Living in Florida's Space Coast
Catalina Isles Estates
Catalina Isles Estates sits east of North Courtenay Parkway in central Merritt Island, entered at Richland Avenue and at Catalina Isle Drive. The houses went up between 1963 and 1969 and the streets took Polynesian names: Waikiki, Tiki, Molaki, Oahu, Outrigger. Twenty four of the forty homes front water, most of it navigable canal running to Sykes Creek.
Catalina Isles Estates In Merritt Island, Florida
The plat runs east off North Courtenay Parkway on the central part of the island, between State Road 520 to the south and State Road 528 to the north. Richland Avenue and Catalina Isle Drive are the two working entrances, and from there the grid opens onto Molaki, Waikiki, Tiki, Koloa, Outrigger and Montego Bay Drive. Sundoro Court and Martinique end at water. Every address is 32953, and every property is a single family house.
Water is the reason most people buy here. Twenty four of the forty homes front canal or creek frontage, and the canals are navigable out to Sykes Creek. From Sykes Creek you reach the Canaveral Barge Canal and then the Canaveral Lock into Port Canaveral, a free transit that runs roughly twenty to thirty minutes. Air draft is the real limit. The State Road 528 crossing over Sykes Creek is a fixed span, and the State Road 3 bascule over the barge canal carries about 21.6 feet closed.
Construction is 1960s coastal Florida. Concrete block on slab, one story in most cases, shingle roofs, ranch proportions, a two car garage on the majority. Houses run 1,188 to 2,671 square feet with 1,550 in the middle, three or four bedrooms and two to four baths. Lots fall between 0.17 and 0.41 acres. Roughly a quarter have been fitted with impact windows, and fourteen have an in-ground pool behind the house.
Price spread here is unusually wide for one plat. An interior house that needs work has changed hands near $210,000, while a rebuilt deep-water home with two boat slips and a 2022 seawall reached $1,025,000. The middle of the neighborhood sits around $435,000, and about $292 per square foot is a fair working figure on the waterfront side. Homes generally go under contract in about five weeks, and sellers have typically settled near 94 percent of their original asking number.
The association is voluntary. Catalina Isles and Skylark Estates share one homeowners group, and dues are nominal, on the order of ten to fifteen dollars a year. That money covers entrance signs, the newsletter, the annual community garage sale, beautification projects and the neighborhood watch program. There are no enforceable covenants and no architectural review board. Property standards fall to Brevard County code enforcement, because Merritt Island is unincorporated and has no city government.
Catalina Isles Estates At A Glance
The working numbers on Catalina Isles Estates, in one place.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | East of North Courtenay Parkway, central Merritt Island, FL 32953 |
| Built | 1963 to 1969, median 1965 |
| Home size | 1,188 to 2,671 square feet, median 1,550 |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 4, median 3 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 4, median 2 |
| Lot size | 0.17 to 0.41 acres, median 0.20 |
| Construction | Concrete block and stucco, shingle roof, mostly single story |
| Association | Catalina Isles / Skylark Estates Homeowners Association, voluntary, about $10 to $15 a year |
| Utilities | Public water, public sewer |
| Waterfront | 24 of 40 homes, canal front and Sykes Creek frontage |
| Boating | Navigable canals, private docks on about a dozen homes, seawalls common |
| Pools | 14 homes with an in-ground pool |
| Garage | 1 to 2 spaces, 2 typical |
| Price range | $210,000 to $1,025,000, median $435,000 |
| Price per square foot | About $292 |
| Streets | Richland, Catalina Isle, Molaki, Montego Bay, Waikiki, Tiki, Outrigger, Sundoro |
| Age restricted | No |
Catalina Isles Estates Details
Deep Water On A Working Canal
The wider canals here carry real draft and finished seawalls, and several homes have double slips with power pedestals. Frontage of 75 to 150 feet is common. Check the seawall age and the dock permit before you write an offer.
Sykes Creek Out The Back
Sykes Creek runs north and south along this side of the island and meets the Canaveral Barge Canal. Homes with direct creek frontage get open water views and the morning launch sightline over the Cape.
A Voluntary Association, Not A Rulebook
Dues run about ten to fifteen dollars a year and are optional. The group funds signs, the newsletter and the neighborhood watch. Nobody approves your paint color, and nobody stops your neighbor from parking a boat trailer.
Mid Sixties Block Construction
These are solid houses with block walls and simple rooflines. Original electrical panels, cast iron drain lines and 1960s window openings still turn up. Budget an inspection that looks past the granite.
The Interior Lots Are The Value
A non-waterfront house on Richland or Molaki trades far below a canal home two streets over. Same era, same block construction, same drive to the beach, with no seawall to maintain.
