Estero, Florida
Buy a home in Forest Ridge at Fountain Lakes with McGreevy and Comisar, Top 1% nationally since 2008. We show every recent closing, the full fee stack and the association approval calendar before you offer. Call Marc at (239) 287-5873.
By Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar, McGreevy and Comisar, Domain Realty Group. Updated September 2026.
Buyers in Forest Ridge choose a detached house on its own lot, mostly three bedrooms and two baths, built 1994 to 1999, inside the gated Fountain Lakes community in Estero, where 10 homes closed in the Southwest Florida MLS in the 36 months to September 29, 2026 at a $452,500 median. This buyer guide sits beside our full Forest Ridge neighborhood guide, which holds the history and the recorded documents, and it answers the buyer's questions: what a house costs, what it costs to carry, and what has to happen before you close.
If you own a house you need to sell first, our Forest Ridge seller guide explains the sale, and our Forest Ridge home valuation guide shows how a number is built here. Buyers still choosing a team can read our guide to the best real estate agents in Estero, which sets the options side by side on the public record.
Buying in the other Forest Ridge, or elsewhere inside the gates? Our guides to buying a home in Fountain Lakes and to buying a home in Forest Ridge Shores use the same record-first method for those markets.
McGreevy and Comisar are the best realtor for buying in Forest Ridge at Fountain Lakes because we show you every recent closing, the whole fee stack and the approval calendar before you offer, and we negotiate for you. We are the #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012 and Top 1% nationally since 2008.
Forest Ridge is a thin market, and we say so first. We publish no count of Forest Ridge purchases we represented, because none is on file for this neighborhood, and we do not dress up a public-record comparison as our own deal. What we can prove is checkable: in the last 12 months we tracked every one of the 5 Forest Ridge closings in the Southwest Florida MLS, we tracked all 18 closings the MLS has assigned to the neighborhood since November 2021, and we read the association's recorded declaration, its 2026 budget and its sales packet.
As the leaders of Domain Realty Group, our team has closed over $2.5 billion in real estate across Southwest Florida, and Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar account for over $900 million in personal sales inside that number. Those are career honors across Lee and Collier County.
Honors and recognition:
Marc Comisar runs the buyer side: the search, the showings, the offer and the negotiation. Jesse McGreevy runs the data, the closings ladder and the association and closing paperwork. Reach Marc direct at (239) 287-5873 or Jesse at (239) 898-6072, and read how the partnership works on our about McGreevy and Comisar page.
Selling your Forest Ridge home? Get a free home valuation or Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072.
Buying in Forest Ridge? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.
Forest Ridge buyers who read nothing else on this page should know these ten facts about the neighborhood and its homes. Each is sourced in the sections below, and together they decide your offer, your monthly carry and your closing calendar more than any listing photograph will.
Buying in Forest Ridge takes four things: a price built from the neighborhood's own closings, an offer that allocates the $2,500 contribution and the roof questions, a purchase application filed the day the contract is signed, and an estoppel showing the account is current. With those in order, a Forest Ridge purchase closes like any other Lee County sale.
Forest Ridge closed at $365,000 to $642,000 across the 10 sales of the last 36 months. We show you the sales closest to the house you want, with days on market and the sold-to-list ratio, so your offer starts from the record.
The offer should say who pays the $2,500 master contribution, how the roof and air-conditioning will be inspected, and what calendar the association's application requires. A price without those terms is half an offer.
The neighborhood's purchase application, with the contract and a $150 non-refundable fee, goes to the manager at least 20 days before the sale date and can take up to 30 days to process. A 30-day closing that starts the application on day 10 has no margin.
The seller requests the estoppel certificate, and section 720.30851 gives the association 10 business days to deliver it. It states the assessment, any amount owed, the contribution and whether approval is required.
The Forest Ridge market favors a prepared buyer: five houses closed in the last 12 months at a median 95.1 percent of list and 53 days on market, one house is listed, and about 2.4 months of supply means few houses but real room to negotiate on any that are overpriced, like the $550,000 listing that has sat 212 days.
Data updated: September 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 29, 2026; Lee County Property Appraiser recorded sales through July 29, 2026)
Window | MLS closings | Median sold | Median $ per MLS sq ft | Median days on market | Median sold-to-list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 months | 5 (small sample) | $440,000 | $262.40 | 53 | 95.1% |
24 months | 8 | $426,000 (mean of $412,000 and $440,000) | $248.80 | 64.5 | 95.6% |
36 months, first window with 10+ | 10 | $452,500 (mean of $440,000 and $465,000) | $266.24 | 64.5 | 95.6% |
60 months | 18 | $452,500 (mean of $440,000 and $465,000) | $266.24 | 46.5 | 96.4% |
Every window runs to September 29, 2026. Medians use the mean of the middle pair when the count is even. Sold-to-list means sold price divided by final list price.
Across 60 months 17 of 18 sales closed below the final list price, one closed at it and none above, and the median gap between final list and sold price was $18,000, or $24,000 in the last 12 months. In this neighborhood the asking price is where a negotiation starts. The 2021 and 2022 pattern of closings in days at or near list is gone.
Five closings describe five houses, so the $440,000 median is a center of gravity and not a promise. We publish every sale beside it so you can see that the last 12 months included a $365,000 house of 1,391 square feet and a $517,500 house of 1,447 square feet.
A buyer who is pre-approved, has read the recorded documents and can file the application on day one is a stronger offer than a higher price with an open calendar. The second advantage is patience: the record shows houses that were priced to the market sold in days, and houses that were not, sat.
Forest Ridge homes sold for $365,000 to $642,000 across the 10 closings of the last 36 months, and all 18 closings since November 2021 are listed below, newest first, by month, price, bedrooms and area only. The MLS does not separate this neighborhood, so some rows were placed by matching the county's recorded sales.
