If space has always been important in real estate, in the last year since the onset of COVID-19, it has become everything and more. Nowhere is this truer than in Collier County, where access to downtown Naples competes with elbow room—private elbow room, meaning that there has been a turning away from gated communities, where things can get a little close. Jose Cintron, president of Cintron Custom Builders, has seen the shift firsthand. “For my tastes, there are three places: Pine Ridge, Livingston Woods and the Oakes Estates,” he says. This trio of non-gated luxury communities—which Cintron notes in descending order of location desirability—are hotter than ever due to their high acreage and lack of shared space. At the highest level—Pine Ridge—one acre of land sells for $1 million, maybe $1.2 million; at Livingston Woods, 2.5 acres for $500,000 to $800,000. Oakes Estates brings up the rear: under $500,000 for 2.5 acres. Cintron is happy to break it down further: A Pine Ridge home can command nearly $900 per square foot; Livingston Woods, $666 per square foot; and Oakes Estates, $550 per square foot. These communities represent the new Collier paradise. Cintron’