[d3tsabo]

Moving to the area in the next month and am looking to rent for the first year or two. Have seen a couple houses that seem nice in the Bobcat Trail community and wondered if anyone could share any specifics with me. I will be working not to far from the mall in Port Charlotte, so looking for something no more than 15-20 minutes away. We are a fairly young family with three children under 5 so early education would be important. Is this a community that would have other families or is it more of a retirement area? Any information would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

[mikey2]

Other people may weigh in here, but I would guess Bobcat Trail would have a lot of retirees.

It's a nice community but the homes were definitely not cheap...selling for 400-500K at one point, so I don't think it was the type of community a lot of families could afford. It's a golf community as well.

Just up the road on Toledo Blade is Lakeside Plantation, which is also a nice community with lots of kids that are the same age as yours. Much more affordable, so rents would likely be less as well.

You might consider that as well.

Mikey

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by d3tsabo

Moving to the area in the next month and am looking to rent for the first year or two. Have seen a couple houses that seem nice in the Bobcat Trail community and wondered if anyone could share any specifics with me. I will be working not to far from the mall in Port Charlotte, so looking for something no more than 15-20 minutes away. We are a fairly young family with three children under 5 so early education would be important. Is this a community that would have other families or is it more of a retirement area? Any information would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

My husband and I were just down there looking with a Real Estate Agent who was born and raised in the area. She stated that Charleston Park was the best neighborhood in NP for young families and children. She said there were tons of kids in there, and the sidewalks are all on culdesacs, so great for playing outside. There are MANY homes for sale in there with asking prices from 229K to 449K (all with pools). Her opinion...the 449K house was the dumbest things she's ever seen, and is about 150K overpriced at the least. Most of the other homes have been accepting offers of 90% of asking price. Happy House Hunting!!!!!! If we move to NP, we'll probably look there, or Venice as my husband will be working in Venice, but we want a larger home for less money.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by mikey2

Other people may weigh in here, but I would guess Bobcat Trail would have a lot of retirees.

It's a nice community but the homes were definitely not cheap...selling for 400-500K at one point, so I don't think it was the type of community a lot of families could afford. It's a golf community as well.

Just up the road on Toledo Blade is Lakeside Plantation, which is also a nice community with lots of kids that are the same age as yours. Much more affordable, so rents would likely be less as well.

You might consider that as well.

Mikey

I sort of thought that was a 55+ community as well. I might be confusing it with Talon Bay, but one of the gated communities in NP is 55+. Heron Creek is very overpriced, and mainly retirees, Bobcat mainly retirees and middle aged golfers (I'm told). The area of NP, not in a gated community, that has children is off Chamberlain by Bonanza and around there...a little more built up. There is a home on Bonanza which is nice. 1900 sq. feet with brand new pool and paver deck, bamboo floors, phenomenal landscaping, fenced back yard, only asking 229K, so would probably be able to buy for 180-190K. Might be worth looking into as there are no fees for that home. The best elementary school I'm told is Lamarque, and the least desireable elementary is Glenn Allyn (but that is the RE Agent's opinion). Although, there is also Pine View School for gifted kids (must test to get in) which is ranked 5th in the nation, and is 2nd through 12th grade. I think it's in Osprey, but they have busses from NP.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by d3tsabo

Moving to the area in the next month and am looking to rent for the first year or two. Have seen a couple houses that seem nice in the Bobcat Trail community and wondered if anyone could share any specifics with me. I will be working not to far from the mall in Port Charlotte, so looking for something no more than 15-20 minutes away. We are a fairly young family with three children under 5 so early education would be important. Is this a community that would have other families or is it more of a retirement area? Any information would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

Also, I would definitely move to NP before I'd move my family to Port Charlotte! Email me directly if you'd like to speak to the RE Agent I know. She is a wealth of information...young herself, with 3 kids (3-11) and a husband who is an electrician in the area. She lives in NP as do her parents. She was born and raised on Manasota Key, so she knows her stuff. She knows of many rentals, and can tell you what areas to stay away from, and what builders don't do a good job. Right now there are TONS of rentals in the area, so she could get you a really good deal through her connections. I think she also owns 5+ rental homes in the area for folks in your position that she works with.

[memoriesbre]

Bobcat Trail is mostly retirement age. I don't even know if younger families live in there. The majority of the area is older rather than younger families.

[Racelady88]

If you want to avoid over priced stay away from Talon Bay.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by memoriesbre

Bobcat Trail is mostly retirement age. I don't even know if younger families live in there. The majority of the area is older rather than younger families.

That is actually not true. Sorry. Venice, yes, but North Port is actually a good mix. That is why there are 4 elementary schools there, and the middle and high schools are the size of a large malls. That data is available online somewhere.

[mikey2]

There is a brand new middle school being built off Toledo Blade (North Port) in the Woodlands the likes of which I have never seen in my life.

This middle school is honestly bigger than Community Colleges I've seen. It's really going to be nice. It's supposed to be ready by August.

There are 10,000 school age children in North Port, which has invested heavily in their education.
The High School is about 6 years old and cost 52 million to build.

Mikey

[popmaxcl]

I moved to Bobcat Trail in 2004 with my husband and two daughters ages 11 and 7. We made two very good friends with families with one child age 10 and one with four children ages 3 through 14.

The majority of Bobcat residents act as if it is a 55+ community. We had golfers yell at our daughters in our own swimming pool! We had to fight to get the school bus into the neighborhood to pick up the children rather than on BUSY Toledo Blade in front of the gate house.

They were going to spend all this money on a new Club house but did not want anything spent on a little playground....because of "liability". Don't you think liability is more for a swimming pool at the club house?

We also had bought a house on Silver Palm for my parents and they moved back.

I do know that at least 2 out of the 3 homes our three families purchased went into foreclosure. Don't you wish we were still there??? Even with our HORRIBLE children? You know...if you want a 55+ community...then BUY in a 55+ Community!!