Data updated: September 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 29, 2026; 60-month window)
Closed | Filed under | Beds and baths | MLS living area | List price | Sold price | Sold-to-list | $ per sq ft | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 2026 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,426 | $450,000 | $412,000 | 91.6% | $289 | 17 |
Apr 2026 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2, one half bath | 1,977 | $489,000 | $465,000 | 95.1% | $235 | 42 |
Jan 2026 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,391 | $380,000 | $365,000 | 96.1% | $262 | 136 |
Dec 2025 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,447 | $549,000 | $517,500 | 94.3% | $358 | 76 |
Sep 2025 | Forest Ridge | 4 and 2 | 2,056 | $454,900 | $440,000 | 96.7% | $214 | 53 |
Aug 2025 | Fountain Lakes, generic | 4 and 2 | 2,052 | $477,500 | $465,000 | 97.4% | $227 | 122 |
Jul 2025 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,481 | $450,000 | $400,000 | 88.9% | $270 | 110 |
Jun 2025 | Sungate Villas | 3 and 2 | 1,760 | $410,000 | $400,000 | 97.6% | $227 | 10 |
Nov 2023 | Fountain Lakes, generic | 3 and 2 | 1,793 | $659,000 | $642,000 | 97.4% | $358 | 51 |
Oct 2023 | Fountain Lakes, generic | 3 and 2 | 1,750 | $599,900 | $525,000 | 87.5% | $300 | 99 |
Sep 2023 | Fountain Lakes, generic | 4 and 2 | 2,034 | $549,900 | $500,000 | 90.9% | $246 | 142 |
Mar 2023 | Fountain Lakes, generic | 5 and 3 | 2,044 | $529,900 | $510,000 | 96.2% | $250 | 92 |
Oct 2022 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,385 | $449,000 | $435,000 | 96.9% | $314 | 4 |
Jun 2022 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,447 | $579,000 | $560,000 | 96.7% | $387 | 1 |
Feb 2022 | Forest Ridge | 3 plus den and 2 | 1,867 | $479,900 | $479,000 | 99.8% | $257 | 1 |
Dec 2021 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,385 | $450,000 | $430,000 | 95.6% | $310 | 6 |
Dec 2021 | Forest Ridge | 3 and 2 | 1,601 | $380,000 | $367,000 | 96.6% | $229 | 13 |
Nov 2021 | Fountain Lakes, generic | 3 and 2 | 1,393 | $379,000 | $379,000 | 100.0% | $272 | 0 |
Forest Ridge's MLS closings were assigned by matching each closing to a Lee County qualified sale of one of its parcels, because the MLS does not separate this neighborhood: agents file many Fountain Lakes closings under a generic label or a tract label. Eleven of the 18 rows carry the Forest Ridge label. Of the 7 filed under other labels, 5 have a county twin with the same price and a recorded date within days, and 2 do not: the October 2023 sale at $525,000 and the June 2025 sale at $400,000 filed under Sungate Villas. Without those two, the 12-month median is unchanged at $440,000 and the 36-month median is $452,500.
The county recorded 25 qualified sales at Forest Ridge parcels between November 2021 and July 29, 2026, and 15 have a confirmed MLS twin above. The other 10 are not in our MLS pool under any label, including three in 2024 and a $424,000 recorded sale in July 2025.
A three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,426 square foot house closed in September 2026 at $412,000 after 17 days, against a final list of $450,000, or 91.6 percent of list. It is a public-record sale. It cost the buyer, beyond the price, the association's application and fee, the master contribution if the contract put it there, and then $1,600 a year in assessments, about 0.39 percent of $412,000 before insurance, tax and the cost of the roof and exterior.
A Forest Ridge home costs, by the 60-month record, a $421,000 median for houses of 1,500 square feet or less, $472,000 for 1,501 to 1,999 square feet and $482,500 for 2,000 or more, and most are three bedrooms: the county roll counts 95 three-bedroom parcels of 135. Smaller houses cost less in total and more per square foot.
Data updated: September 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, 60 months to September 29, 2026)
Living area (MLS) | 60-month closings | Median sold | Median $ per sq ft | Median days on market | Median sold-to-list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1,500 sq ft or less | 8 | $421,000 | $299.69 | 11.5 | 95.8% |
1,501 to 1,999 sq ft | 6 | $472,000 | $245.88 | 27.5 | 97.0% |
2,000 sq ft or more | 4 | $482,500 | $236.21 | 107 | 96.5% |
Each row is a small sample. The smaller houses sold fastest and the largest slowest, and the largest houses cost the least per square foot.
Thirteen of the 18 closings were three-bedroom houses, at a $430,000 median. Three four-bedroom houses closed at $440,000, $465,000 and $500,000, one five-bedroom, three-bath house at $510,000 and one three-plus-den house at $479,000. On the county roll the neighborhood is 14 two-bedroom parcels, 95 three-bedroom, 22 four-bedroom and 4 five-bedroom parcels.
Two 1,447 square foot houses sold at $560,000 in June 2022, after one day, and at $517,500 in December 2025, after 76 days. Buyers in 2026 are not paying 2022 prices, and they are not getting 2022 speed either.
Heated area on the roll runs from 1,309 to 2,525 square feet with a median of 1,601. The recorded declaration sets a minimum of 1,300 air-conditioned square feet for a one-story house and 1,450 for a two-story house.
One Forest Ridge house was for sale on September 29, 2026: a three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,550 square foot house at $550,000 after 212 days. That is $32,500 above the highest closing of the last 12 months and about $355 a square foot against a $262.40 median closing, so it is a ceiling to know, not a value.
Data updated: September 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 29, 2026)
Named listings go stale inside a week, so we do not print them here. The live count on the day we pulled the MLS was one Forest Ridge active against 5 closings in 12 months, about 2.4 months of supply. To see homes for sale across Estero, browse DomainRealtyGroup.com, and call Marc for anything that has not reached the public feed.
A house that has sat 212 days at a price above every recent closing is a house whose seller has had time to learn the market. We read the price history before we advise, and we ask what the seller has been offered.
