Louise Bolger | sun

Harbour Isle Beach Club looks out on Anna Maria Sound.

If you live on Anna Maria or go to the beach or read a newspaper, you would have to be aware of the new large waterfront community being built on Perico Island. But many of us drive the Palma Sola Causeway to and from the Island and really don’t know what’s going on behind the gates at Harbour Isle right in our backyard.

The development of one of the last beautiful pieces of waterfront property in Manatee County has been under construction for several years. Residents have been moving in for well over a year, and units have been closing at a quick pace. Harbour Isle is built on 220 acres and over 600 planned units with green construction and the LEED For Homes certification.

The Mangrove Walk section of coach homes has already been sold out as has the Edgewater Walk Coach Homes. The coach homes in Mangrove Walk ranged in price from $445,000 to $481,900 with two and three bedroom configurations and 1,987 to 2,156 square feet. The homes in the Edgewater Walk section are also two and three bedroom configurations with slightly less square feet ranging from 1,483 to 1,650. The prices ranged from $439,900 to $684,900.

That said, listing prices alone don’t give the entire story of Harbour Isle. Based on Manatee County records the 2015 sales ranged from a low in the high $400,000’s topping out close to $1,000,000 with most of the sales in the $600,000 and $700,000 range. Many of the buyers are taking the already high end units and adding additional features pushing up closing prices.

Harbour Isle’s new section called Marina Walk Resort Homes is now available. They are waterfront condos in four story buildings with two and three bedroom configurations and two and three baths. According to their web-site there are some move-in ready units available with a completion date ranging from March to May for the other units. Prices range from $458,000 to $720,000.

Aside from its enviable location with quick access to Anna Maria beaches, Harbour Isle offers a wide range of amenities that obviously has appeal to buyers. The community is surrounded by water with a Mangrove Preserve and a 38-acre, man-made lake, providing some type of water view from almost every unit. There is a 2-mile walking path, four pools, kayak launch, beach, screened lanais and elevators in the two-story coach homes.

The recently opened Beach Club has a fitness center, a bar and restaurant for the exclusive use of the residents. And there are plans for a marina, shops and additional restaurants that will be opened to the public.

If maintenance free new construction with lots of amenities is your thing, Harbour Isle has a lot to offer, and its right in most of our backyards. Maybe it’s time to get to know your neighbors at Harbour Isle – another reason why Manatee County is so special.