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The view of the "Beach House" that mot motorists notice every time they drive back into the island over the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge.

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Sunset Builder's model, The Hampton on Tigertail Court, is available on a two-year lease back basis.

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Two luxury Marco Island homes with widely differing appeal are looking for buyers.

One is the turreted mansion seen to the left when riding over the Jolley Bridge into town, and the other a lavish beauty on Tigertail Court which the builders designed to radiate the feel and look of beachfront houses typically found in the Hamptons and New England.

Both carry similar price tags of around $3 million, and are also similar in size, but their respective appeals consequently differ vastly.

The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath “Beach Club,” as the house near the bottom of the bridge was dubbed by owner Ron Webster, is steeped in tradition, myth and a hint of intrigue.

It stands on the site of original Deltona (island pioneer development corporation) “Vantage Model,” covering three oversized lots.

The design was inspired by the Hotel del Coronado in California as well as the Grand Floridian in Disneyworld, Webster says, and among its charms are a private beach and a fruit orchard.

In time-honored island grapevine fashion, it once circulated that Lucille Ball owned the property as well as several other musicians and actors.

Fact is, says Webster, that a collector of Rolls Royce cars was actually the previous owner.

One myth, Webster points out, is that the “new” bridge (which is currently slated to not even start until somewhere between 2026 and 2030) isn’t going to be running through the middle of the house.

The eventual bridge will occupy the Marco Island Yacht Club side of the street.

Webster says a common observation is that exterior breathes Victorian, but that the inside is much more European in nature.

“A collection of imported furnishings from around the world lend to the charm of each unique room having its own character,” he says.

Another big attraction, he says, is outdoor balconies and an expansive pool deck which lend to the open feeling of the place.

“In short the property is somewhere between fairytale and playground as a bit of whimsy is thrown into many aspects of this home,” Webster said.

Sunset Builders is responsible for The Hampton, which sits on Tigertail Court.

With four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, it is a family labor of love.

In business for the past 15 years, and with more than 250 homes built on Marco Island, Keith Leonia is at the helm, while his sister-in-law Maria Ribar and her husband John handle sales.

She says immediate attractions for potential buyers are solid, hand-scraped hickory wood floors almost throughout, as well as the use of Turkish travertine for the pool deck.

A movie theater sits just next to the living room, while Ribar says women particularly like the home because a butler’s pantry, regular pantry and grocery drop-off area are situated directly through the door from the garage.

“It flows nicely,” she says.

Also attractive, she adds, is the upper section of the house, which is virtually independent from the bottom, and is perfect for guests’ privacy.

“I think the potential buyer will be your baby boomer who has college-age or older kids and is getting ready for grandchildren and having a lot of people in the house,” she says.

Ribar doesn’t just rattle off facts and facets of the house that other salespeople might simply parrot-learn and regurgitate — she has a big hand in both the design concept of the Hampton model and other houses, as well as being responsible for choosing all the fittings and interior decor.

Parts of the house, such as the master bathroom with its 1950s-looking tub are intentionally retro, but Ribar likes balance.

“It’ll bring you back in time, but still retain a modern-day feel,” she says of the house as a whole.

* Contact person for the Beach House is Susan Ackerson at 800-225-1956.

Maria Ribar, on behalf of the Hampton Model (which is selling on a two-year lease back basis) is at 642-4886. It is situated at 553 Tigertail Court.