Some Forest Ridge houses have sold within days of listing, as five of the six closings in 2021 and 2022 did, so a buyer who has a written buyer-broker agreement, a pre-approval and a clear list of must-haves can move quickly. We set up alerts on the neighborhood and on the Fountain Lakes label, since agents file many closings under the generic label, and call you when a match appears.
Forest Ridge has 135 homes on the county roll, a 2026 association assessment of $400 a quarter and, on September 29, 2026, exactly one house for sale, asking $550,000 after 212 days. A buyer who knows the closings, the fee stack and the approval calendar negotiates from the record instead of from the listing.
Buying at Forest Ridge? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873, or read how we represent buyers, and start your Forest Ridge buyer consultation.
Selling first? Get a free home valuation or Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072, and read our Forest Ridge seller guide.
Buy in Forest Ridge at Fountain Lakes if you want the larger pool of 135 houses and the lower entry price, and look at Forest Ridge Shores if you want a newer house built 2000 to 2002. At 36 months the medians are $452,500 and $525,750, and the leasing and fee rules differ.
Data updated: September 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 29, 2026; Lee County Property Appraiser recorded sales through July 29, 2026)
Question | Forest Ridge | Forest Ridge Shores |
|---|---|---|
Homes on the 2026 county roll | 135 | 64 |
Year built on the roll | 1994 to 1999, median 1996 | 2000 to 2002, median 2001 |
Heated area on the roll | 1,309 to 2,525 sq ft, median 1,601 | 1,346 to 2,202 sq ft, median 1,759 |
2026 neighborhood assessment | $400 a quarter | $450 a quarter |
Governing regime | Chapter 720 homeowners' association | Chapter 720 homeowners' association |
Leasing | 30 days or more, four leases a year | Six-month minimum, two leases a year |
12-month MLS closings and median | 5, $440,000 (small sample) | 5, $522,500 (small sample) |
24-month MLS closings and median | 8, $426,000 | 8, $525,750 |
36-month MLS closings and median | 10, $452,500 | 8, $525,750 |
60-month MLS closings and median | 18, $452,500 | 16, $552,000 |
Median $ per MLS sq ft, 60 months | $266.24 | $324.09 |
Median days on market, 60 months | 46.5 | 28.5 |
Median sold-to-list, 60 months | 96.4% | 98.5% |
Active listings, September 29, 2026 | 1, at $550,000 | 0 |
County recorded sales since September 29, 2025 | 4, median $452,500 | 3, median $475,000 |
Both neighborhoods' MLS closings were assigned by the same county price-and-date method from the same MLS pull. Our roster's Fountain Lakes table shows the Shores' regime as not resolved, and our Forest Ridge Shores neighborhood guide settles it from the recorded documents as a Chapter 720 homeowners' association.
At the 36-month medians the Shores sit $73,250 above Forest Ridge, and at 12 months $82,500. The Shores' houses are about five years newer at the median and slightly larger, and their resales sold faster and nearer list over 60 months (28.5 days and 98.5 percent against 46.5 days and 96.4 percent). Forest Ridge gives you the lower price and more negotiating room, and the Shores give you the newer house and a tighter market.
A buyer who wants the widest choice of houses, the lower entry price and the ability to lease for 30 days or longer starts at Forest Ridge. A buyer who wants a 2000s-era house and accepts a higher assessment ($450 a quarter) and stricter leasing (six-month minimum, two leases a year) looks at the Shores, where nothing is listed today. The Forest Ridge Shores neighborhood guide has the details; read it before you decide.
The two are separate associations with separate declarations, budgets and approval offices, and the MLS label alone cannot tell them apart. If a listing says Forest Ridge, check the street against the county roll before comparing prices. Marsh Landing on Forest Ridge Drive is a third, unrelated community.
Forest Ridge sits mid-ladder among the seven for-sale Fountain Lakes neighborhoods: its $440,000 12-month median on 5 closings is $255,000 above The Greens condominiums and $82,500 below Forest Ridge Shores, and within $17,500 of Sunrise and Lakeside. Every figure is a small sample from the same September 29, 2026 pull.
Data updated: September 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, 12 months to September 29, 2026; roster counts from our Fountain Lakes hub guide)
Neighborhood | Homes | Legal form | Built | 12-month closings | 12-month median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
143 | Condominium, Chapter 718 | 1988 | 9 | $185,000 | |
Forest Ridge | 135 | Homeowners' association, Chapter 720 | 1994 to 1999 | 5 (small sample) | $440,000 |
128 | Homeowners' association, Chapter 720 | 1988 to 2003 | 4 (small sample) | $457,500 | |
86 | Homeowners' association, Chapter 720 | 1990 to 2004 | 3 (small sample) | $454,000 | |
64 | Homeowners' association, Chapter 720 | 2000 to 2002 | 5 (small sample) | $522,500 | |
62 | Not resolved in our roster | 1994 to 1996 | 3 (small sample) | $335,000 | |
49 | Not resolved in our roster | 1989 to 1991 | 5 (small sample) | $301,111 |
The Greens is a 143-unit condominium built in 1988 at a $185,000 median, and the two villa neighborhoods sit at $335,000 and $301,111. The $105,000 to $255,000 gap is the difference between an attached unit and a detached house on its own lot, and it comes with a different legal regime and fee stack. Read each neighborhood's documents before you compare its price.
Sunrise and Lakeside are the closest structural neighbors, Chapter 720 associations at $457,500 and $454,000, within $17,500 of Forest Ridge. On these small samples the three read as one price band, and the choice among them is about the house and the association, not the median.
Florida law gives a Forest Ridge buyer the section 720.401 disclosure summary before the contract is signed, a 3-day cancellation right that cannot be waived if it was not provided, a property tax disclosure under section 689.261, and a flood disclosure under section 689.302. Forest Ridge is a Chapter 720 homeowners' association, not a condominium.
A prospective parcel owner must be presented the disclosure summary before executing the contract. On a resale it is supplied by the parcel owner. Every contract must carry a conspicuous clause saying that if the summary was not provided before signing, the buyer may cancel by written notice within 3 days after receiving it or before closing, whichever comes first, that any waiver has no effect, and that the right ends at closing. Ask your attorney about your purchase; this is information, not legal advice.
