When people consider buying upscale waterfront property to the south of Sarasota, they think of Casey Key, Manasota Key and Boca Grande.
Only a few are aware of Grassy Point, Port Charlotte’s most exclusive waterfront community.
“People just don’t know about it,” says Maryanne Kurtz, a sales associate with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.
This house at 4790 Harbor Point Court in Grassy Point is listed for sale at $1,720,000 through Maryanne Kurtz and Dan Olson of Premier Sotheby's International Realty. Built in 2007 with many upgraded fixtures and finishes, it has four bedrooms and six baths in 5,657 square feet. Its primary views are of the mangrove preserve, with the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor in the distance. Staff photo / Harold Bubil; 9-3-2014.
The gated luxury community lies on a peninsula on the northern shore of Charlotte Harbor, just east of Alligator Bay, where the Peace River enters the basin. Serene and secluded, with spectacular views and its own marina, the enclave is a boater’s paradise and playground for people who want to enjoy a relaxed Florida atmosphere.
The landscaping is lavish throughout, from the elegant gate, surrounded by queen and royal palm trees and live oaks, to the divided boulevards with raised medians and verdant bushes and shrubbery. All utilities, including telephone and cable television, are underground.
The neighborhood also has an unusual combination of high-end living and pristine natural surroundings. About half of the 130 acres are county-owned wetland nature preserve, home to mangroves and lush vegetation and a variety of fish, water fowl and wading birds.
The other half has 86 single-family estate home sites, ranging in size from a half-acre to more than one acre. Some of the owners have purchased two lots and built their mansions in the centers for additional space.
Developed in the mid-1990s, Grassy Point’s homes display a variety of architectural styles — Key West, Mediterranean and modern. Many exceed 4,000 square feet in size. The last mansion there was built in 2008 and commands an impressive 13,000 square feet.
“It’s a very beautiful community,” says Kurtz. “I love the grandeur of the homes and the privacy. Once you’re there, you forget about everything else.”
She and her business partner Dan Olson, have been selling properties in the neighborhood for a number of years. Their current listing at 4790 Harbor Point Court is a magnificent estate home, custom-built in 2007. It is 5,657 square feet under air and has a host of amenities, including a safe room, sauna, media room, wine cellar, marble sinks and flooring, 20-foot ceilings in the living and dining area, and an organically based automatic mosquito misting system for the open lanai.
It is currently listed at $1.72 million. “In Sarasota, it would easily cost $3 to $4 million,” says Kurtz.
The private marina, with a six-acre, deep-water basin, offers direct, unobstructed access into Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. Each home has its own dock slip with hook-ups for electricity, water, cable televisions and telephone service. The Captain’s Club is an attractive gathering place, with ice machines, bath and laundry facilities, and kitchen and entertainment areas.
“They also let the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office use it as the base for its boats,” says Olson.
Homeowner fees are only $1,000 a quarter and cover everything from the marina, public areas, interior roadways and the 24/7 manned guard house.
Only 37 homes have been built in Grassy Point so far. “Initially, it did very well,” says Kurtz. “But when we had the housing crash, it put everything on hold.”
As a result, there are still a number of empty parcels available. Inland lots start around $80,000, with waterfront properties going for $400,000 and up.
Residents are mostly professionals — doctors, bankers, business owners. For many, Grassy Point is their second or third home, where they come to relax and enjoy the Florida sunshine. In one case, four doctors own the house together and share its use at different times of the year.
“When they come, they like to party with family and friends they fly in from other parts of the country,” says Kurtz.
It helps that Grassy Point is conveniently located. The Charlotte County Airport is within easy driving distance and offers direct flights to a number of northern and Midwestern cities, from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Bangor, Maine, to Lexington, Kentucky, and Youngstown, Ohio.
With expedient access to the Tamiami Trail via Edgewater Drive, scenic downtown Punta Gorda and Fishermen’s Village are close by, as are Port Charlotte, Murdock, beaches, medical facilities, golf courses and recreational centers.
Although there is plenty of inventory and home prices are diverse, sales have been sluggish. Kurtz thinks it’s because Grassy Point has been all but forgotten.
In 2013, there were only two sales, at $1.1 million and $1.815 million, respectively, both hers and Olson’s. Currently, eight properties are on the market, ranging in price from $419,000 (a foreclosure) to $2.5 million.
“This is a little haven where you can get a big bang for your buck,” Kurtz says.
