THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- Bannon Island, a private property in Polk County’s Lake Marion, is listed for $12 million after about 150 years in one family’s ownership.
- The 24-acre island has no road or bridge access, requiring visitors to arrive by boat, seaplane or helicopter.
- The owner is perfectly comfortable with alligators inhabiting the surrounding waters: “Just as it should be.”
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
Shopping for a luxury Florida home?
How about seven bedrooms, ten bathrooms, sweeping lake views and a moat full of alligators? Yes, actual alligators.
And the owner thinks that’s exactly how a moat should work.
Bannon Island, a private 24-acre estate in Polk County’s Lake Marion, is on the market for $12 million after roughly 150 years in the same family.
It’s the sort of property that makes ordinary waterfront listings look rather pedestrian. For one thing, there’s no road to the house. No bridge. No causeway. No convenient driveway for the Amazon delivery truck.
Visitors arrive by boat, seaplane, or helicopter. And when they get there, they find a historic residence combined with a modern architectural addition offering panoramic views of the lake.
The estate includes an octagonal glass structure, reclaimed cypress wood dating to the 1800s, and an unusual suspended office with a transparent floor.
That last feature might be especially interesting if you’re trying to overcome a fear of heights. But the biggest conversation starter is the surrounding water.
Florida’s Lake Marion has alligators, which means the property effectively comes with a moat that has its own wildlife.
WKMG News 6 asked owner Dr. Patrick O’Leary what it felt like having alligators around his castle-like estate.
His response? “I’d say — just as it should be.”
That’s the kind of answer you get from somebody who doesn’t lose much sleep over unexpected visitors. The combination of an island, no road access, and large reptiles makes for a uniquely Florida real estate listing.
The property offers privacy, history, and striking architecture. It also offers a very good reason to double-check the water before stepping out of the boat.
At $12 million, that’s quite a package. And unlike most luxury-home upgrades, the moat’s occupants don’t require a homeowners association.
DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day).
- WKMG News 6 — Florida island listed for $12 million, surrounded by alligators
- Newsradio WFLA — Private Florida island goes on the market