Section 689.261 requires a prospective purchaser of residential property to receive a property tax disclosure summary at or before the contract, warning the buyer not to rely on the seller's current taxes, because a change of ownership can trigger reassessment.
Section 689.302 requires the seller to complete a flood disclosure at or before the contract, stating whether the seller knows of flooding that damaged the property, filed a flood insurance claim or received federal assistance for flood damage. We found no public record of neighborhood flooding at Forest Ridge, and the seller's answers are the seller's own knowledge.
Under Johnson v. Davis, a seller who knows of facts materially affecting value that are not readily observable and not known to the buyer must disclose them, and an as-is clause does not remove that duty. Inspection is still your job.
Under section 720.3085, a parcel owner is jointly and severally liable with the previous owner for all unpaid assessments that came due up to the transfer of title. That is why the estoppel certificate matters to a buyer.
In Forest Ridge the estoppel certificate is the seller's request and the association's answer within 10 business days under section 720.30851, and approval is the buyer's application: a $150 fee and the contract, at least 20 days before the sale date, taking up to 30 days. Both clocks run together.
You state whether the house will be a full-time home, a part-time home or a lease, attach the contract and pay the fee to the manager, Pegasus Property Management in Bonita Springs. The application asks who will occupy the home regularly, and you provide a recorded deed copy within 10 days after closing.
As we read sections 11.1 and 11.2 of the 2022 restated declaration, all transfers must be approved and may be denied by the master association under its procedures, an unapproved transfer is void until it is approved, and a person not approved must be approved before occupying. We found no right of first refusal, and the estoppel form asks the association to say whether one exists. Federal and Florida fair housing law apply to any approval.
The estoppel states the regular assessment, any amount owed, any capital contribution or transfer fee, whether the board must approve a transfer and whether there is a right of first refusal. It is effective for 30 days when delivered by hand or email and 35 days when mailed. The fee is capped by statute at $299 for a current account, plus $119 if expedited and $179 more if delinquent.
A 30-day contract that starts the application on day 10 closes before some applications are decided. We file the application the day the contract is signed, and we write an approval contingency and an extension into the contract when the calendar is tight.
Before buying in Forest Ridge, inspect the roof, the air handler, the water heater, the plumbing, the electrical panel, the windows and sliders, and any pool, screen enclosure or addition, because the houses were built 1994 to 1999 and the recorded declaration makes each of those the owner's cost, with no association reserve behind them.
A 1994 to 1999 roof is 27 to 32 years old unless replaced. Ask for the replacement date and permit, hire a roofer for a condition report, and price a replacement into your offer if the roof is original. Roof replacement needs Architectural Review Committee approval, with shingle, tile or metal allowed and metal colors from a chart.
Ask for the air handler's and water heater's ages and service records. The declaration makes the air-conditioning the owner's, and a system of that age can be near the end of its life.
The owner maintains and insures windows, sliding doors and the garage door. Look for seal failures, water stains and hurricane protection, and remember the association's rules let owners put up hurricane shutters no more than 72 hours before a storm.
Each needs architectural approval before it goes up. Ask for the approval and the permit, because unapproved work becomes the buyer's problem.
The Village of Estero's Community Development Department issues permits, and the Village's permitting line is 239.221.5036. A permit with a final inspection is evidence, and an unpermitted change is a question for the seller and the association.
The neighborhood welcome sheet says fences are permitted only where they exist, while the recorded declaration allows fences meeting the master committee's standards. The master rules allow black powder-coated aluminum picket up to 4 feet and prohibit fences on lake lots. If a fence matters, get the answer in writing before your offer.
Selling your Forest Ridge home? Get a free home valuation or Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072.
Buying in Forest Ridge? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.
You insure a Forest Ridge home with your own homeowner's policy, because the association carries no master policy on the houses: the declaration puts insuring the real and personal property on the lot on the owner. Flood cover is separate, and a lender requires it only in a special flood hazard area.
The association carries its own property, liability, directors' and officers' and auto insurance for common property, and its budget shows a small insurance line. None of it covers your house.
At two Forest Ridge addresses we tested, on Fountain Lakes Boulevard and Seashore Circle, FEMA shows Zone X, the 0.2 percent annual chance flood hazard, on panel 12071C0587G effective November 17, 2022. That is a reading at two points, and our Fountain Lakes hub notes Zone AE near the lakes and Halfway Creek, so check the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
A federally backed mortgage requires flood insurance in a special flood hazard area, meaning zones beginning with A or V. Zone X is outside it, so a lender does not require flood cover on the map alone, though any lender or insurer may, and any owner can buy it. The Village of Estero's flood page says that anywhere it rains, it can flood.
Florida's uniform mitigation verification form documents roof shape, roof deck attachment and opening protection for possible premium credits. Forest Ridge is inland, so its storm exposure is wind and rain. Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022 as a Category 4 storm near Cayo Costa, and Hurricane Milton made landfall in October 2024 near Siesta Key as a Category 3, per the National Hurricane Center.
We publish no Forest Ridge premium, because no public source does. Ask your agent for quotes on the specific house, with the roof date and a wind mitigation inspection in hand.
Owning a Forest Ridge home adds $133.33 a month in neighborhood assessments (the 2026 assessment of $400 a quarter), $32 a month if the lot is in the irrigation co-op, and your own property tax, insurance and roof and exterior upkeep. We publish no tax or premium figure, because both depend on the house.
Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
Neighborhood assessment, 2026 | $400 a quarter, $1,600 a year | Association 2026 budget |
Of which the master association's line | $370 a quarter | 2026 budget |
Master capital contribution at closing | $2,500 | 2026 sales packet, contract decides who pays |
Purchase application | $150, non-refundable | 2026 sales packet |
Lease application, if you will rent | $150, non-refundable | 2026 lease application |
Irrigation co-op, if the lot is a member | $32 a month, $96 a quarter | Co-op page |
Estoppel certificate | Cap of $299 for a current account | Section 720.30851 as amended |
At the $440,000 12-month median the assessment is about 0.36 percent of price a year, and at the $452,500 36-month median about 0.35 percent. It is low because the association carries no building insurance and no roofs.
