Every Thursday morning, Darlene and Mike share what's happening in Naples and Southwest Florida: a community spotlight, a local dining pick, weekend events, an insider tip, a real estate reality check, featured listings, and monthly NABOR market numbers. Read the latest issue below, or browse every past issue further down the page.
This week: Goodland, the Old Florida fishing village on Marco Island, the legend of Stan's Idle Hour, Halloween weekend picks, what to know before renovating an older waterfront home, two listings from Darlene, and fresh September numbers from NABOR.
This is our 20th issue, and we decided that calls for a celebration. And in Southwest Florida, there's no bigger party than a Sunday afternoon at Stan's Idle Hour in Goodland. Picture a live band on the waterfront, a dance floor that fills up early, and a crowd that came from all over to be part of it. Goodland is the little fishing village tucked into the southeast corner of Marco Island, about 20 minutes from us in Lely, and it's one of the last places where Old Florida is still running the show.
So this week we're heading south. Goodland gets our Community Spotlight, Stan's is our Dining Pick, and since it's Halloween weekend, the events lineup has a few treats of its own. Thank you for reading, sharing and replying for 20 weeks running. Let's keep the party going.
- Darlene & Mike
Goodland has been called "a drinking community with a fishing problem," a line we first spotted on buymarco.com and simply can't top. The truth is it's a wonderful place to live. Fishermen settled this corner of Marco Island around the turn of the last century, a road finally arrived decades later, and the big development plans that followed never really took. What's left is a few hundred residents, a handful of marinas and a public boat park, and a village where most homes sit right on the water with a dock out back. Expect older cottages, low-rise condos like Calusa Island Village, and newer elevated homes going up along the canals, with the beaches and shopping of Marco Island just a few minutes away.
"Goodland doesn't try to impress anybody, and that's exactly why people fall for it. Weekdays are quiet, Sundays are a party, and the water is always right there."
Events listed as of the October 29 send date.
Downtown Bonita Springs goes all in for Halloween with a free, immersive walk-through of spooky lighting, music, video projections and photo ops around Riverside Park. Saturday is the final night, and the lights are on from 7 to 10pm.
Bring the little monsters to Cambier Park from 3 to 5pm for live music, games and a costume contest. Then stick around for a special Halloween Evening on Fifth from 5 to 8pm, with live music up and down the Avenue.
A colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with community altars, Danza Azteca dancers, music and arts and crafts. Garden educators also lead La Catrina flower crown workshops (registration required).
NABOR's September report shows 4,240 homes for sale across the Naples area, 17% fewer than a year ago, and months of supply fell 30% to 5.5. At the same time, closed sales and new listings each ticked up. In plain English, there's less sitting on the shelf than last fall, just as our seasonal neighbors start heading back. If you're planning to shop this winter, get your financing lined up and narrow your list of communities before you arrive, so you're ready to move when the right home comes along. Tell us where you're looking and we'll start watching for you now.
You can, but go in with eyes open. Many older Florida homes were built before today's flood elevation rules, and that matters more than the paint colors. Under FEMA's "50% rule," if the cost of improvements or storm repairs adds up to more than half the home's value, the whole house may have to be brought up to current flood standards, which can mean elevating it or rebuilding. That's a big reason you see new elevated homes going up next to original cottages.
Before you fall in love, ask for the elevation certificate, get a flood insurance quote, check the age and condition of the seawall and dock, and talk with a contractor about what your plans would really cost. A charming cottage can still be a great buy, as long as the numbers work. Email us and we'll help you sort out the questions to ask before you make an offer.
Price and status as of October 29, 2026. Click through for current details.
Interested in either of these? Email us or call Darlene at 239-777-2461 and we will set up a private showing.
Source: Naples Area Board of Realtors® (NABOR), September 2026 vs. September 2025.
Email us and we'll send you a personalized neighborhood snapshot: price ranges, lifestyle fit, HOA structure, and what we'd tell a close friend before they bought there.
Ask Us Anything Join Our Community
