang, who co-listed the property and facilitated its sale. “Earlier this year, their desire to pursue new lifestyle goals after 26 years on the island prompted them to offer-up the island for immediate sale with the guarantee that all reasonable offers would be considered. By the April 30 deadline, offers had poured in from such far-flung places as India, South Africa, China and Canada, as well as from Florida and several other U.S. states.”

Once home to the inventor of the dry cell battery, Charles Burgess—who frequently entertained fellow inventor Thomas Edison on the island—Little Bokeelia Island also served as a strategic outpost for the Calusa Indians, who in earlier days took advantage of its unusually high ridges to assure dry land for their encampments; as well as to monitor the movements of ships in and out of Charlotte Harbor. They also chose the island for the abundance of fish that can be found just beyond its 3-1/2 mile perimeter of shoreline. Today these same waters provide the official site for the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament & Festival, hosted annually in the Village of Boca Grande, on nearby Gasparilla Island.

“This is yet another instance in which our agents connected a motivated seller with a qualified and motivated buyer; and both parties to the transaction came out on top,” adds Michael Saunders, whose firm facilitated both sides of the transaction. “As was their wish, the sellers were able to sell very quickly and begin the next chapter of their lives; while the buyers took ownership of a magical property at an exceptional price. I am tremendously proud of the agents who participated in transacting this very complicated sale, as well as the MS&C marketing team who left no stone unturned in making sure that qualified buyers around the world were made aware of the opportunity to purchase this extremely unique property. Congratulations to all for a job well done.”

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About Christie’s International Real Estate
Christie’s International Real Estate is an invitation-only affiliate network composed of the world’s most proven and qualified real estate specialists in the luxury residential sector. The company has offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Beverly Hills, and Palm Beach, and 140 global affiliates with 32,000 real estate professionals in 46 countries. For additional information about Christie’s International Real Estate, please visit www.christiesrealestate.com.

About Michael Saunders & Company
Now in its fourth decade of service to Southwest Florida, Michael Saunders & Company has grown from a single office into a network of 24 full-service offices—with more than 650 professionally trained associates and 163 staff members spanning the Gulf Coast region from Bradenton to Boca Grande. Powerful international brokerage affiliations—including Christie’s International Real Estate, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Luxury Portfolio International and Mayfair International Realty extend the company’s message to qualified buyers globally, ensuring the broadest possible exposure for our sellers’ properties. Clients and customers of Michael Saunders & Company are afforded the most comprehensive range of real estate services in the Southwest Florida marketplace. These include mortgage, title and relocation services, a commercial real estate division and full service rental and property management capabilities. Its in-house marketing division has received numerous local, national and international awards for its property marketing techniques and expertise. With sales that topped more than $2.5 billion in 2014, Michael Saunders & Company is the largest-selling brokerage in all price ranges throughout Southwest Florida; and is ranked 47th largest in dollar volume according to the latest Real Trends 500 Survey of the 500 largest brokerages in the U.S. Locally focused and independently owned and operated, it is also listed among the 35 most influential Realtors in luxury real estate. For more information about Michael Saunders & Company, please call 1-888-552-5228 or visit us on the web at michaelsaunders.com.