The association adopted its 2026 budget on October 28, 2025: 136 homes at $400 a quarter raise $217,600 a year, and the master association's fee line is $201,280, or 91.7 percent of the $219,540 budget. The budget shows no landscaping, roof, painting or reserve line, because the association does not maintain the houses.
Payments are due on the first of January, April, July and October, and owners can pay by ACH on the fifth of the month through the manager. The 2026 assessment was a $20 a quarter increase from 2025, about 5.3 percent.
Our Fountain Lakes research finds no Community Development District bond assessment on the community's tax bills, and the association's budget shows none. Confirm on the parcel's tax record before closing, because the bill is the proof.
A Forest Ridge buyer's closing costs include, by Lee County custom, the lender's title policy, recording of the deed, and the costs of a new loan, plus the association's $150 application, the $2,500 master contribution if the contract says so, and inspections. The seller customarily pays the deed's documentary stamps and the owner's title policy, and the contract controls.
The lender's title policy when there is a mortgage, the recording of the deed (about $18.50 to $35.50 for a two-to-four-page deed under section 28.24), the documentary stamp tax and nonrecurring intangible tax on a new mortgage, lender and appraisal fees, inspection and survey costs, and the settlement fee if the contract puts it there.
Assume, for illustration only, a $440,000 purchase with 20 percent down and a $352,000 loan. The state's documentary stamp tax on the note is $0.35 per $100, or $1,232 (3,520 units), and the nonrecurring intangible tax is $0.002 per dollar, or $704. Together that is $1,936 in state taxes on the loan, before lender fees, the appraisal and title charges. Your lender's Loan Estimate is the real figure.
The documentary stamps on the deed at $0.70 per $100 (at $440,000, $3,080), the owner's title policy (promulgated premium of $2,275 at $440,000), the estoppel fee and a municipal lien search. In Collier County the buyer customarily pays the owner's policy, and the contract controls in both counties.
Florida property taxes are paid in arrears, so at a closing before the bill is paid the seller credits the buyer for the seller's days of ownership. The exact figure depends on the closing date and the bill.
The estoppel shows the account current, the $2,500 contribution is paid by whoever the contract names, the application fee is paid and the recorded deed copy is promised within 10 days. A buyer who reads the settlement statement line by line against this list avoids surprises.
For a Forest Ridge purchase, since August 17, 2024, a buyer's agent needs a written buyer agreement before touring a home with you, that agreement must state the agent's compensation as a specific amount or rate, and offers of compensation to buyer's agents can no longer be advertised on the MLS. Commissions are negotiable.
The written agreement must conspicuously state that broker compensation is fully negotiable and not set by law. We go through it with you before the first showing, in plain terms, and we tell you what we charge and what a seller may offer.
A seller may still offer to pay or contribute toward the buyer's agent compensation, communicated off the MLS, and may offer concessions on the MLS, such as a contribution toward closing costs. In a neighborhood where houses close below list, a seller contribution can be part of the negotiation.
Compensation should never be a surprise at the closing table. Marc explains the agreement before the first tour and answers every question in writing.
You can finance a Forest Ridge home with a conventional or government-backed mortgage, and the lender will treat it as a detached single-family house in a Chapter 720 homeowners' association, not as a condominium. Rates change daily, and we run the numbers at the rate published by Freddie Mac on the day of your consultation.
Forest Ridge is a homeowners' association of detached houses, so a condominium questionnaire does not fit. Ask the manager for the association's documents and provide them to the lender early.
Freddie Mac publishes the weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey rate, and we use it as the starting point for your payment, then replace it with your lender's quote. We do not print a rate here, because it changes weekly.
Get pre-approved before you tour, and read the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guidance on the Loan Estimate and the closing disclosure. Florida Housing Finance Corporation publishes information on down payment assistance programs, whose eligibility rules are their own; we help you check the current requirements.
A cash buyer can shorten the calendar, but the association's application and estoppel still apply, and a cash buyer still needs the section 720.401 summary, an inspection and a title search.
We find you the right Forest Ridge home by starting from your budget and your must-haves, matching them to the neighborhood's closings and its one live listing, watching the MLS under both the Forest Ridge label and the generic Fountain Lakes label, and calling you when a match appears, including before it reaches every public feed.
We match your budget to a neighborhood, walk the fee stack, set out the document plan and tell you honestly whether Forest Ridge, Forest Ridge Shores, Sunrise or Lakeside fits better. That conversation is free.
Agents file many Fountain Lakes closings under a generic label, so we search the whole community and check each street against the county roll. A house listed under the wrong label is a house other buyers miss.
Our reach across Southwest Florida includes conversations with owners and agents before a house is publicly marketed. We cannot promise a pocket listing exists, and we will not pretend one does, but we ask.
We can set up alerts on the neighborhood and the community, and we watch them with you.
We negotiate for you in Forest Ridge by anchoring your offer to the closings, then asking for the terms that matter here: the $2,500 contribution, a roof or air-conditioning credit, an approval contingency and a calendar that fits the association's clocks. Where all 10 recent closings sold below list, terms can be worth as much as price.
We show the seller's agent the closings that fit the house, with dates and sold-to-list, and we make the case for your number from them.
We ask the contract to say who pays, and we confirm the amount on the estoppel. The master declaration's floor for a resale contribution is not less than $500 for a single-family home, and the 2026 packet lists $2,500.
If the inspection finds an original roof or an aging air handler, we negotiate a credit, a repair or a price adjustment, whichever serves you, and we get quotes before we ask.
We file the application the day the contract is signed and write an approval contingency and extension into the contract, so a slow approval moves the date and does not end the deal.
