Living in Florida's Space Coast
Bella Capri
Bella Capri is a single street running east off South Tropical Trail about two miles below State Road 520, ending in a cul-de-sac. Lots are large for the island, from roughly a third of an acre up over half. Every house has a pool. The homes are custom one-offs built between 1979 and 1985, including a geodesic dome.
Bella Capri In Merritt Island, Florida
Bella Capri Drive is the whole neighborhood. It leaves South Tropical Trail heading east and dead ends in a cul-de-sac, so nobody drives down it who does not live there. The lots were sold off in the late 1970s and owners built custom, which is why there is no repeated elevation on the street. Arched entryways and wood burning fireplaces show up, and so does a full geodesic dome from 1985.
Square footage is generous relative to the price. Homes run roughly 2,100 to 2,653 square feet with about 2,402 in the middle, three and four bedrooms, two baths, two car garages. Around 206 dollars a square foot is the working number here, which is among the lowest on this stretch of South Merritt Island. What you give up for that is water. There is no frontage on this street at all.
What you get instead is yard. A third to half an acre with mature trees, and in several cases a fenced tropical backyard around a screened in ground pool. On a barrier island where a fifth of an acre is the norm in the older plats, that extra land is the actual product. Room for a fence, a shed, a boat trailer and a real pool deck without asking a board first.
There is no homeowners association. No dues, no covenants being enforced by an organization, no architectural review. Utilities are public water on septic, standard for this part of the island south of the retail corridor. Get the tank located and the drainfield aged during inspection, particularly on the homes with large pool decks, and confirm setbacks before planning any addition.
The price picture takes a note of caution. The middle sits near 546,500, but the range runs from 175,000 to 575,000 because one property here sold as a cash only renovation project. Read the low number in that light rather than as a market signal. Homes that are actually ready to live in have moved quickly, typically inside about two weeks, and close within a few points of the opening ask.
Bella Capri At A Glance
Bella Capri Drive, summarized.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | East off South Tropical Trail, about two miles south of State Road 520, Merritt Island 32952 |
| Built | 1979 to 1985, custom built lot by lot |
| Home size | 2,100 to 2,653 square feet, about 2,402 in the middle |
| Bedrooms | Three and four bedrooms, two baths |
| Lot size | 0.36 to 0.53 acre, most near four tenths of an acre |
| Construction | Concrete and stucco with stone veneer and frame accents, shingle roofs; one geodesic dome |
| Association | None. No association, no dues and no architectural review |
| Utilities | Public water with septic systems |
| Price range | About 175,000 to 575,000, middle near 546,500; the low end reflects a full renovation project |
| Price per square foot | Around 206 dollars |
| Water frontage | None. This is a dry lot street with no canal or river frontage |
| Pools | In ground pools on every home, most under screen |
| Garage | Two car |
| Street type | Single street ending in a cul-de-sac |
| Lot character | Wooded and cleared mixed, several with full perimeter fencing |
| Gated | No |
| Age restricted | No |
| Typical time to sell | About two weeks |
Bella Capri Details
Land Without The Waterfront Premium
A third to half an acre on South Merritt Island for roughly 206 dollars a foot is a genuinely different value equation than anything on the water. If your priority is yard, fence and pool deck rather than a dock, this is where that trade pays off.
Custom Homes, No Repeats
Owners built to their own plans in the late seventies and early eighties. You get arched openings, wood burning fireplaces, split bedroom layouts and multiple living areas, and no two houses on the street present the same face to the road.
There Is An Actual Dome
One of the homes here is geodesic dome construction, built in 1985. It is an unusual structure to finance and insure and it needs a specialist's eye on inspection, but it is also the kind of house nobody forgets. Worth knowing the street has one.
A True Cul-de-sac
Bella Capri Drive goes in and stops. There is no cut through and no reason for anyone else to be on the pavement. That is a quality of life difference you feel immediately when you step out of the car.
Pools Already In Place
Every home on the street has an in ground pool, most of them screened. Given what a cage and pool cost to add today, buying one already built on a large fenced lot is usually the cheaper path to the same backyard.
Septic, So Plan Accordingly
Public water with private septic is the setup here. Have the system located, aged and evaluated, and check the setbacks before you commit to an addition, a detached garage or a second pool deck near the drainfield.
Homes For Sale In Bella Capri
Anything currently for sale on or near Bella Capri Drive is shown below. This is a very small street, so it is worth watching the wider South Tropical Trail corridor at the same time.
Bella Capri Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bella Capri have an HOA?
No. There is no homeowners association, no dues and no architectural review on Bella Capri Drive. Brevard County code governs, since Merritt Island is unincorporated and has no city government.
Is there any waterfront on Bella Capri Drive?
No. This is a dry lot street with no canal or river frontage. The tradeoff is lot size and price per square foot, both of which are better here than on the waterfront streets a few minutes east.
How big are the lots?
They range from about 0.36 to 0.53 acre, with most sitting near four tenths of an acre. That is roughly double what you find in the older mid century plats further north on the island.
Why is one price so much lower than the others?
One property on the street changed hands as a cash only renovation project needing major work, which pulls the bottom of the range down sharply. It is not a reflection of what a livable home on the street is worth.
Are these homes on sewer?
No. Bella Capri runs public water with septic systems. Locate the tank and drainfield during your inspection period and confirm setbacks before planning any structure, pool expansion or addition in the backyard.
What is the geodesic dome house?
One of the homes on the street is dome construction, built in 1985. Dome homes can be sound and efficient, but they need an inspector and an insurance carrier familiar with the form, and financing options are narrower than for conventional construction.
How fast do homes sell here?
Quickly when they are move in ready, typically inside about two weeks, with sellers finishing within a few points of their opening number. The combination of lot size, a pool and no association keeps demand steady on a street this short.
What is the drive to the beach and to I-95?
State Road 520 is about five minutes north and the causeway puts Cocoa Beach roughly twenty minutes out. Heading south, the Pineda Causeway reaches Suntree and I-95 in about twenty minutes.
Bella Capri Drive off South Tropical Trail, Merritt Island 32952
South Tropical Trail is the west side road down the length of South Merritt Island, following the Indian River shoreline. Bella Capri Drive turns east off it roughly two miles south of State Road 520 and ends in a cul-de-sac a short distance in. The surrounding area is a mix of older custom homes on generous lots, with no commercial frontage anywhere nearby.
North on Tropical Trail, State Road 520 and the Merritt Island retail corridor are about five minutes, and Cocoa Beach is roughly twenty across the causeway. South, Tropical Trail continues toward Georgiana and the Pineda Causeway, which reaches Suntree and I-95 in about twenty minutes. Orlando International is around an hour, and Port Canaveral about thirty five minutes north.
Near Bella Capri In Merritt Island
Considering Bella Capri?
There are only a handful of houses on Bella Capri Drive, and when a good one comes out it is usually spoken for inside two weeks. Being ready matters more here than being clever. My partner Nichole and I watch this corridor and can tell you the moment something moves, plus what the septic and lot layout will support. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will put you on the list.
