Photos: Private Florida Island Up For 'Immediate Sale'

Check out more great photos of this property at the bottom of this post.

Anyone who has ever dreamed of retreating to a private island to soak up sun might want to listen up. Florida’s Little Bokeelia Island is being offered for “immediate sale” with all serious offers being considered now through April 30.

The private, 100-plus-acre retreat features a Spanish-style villa that was built in the 1920s and has been completely restored and renovated through the years. There’s also an “old-Florida village” that boasts a caretaker’s cottage and additional guest home on the property, along with a tennis court, nature trail, pool, waterfall, koi pond, lagoon and more.

“It truly is a magical place,” said Tom Heatherman, director of corporate communications for Michael Saunders & Company, the firm handling the island’s sale. “And, boy, it’s everything and then some.”

While Heatherman says the property is “spectacular” in its own right, its history makes it even more appealing.

See Also:

• Wow House: Check Out LeBron James’ Miami Mansion
• Powerboat Racer Hugh Fuller’s History Century Oaks Up for Grabs

The home was once owned by Charles Burgess, the founder of the Burgess Battery Company, and inventor of the dry cell battery, Heatherman said. That company would eventually go on to become Duracell.

“He used to hang on the island with Thomas Edison,” Heatherman said. There are “two massive banyan trees” on the property that Edison reportedly planted as gifts to Burgess, he added.

Although currently a private retreat, Heatherman says Little Bokeelia Island is also prime for development should a buyer desire giving up its solitude. The current owner has parceled out 29 lots and has infrastructure already in place to support building along with permitting from Lee County.

“All the buyer has to do is show up,” he said.

So, what will it take to purchase the private slice of the Sunshine State?

Heatherman said the current asking price is $24.5 million, but all reasonable offers are being accepted through April 30. The home is being offered on an “as-is contract” and potential buyers must put $100,000 in escrow before an offer will be considered.

For more information about the property or the offer procedures, visit Little Bokeelia Island’s website.

Photos courtesy of Michael Saunders & Company

Keep up with what’s happening around town and the state by signing up for your favorite Patch daily newsletter: Bloomingdale-Riverview, Bradenton, Brandon, Carrollwood-Northdale, Clearwater, Dunedin, East Lake, Gulfport, Land O’ Lakes, Largo, Lutz, New Port Richey, New Tampa, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Beaches, Safety Harbor, Sarasota, Seminole Heights, South Tampa-Hyde Park, St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Temple Terrace, Westchase.