Own Luxury Homes®
Ave Maria, Naples & Collier County FL — Complete Buyer's Guide 2026
Ave Maria / Naples / Collier County FL (NEW OLH silo — fills largest FL coverage gap): Ave Maria stats: 5,000-acre Barron Collier Companies master plan; eastern Collier County; I-75 Exit 111 / Oil Well Road; John Burns #18-20 annually; 600 new home sales 2024 (#1 Collier County); 5,700 homes sold to date; 11,000 at buildout; 40% buyers from Miami-Dade/Broward. Ave Maria University (Catholic liberal arts, chapel dome landmark). Town Center (restaurants/boutiques/farmers market/events). Blue Zone Project Certified Community. Builders: CC Homes Maple Ridge (SFH active); Del Webb Naples (55+ gated, Panther Run 18-hole championship golf, $350K-$700K+); Lennar The National G&CC (luxury private golf, $500K-$800K+, nearly sold out); Lennar Gatherpoint (NEW Jan 2026, 947 homes, high $200s-$500K+, most active phase); Pulte Avalon Park (SFH, $350K-$600K+, nearly sold out); Pulte Gatherpoint (NEW Jan 2026, shared with Lennar). 2026 pipeline: new public elementary school opening 2026; Freedom Institute private HS 10,000+ sqft Fall 2026 at 5078 Pope John Paul II Blvd; CAPREIT 300-unit apartments construction begins early 2026 completion fall 2027. Employment anchor: Arthrex (orthopedic medical devices, major Collier Co employer); NCH Healthcare; Ave Maria University. South Florida drive: Naples 5th Ave 35-45 min; Gulf beach Vanderbilt/Clam Pass 35-45 min. Price vs coastal Naples: 30-50% lower per sqft.
Ave Maria, Naples & Collier County FL — Complete Buyer's Guide 2026
Ave Maria: 5,000 acres, 11,000 homes at buildout, #18–20 nationally, 5,700 homes sold to date. 600 new sales in 2024. Builders: CC Homes, Del Webb Naples, Lennar (Gatherpoint 947 homes launched Jan 2026), Pulte (Avalon Park). Blue Zone certified. New elementary school 2026. 40% buyers from South Florida. Naples' eastern growth corridor.
Ave Maria's Active Builder Sections
| Builder / Section | Type | Price Range | Status 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CC Homes — Maple Ridge | Single-family, various sizes | High $200s–$600s | Active build | Versatile floor plans; lake/preserve views available |
| Del Webb Naples (55+) | 55+ active adult; Panther Run 18-hole golf | $350K–$700K+ | Active | Championship golf; resort amenities; gated 55+ section |
| Lennar — The National G&CC | Luxury golf community | $500K–$800K+ | Nearly sold out | Private golf; Lennar luxury; nearly complete |
| Lennar — Gatherpoint | Single-family; new launch Jan 2026 | High $200s–$500K+ | ACTIVE — 947 homes | Largest new phase; best selection currently |
| Pulte — Avalon Park | Single-family | $350K–$600K+ | Nearly sold out | Pulte quality; Avalon section almost done |
| Pulte — Gatherpoint | Single-family; new launch Jan 2026 | High $200s–$500K+ | ACTIVE — shared with Lennar | New phase, fresh inventory |
Gatherpoint — The Most Active 2026 Phase
Gatherpoint is Ave Maria's largest and newest section — 947 homes launched in January 2026 by both Lennar and Pulte Homes, providing the freshest new construction inventory in the community. For buyers who want new construction with the most available lots and contemporary finishes, Gatherpoint is the current first stop in Ave Maria. Previous sections (The National, Avalon Park) are nearly sold out. The Gatherpoint launch signals continued Barron Collier confidence in Ave Maria's demand trajectory.
The Ave Maria University and Town Center Character
Ave Maria University — a Catholic liberal arts institution — gives Ave Maria its most distinctive community character: a genuine college-town energy within a master-planned development, with the University's chapel dome visible throughout the community. The Town Center anchors daily life with locally-owned restaurants, a farmers market, boutiques, and year-round community events. For buyers who found typical FL master-planned communities lacking in authentic community character, Ave Maria's University-anchored identity is the primary differentiator. Ave Maria is also a Blue Zone Project Certified Community — one of the global certifications for design and lifestyle characteristics associated with longevity and well-being.
The South Florida Buyer Story
Approximately 40% of Ave Maria's buyers come from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties — households who are priced out of coastal Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami communities and discovering that eastern Collier County delivers Southwest Florida's lifestyle at dramatically lower cost. Ave Maria's high $200s–$600s pricing vs Boca Raton's $600K–$1.5M+ for comparable square footage is the financial catalyst. For the Miami-Dade buyer who has been priced out of Weston or Coral Springs, Ave Maria at $350K with a Blue Zone lifestyle and Ave Maria University culture is a life-changing discovery.
Major 2026 Developments
Three significant developments are underway or opening in 2026: the new public elementary school within the community (opening 2026, addressing the school infrastructure lag from rapid growth); the Freedom Institute private high school campus (10,000+ sq ft, opening Fall 2026); and the 300-unit CAPREIT residential apartment complex (construction beginning early 2026, completion fall 2027 — addressing workforce and young-professional housing demand driven by Arthrex and NCH Healthcare employment growth).
Frequently Asked Questions
Ryan Brown — Principal Broker & CEO · FL BK3626873The Miami buyer who drives Oil Well Road into Ave Maria for the first time and sees the University dome, walks the Town Center, has lunch at a local restaurant, and then looks at the $350K price tag for a Gatherpoint Pulte home usually makes a call before they leave the parking lot. I know every builder section, every Gatherpoint phase, and which Del Webb lots have the best Panther Run golf views. Call me.
"The introduction Own Luxury Homes® makes is to a specialist with documented closing history in your specific market — not the county, not the metro, the submarket you're actually selling or buying in. That's the standard we verify before your name goes anywhere."
— Ryan Brown, Principal Broker & CEO, Own Luxury Homes® (FL License BK3626873)