Moving to southwest Florida from Buffalo, NY (Jacksonville, Tampa: mortgage, environment)

[firemed]

Originally Posted by 121804

MrTudo-
Please state what is "unfounded & untrue" about:
1) the crack bust at Boomerz last week
2) the man arrested for storing a dead man in his home in Punta Gorda & cashing his checks
3) the inflation of home prices in Punta Gorda & the excess inventory..please let the OP know how many homes in Deep Creek have been on the market for over 12 months & have seen price drops of over $40,000. It is not a healthy market here.
4) the heat index & summer heat
5) the test scores of Sallie Jones elementary school
6) the number of sexual predators in Port Charlotte...it is LISTED ON THE NATIONAL SEX OFFENDER WEBSITE.

Please, enlighten the OP & show evidence that what I wrote was lies.

I don't like the place, but what I wrote was not unfounded nor untrue. They were FACTS. And the OP asked for the truth not sugar coated b/c of weather.

I just found this, So much for north Florida now the sex offender's are leaving Florida to find kids. This guy was a prosecutor out of north Florida Prosecutor Kills Himself in Prison Cell - AOL News

[121804]

Originally Posted by firemed

I just found this, So much for north Florida now the sex offender's are leaving Florida to find kids. This guy was a prosecutor out of north Florida Prosecutor Kills Himself in Prison Cell - AOL News

I saw this on the news. Also just heard about the sex predator who lurred a girl from MySpace in the panhandle area. Sickos.
But, they caught the final guy from LeHigh Acres (east of Fort Myers) who was part of the group that shot the 3 people in the car & left the car on the side of the road a few weeks ago.
This is all true to those who want to post negative marks b/c they "don't like" a posters' comments.

The best thing the OP can do for him/herself is to look farther north or in another state with warmer temps. Buffalo is a little rough around the edges but it is not ANY better in Punta Gorda/Cape Coral/Port Charlotte/North Port. Oh, well, there isn't much talk of football or sports unless they like golf & tennis.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by 121804

I don't like the place, but what I wrote was not unfounded nor untrue. They were FACTS. And the OP asked for the truth not sugar coated b/c of weather.

I own a business in Port Charlotte. It's a high security business. I would not base my business in an unsafe place. Your allegations that this area is high crime is laughable.

There is crime everywhere. Some places are higher than others. You obviously have a problem with SW Fla yet you continue to badger the place rather than leave. Why don't you leave? Because you don't have enough money? Why don't you have enough money?

I can only imagine what you were saying about wherever it is you fled from when you came here.

Some people see the glass as half full and others half empty. In your case it's completely empty. Millions of people come here every year . EVERY year.

If it's not for you, then I wish you a fast departure. Some of us like it here despite the fact it's not nirvana.

[Carbondated]

To the OP, I wrote this in a response to another thread, but it holds true for all of SWFL.


It is easy for the criminal element to survive and thrive here.
1. The area is mostly retirees, who would not be able to recognize the signs of a crack house or a meth lab next door.
2. People here "mind their own business". Some people have the mentality that it can't happen in my back yard, just because their homes have a huge pricetag. They also have the mentality, if they don't talk about the area being unsafe, then it really isn't.
3. There is such a transient nature to the area, that most people only know one or two neighbors, if they are lucky. The people tend to be unaware of their surroundings.
4. This area has always had a high rate of substance abuse. Dead end jobs, poor wages, general boredom, add to the number of young people using drugs. You name the drug, and it is here. The area was a drop off point for drug shipments in the 1980's, and I'm sure not much has changed. If you have a drug habit to feed, then of course you could expect burgalaries and robberies to happen.
5. Violent crime is on the rise, and the reason for that could be because of the above mentioned, and also an influx of organized gangs and illegals.

If the OP was a single man, with no children...then he would be able to handle the negatives of the area. However, since he isn't...then it is best to consider other places.

[121804]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

I own a business in Port Charlotte. It's a high security business. I would not base my business in an unsafe place. Your allegations that this area is high crime is laughable.

There is crime everywhere. Some places are higher than others. You obviously have a problem with SW Fla yet you continue to badger the place rather than leave. Why don't you leave? Because you don't have enough money? Why don't you have enough money?

I can only imagine what you were saying about wherever it is you fled from when you came here.

Some people see the glass as half full and others half empty. In your case it's completely empty. Millions of people come here every year . EVERY year.

We are leaving. The countdown has begun. Movers have been arranged for. I don't need to validate our reasons for coming here or leaving here to you. This is NOT AN AREA FOR YOUNG FAMILIES. Plain & simple. Read what EVERYONE else has wrote since then...the same thing. What,am I still the ONLY one who is writing negative things?

You gave me a negativge mark that what I wrote was untrue & unfounded. I wrote VERY little about the crime other than THE TRUE THINGS THAT HAPPENED...the crack bust & the dead guy in Punta Gorda. You did that out of spite & dislike...a sad thing to do if you find it so necessary.

The housing prices, the crab grass, the fire ants, the schools (you love stats so much, read about the schools in Port Charlotte...Port Charlotte High School got a "C" rating! Way to go! Sounds like a place to go!), the sex predators (WatchDog.com; National Sex Offender Registry...it's there..READ IT), the lack of employment.

Great, it is sunny here with warm temps. Some people do like. Some people don't.

But like I asked...be a real person & verify all the things I stated were "untrue & unfounded"...not just the crime that you respond to. I could go back & give you a negative mark for sugarcoating, but I don't stoop so low. People's opinions are people's opinions.

