[andreaspercheron]

Originally Posted by judgejoe

Geez! Over 500 families in the Estates 17 grow houses in 5 years.
It ain't that bad for a rural area. I wish I had seen Naples 30 years ago; everyone says it was so nice back then. Its still real nice, quiet, the smell of pine & cedar when you're in the woods takes you back in time.

All I have to do is walk to the end of my property and I'm in the 'wilderness'; being on the eastern most north-south road in Naples/ which borders the National Panther Preserve, we get a chance to see bear, deer, rabbit, skunk, racoon, squrrils(sp?), and more...

I think its wonderful.
But when people drill the entire area down to a few bad apples - I have to step in and tell the better side too. We have been out here for well over five years now and plan to retire in the same home. Barring any wildfires blowing through our livingroom.

Originally from New England (where drugs ARE rampant) Naples & GGE is one of the better places I've ever visited! Both my wife and I never plan to leave the estates/Naples area; it just suits our needs and is astheticly pleasing. They've put some $$$ into the boulevard median and built three real nice high schools, one valued at 45 million completed in 2004.

AVE MARIA, a 'planned' catholic community is being constructed between GGE and Immokalee and is sure to draw nice people into the close-knit community (not JCLDS closeness) but whole neighborhoods that June & Wally Cleaver would have moved into!

With growth, comes the bad apples. I love Golden Gate Estates!

I personally really appreciated your post and similar others. We are possibly moving to the same development and yes, I agree every large area has bad apples but for the most part everything I've read, learned from friends or on here about the estates has been primarily positive so thank you again for the reassuring posting.

[missourigirl81]

My family is looking to relocate to florida too. I found a house in golden gate estates on a real estate sight that looked like a great deal, so started doing research on the area. This is what I found: There was 56 sexual offenders within a 5 mile radius of the address of the house!
The website is offender.fdle.state.fl.us/
We will definately not be moving there or anywhere close to there. Put in the address of the house you are looking at on the florida sex offender sight and that will tell you what kind of neighborhood this is!

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by D-R-B

Also, I don't think Golden Gate Estates is near the water (I could be wrong). If that is the case, the HEAT and CRAZY HUMIDITY for most of the year will be oppressive. I live in the Tampa Bay area- inland Naples would be unbearable.

No, you're not wrong. However, many people seem to like it. Also, keep in mind that GGE is huge, so you can be over 20 miles east of the interstate which is not near the beach. Depends on what you mean by near too. Someone who now lives an hour from the nearest beach might consider North Port to be near the water. Recently I took a ride to look at homes in GGE and in Waterways, Orange Tree, etc. Nice area with lots of trees and beautiful homes. However, just getting out of the car made me realize that July might be unbearable, since I currently can walk to the Gulf of Mexico. (I just can't afford to buy anything!) Still, keep in mind that it can be just as muggy in Chicago in the summer. We all have air conditioned homes, air conditioned cars and, unless you work outside all day, you'll be working (if you can find a job, that is) in an air conditioned office.

IMO you can get a very good deal, but I wouldn't be in a big rush to move for several years. I doubt if home prices will rise a lot, because there is way too much inventory now and if you miss out on one foreclosure, just wait a minute. Every week I get a list of homes that are bank owned. They sell very quickly, however. Same for Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres, although Golden Gate Estates is much prettier IMHO. At least the developers didn't chop down all the trees like they did on the Cape. Still, that means lots of brush fires during a dry spell. There are also numerous thefts in the secluded areas. This isn't something I only read in the newspaper. I mentioned in a post last week that I saw some houses and residents told me it's not uncommon to come home and find your air conditioner exchange missing. You can buy a cage and lock it as a deterrent. A couple of new houses were missing the kitchen cabinets. I thought that the previous owners had taken them, but I found out they were stolen out of a couple of homes on that street. One very nice man let me use his bathroom when I was looking at the house for sale next door to him. He told me the property across the road had been burglarized twice in a month! Maybe that's why so many people there own pit bulls and they bark and lunge at you when you get out of the car. (another big pet peeve of mine, no pun intended!)

[jetsettera]

Thank you for the information. I was cleaning up my property last month during a short visit. The fire came really close, but only burned the back corner of my property. The forest is still intact. I was looking for EstatesResident while I was down there, but did not find you. Hope to meet you someday. Also hope to meet RMD3819. I appreciate the info on the well. What would be a reasonable price to pay for a well like you described? Can you give me a price range? Also are there any restrictions to camping out on my property? Someone warned me of Florida panthers and a black bear. Are they really a threat to humans camping out? I have some really nice neighbors on that street. One couple advised me not to camp out and put me up. I love the people I have met in Golden Gate Estates. You are beautiful people.

[tbarreto]

Thanks, Gatorbite. Are the prices I'm seeing, $75,000 to $99,000, on 1.5 to 3 acres including a 3/2/2 home a reality? I lived in the Miami area for over 35 years (got burnt out with big city life and traffic), have been living out West for the past five, but am looking to spread out on a big piece of property where there's plenty of peace and quiet and I can be closer to family. At those prices it would be very prudent to purchase the house cash, avoid the high insurance costs and live a more sedentary lifestyle. My only concern is being able to obtain any type of employment just to sustain cost of living. Can you comment? Thanks.

[dburk83]

i think golden gate estates is a perfect place to raise a family. my husband, 4 children and i love it here. there is yard for the kids to run. there is going to be crime no matter where you go and with the economy the way it is, it will get worst. we are a young family, there are things to do with kids but this is an expensive city.

[dburk83]

Originally Posted by missourigirl81

My family is looking to relocate to florida too. I found a house in golden gate estates on a real estate sight that looked like a great deal, so started doing research on the area. This is what I found: There was 56 sexual offenders within a 5 mile radius of the address of the house!
The website is offender.fdle.state.fl.us/
We will definately not be moving there or anywhere close to there. Put in the address of the house you are looking at on the florida sex offender sight and that will tell you what kind of neighborhood this is!

this is not true. if its in gg estates. i look all the time because of children. go to the collier county sheriffs office website and look.

[spryder]

Hello - quick question, what high-speed internet access is available in Golden Gate? I'm looking at properties that are pretty far out there in the area, and Comcast says its a no go. Specifically I'm looking at N Everglades Pkwy, 34120. Thanks!

[kristin4]

Originally Posted by spryder

Hello - quick question, what high-speed internet access is available in Golden Gate? I'm looking at properties that are pretty far out there in the area, and Comcast says its a no go. Specifically I'm looking at N Everglades Pkwy, 34120. Thanks!

try embarq.com

they are a phone and internet type service. They also have satellite tv contracts.
That is who I had to call. We are renting way out there in the middle of no where...embarq is the only one I could find.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by dburk83

i think golden gate estates is a perfect place to raise a family. my husband, 4 children and i love it here. there is yard for the kids to run. there is going to be crime no matter where you go and with the economy the way it is, it will get worst. we are a young family, there are things to do with kids but this is an expensive city.

No. There is not the frequency of crime, wherever you go. The stats bear that out. Some murders happen every ten years. Some happen every day. Give me a break.

I would not raise my child in Golden Gate City in Naples. Far too much crime.