Accessible only by boat, an isolated lodge on a private island near some of Florida’s best scalloping grounds is now for sale in Citrus County.
Located three miles from the mainland at 5900 Hellgate Is (or between channel markers 57 and 58 on the Homosassa River) the home sits on a private, 2.5-acre island called “Hellgate Island,” which is named after a nearby narrow section of the waterway called “Hell’s Gate,” a shallow, rocky spot where boats regularly crash.
The 3,700-square-foot home is known as “Homosassa Island Lodge,” and has been owned by the same family since its creation and is currently a vacation rental for large groups.
From the website:
Owner Craig Suarez spent many childhood weekends with his late father, Bud Suarez (of Tampa), and brothers Neil and Jeff, working to make the Lodge the island haven it is today. Bud purchased the property in the late 1960’s from a group called the ‘Ale and Quail Club’. At the time, there was nothing on the island – no structures, no docks. Construction began in 1968 with the addition of a main house and a bungalow, outbuildings used for storage, and several docks. Everything found on the island today was either brought down river via boat or barge.According to the listing, the two-story lodge now comes with five bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well an outdoor kitchen with a built-in smoker, five 1,600-gallon rainwater cisterns, a chef grade indoor kitchen with a gas stove, a great room with a wood-burning fireplace, a pecky cypress bar, and more.
The rural island only hosts a few homes, one if which sold last January for $126K.
However, if you want to own the Homosassa Lodge, it’s going to cost you a bit more. This particular piece of the island is currently asking $1.25 million. The listing agent is Philip W Oakes or Silver King Properties LLC.
It’s worth noting that the timing of the sale is pretty good, considering the island is near some of Florida best scalloping areas, and the season starts July 1.