I don't like the place. It's not against the law not to like a place & voice your opinion. It's not communist China here as much as you wish it were.

You stated NOTHING about schools for the OP. You stated NOTHING about family for the OP. You stated NOTHING about sexual predators for the OP. Read what he/she asked...he/she asked for more than a weather report!

[scott7876]

Originally Posted by sg928

We're moving to Southwest Florida, from Buffalo, NY in about 9 months. We are a young couple with young, school age children. We like the closeness and the great friendly neighbors we have in Buffalo. We hate the winter and the crappy economy. What neighborhoods are safe for families. We are thinking of Cape Coral, Punta Gorta, and North Port. We are concerned about violent crime, Kidnapping, and sexual predators. Help....

I'll be moving down to Fort Myers in a couple of weeks from Long Island, NY. My advice to you would be to go down and visit for a while if you can, and by all means rent for a while before buying a house. Also, make sure you have a job or solid job prospects before moving, this goes without saying no matter where you move.

Take much of what you read here with a grain of salt. Many would have you believe you will be killed the minute you set foot in the area. There are good areas and bad areas in any place you go. You have to look and see for yourself, maybe you will like what you see!

Good Luck!

Scott

[Carbondated]

Originally Posted by scott7876

I'll be moving down to Fort Myers in a couple of weeks from Long Island, NY. My advice to you would be to go down and visit for a while if you can, and by all means rent for a while before buying a house. Also, make sure you have a job or solid job prospects before moving, this goes without saying no matter where you move.

Take much of what you read here with a grain of salt. Many would have you believe you will be killed the minute you set foot in the area. There are good areas and bad areas in any place you go. You have to look and see for yourself, maybe you will like what you see!

Good Luck!

Scott

"Take much of what you read here with a grain of salt" and "Many would have you believe you will be killed the minute you set foot in this area"
...are truly unhelpful remarks.

I don't believe anyone has led the OP to think he will be killed the moment he steps foot in this area.
Many people chose to ignore and degrade comments that are valid, truthful and paint a realistic view of the area.
Statistics are facts, and responsible people chose to make decisions based on them.

[2peaches2oranges]

Originally Posted by sg928

We're moving to Southwest Florida, from Buffalo, NY in about 9 months. What neighborhoods are safe for families. We are thinking of Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, and North Port. We are concerned about violent crime, Kidnapping, and sexual predators. Help....

I have lived in Florida since 1998. I moved to Charlotte County back in 2004. I love it here. I loved Wellington too, but moved here following my ex-husbands job and then he moved to Atlanta and I stayed here.

I am in my 30's have 4 children and live in Rotonda. I live in the new section of Rotonda and feel very safe here. I have a new house (actually 2 here because I cannot sell my old house that I had before I built new!) a couple doors down and my mom lives there. My sister moved here from Seattle and loves it too. She has 4 kids too.

I looked at Cape Coral, actually invested in a condo there and several vacant lots, but school choice and large immigrant population moving in had me look further north. Rotonda is nice, insulated away from I-75, traffic and commercial buildings. I have a preserve behind me and my road dead ends into another preserve. Most of my neighbors are from England. I have several young families with kids on my street. They all ride bikes together, go to soccer together and ride the school bus.

It is not perfect. My taxes are high as well as flood insurance and HO insurance (the price we pay for being within 5 miles of the coast I guess). You read about drugs here a lot. Overdoses, grow houses and other drug related crimes pepper the newspapers. Very rare random crime though.

The economy is not good here. I taught school last year, but had a bad experience, so I am sitting out this year. Many people are out of work. My 4 year old is in pre-school and lots of parents were laid-off and had to pull their kids out. The housing mess has hurt this area jobwise, so not sure if you would be coming into a better economy.

You can find a nice house to rent here because there are soooo many available. I would rent, check out the schools and neighbors before signing a lease.

My kids go to all "A rated" Englewood schools. I am very involved in my kids lives and have put them first, you have to keep an eye on them because there are crazy people (and their kids) that will try to get you on drugs or the wrong path. But ultimately, it is our responsibility as parents, to keep them away from the trash.

Good luck in whatever you do!

[121804]

Originally Posted by Carbondated

"Take much of what you read here with a grain of salt" and "Many would have you believe you will be killed the minute you set foot in this area"
...are truly unhelpful remarks.

I don't believe anyone has led the OP to think he will be killed the moment he steps foot in this area.
Many people chose to ignore and degrade comments that are valid, truthful and paint a realistic view of the area.
Statistics are facts, and responsible people chose to make decisions based on them.

Carbonated-
Again, what is the OP is asking is not being anwered but danced around by people who sound like they do not have children or a family. Hopefully, this OP understands that there is more to moving then reading posts on this website but at the same time takes both the good & the bad.
Your posts have been helpful. I will admit mine are tainted with pure dislike but are based on fact.

I remember you also mentioned one time about the underground drug ring in PC, PG & North Port. Being a parent, there is no way to run completely away from crimes & drugs. But, there is also no need to move a family into an area that have known problems.

Florida is a big place with nice areas. Hopefully, the OP will find the area in FL that suits his family. And I just stress the word "family" here.

As was stated by more than one person..young, single, married without children, or retired...fine, best of luck...kids...look elsewhere.

[House4Sale]

I moved to Florida more than 15 years ago and have been back to visit twice. It will take a good year, maybe two to really get over the place. In that case, I'd suggest booking trips to Buffalo for winter holidays or Christmas as that seemed to be the toughest part for me. After the trip, it was time to return to the warmth and palm trees of Florida. Best wishes on your adventure.