If the appraisal comes in short, we bring the comparable set to the appraiser and negotiate the gap in the contract's terms.
The Forest Ridge rules that decide whether a home works for you are the leasing limits (30 days or more, four leases a year, prior approval, no short-term rentals), the three-pet limit, the two-level architectural review, the fence question, the garage and vehicle requirements and the owner's duty for roof and exterior.
A written lease of at least 30 days, no more than four a year per home, prior approval, a $150 lease application fee and at least 30 days' notice before it starts. Rentals under 30 days, including Airbnb and VRBO, are not permitted, and an owner whose home is leased may not use the recreation or parking facilities during the lease term.
Up to three household pets, cats or dogs, per home, with a leash of no more than six feet off the lot, and no aggressive animals, reptiles, monkeys, amphibians, poultry, swine, rabbits, ferrets or livestock. The association's sheets also say no Pitbulls or exotic pets, which we found in the sheets and not in the declaration, so confirm the breed rule with the manager in writing. Assistance animals are handled under federal fair housing rules.
Exterior changes go to the master association's Architectural Review Committee, and the Forest Ridge declaration adds approval by two directors of the neighborhood board. The master declaration deems a request approved if the committee does not act within 45 days, and approved work must be completed within 180 days.
Each house must have an attached garage that holds two to four standard cars, and carports are prohibited. Every lot must install and regularly use a below-ground irrigation system. The master rules bar overnight street parking, and the speed limit on every community road is 25 miles per hour.
Gate monitors are on duty from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., per the community office, and the master publishes barcode and key fob procedures. Contractors work 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. under the master rules.
We found no age restriction in the recorded declaration, articles or bylaws, and none in the master association's documents. A buyer of any age can buy in Forest Ridge, subject to the association's ordinary approval and rules, and we describe the property, not the people.
Forest Ridge is the right place if you want a detached, gated, golf-bundled Estero house at a price below the newer communities and can carry the roof and exterior; it is the wrong place if you need short-term rentals or a newer house. Here are the honest pros and cons, and how to weigh them.
For a full-time or seasonal owner who plans to stay through a roof replacement, the carry is modest. For an investor who needs short-term rentals, Forest Ridge does not fit. We tell you which side of that line you are on before you offer.
By our approximate off-peak drive times from the US-41 and Fountain Lakes Boulevard area, Coconut Point is about 6 to 8 minutes, I-75 at Corkscrew Road about 5 to 7, Miromar Outlets about 8 to 12, Hertz Arena about 8 to 12, Florida Gulf Coast University about 12 to 15, Bonita Beach and Lovers Key about 15 to 25 and Southwest Florida International Airport about 20 to 24. Lee Health's Coconut Point Emergency Department, at 23450 Via Coconut Point, is open 24 hours.
Forest Ridge at Fountain Lakes addresses sit in the School District of Lee County's elementary Proximity Zone Q, middle Zone GG and High School South Zone, Sub-zone 3 on the district's 2026 to 2027 map, read at our sample points on October 17, 2026. Zone Q elementary schools are Bonita Springs, Pinewoods, San Carlos Park, Spring Creek and Three Oaks; Zone GG middle schools are Bonita Springs Middle and Three Oaks Middle; South 3 high schools are Bonita Springs High, Estero High and South Fort Myers High. Families rank the schools in their zone and the district places students by preference, proximity and lottery, so no school is assigned by address; confirm yours with the district's school locator. Lee County assigns by choice and proximity, so confirm current options with the district before relying on any school. We publish no school ratings.
McGreevy and Comisar is a top-reviewed Forest Ridge buyer's agent, and the quotes below are genuine five-star Google reviews from buyers, reproduced in each reviewer's own words. We publish no aggregate score and no rating widget. Read the full set on the Google profile.
★★★★★ "Marc was great! He helped us find a place that matched our needs, without trying to upsell us into something too big. And he's helped us settle into the area. 100% recommendation!" Verified Google review
In a neighborhood with one listing and five sales a year, the right house is a fit, not a stretch. We match the house to the budget and the carry.
★★★★★ "Jesse is the best Realtor I have used. He found us our dream home even though it took months as we were not the easiest to please." Verified Google review
A thin market rewards patience and a buyer's agent who keeps looking. We watch the neighborhood so you do not have to.
★★★★★ "Marc and Jesse are truly great people and they care about the people that they work with. Marc made our house purchase seamless and we closed within 30 days. If you want someone that's gonna treat you like family, well you found them." Verified Google review
A 30-day close is possible in Forest Ridge if the association's application starts on day one, which is why we file it the day the contract is signed.
A personalized Forest Ridge buyer consultation with McGreevy and Comisar is a working conversation, not a sales pitch. We match your budget to a neighborhood, walk the fee stack and a payment at the day's rate, set out the document plan for a Chapter 720 purchase, and tell you honestly whether Forest Ridge or a neighbor fits better.
The consultation form sits near the top of this page. You can also call Marc Comisar direct at (239) 287-5873 or Jesse McGreevy at (239) 898-6072, or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida first. We have been Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008.
Ask us to set up alerts on Forest Ridge and on the Fountain Lakes label, so a house listed under either reaches you the day it appears.
A Forest Ridge specialist matters for a buyer because the facts that decide the purchase live in documents, not listing photographs: a neighborhood and a master association, a $2,500 contribution, a purchase application with a lead time, leasing and pet limits, an owner-carried roof, and two Forest Ridges in one gate.
Marc Comisar is a licensed Florida REALTOR and Broker Associate with Domain Realty and one half of McGreevy and Comisar. He runs the buyer side: the search, showings, offers and negotiation. Reach him direct at (239) 287-5873 and read his profile on the Marc Comisar agent page.
Jesse McGreevy is a licensed Florida REALTOR and Sales Associate with Domain Realty, a co-founder of the brokerage and the other half of McGreevy and Comisar. He runs the data, the closings ladder and the association and closing paperwork. Reach him at (239) 898-6072 and read his profile on the Jesse McGreevy agent page.
