The truth about Cape Coral/ Ft Myers SWFL Area (Miami: foreclosures, condo)

[pap/paws]

TankskterMan, pick up one of those tourist discount coupon "sheets" that you'll see at the fast food places. and you'll get the names of several air boat ride places. And save the coupons! Get started early! Hwy 41 around Everglades City has a couple. Head south on I-75 to Naples, and GET OFF at exit 101...do not go through the toll booths, and get on hwy 41. It is kind of a congested spot, gas stations/fast food, so be sure you are on the right road.hwy 41. Make sure you have lots of gas, as you will be traveling parrellel to I-75.(alligator alley...you really won't see gators much along here, UNLESS you are high up in a bus, then you see plenty along the swampy banks). Traveling along east, you will pass Collier-Seminole st. pk. where you can go canoeing, camp, and I think take a regular boat to see the birding areas etc. Oh, make sure you have PLENTY of mosquito repellent. although they are not yet out in Naples, our area sprays. Not so there. Head east towards Everglades city, where you will find several air boat ride places. I found them kind of pricey, maybe $45 per person, and usually for your party only, but the one I went on years ago was large, and took a larger group out. Hence, it might be $20 now. It was loud, fast and fun. Just a short ride, not an exploring ride, maybe 20 minutes. But we were satisfied. There are some captured gators there. Getting back on 41, heading east (towards Miami...but of course not that far)there are 2 places you'll want to see. The small, Miccosukee Indian Village, and Shark Valley Visitor center. Very nice. Its a long road that ends at an Observation Tower. Get in the little tram bus to the tower (some walk, no, walk BACK). You will see gators au naturel along the way. But really cool, was when we walked back, we saw some gators, and ha, they were too close up. I don't get it, but they didn't bother anybody, and there were plenty of babies! We really enjoyed that. When you finish, you would head back again west towards "home", as there wouldn't be much to see unless you are going to Miami. Look for, I think its called, Fakahatchee Strand, on the right side.I don't know how well its marked....locate it before you leave, map, GPS, whatever. You know, the everglades is a river of grasses. The Strand is a strip of tall cypress trees, within the swampy area. There is a board walk. Maybe a mile long, into the woods. At the end, we saw alongside the boardwalk, a mama gator and babies, just alongside the RAISED boardwalk. Again, plenty of mosquito repellent!! Then head back as you came. Unless you want to travel through Naples, staying ON 41. You will pass our main street then, 5th Ave., a couple of blocks of pricey shops, with the Gulf at the end. Make a left on Gulfshore blvd and go to 13th st. where there is the fishing pier, & beach, and showers! (after a busy day like this I wouldn't want to stroll along SHOPS). But drive it. A similar place for (a swampwalk like Fakahatchee) for another time is Corkscrew swamp, exit 111, in Collier just before you get to Lee cnty. Exit 111 and head east for about 40 min. You'll see signs. Again, repellent!! Restaurants along 5th are pricey again, but 41 in Naples traveling north, is a regular road with many chain restaurants, fast food. Get on Golden Gate Pkwy, or next road up, Pine Ridge, to head back towards I-75. About 5-10 miles east, but you wouldn't want to travel back to Ft. Myers with all the lights on 41. Have a fun filled day!!

[MikeP]

tankskterMan,
I agree that Everglades City is the place to go for a air boat ride through the everglades. It's about an hour and 1/2 south of Fort Myers. The other posted had a good suggestion about the brochures in resturants (they'll have good coupons!)
My only other advice would be to go on one of the smaller boats. Everyone I've ever talked to about it recommends the smaller boats. I guess the ride is just more fun than the giant ones that seat 20 people.
Have fun!

[Suncoast Guy]

Originally Posted by MikeP

One more thought...
I wonder how all the people who complain about Cape Coral's ordainances would feel about the city allowing grass 2 feet high, appliances, trash and junk cars in the yard, ect....
Sure some of the rules do seems tough, but I like the fact that the city prevents homes from looking like junkyards.
I'll bet the same people complaining about the rules would complain about junk!

Exactly. I think that is a great ordainance. You don't to live in filth, do you? I don't, anyway, but I'm not sure about some of the oddies about here.

Originally Posted by NY62

some people just complain to complain. They could be living in the perfect place and still find something to complain about. by the way for all you folks complaining, there is no such place, no matter where you go there will be something. I have found that most people that are not happy , are really not happy with themselves. People with nothing can be happy where people with everything can be miserable. one more thing for all you folks looking back at the way it used to be, the whole country has changed not just cape coral and fort myers. enjoy the good things and the bad will not seem so bad.

Amen to that!

[paradiddle]

Lee County shows<br>growth in crimes | news-press.com | The News-Press

Charlotte County is down but Lee is up !!!

