The last time we sat down with Matt Bianchini was during the summer of 2022. Matt was well on his way to real estate prominence, and his business was deep in growth mode. At the time, Matt shared, “Ultimately, I'd love to take over Naples Park,” and a year later, he’s well on his way to achieving that goal.

 

“I’m becoming the go-to agent in that market. That’s been my niche,” Matt explains. “With Downing Frye, I've sold over $100 million and had over 80 transactions in the last three years in Naples Park and Conners [Vanderbilt Beach].”

 

Matt’s entry into the Naples Park market was by chance, but it’s now become one of the cornerstones of his sales business. Early on in his career, he spread out his energy and efforts amongst multiple neighborhoods. While he found some traction, he began to realize it left him at a disadvantage. When he wasn’t regularly covering an area, he was left without the market knowledge he needed to speak confidently to prospective buyers and sellers. Once he set his sights on Naples Park, his knowledge grew, and so did his business.

 

“I decided to focus on one area and know everything inside and out — every listing, what everything has sold for. So when I speak to people, I can speak confidently, and that will show,” Matt explains.

 

Matt’s foothold in Naples Park continues to grow organically. He became a true expert in the area’s real estate, gaining a deep understanding of the town’s home and rental values.

 

“Naples Park has always been an undervalued area. The proximity to the beach is a huge draw for investors, and the fact that there are no HOA or rental restrictions makes it a very popular area,” he continues. “COVID really exposed its popularity. It was a hidden gem until COVID. Now there's been so much redevelopment and new builds that it's become a much nicer area. Homes are renting for $1,500 to $1,600 a night in season in Naples Park, which would have been unheard of three years ago.”

 

While Matt’s real estate business has been strong, the overall real estate market in Southwest Florida has slowed. After the booming, post-COVID market of the past few years, inventory has ticked back up and sales have slowed. That’s allowed Matt to focus on two other areas of his business — rentals and investments.

 

Matt handles vacation rentals through the vacation management company, Naples Vacations. He’s also become more heavily involved in fix-and-flip investments, having embarked on eight renovation projects in Naples Park.

 

“I’ve really fallen in love with the aspect of finding the deals, renovating them, knowing what they are worth, and doing what needs to be done to sell them for a good profit,” Matt explains. “I put my money where my mouth is. I feel confident in Naples Park. I feel confident in it long term, and that’s where I’ve put all my investments.”

 

Matt’s personal life has been steadily improving too. He and his wife, Lexi, who works in the mortgage industry, married this July. Matt’s also started playing golf again after a few years off.

 

“With success, my work–life balance has really improved,” Matt says, “and that’s exciting. I’m looking forward to continuing to do what I’ve been doing — a combination of sales, rentals, and investments. I don't want to recreate the wheel. What I have been doing has been working, and I’m happy.”

 

What more could one ask for?

 

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Matt is a former professional golfer and professional poker player.