considering moving to ft myers florida (Cape Coral, Fort Myers: low income, fit in, rent)

[lwhalenky]

We are considering retiring to ft myers. What are the best, safest areas to consider? I am hearing horror stories about the area regarding crime and gangs. Any info would be much appreciated. thanks. :-)

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by lwhalenky

We are considering retiring to ft myers. What are the best, safest areas to consider? I am hearing horror stories about the area regarding crime and gangs. Any info would be much appreciated. thanks. :-)

Ft. Myers does have a considerable about more crime than Naples, Bonita and Estero. Traffic is horrific most of the time also. I find Ft. Myers to be the more dirty run down part of the SWFL area. You're better imo going to Estero..

[TamRE]

My suggestion would be to come down and rent for a couple of weeks or a month in Ft Myers and check out the area before moving. I recently sold a house to a couple that was looking in Ft Myers but came up to Punta Gorda and bought. They liked the smaller, less congested area.

How to choose the right neighborhood
One of the most important things to determine in moving is location, location, location. How do you know what neighborhood is right for you? Here is a list that might help you.

1. Would you enjoy living there?
2. How far of a commute is it from work, school, shopping, hospitals, restaurants, parks, entertainment and transportation? Take a test drive.
3. Drive through the neighborhood to get an idea of what it is like. You may want to go at different times throughout the day. What is the noise and traffic level?
4. Does the neighborhood have curb appeal? It is well maintained? Does it have nice landscaping?
5. Does the neighborhood fit in with your demographics? Are you looking for a family friendly neighborhood, a deed restricted neighborhood, a 55 and older retirement neighborhood, or a high or low income neighborhood?
6. Price makes all the difference. Do some research to find out the price range of the neighborhoods so that you can eliminate ones that do not fit within your budget.
7. Check to see what the neighborhood crime statistics are. Look around for graffiti or other signs of criminal activity. Check with local police or check the police blotter in the local newspaper. You want to live in a safe neighborhood.
8. Be aware of any new construction or zoning laws that may be in the neighborhood.
9. If you are choosing a deed restricted community with a homeowner association, find out what the fees are?

Best of luck to you.

[justNancy]

There are numerous threads about Fort Myers and I suggest you spend some time reading of them. You also need to be much more specific about your price range, employment situation, and family needs (i.e., schools, libraries, daycare, medical facilities, special needs, etc.)

Fort Myers has many beautiful homes. I've met many well educated, financially secure people who own homes in Fort Myers and prefer it to Naples. Every city has its good & bad sections. There's plenty of crime in Naples too. Why else would so many people want to live behind a gate with a security guard?

Yes, Fort Myers has some very rough sections, and there have been reports of gangs and gun violence on the news for years, but it has just as many lovely communities.

Unless you live in SWFL it's hard to describe the demographics. What I mean is that one town runs into the other. Whether you live in one of the gorgeous estate homes in Devonwood in Fort Myers or a condo in Breckenridge in Estero, you still live off of route 41 South and one community is only a few minutes from the other. They are both very nice places to live, depending on your budget. The people who bought one of those multi-million dollar houses in Miromar Lakes in Fort Myers would have to be idiots to spend so much money if Fort Myers is a low class, dangerous city when you can buy a large 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath 2 story house in Copper Oaks in Estero for around $160,000.

The library is getting ready to close, so I need to stop for now, but I think I made my point. Bye!

[Swampbird]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

Ft. Myers does have a considerable about more crime than Naples, Bonita and Estero. Traffic is horrific most of the time also. I find Ft. Myers to be the more dirty run down part of the SWFL area. You're better imo going to Estero..

Isn't Bonita/Estero much more $$ than Ft. Myers? I love Bonita, but I ruled it out because I thought it would be expensive to live there.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by Swampbird

Isn't Bonita/Estero much more $$ than Ft. Myers? I love Bonita, but I ruled it out because I thought it would be expensive to live there.

In general, yes, especially in a safe neighborhood near the beach. I lived in Bonita Springs for over 13 years until 2009 and know most of the areas very well. However, no matter what city you choose, it really depends on the neighborhood as I previously wrote. There are million dollar homes in Cape Coral too. Usually you get a lot less for your money when you live close to the beach. Naples is generally much more expensive than other cities in SWFL, but there are areas like Golden Gate City and Golden Gate Estates, where you can find many homes listed for under $100,000. Estero can be more expensive than Fort Myers, but not necessarily, as I pointed out in my last post.

I said in my above post that it all depends on the community, and it does. For example, if you asked many people here if they'd buy a home in East Fort Myers, you'd probably get a reaction like this. Yet if you were looking at homes in Verandah, a Bonita Bay development, many listed are over $1M and IIRC the HOA fees are very high. Then there are those pricey highrise condos near downtown Fort Myers on the river. Some people enjoy living near the city. I mean, let's take a larger city like Atlanta. It's always been in the top ten for cities with high crime. However, you can live in an expensive, upscale neighborhood with lots of security and feel safe. Coming from Boston, I know if you use common sense and avoid the crime-plagued neighborhoods, you lower your chances of being a victim. It just depends on the lifestyle you desire.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by lwhalenky

We are considering retiring to ft myers. What are the best, safest areas to consider? I am hearing horror stories about the area regarding crime and gangs. Any info would be much appreciated. thanks. :-)

Sorry, I need more brain cells. You are talking about retiring and I asked about jobs and schools.

Still, read the sticky for newbies and the many threads on this subject!

[nomoresnow]

Lots of good suggestions here. TamRE suggested looking into HOA fees. I'd like to add to that a bit. If there is an HOA, make sure you read their by-laws and prospectus and make sure that the rules are something you can live with before you sign on the bottom line.

Best of luck to you.

[CJR8620]

I've only been living here a few weeks. I just wanted to add that I like Fort Myers, Estero, and Naples. I can't stand Cape Coral, I know a few people that I grew up with who live around there and there is just nothing to do. Not too fond of Leigh Acres either.

[solb]

To everyone, I need a place to stay in Fort myers while i'm in training in my new job, after a months I will be moving to Ponta Gorda, Plaase can somebody help me to find an afordable place to stay. thank you