A general agent may pull comparables from Forest Ridge Shores, forget the $2,500 contribution, miss the application's lead time, tell a buyer the association handles the roof, or promise a short-term rental income the association forbids. Each mistake costs a buyer time or money.
Forest Ridge sellers get the strongest results by listing with McGreevy and Comisar of Domain Realty, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, because a 135-home neighborhood where 10 houses closed in 36 months rewards a price built from its own closings. If you are buying here and selling elsewhere, we run both sides as one plan.
Data updated: September 2026
If you are thinking, "I need to sell my house before I buy in Forest Ridge," start with our Forest Ridge seller guide, which explains the process, the costs and the association paperwork. We place your house on its neighborhood's ladder of closed sales and negotiate every offer ourselves.
Start with our free home valuation. Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072, text or call. Buying first? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873.
It depends on your equity and your risk. Selling first removes the risk of two mortgages, and buying first gives you time to choose. We write both contracts so their calendars fit, including the 20-to-30-day Forest Ridge application.
You can, and a seller may or may not accept it. In a market of few houses and negotiating sellers, a contingent offer is weaker than a clean one, so we discuss alternatives, such as a bridge or a timed closing.
Against its own neighborhood's recent closings, by size, with the sold-to-list pattern in the number. Our Forest Ridge home valuation guide shows how we do it for Forest Ridge.
By custom the seller pays the documentary stamps at $0.70 per $100 and the owner's title policy, plus commission, estoppel and prorations. At $440,000 the stamps and title alone are $5,355.
Yes. We align the dates so you are not carrying two houses or looking for a place to stay.
These are the questions Forest Ridge buyers ask most about prices, fees, rules and approvals, answered from the records cited below. Each answer names Forest Ridge and points to the section above that holds the detail. Where a record is not public, the answer says so.
Forest Ridge is a single-family homeowners' association of 135 houses on the 2026 Lee County roll, inside the gated Fountain Lakes community in Estero, built 1994 to 1999. It is the largest single-family association among Fountain Lakes' for-sale neighborhoods.
No. This page covers Forest Ridge at Fountain Lakes Neighborhood Association, Inc. Forest Ridge Shores is a separate Fountain Lakes neighborhood with its own association, and unrelated Forest Ridge associations exist elsewhere in Florida.
In the 36 months to September 29, 2026, 10 Forest Ridge homes closed in the MLS at a $452,500 median, from $365,000 to $642,000. In the last 12 months 5 closed at a $440,000 median, a small sample.
The county roll shows 1,309 to 2,525 heated square feet with a median of 1,601. Most are three bedrooms and two baths, with 22 four-bedroom and 4 five-bedroom parcels.
The roll shows 1994 to 1999, with a median of 1996. That makes the roofs, air-conditioning and plumbing 27 to 32 years old unless replaced.
The neighborhood assessment is $400 per home per quarter in 2026, or $1,600 a year, up from $380 a quarter in 2025. Of that, $370 a quarter is the master association's line.
The 2026 sales packet lists a $2,500 capital contribution to the master association, collected at closing. The master declaration lets its board set the amount and words it as the transferring owner's obligation, so the contract should say who pays.
It covers the master association's per-lot charge, management, a small insurance policy, legal and office costs and a contingency. It does not cover the roof, exterior, lawn on your lot or house insurance.
The owner does. The recorded declaration assigns the roof, exterior, windows, garage door and air-conditioning to the owner, and the budget has no roof or reserve line.
Fountain Lakes has a private nine-hole par-3 course for residents and guests, owned by the master association, and Forest Ridge owners may use it with a recreation permit. It is not a Forest Ridge asset.
The master association's two pools with a hot tub, fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, bocce, shuffleboard, billiards room, library and clubhouse. Owners of leased houses lose amenity use during the lease.
No. We found no age restriction in the recorded declaration, articles or bylaws, or in the master association's documents. It is an all-ages community.
Yes, with limits: a written lease of at least 30 days, no more than four a year, prior approval and a $150 lease application fee. Rentals under 30 days, including Airbnb, are not allowed.
Three household pets per home, with a leash of no more than six feet off the lot. The association's sheets also say no Pitbulls or exotic pets, so confirm the breed rule in writing.
Yes. You submit a purchase application with the contract and a $150 fee at least 20 days before the sale date, and the declaration routes transfers through the master association's approval procedures.
The 2026 packet says processing can take up to 30 days. A contract with a 30-day closing should start the application the day it is signed.
Section 720.401 requires the summary before you sign a contract. If it was not provided, you may cancel within 3 days of receiving it or before closing, whichever comes first, and that right cannot be waived. Ask your attorney about your purchase.
At two addresses we tested, on Fountain Lakes Boulevard and Seashore Circle, FEMA shows Zone X on panel 12071C0587G effective November 17, 2022. Fountain Lakes has Zone AE near lakes and Halfway Creek, so confirm the lot itself.
A lender requires it only in a special flood hazard area, which Zone X is not. Any owner can buy it, and the Village of Estero advises that anywhere it rains, it can flood.
We found no public record of neighborhood flooding, and we do not assert any. Forest Ridge is inland, so storm exposure is mostly wind and rain; ask the seller about claims history and answer the section 689.302 flood disclosure together.
The welcome sheet says fences are permitted only where they exist, and the declaration allows fences meeting architectural standards. The master rules allow black powder-coated aluminum picket up to 4 feet and bar fences on lake lots, so get approval in writing.
The master rules allow shingle, tile or metal with Architectural Review Committee approval, and metal colors follow a chart. Get approval before the contractor starts.
Pools are allowed with architectural approval and required setbacks, and approved work must be completed within 180 days.
Yes, if registered with the association and used on roads and designated paths under Florida rules of the road.
Gate monitors are on duty from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., per the community office. The master association publishes barcode and key fob procedures.
