Quote:
Originally Posted by 121804
We lived in Punta Gorda & my husband worked in Fort Myers (non construction based job that paid almost too well). Had to do majority of shopping & restaurants in PC. Absolutely hated the place. Lack of things to do, dumpy, & an area of FL that revolves solely around retirees & snowbirds. We are prior Army & have lived in 7 different states prior to this civilian move. Seen so much that I can endure a lot; just nothing prepared me for PC/PG/Ft Myers. We knew what we were moving into but had little choice due to circumstances after my husband's return from Iraq.
Travelled to NP many times b/c we heard decent things about it & mostly that it was not PC or PG & more family related. We are a younger family with a little child & another on the way. Sorry, but one of the worst places to live would be PG & PC based on our demographics. We decided against living in SW FL due to personal & professional reasons.
Long story short: it was a very bad experience.
But, I also realize it was just MY experience & just MY feelings.
Yet, there is also a very true reality to the housing & job market in SW FL. Of course the market has tanked in majority of areas. But, the reasons are different in every area. SWFL is based off of greed & overconstruction. There is no real job market south of Sarasota (I cannot comment on the job market Sarasota b/c I know very little about it) where a "traditional" family can reasonably live. It has to be acknowledged that most of this area is an area for tourists, retirees & snowbirds. I lived there & that was what I saw. The majority of jobs were construction based & are fading fast.
The issue I see much concern with is just the overall mass of homes that are for sale throughout the region. There is little there to encourage people to move there. If one is moving there b/c they have employment, well, it is a different story. But if not, truth be told, they are up a creek if they don't come without some sort of major cash reserve.
Rentals are a steal right now & if one can really wheel & deal, they can probably get a home at a decent price.
But, with the excess of homes, why even buy right now b/c in 2-3 years there are still going to be thousands of homes for sale & prices will drop. In no way are 50,000 homes going to be sold in the next 2-3 years. In our area of PG, there were 6 homes in a 3 block radius for sale for over 12 months...never saw a person even stop to look at them.
It's just my opinion. I would HIGHLY discourage anyone from buying right now in SWFL & the septic/well in NP would truly concern me based on Cape Coral's issue right now. While NP is "rural", it is not country country where people are getting 5-10 acres of land.
And my husband took a major pay cut to move. He is now with a better company with benefits that are unbelievable; a work environment that is positive & gets a paid week off at Christmas along with regular vacation pay, etc. The company he was with in Fort Myers is a nationwide company that announced last month it was closing all its branches except Jax. Now, it announced this week all FL branches are closing. We are blessed we got out when we could & never bought in SW FL. We'd be stuck with a home that would never sell & no income.
It's just a matter of personal taste & opinion. We are not FL people. Never were. Back were we are happy & where we grew up.
I would discourage anyone from moving to the area unless they had a valid reason with income to support the move. SW FL is not JAx, it's not Tampa, it's not Miami. It's a strange & bizarre place in areas yet for many does have a lot to offer.
People need to be wise in their decision moving here. I meet more unhappy people here than I did on some of the crappiest Army bases where husbands were in Iraq for 12-15 months. Beaches & sun only do so much. As I've stated before & will again, it is not the reality of the way life is lived. It is a plus & if it makes someone happy, best of luck.
There is a MAJOR difference b/w people who are moving to the area based on legit reasons & those who want to move to the area b/c of the weather. That's all I'll say about that...
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You have many valid points. However, I have to add a few of my own. (it's who I am). I too have lived in 6 states, and numerous cities. I too would take some of them over any city in Florida. However, as stated, my husband is a captain. We HAVE to live in a warm water area that is coastal. I wouldn't live in the coastal areas of Texas, the Carolinas don't have the boating and fishing off-shore that Florida does; north of that is cold more than half the year. So, I guess we are the exception. However, we truly don't know what the OP does for a living. I consult from home for a very good salary, so my location makes no difference.
I have lived in the Tampa Bay area (liked it for some reasons, hated it for others..but that is everywhere. There is no UTOPIA) I traveled for work to Orlando regularly...you can have that town. Sure, Disney etc. but otherwise, loads of crappy areas, crime, NO WATER whatsoever (talk about ridiculous..you get all the bad that Florida has and you can't even have a beach LOL) I traveled once per month to PSL...didn't care for it, but didn't live there. Spent weeks at a time in Daytona for work....some cute beach towns by Ormond etc, but otherwise too "redneck" for me. We are now in Jacksonville, and I can't stand it here. It's Florida, but it should be Georgia. It has nothing that I love about Florida, is HUGE and you can't get anywhere without having to drive highways. To me, Jacksonville is almost the worst. I have never been to PG or FT Myers, but I've heard much of what you say.
You kind of hit the nail on the head about the job, home etc. Home will be happy for anyone who feels connected. A city can have every ammenity possible, good housing etc., but if you don't fit in....you'll never be happy. Not the city's fault, just reality.
I grew up in Ohio. I have NOTHING negative to say about Cleveland suburbs (where I grew up), but Cincinnati is a dump....went to college there. I miss the East side suburbs of Cleveland, and make sure I visit when I can. (I still have family up there). However, while you are doing well there...it is not a growing place either. My family has a business there we've owned since the 20's. It is dying dying dying there. Glad you are doing well, but it's not a place for anyone but someone local who grew up there and can appreciate what it offers. Show me where people are migrating to Ohio somewhere! LOL
Any location is subjective. While I hate Jax, I have friends who grew up in NYC, and love it. I don't fault them for that, or even question it. NP is also NOT PG. Yes, what is going on in Cape coral is the assessment placed on homeowners for public utilities. so what? Did people never think that was going to happen??????? The problem is all the people who OVERSPENT for their homes. Bottom line. If you didn't overspend, the $18K assessment to have public utilities is less money than to put new floors in your home, or re-do a kitchen. Improper budgeting is the problem, and ignorance to the fact that they bought a home with a septic system, and act like they had no clue they would ever get socked with an assessment. Seriously....I don't feel for them there. It's common sense. Maybe they all used the same real estate agent who forgot to tell them. I feel badly for people who got snowed by mortgage brokers, and for people who can't find work, and for people who lost their jobs, and for people who are unhappy b/c something awful unexpectedly happened in their lives...but I am tired of everyone not taking responsibility for anything, and then saying whoa is me. If you buy a home in NP..make sure you budget for an eventual assessment. Make sure you talk to the county about how it gets paid. Ask your mortgage company to take more into your escrow for those kind of emergencies. BE SMART!
The beach doesn't cure all woes...no. However, if the beach is something you crave, love, have a passion for, cures your ailments (health is a BIG reason people move south)...than that is great, and it's here to be had.
Final point is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, home is subjective to each individual person, happiness means different things to different people, money doesn't always buy happiness, life is what you make it, be smart, stay safe, and just live. Each experience in life makes you appreciate another one more. While you hated PG...it is part of your life's memories. You don't have to go back, and appreciate where you are now more for it. Let others take their own paths, make their own mistakes, and create their own memories.
I have a lot of friends who can't make a decision to save their lives, and are afraid every second of the day to take any risks. Life is way too short. Get out there. No decision you ever make is forever. If you live life that way, you will end up in the same town you grew up in, and will die in. Too much world out there for me!
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11-29-2007, 01:27 PM
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