Nettles Island

Nettles Island is unlike almost anything else in this directory — a private, gated island community of more than 1,500 compact waterfront homes on a 42-acre island in the Indian River Lagoon, reached by a causeway off A1A on Hutchinson Island near Jensen Beach. Recorded in 1974, it's a self-contained resort community: think a village of small, individually-owned cottages and homes rather than an apartment building, wrapped by water on every side.

What makes it distinctive is that it operates as its own little town. The island has a marina with boat slips and direct lagoon-and-ocean access, a community restaurant, a convenience store, swimming pools, tennis and pickleball, a fishing pier, and an active recreation calendar — a lifestyle built around boating, fishing, and the water. It's long been popular with seasonal 'snowbird' residents from the Northeast and Midwest, many of whom own a place and come down for the winter.

Buying here is more like buying into a waterfront resort community than a standard condo, so the due diligence is different: understand the ownership structure, the monthly or lot fees, marina and boat-slip rules, and the community's rental policy if you plan to rent it out seasonally. Confirm the current fees and rules with the association before making an offer, and see our buyer's due-diligence checklist and our waterfront-condos guide for what to weigh when buying on the water.