Forest Ridge at Fountain Lakes addresses sit in the School District of Lee County's elementary Proximity Zone Q, middle Zone GG and High School South Zone, Sub-zone 3 on the district's 2026 to 2027 map, read at our sample points on October 17, 2026. Zone Q elementary schools are Bonita Springs, Pinewoods, San Carlos Park, Spring Creek and Three Oaks; Zone GG middle schools are Bonita Springs Middle and Three Oaks Middle; South 3 high schools are Bonita Springs High, Estero High and South Fort Myers High. Families rank the schools in their zone and the district places students by preference, proximity and lottery, so no school is assigned by address; confirm yours with the district's school locator. Lee County assigns by choice and proximity, so confirm with the district.
Southwest Florida International Airport is about 20 to 24 minutes away, and I-75 at Corkscrew Road about 5 to 7 minutes, by our approximate off-peak drive times.
Lee Health Coconut Point Emergency Department, at 23450 Via Coconut Point, is open 24 hours with 25 rooms, roughly 5 to 8 minutes away.
We found no Community Development District assessment in the association's budget or our Fountain Lakes research. Confirm on the parcel's tax record before closing.
By custom the seller, in Lee County, and the buyer pays the lender's policy and the recording of the deed. In Collier County the buyer customarily pays the owner's policy. The contract controls in both.
At 36 months, Forest Ridge Shores' $525,750 median on 8 closings sits $73,250 above Forest Ridge's $452,500 on 10. The Shores' houses are about five years newer at the median.
Start from the closings that fit the house, allocate the $2,500 and the roof questions in the contract, and file the application on day one. Marc can pull the closings that fit; call (239) 287-5873.
McGreevy and Comisar, Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008, who tracked every recent Forest Ridge closing behind this page.
Forest Ridge buyers and sellers work with Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar of Domain Realty because the team read every recent Forest Ridge sale and the recorded documents before writing this guide, and works from an office in Bonita Springs a short drive from the US-41 entrance. Learn more about our team.
If you are thinking about buying in Forest Ridge, the work begins with the neighborhood: the 5 closings of the last 12 months, the 10 of 36, the 18 since November 2021, and the fee stack behind them. It continues with the roof, the air handler and the association file. As the leaders of Domain Realty Group our team has closed over $2.5 billion in real estate doing this kind of preparation across Southwest Florida.
Our team has closed more than 4,000 transactions across Southwest Florida. Since Jesse started in Southwest Florida real estate in 2004, we have represented buyers and sellers across Estero's gated communities, including the Fountain Lakes master community. In the last 12 months we tracked all 5 Forest Ridge closings, and we tracked all 18 since November 2021. Read more about McGreevy and Comisar on our about page, and see the whole neighborhood on our Forest Ridge neighborhood guide.
McGreevy and Comisar is a top-reviewed Forest Ridge buyer's agent; read every verified review on our Google profile.
McGreevy and Comisar lead Domain Realty Group, a full-service Southwest Florida real estate team. Learn more at DomainRealtyGroup.com.
Contact us when you are ready:
Jesse McGreevy (Sales Associate, SL3101296) and Marc Comisar (Broker Associate, BK3060671) are licensed Florida REALTORS® with Domain Realty; Florida real estate licensure is regulated by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC).
Selling your Forest Ridge home? Get a free home valuation or Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072.
Buying in Forest Ridge? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.
Every Forest Ridge fact on this page traces to a primary source below: the Fountain Lakes associations and their recorded documents, Florida statutes and state records, Lee County and Village of Estero records, and FEMA and federal sources. Parcel and sale facts come from the county roll and the Southwest Florida MLS, listed last. Accessed September 30, 2026.
Forest Ridge's key documents are published by the Fountain Lakes associations, the State of Florida and the federal government, and the table links each to its issuing authority so you see the official, current version. Recorded instruments are also available through the Lee County Clerk's official records.
Document | Issued by | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
Forest Ridge 2026 Sales Packet | Forest Ridge Neighborhood Association | 2026 | |
Forest Ridge 2026 Lease Application | Forest Ridge Neighborhood Association | 2026 | |
Forest Ridge Amended and Restated Documents | Forest Ridge Neighborhood Association | recorded 2022 | |
Fountain Lakes 2020 Amended and Restated Declaration | Fountain Lakes Community Association | 2020 | |
Fountain Lakes 2020 Amended and Restated Bylaws | Fountain Lakes Community Association | 2020 | |
Fountain Lakes 2025 Rules and Regulations | Fountain Lakes Community Association | 2025 | |
Barcode and Key Fob procedures | Fountain Lakes Community Association | current file | |
Florida Statute 720.30851, estoppel certificates | Florida Legislature | current statute | |
Florida Statute 720.401, disclosure summary | Florida Legislature | current statute | |
Florida Statute 689.261, property tax disclosure | Florida Legislature | current statute | |
Documentary stamp tax overview | Florida Department of Revenue | current page | |
Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form | Florida Office of Insurance Regulation | rev. January 2012 | |
Hurricane Ian Tropical Cyclone Report | National Hurricane Center | 2022 | |
Hurricane Milton Tropical Cyclone Report | National Hurricane Center | 2024 |
You reach the Forest Ridge buyer team by calling Marc Comisar direct at (239) 287-5873, calling Jesse McGreevy at (239) 898-6072, emailing [email protected], or using the buyer consultation form at the top of this page. The first conversation carries no obligation.
If you are thinking, "I need someone to help me buy a home in Estero, Florida," McGreevy and Comisar helps buyers search, negotiate and close with a local strategy built for Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, Fort Myers, Lee County, Collier County, and Babcock Ranch. Whether you are relocating, investing, buying your first home, or upgrading, including in Forest Ridge, Forest Ridge Shores, West Bay Club, Pelican Sound and Miromar Lakes, our team provides honest market guidance, partner-level negotiation, and a clear plan to help you buy confidently. The full neighborhood picture stays on our Forest Ridge neighborhood guide, the Fountain Lakes picture on our Fountain Lakes community guide, and sellers can start with our free home valuation.
Market data from Southwest Florida MLS, pulled September 29, 2026. Brokered by Domain Realty.