I find it distrurbing that Lee County ( NFM , Lehigh Acres etc.) is way up.
I know they say Cape Coral is low compared to other 100k plus cities but it's going up and that ain't good.

[NY62]

dont freak out, stats can be very disturbing and misleading. where you live can be perfectly fine . Think about it those areas have alot of empty homes , I am sure they are being robbed and vandelized. Illegals are trying to get money to move to the next place they can find work.

[Suncoast Guy]

Originally Posted by NY62

dont freak out, stats can be very disturbing and misleading.

This is very true.

[capejake]

MikeP- very interesting topic and much appreciated for the detailed info. I am in New England and looking to retire elsewhere. Golf and fishing ( fresh and saltwater) are my primary pursuits for recreation. I am not sure if I could live in year round heat BUT it seems that there are five months where it is really hot and humid(?). I am truly tired of snow and ice and confinement indoors. I would appreciate your thoughts on young people and the job market. I have three sons, two of whom are out of work until springtime. We are talking seriously about relocating, it is just a major task and requires time,thanks again for your help.

[LBDINC]

MIKE is fair in what he has said about the area. I agree as i am a native familiar with most all areas

[Copper24795]

I read your posting with interest. I would like to try and get some correct information concerning Cape Coral. I live in Connecticut, yea the cold state, and I am goin g to travel down there to look at some real estate. I am looking for great areas to live in where its close to places to eat and different activities to do. I understand that there are areas that are not the best, but every town has that.
One thing I am looking into are the Funeral Homes in the area. I am in school now for mortuary sciences.
Any information you can provide would be great.
Thank you.

Originally Posted by MikeP

I'm not one to post, but I felt I needed to address some of the nonsense I've been reading. There's good and bad and I'll address both, but there are clearly people grinding axes in this forum.
First I've read a couple posts saying that there is a lot of crime in Cape Coral or that it's unsafe. This is an absolute joke. Cape Coral is one is the safest citys in the country for it's size. Look at the data. East Fort Myers is a tough area and it's true that Lehigh Acres has seen a significant crime increase.

It is HOT here in the summer and summer is June-October, but November - May is as close to perfect as I've ever seen.
We do have fire ants (as does the whole southeast US), but if you treat your lawn a couple times a year you won't have them.

I've also been reading posts about how expensive homes, taxes and insurance are. Home prices in 2005 were overvalued. Now they're downright cheap. You can get nice 3 bedroom 2 bath homes in Cape Coral (with city utilities) for $150K and you can be on a golf course or gulf access canal for under $300K. These are in clean safe neighboorhoods. Where else can you do that?

Taxes and insurace have increased in recent years, but my taxes and insurance combined are still far less than taxes alone in the northeast.

As for the Water and Sewer assesment in Cape Coral.... Some people here are telling partial truths to scare you.
It's true that it exists and $18K is probably pretty accurate. However thousands of homes already have city water and sewer so there is no assessment. The homes that don't have it still use well and septic. If you buy one of those homes you will eventually (could be a year, could be 20 years) have that assessment, but those homes cost at least 20K less than similiar homes with city utilites. You simply buy a home that already has city utilites if you don't want to deal with the hassel of the assesment. This info is easily available. Any realtor or real estate add will tell you. Or just look on the side of the house, if there's a big water tank thier still on well and septic. Nearly all of SE and SW Cape are now on city utilites. NE and NW are mostly well and septic.

Several posts have said this is a bad area for kids or families. When I moved here 12 years ago that may have been true, but so many young people have moved here in recent years that it's much better. The parks and rec department is unreal. There are tons of activites, classes, sports and the ball fields are like minor league parks. My wife has a mom's groupl that meets once a week at he park. The library has tons of programs too, we're there at least once a week.

I'm a teacher. The schools here are like anywhere there are very good, good, not so good and bad. All schools are given grades A-F. Just research before choosing. I'd be glad to debate the difference between a good school and a bad one. Do you really think all the good teachers and administrators are at the "good" schools? Maybe that should be a different post.

Some areas I'd recommend.... 1. Pine Island it's the best ! Close community, inexpensive Island living 2. McGregor Blvd area of Fort myers. A little pricey but charming. 3. Cape Royal (AKA Royal Tee CC) .It's a beautiful gated community with all houses on the golf course. Prices are from upper $200's into the millions. 4. SW Cape. My favorite section of the Cape.

I wouldn't recommend..... 1. East Fort Myers 2. Lehigh Acres

I'd be happy to give anyone looking for an honest opinion just that. Those of you here to scare people or grind axes please find another place to do it.

[mrcoolmrcool28]

We just got back from Port Charlotte yesterday, and when we came in on 17 from the interstate into Punta Gorda, I remarked to mr.cool how many funeral homes I saw along the way! I said it was kinda cruel to have the funeral homes so near the hospitals....I also noticed a number of them in Port Charlotte too. Good luck!
mrs.cool