Idyllic beach house has creepy secret hiding in the water

A beach cottage for sale in Florida could have some unusual neighbours hiding in the water, if the address is anything to go by. 

The house is located on Alligator Drive, in a suburb called Alligator Point. 

The waterways of the southeastern US are well-known habitats for alligators – the smaller, less aggressive cousins of crocodiles.

Travellers have reported seeing the reptiles swimming in the canals and wildlife reserves around Alligator Point. 

But buyers will be relieved to hear the number of alligators in the backyard is likely to be in the single digits, not the hundreds. 

In fact, local legend suggests Alligator Point may have been named for the shape of the peninsula, which is said to resemble an alligator’s tail from above. 

The two-bedroom house for sale on Alligator Drive is a classic beach cottage with cream weatherboard walls and blue-striped awnings.

The water is never far away, thanks to a brand-new deck and a 90-metre dock that extends across the bay. 

Inside, the house has plenty of personality. 

Buttercup-yellow walls and dangling fish sculptures lend a sense of fun to the kitchen. 

Upstairs, the kaleidoscope theme continues with bedrooms painted purple and lime green. 

The listing describes the cottage as the “perfect beach bungalow”. 

“This property has deeded beach access right across the street, so you’re never more than a short walk away from the emerald waters of Alligator Point beach,” the advertisement reads.

The house is on the market for $US525,000 ($806,0000).

It is part of a sleepy coastal community popular with retirees and holidaymakers. 

One of the biggest drawcards is a 5000-acre wildlife reserve filled with black bears, deer, coyotes, bobcats, migratory birds, clams, fish – and, of course, alligators. 

The community is separated from the Florida mainland by a tidal river and is home to just over 400 people.