Four Minutes To The Parkway
North Courtenay Parkway sits at the front of the neighborhood, which puts groceries, the hospital and State Road 528 within a short drive. It also means traffic noise on the westernmost lots.
Homes For Sale In Catalina Isles Estates
Here is what is currently available in Catalina Isles Estates. Waterfront and interior homes price very differently, so read the water frontage line on each one before comparing them.
Catalina Isles Estates Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Catalina Isles Estates in Merritt Island?
It runs east off North Courtenay Parkway (State Road 3) in Merritt Island, FL 32953, between State Road 520 and State Road 528. Richland Avenue and Catalina Isle Drive are the entrances. The eastern edge of the neighborhood meets Sykes Creek.
Do the canals have ocean access?
Yes, most of them are navigable to Sykes Creek, which connects to the Canaveral Barge Canal and then through the Canaveral Lock to Port Canaveral. Height is the constraint, not depth. The State Road 528 span over Sykes Creek is fixed, and the State Road 3 bascule carries about 21.6 feet closed. Trace the route from the specific dock before you pay for sailboat access.
Is there an HOA in Catalina Isles Estates?
There is a homeowners association shared with neighboring Skylark Estates, and membership is voluntary. Dues are roughly ten to fifteen dollars a year and fund entrance signs, a newsletter, beautification and the neighborhood watch. There are no covenants to comply with.
When was Catalina Isles Estates built?
The homes date from 1963 to 1969, with 1965 sitting in the middle. It is one of the earlier canal plats on central Merritt Island, developed while the space program was expanding, which explains the resort street names.
What do homes cost here?
The range runs from about $210,000 for an interior house needing work to just over $1,000,000 for a renovated deep-water property. The middle sits near $435,000. Waterfront homes generally price around $292 a square foot.
Do most homes have docks and pools?
About a dozen homes carry a private dock, and seawalls are standard on the canal lots. Fourteen of the forty have an in-ground pool. Neither is universal, so confirm on the specific property rather than assuming.
Is Catalina Isles Estates in a flood zone?
Flood zone assignment is parcel by parcel, not neighborhood wide. Brevard County Public Works runs Floodplain Administration at (321) 617-7340, which is the county repository for the FEMA flood map panels and issues written determinations and elevation certificates.
Do I need a permit to build or replace a dock?
Yes. Docks, seawalls and boat lifts go through Brevard County Planning and Development as a Residential Marine Construction permit, with a separate Natural Resources review for shoreline work and a survey less than 180 days old. Ask whether an existing dock was permitted.
Richland Avenue and Catalina Isle Drive, Merritt Island 32953
Coming from State Road 528, exit at Courtenay Parkway and head south. Richland Avenue is the first of the two entrances, and Catalina Isle Drive comes up further along. From State Road 520 you approach from the south instead, turning right onto Catalina Isle Drive and then working east through Martinique, Tiki and Waikiki toward the water. The neighborhood ends where the canals meet Sykes Creek.
Drive times are short in every direction that matters. Cocoa Beach is about fifteen minutes east on State Road 520. Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center are twenty to twenty five minutes north on State Road 3 and the Beachline. Orlando International Airport is roughly fifty minutes west on State Road 528. Merritt Island Airport and the Kiwanis Island boat ramp are both under ten minutes away.
Near Catalina Isles Estates In Merritt Island
Considering Catalina Isles Estates?
The difference between a good canal lot and an awkward one in Catalina Isles Estates comes down to width, turning room, seawall condition and what the air draft allows for your boat. My partner Nichole and I have walked these docks, and we will tell you plainly when a house is priced for water it does not really have. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will look at it together.
890 N. Courtenay Pkwy offers exceptional visibility and access at a **signalized intersection** in the heart of Merritt Island. This high-traffic location provides prime ...
- 1081220 MLS
Enjoy the best of Florida waterfront living in desirable Catalina Isles! This 4-bedroom, 2-bath home sits on a direct-access canal to Sykes Creek and features a private d...
- 4 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1084334 MLS
Canal front home completely remodeled in 2023. Enjoy 4 bedrooms and a bonus room in this beautiful home. The large corner lot allows for plenty of room for a pool. Stucco...
- 4 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1082310 MLS
Welcome to 85 Catalina Isle Drive, a versatile gem offering 4 beds/2 baths with flexible living options to suit any buyer. Currently configured for spacious family living...
- 4 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1082072 MLS
Located on a dead-end street in the sought-after community of Catalina Isles, this professionally remodeled 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home is a must-see. All renovations were...
- 4 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1082751 MLS
