Cape Coral vs. North Fort Myers (Suncoast Estates: real estate, crime rate, mobile home)

[xoomer]

We have been planning on moving to the Cape Coral area early next year and have been actively searching for a nice pool home on a canal with gulf access. However, I just recently widened the search to North Fort Myers and have found a couple of places that are basically what we are looking for, but appear to be quite a bit cheaper than the equivalent homes in Cape Coral.

My question is, what are the differences, if any, between living in North Fort Myers as opposed to Cape Coral. From what I can tell Cape Coral seems to be more restrictive--i.e., can't park RVs or boats in the driveways--that sort of thing. I'm just wondering if there are any substantial differences between the two places that I should be aware of.

TIA

[st468]

Boating distance/time to the open gulf is the #1 difference. That's why the homes are much cheaper in NFM. We looked at a few there too, and you can get more home for your dollar for sure, but if easy and under an hour's boating time to the gulf is something you are interested in, I'd turn your search back to Cape Coral.

[Angelala]

I would never choose North Ft. Myers over Cape Coral. Cape Coral is much nicer.

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by xoomer

We have been planning on moving to the Cape Coral area early next year and have been actively searching for a nice pool home on a canal with gulf access. However, I just recently widened the search to North Fort Myers and have found a couple of places that are basically what we are looking for, but appear to be quite a bit cheaper than the equivalent homes in Cape Coral.

My question is, what are the differences, if any, between living in North Fort Myers as opposed to Cape Coral. From what I can tell Cape Coral seems to be more restrictive--i.e., can't park RVs or boats in the driveways--that sort of thing. I'm just wondering if there are any substantial differences between the two places that I should be aware of.

TIA

It seems from your post that you have never visited the area, you wouldn't ask this question if you had. Might want to do that before you buy a house. NFM is more or less a giant trailer park. The gulf access from there is well over an hour, unless you own a cigarette racer. Most houses in NFM that aren't trailers are older, most not all. There is nothing in NFM in terms of business. The restrictions are what make Cape Coral the way it is. It might be a pain in the ass, but if you are basing a move off whether or not you can park an RV or boat in your driveway, North Fort Myers might be the way to go. There's a reason it is "quite a bit cheaper."

[nomoresnow]

Come see for yourself. There are nice homes in NFM and some of us actually like living here. Cape Coral has growth issues, one of which is being assessed ungodly amounts of $$ for sewer and water projects in some areas. Yes, more of it is "prettier" than NFM, but you need to do your homework to see what works for you.

Best of luck.

[Kim in FL]

PARTS of North Fort Myers are trailers parks..not all.

[hiknapster]

And parts of Cape Coral are adding city water. A lot of homes already have it. And the price isn't ungodly. In fact, they haven't even agreed on a number, last I heard.

That's kind of a wild stab because someone lives in the less popular, much maligned area that's quite a bit cheaper for a reason.

In the area where they still need to add water the real estate is priced accordingly. You can get a really nice house for a very good price and not live in North Fort Myers, aka, Hillybilly Fort Myers.

NFM is mostly ghetto/white trash mobile home parks and over-priced retiree mobile home parks for the unknowing. Those worried about safety - Cape Coral has the second lowest crime rate in the state - and property values, head to CC. Of course all places are not all things to all people. We have a forum member that constantly complains about CC because he'd prefer his property to be littered with refuse like cargo trailers. He gets indignant when his neighbors complain. He would be happier in - cue the Deliverance music - North Fort Myers.

[Kim in FL]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

We have a forum member that constantly complains about CC because he'd prefer his property to be littered with refuse like cargo trailers. He gets indignant when his neighbors complain. He would be happier in - cue the Deliverance music - North Fort Myers.

I"m thinking he'd fit right in in Scumco..oh, I mean Suncoast Estates...I can't even say that name without laughing out loud...there are no Estates there. Just rednecks, white trash and drugs. Yee Haw.

I like that Cape Coral has rules and if you don't like the rules, don't live in the Cape.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Kim in FL

I"m thinking he'd fit right in in Scumco..oh, I mean Suncoast Estates...I can't even say that name without laughing out loud...there are no Estates there. Just rednecks, white trash and drugs. Yee Haw.

I like that Cape Coral has rules and if you don't like the rules, don't live in the Cape.

Exactly! He's blamed Cape Coral and his real estate agent ever since. I've always thought that Suncoast would have been a better fit...

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by nomoresnow

Come see for yourself. There are nice homes in NFM and some of us actually like living here. Cape Coral has growth issues, one of which is being assessed ungodly amounts of $$ for sewer and water projects in some areas. Yes, more of it is "prettier" than NFM, but you need to do your homework to see what works for you.

Best of luck.

There are a few nice homes. I looked at a house a couple years ago just to buy as rental, it was in Yacht Club Colony or Colony Yacht Club or something like that. It was a nice house, the river was less than a 1000 feet away, but it literally would have taken a boat owner an hour and half to get out to the gulf. Like I said it was nice, but these types of houses are the exception and there aren't many of them. They are also not feasible for gulf access in my opinion. You can enjoy the river and the small canal system up there, but you cannot justify the time and money it would take to get a boat down into actual gulf water unless you have a cabin cruiser and plan to spend a long weekend or something out there.