Concerns buying homes north of Pine Island Rd (Cape Coral, Punta Gorda: foreclosure, renters)

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Billythepokerkid

Publix has totally monopolized the area. It's only real competition is Walmart and/or Target. There is a BJs, but it's membership and it's not even close to what I would consider quickly accessible. There are also a couple Sweetbays around, but again, nothing near the numbers of Publix. There are probably 25 Publix in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers combined, so basically they can charge whatever they want and people really have no choice but to either pay it or spend an hour going to Walmart to get a few things.

I could see Publix firing up to do this. At the time I worked on 41 at the Estero Publix. I also opened the one near FGCU and there was one not far away in San Carlos Park. One was a mile away from the other and the next about a mile and-a-half beyond that. I thought, are they kidding me? But they thought they'd do what Walmart did, I guess.

I can't wait to see what happens up here in Knoxville. We have an incredible amount of grocery stores...Kroger's, Earth Fare, Fresh Market, Super Target, Super Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Food Lion, Trader Joes, Food City, Whole Foods, Aldi's...and we have LOTS of these.

[dualie]

I've rented a house in Pirate Harbor on Burnt Store Rd this season. For any shopping I have to make a decision, head south to Cape Coral, or north to Punta Gorda. Seems I mostly have been heading south.
It is a bit of a drive but I'm used to it. At home I have at least a 15 min. drive to get to a grocery, 30 minutes or more to anything considered a shopping center.

I've been driving through some of the communities (?) off of Kismet trying to figure out shortcuts to get to the shopping areas. Some really nice homes, some not so nice, but all in all it looks ok. Just a bit barren. It sure appears that it would be quiet without all the traffic. If they only had some trees it would feel more like the country.

Punta Gorda is an interesting little town, but kind of tough to figure out what is where. I do like the feel of it though and will spend more time walking downtown in the coming months.

Some of us don't want to live in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, I like the quiet up here. But I also have an offer in on a house on Pine Island, so I guess I better like to drive to get anywhere!

And as far as Publix goes.. I love that store! They have real bread! Bread with a crust!!!! Not something that is easy to find in Florida- us yankees like our crusty bread. I'll go to a Publix over any other store in the south, clean, bright, good products. I wish they were in PA.
Dual

[vacoder]

Originally Posted by dualie

I've rented a house in Pirate Harbor on Burnt Store Rd this season. For any shopping I have to make a decision, head south to Cape Coral, or north to Punta Gorda. Seems I mostly have been heading south.
It is a bit of a drive but I'm used to it. At home I have at least a 15 min. drive to get to a grocery, 30 minutes or more to anything considered a shopping center.

I've been driving through some of the communities (?) off of Kismet trying to figure out shortcuts to get to the shopping areas. Some really nice homes, some not so nice, but all in all it looks ok. Just a bit barren. It sure appears that it would be quiet without all the traffic. If they only had some trees it would feel more like the country.

Punta Gorda is an interesting little town, but kind of tough to figure out what is where. I do like the feel of it though and will spend more time walking downtown in the coming months.

Some of us don't want to live in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, I like the quiet up here. But I also have an offer in on a house on Pine Island, so I guess I better like to drive to get anywhere!

And as far as Publix goes.. I love that store! They have real bread! Bread with a crust!!!! Not something that is easy to find in Florida- us yankees like our crusty bread. I'll go to a Publix over any other store in the south, clean, bright, good products. I wish they were in PA.
Dual

There is a trolley tour in Punta Gorda that can give you idea of where things are. You can find the schedule on the Punta Gorda chamber of commerce site. Often they have special tours like a margheritta Trolley tour that takes you to about 20 local restaurants/bars for free tastings. Kind of a neat way to check out different establishment menus and atmosphere.

I'm also from the northeast. I hear you on the crusty bread. It often can be hard to find down south. And forget about a true Italian bakery.

[Taratova]

I live just north of Kismet and it isn't bad to go anywhere. Littleton rd shoots one over to 41 with no traffic. Publix is a stone throw and some of the health conscious people in the neighborhood walk to Publix for exercise. I have to say I drive!

Very quiet here and nice neighbors too. The homes are kept nice and there is a lot of different type homes here too.

I have a small home 1800 sf under air ,compared to my two neighbors on each side of me, and with the other outside screened areas and garage it is spacious enough when I added another lanai area

. There are a few empty lots behind me which I love for privacy and thinking about buying the one behind my home. The streets around my area , some streets have many houses, and others have some empty lots but not many. Kind of nice to see some homes with lots of land around it.


One really has to look around the neighborhood to see what it really is and how people keep their homes.

I have been to the SE section many times and it has some great homes south of Cape Coral parkway and the end of the parkway too. More mature trees in that area and nice landscaping too.

[CobraKen]

Originally Posted by dualie

I've rented a house in Pirate Harbor on Burnt Store Rd this season. Bread with a crust!!!! Not something that is easy to find in Florida- us yankees like our crusty bread.

Originally Posted by vacoder

I'm also from the northeast. I hear you on the crusty bread. It often can be hard to find down south. And forget about a true Italian bakery.

Try the homemade Italian bread from Burnt Store Market & Restaurant in the Turtle Crossing's Plaza just past Burnt Store Village. My Italy born sister-in-law was here a few months ago and fell madly in love with it !!! In a weeks time I think we went through 10 loaves...
A good Italian bakery, try Romano's in Port Charlotte.

[MikeP]

I'll gladly pay a little extra at publix to avoid going to a Walmart.

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by MikeP

I'll gladly pay a little extra at publix to avoid going to a Walmart.

If it was in fact "a little more" I would too. But it's actually a lot more. I bought deli meat/cheese at Publix 2 weeks ago and Walmart this week. Publix 8.99/lb for turkey breast, 7.99/lb ham, 6.99/lb salami, 6.99/lb white american cheese. Same exact meat/cheese at Walmart, same brand and everything 3.98/lb turkey breast, 4.98/lb ham, 4.98 salami, 4.98/white american cheese. Turkey breast is over double at Publix.

[rikoshaprl]

Originally Posted by Billythepokerkid

If it was in fact "a little more" I would too. But it's actually a lot more. I bought deli meat/cheese at Publix 2 weeks ago and Walmart this week. Publix 8.99/lb for turkey breast, 7.99/lb ham, 6.99/lb salami, 6.99/lb white american cheese. Same exact meat/cheese at Walmart, same brand and everything 3.98/lb turkey breast, 4.98/lb ham, 4.98 salami, 4.98/white american cheese. Turkey breast is over double at Publix.

Walmart carries Boars head? The cold cuts in BJ's are gross. Sweetbays doesn't have Boars Head either.

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

Walmart carries Boars head? The cold cuts in BJ's are gross. Sweetbays doesn't have Boars Head either.

I would't buy deli meat at BJ's. I don't think they have Boars Head, I don't buy Boars Head anyways, but they have Sara Lee, Purdue, Land O Lakes, etc.

[hiknapster]

Quick aside about Walmart: They are famous for going into an area, slashing their prices and then putting other stores out of business. After they do that they raise their prices. There are studies that prove that. However, starting at the beginning of last year stockholders started to grumble, stock prices were slipping. So almost nationwide they went in and cut prices. I'm always checking their prices and it is really true. I don't know how long that will last but for now...

One more thing, they've been shut out of many communities and that has stockholders up in arms as well. So they've decided to go into cities where there is often was considered a "food desert" regarding grocery stores. A Walmart, along with a Publix, was announced today to be built in the city of Knoxville, very close to downtown and next to the University of Tennessee flagship school.