[RMD3819]

Yes you can boat and fish. I live on a canal and haven't seen any gators, but that doesn't mean they are not there.

Fireants are easy to defeat with stuff you buy at Home Depot.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by RMD3819

Yes you can boat and fish. I live on a canal and haven't seen any gators, but that doesn't mean they are not there.

Fireants are easy to defeat with stuff you buy at Home Depot.

and have seen gators in the lakes. My former neighbor said sometimes they even come up on the land.

[TANaples]

Naples in the OFF SEASON is dead and bolted. Last August my daughter was here and wanted sushi. She kept calling and calling only to find that "sorry, we are closed for the off season." "we will see you in NOVEMBER." If you want ANYTHING to do, you had better plan on doing it November through March.

Then there is pizza. WHY are all the pizza/Italian restaurants CLOSED until 4:30 on Saturdays and Sundays? Nobody here eats pizza, or pasta, or heros, for LUNCH on the weekends????? What if I don't want Pizza Hut or Dominos? I cannot tell you how many times my husband and I drove around on a Saturday afternoon trying to find a pizza parlor open for LUNCH. What is with that?

[NJSouth]

Originally Posted by RMD3819

Yes you can boat and fish. I live on a canal and haven't seen any gators, but that doesn't mean they are not there.

Fireants are easy to defeat with stuff you buy at Home Depot.

Great to hear! Any other advice you'd give a guy looking to move into that area. We have one horse, two dogs, but that may change to higher numbers. I'm a homebody but a chinese food freak so I imagine that won't be the same huh? Any advice on areas of GGE and dealing with the heat would be great!

Again thanks to everyone on this forum, its invaluable.

[RMD3819]

Areas of GGE-I don't think there are any "bad" areas of GGE. In general, the further west you are (closer to shopping etc.) the higher the prices. GGE was developed west to east so, in general, the newer homes are in the eastern parts.

If you have kids, I would consider proximity to schools. If you are working, how much of a commute you can live with.

Chinese food-There are restaurants not far from GGE.

Heat-Stay indoors. If you go out stay hydrated, sunblock etc.

[jetsettera]

EstatesResident, GatorBites & RMD, thanks for your info. I love the Gulf Coast of Florida and have a piece of undeveloped property in GGE (very near you, EstatesResident). I am wondering if anyone is doing any organic gardening. Do people dig wells? How do you get water?

[KLB212312]

It's so crazy to see someone wanting to know about Naples,FL specifically Golden Gate Estates cause I just moved from there. I am actually wanting to know some eco friendly places in Texas where I just moved to. I was born in Texas (Corsicana) then raised in Naples FL. As far as the economy in FL, its horrible. If your house was worth 700,000 2 yrs ago, now itd be on the market for 475,000. Thats another thing, its expensive, although I heard apartments are renting for cheaper now, probably cause developers suddenly came to a hault over there. For example, here in Corsicana where I am now about 45 mins se of dallas I could get a nice 3/2 on 5 acres for under 100,000. Over in Naples you'd be lucky to get it under 650,000. No joke. But, its a beautiful town. Not too small, not to big at all. Lots of diversity, not as much as Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. Cops are paid really well, with little crime, cop paradise i would think. Watch out for the hurricanes. Always summer, with a few cold spells during the months of winter. by cold spells 40 - 60 degrees for a few weeks off and on. Lots of materialistic people, more worried about their car or sunglasses than maybe your average farmer here in corsicana worried about their fence or machines. Its a lot different. Plus being around the beach all your life, you take it for granted like i did. But the lakes here dont bother me, but corsicana is not the place in texas for me, there has to be somewhere in texas eco friendly with renewable energy, organic farms... now thats something i need help with.

[TANaples]

Prices are dropping here like stones, even at the million plus developments. Article after article in the news says that there are very few takers even on the upscale side of the fence. What is moving? From what I have read those homes under $150,000. You can find that in Golden Gate.

[RMD3819]

Originally Posted by jetsettera

EstatesResident, GatorBites & RMD, thanks for your info. I love the Gulf Coast of Florida and have a piece of undeveloped property in GGE (very near you, EstatesResident). I am wondering if anyone is doing any organic gardening. Do people dig wells? How do you get water?

You hire a well drilling company to drill a well. Then you hire someone to install the water treatment system. These vary, but most include two pumps, a salt tank, softener, pressure tanks and aerator.

Do not be cheap here. Drill a sulfur well and use someone reputable. Same with the water system. Go cheap and you will regret it.

[tjstrain]

Just in case no one has mentioned it, please don't confuse Golden Gate and Golden Gate estates. But, the only difference is the lot sizes, right? You'll find really nice homes right next to slums. The amount of land, space between the homes, is the difference. In the Golden Gate Estates you might have a really nice $1,000,000++++ house next to the slum. Ok, you might not be able to see it from your cabana or Porte cochere, but their still there. In Golden Gate I don't think you'll find any houses anywhere close to $1,000,000.????