Cape Coral-- Why do so many people speak negatively about it??? (Fort Myers: loan, homes)

[joe aloha]

Originally Posted by NYBill

Welcome Joe Aloha. It's finally nice to see someone with some reason and thought instead of just plain old one sided bickering thus creating a negative atmosphere.

I hear from some of my old buddies from Long Island NY and the cost of living there is out of site. The taxes they pay for a postage stamp size property and a 2 level 2200 suare foot home are about 11K a year. Then if you own a boat add the price of a wets slip and winter storage plus the added cost of wineterizing the boat and shrink wrap. Add another 5-8 k depending on boat size and location. That is just a bill at that point.

Here I keep my boat in the backyard with a brand new dock and lift and even if my taxes went up because of these items it becomes a write off because of the taxes rather then just a bill like paying rent.

There is no perfect place IMHO but this is not as bad as some seem to make it.

Your statements about growth and crime hit the subject right on the head and couldn't be anything more true but some just don't get it.

Good luck in your search and don't let the nay sayers sway you in your search.

OH BTW I am still a NY FOOTBALL GIANTS~~~SUPER BOWL CHAMPS fan !!!! I still can'e believe they still won it all.

Cheerleaders don't make the difference....LOL.

Hey Bill!! I was cheering for those Giants this January leave it up to the new yorkers to put those upity New Englanders in their place lol! No offense to those patriot fans out there you got one hell of a team. Thanks for the words of encouragement

[joe aloha]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

I am in Cape Coral, I really like it here, I would live here over Fort Myers or tampa any day. I like Sarasota too, it's pretty nice there, I lived in Bradenton on the border of Sararota, and in a nice area. There are some not so good areas of Bradenton, but very few bad areas of Sarasota. Sarasota is more expensive to live in. For example, this house I rent in cape coral is $875 a month, 3 years old, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, and a very good owner, he takes rediculously good care of this place. In bradenton, I was looking there too before I decided to stay here in CC, the houses were $1000 and up, nothing less. Even Duplexes were $1000 and up. Here, houses are $700 and up. Duplexes $600 up.

North Port is nice too. I just prefer Cape Coral.

Thanks Back to Fla for the tips we are looking at sarasota and we just keep on looking back at cape coral. The houses on sale there are beautiful swimming pools, screened lanais the works. Did a quick study of the area through your news network there and found pockets where crimes are constantly reported ie north fort myers, not good
but areas around cape coral look great. I must admit we are probably in a different situation than some people here we have savings I have some marketable skills ad our housing market is still relatively strong. Selling the house we will still get more than what we paid and it will significantly reduce our mortgage in Cape Coral. We are really excited

[ChrisA70]

Yes, North Fort Myers and anything from Paige field(dinky airport) north is not good, except for the McGregor Rd. area, but you have to be loaded to live off that area. Try to look into the Capes SW and NW areas.

[Favre4311]

I close on my home in Cape Coral in April - bought a beautiful house in the SW Area. But am quite concerned about the schools. My son is in gifted up here, and I was unable to get a pick last week down there because I didn't have proof of address yet (he will be entering 6th grade, and we are moving right by Challenger). Hopefully someone can calm my nerves on this one! Thanks, and looking forward to moving down there.

[NY62]

Originally Posted by Favre4311

I close on my home in Cape Coral in April - bought a beautiful house in the SW Area. But am quite concerned about the schools. My son is in gifted up here, and I was unable to get a pick last week down there because I didn't have proof of address yet (he will be entering 6th grade, and we are moving right by Challenger). Hopefully someone can calm my nerves on this one! Thanks, and looking forward to moving down there.

Where did you buy? I just put an offer on a home in sandoval community. But on other posts they will have you believe no one is buying.

[kberr32]

Originally Posted by 121804

So poor wages & a horrific real estate situation are posted just for the heck of it? It's not false information & more of a sad story than anything else.

It is not fair not to tell people what the reality is & there is both bad & good in that particular area. Plain & simple.

Everyone's situation is different & everyone's opinions are valid.

Poor wages and the horrific real estate situation is happening in a lot of places, Michigan is one of the worst. The biggest difference and maybe the only difference between florida and Michigan is the weather, thats about it.

[hiknapster]

I respectfully disagree. Michigan did not have a huge housing bubble. Lots of People in southwest Florida are severely upside down on their mortgages.

“Other states in the country have other industries that are still pulling things along,” he said. “But in your locale, the housing boom we experienced was an unprecedented historical episode, and just as unprecedented is the collapse that followed. We won’t see either again in our lifetime, but that’s probably not bad news.”

Victims of Lee bust opt for bankruptcy | news-press.com | The News-Press (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080323/RE/80323018 - broken link)

[ChrisA70]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I respectfully disagree. Michigan did not have a huge housing bubble. Lots of People in southwest Florida are severely upside down on their mortgages.

“Other states in the country have other industries that are still pulling things along,” he said. “But in your locale, the housing boom we experienced was an unprecedented historical episode, and just as unprecedented is the collapse that followed. We won’t see either again in our lifetime, but that’s probably not bad news.”

Victims of Lee bust opt for bankruptcy | news-press.com | The News-Press (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080323/RE/80323018 - broken link)

As much as I do like it here in Cape Coral. I have to agree about the housing. my mother is in bad with her mortgage, 3 months behind after my step father lost his job. They have been making it by, by the skin of thier teeth. They are getting out of thier house, and renting. It seems renting is a lot better deal, no taxes, insurance, or mortgage.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

As much as I do like it here in Cape Coral. I have to agree about the housing. my mother is in bad with her mortgage, 3 months behind after my step father lost his job. They have been making it by, by the skin of thier teeth. They are getting out of thier house, and renting. It seems renting is a lot better deal, no taxes, insurance, or mortgage.

Things are not so good in lee county."Other states in the country have other industries that are still pulling things along,” he said. “But in your locale, the housing boom we experienced was an unprecedented historical episode, and just as unprecedented is the collapse that followed. We won’t see either again in our lifetime, but that’s probably not bad news.”



Victims of Lee bust opt for bankruptcy | news-press.com | The News-Press (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080323/RE/80323018/1014/BUSINESS - broken link)

[whippersnapper]

I gotta disagree. Parts of North Fort Myers (Waterway Estates, Moody River, east of I-75, Daughtry's Creek) are fine. Also, look into SE Cape, especially if you will be working in Fort Myers.

As for Cape schools, my boss's son is at Oasis and he seems to like it so far. Trafalgar is also a pretty good middle school.