Opinions on Northport vs Port Charlotte? (Sarasota, North Port: real estate, transplants, house)

[MrTudo]

Any Port Charloteers here? North Port people? How would you compare Northport with Port Charlotte?

Will Coconut Palms Live in Northport?

And Areca palms? Is it just a few degrees too cold in the winter for these?

Fruit trees are no problem yes?

Anyone here in in NP, what do you think about the well water? What kind of filter system are you using and what does a good one cost these days?

How's Comcast for internet in Northport? It's blazing fast here in Port Charlotte.

Thank you

[SoFLGal]

I like North Port better than Port Charlotte, for me it had a lot to do with the schools, which I know isn't an issue for you. I like the look of North Port better as well, it's a newer city. The strip malls along the road in Port Charlotte look old and run down. Most of the ones in North Port are brand new and have some style to them. There are many brand new stores coming to North Port, which is nice. One thing I didn't like about North Port is that we don't have and emergency room close by but they are building one that will be finished in early 2009.

I'm not sure about the palm tree question but my business partner would know, she's a gardener. I do know that fruit trees are no problem in North Port, they are all over. You do need to cover them up when frost hits though.

I actually prefer a well to city water, you don't have a big bill each month. Every month we have a guy come out and test the well for salt and if it needs it he dumps it in. I think it runs around $30 per month. My husband could do this but he kept forgetting so I figured it would just be easier to have someone come out and do it to keep it on schedule. Then every six months we have the filters under the sink changed and the whole system scrubbed out and flushed. This runs around $100 and that's pretty much it.

We use the filter system that came with the house, so it was no extra charge. I think the fancy ones can run you into the thousands of dollars. We drink the well water that comes out of the filter from the sink. It tastes better than the water at my dads home in NP, he has city water. My clothes come out looking fine as well, no yellowing or anything like that.

I live off S. Chamberlain and the Comcast is very fast here as well.

Wow, you're a night owl-posted at 1:43 am

[MrTudo]

SOFLGAL I beleieve it's YOUR fault that I was up so late last night

I'd also be interested in knowing if Mango can grow there.

Where we live in PC, our Areca's took a good hit last month from that cold wave. Someone told me that if we were located on the other side of Midway, that this wouldn't have been a problem. I find this all very hard to believe but then when we drove to the fish market ( have you ever been to the one that's located on the way to that crappy restarant, the Riviera? The fish market is awesome ), there's a house with a fence made of areca's and from what saw, not one frond was burned. So maybe it's not Midway but the bridge which is more like 4 miles from us.

[outsider1]

Any Port Charloteers here? North Port people? How would you compare Northport with Port Charlotte?

I have a two acquaintances that are in NP. Both are transplants from Chicago. One moved to Warm Mineral Springs some 8 years ago and absolutely loves it there. When there was a chance to sell high in 2005, didn't even entertain a thought of it.

The other actually moved to Port Charlotte, over 2 years ago. Rented for close to a year, didn't like it. Said that the whole place had sort of a "full of uncertainty" feeling. Moved to Sarasota, rented for 7 month, loved it, didn't want to pay premium for being at the rich man's playground. Eventually moved to North Port(I think it's a newer subdivision off Cranberry) last fall and seems to be delighted about it.



Will Coconut Palms Live in Northport?
The one in Warm Mineral Springs is an avid gardner. Inherited a coconut from a previous owner. Planted another two(one by actually germinating the nut. The growth is slow to almost non-existant in the winter. The one he inherited is about 18 years old but never fruited or even bloomed for that matter. I think it's the case with coconuts in this area of SW Florida. You either need to be right on the gulf or, if you're that far inland, as south as Collier county for them to bloom.

And Areca palms? Is it just a few degrees too cold in the winter for these?
Sorry, I haven't seen any in NP. In fact Casey key was about the only place I saw a couple of them in Sarasota. I think they're at least as sensetive as coconuts.

Fruit trees are no problem yes?
Warm mineral springs fellow has about four type of mandarins that are doing great. Also a couple of Hayden mango that fruit with limited success. He got those at Pine island nursery. Also has two Kents but that he grew from seed of a store bought fruit. Those two are still young to jump to any conclusions, but they tried to bloom during th last two winters and dropped the bloom both times.


Anyone here in in NP, what do you think about the well water? What kind of filter system are you using and what does a good one cost these days?
Being in WMS he has well water obviously. I have no idea what treatment system they use, but the water in his house tasted somewhat better than tap one in Sarasota.

[SoFLGal]

I have seen Areca palms in North Port and a few coconut palms. Coconut palms seem to do better closer to the salt water, where is rarely freezes. We do get a day or two of freezing temps some years, but not every year. Lots of people grow bananas, loquats, and other tropical fruit in North Port. I haven't seen mangos here, but I had producing mangos on Longboat Key, which is much farther north, but closer to the gulf. I think the tropical plants will grow in North Port if protected by a wind break from the north wind. That's what usually does the damage. I covered my ginger plant this year and only got the tips of the leaves burned.

[SoFLGal]

By the way, I used to live around Edgewater and Midway in Port Charlotte and still got some frostburn on tender plants.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

I covered my ginger plant this year and only got the tips of the leaves burned.

Ginger plants? Not to sound TOO Polish but, this is the ginger plant that produces ginger yes?

[MrTudo]

Well it was a good day seeing some of Northport with a top real estate professional today. We wish we met you sooner! Dang you're good.

Am I allowed to say this here?

Now to learn the developments etc. Explain to us where we want and do not want to be based on what you know thus far, or explain what the individual developments are all about. You have some on your website but not all of them.

Again, hope I'm not breaking any rules here but both of us are very happy to have met you and look forward to the house hunt with you.

And so we're not completly OT, we saw some Areca palms in NP today!

[outsider1]

To add to my previous post - I forgot to mention papaya. That one acutally seemed to be doing very well in the parts of NP that I visited. Just make sure to get one of the smaller, better-tasting Asian or Brazilian varieties because many Central American ones taste like... well, much worse than chicken

Good luck in your house search!

[MrTudo]

Papaya is good !