looking to relocate to port charlotte (Clearwater, Boca Raton: relocating, foreclosures, travel)

[KCATSULO]

Family Of 3 With 12yr Old Son Looking To Get Out Of Nj. I Heard The Schools In Port Charlotte Are Pretty Good. Hows The Housing And Job Market. Help!

[jmfkmb49]

FYI... The Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda area has mostly retirees.

[SoFLGal]

If you are looking in SW Florida I would look in the next city north, North Port. The schools in Sarasota county are rated much higher than in Charlotte county. The average age in North Port is 38 and Port Charlotte's average age is in the 60's. I actually moved from Charlotte County to Sarasota county for the schools. The schools in Charlotte county aren't bad, I just preferred the Sarasota county schools.

As far as the job market goes, it depends on what your occupation is.

There are lots of really good deals right now in the housing market and most people are really willing to bargain.

[121804]

Originally Posted by KCATSULO

Family Of 3 With 12yr Old Son Looking To Get Out Of Nj. I Heard The Schools In Port Charlotte Are Pretty Good. Hows The Housing And Job Market. Help!

Sorry to whoever gave you that information.

Job market in SWFL is awful as is the housing market.

If you are retiring, snowbirding, or an older couple with no children, it's a great place.

Schools are not that good nor are there many resources for families there minus a YMCA & a few sports clubs. You have to travel to Fort Myers or Sarasota to do majority of activities.

Also, as stated above, Port Charlotte & Punta Gorda (city right next to it) are primarily retirees & snowbirds.

Suggest looking further north into Sarasota County.

Charlotte County is not worth packing up the family & moving across the country. It also has the largest population of 65+ in the country. Please tell me how excited a teenager is to hear that fact...Not fair to move your young family there.

[Augie]

and I would agree with the comments herein. A lot of retirees in Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda and the schools seem only so-so, from what I hear. Not a terrible area at all, but may not be a young family's dream. Just my 2 cents to a fellow Garden Stater. On the other hand, a much better place than N.J. in many respects.

[katz44486]

I am considering relocating to the west coast of Fl. from the east coast (Boca Raton). Punta Gorda appears to be a perfect location as my business takes me all along the coast, from Ft. Myers to Clearwater.

I am looking for that small town feel. Can't hack the traffic in Ft. Myers, Sarasota etc.

Now to my ?'s

I visited P/G last Sunday and was taken by a realtor to Deep Creek. By the way my price range is <$200,000. (I guess she seemed to feel that this is where there is the most to offer in my price range.)

I was impressed with the sq. footage for the money. On the downside, while we probable drove 3-5 miles through the community I did not see even one person. Now remember it was Sunday, no one was walking their dog, no one washing their cars, no one gardening, no pool parties, no cookouts - Nothing. It was like a ghost town.

Now I'm aware that many of the homes are vacant but I'd at least want to know a few of my neighbors.

Can someone advise me????

? Can you tell me more about Punta Gorda?

? Deep Creek restrictions, I've read them and am never in favor of limits.

? I would like to be able to do a lot of planting, the restrictions do not cover this except for new construction and keeping park like. are they strict?

? Fences not over 3', I saw none, how strict are they? I want to have a dog and would like to fence in the property for that reason.

? Real ? does P/G offer more than Deep Creek in my price range?

? Do I want to continue my search in P/G?

? Would you suggest another place adjacent to 75 instead?

[SoFLGal]

I went on a listing appointment in Deep Creek a few weeks ago and he said he was selling because the deed restrictions are way to strict. He said that they nit pick every little thing that he does. That's just one persons opinion though. I don't know this first hand, just what I was told.

I believe the deed restrictions say no fences higher than 4'. And yes they are strict on that rule.

Did you check into North Port? It's just north of the Deep Creek area. There are some pretty good deals there, especially with the foreclosures.

Good luck with your search

[121804]

Originally Posted by katz44486

I was impressed with the sq. footage for the money. On the downside, while we probable drove 3-5 miles through the community I did not see even one person. Now remember it was Sunday, no one was walking their dog, no one washing their cars, no one gardening, no pool parties, no cookouts - Nothing. It was like a ghost town.

That's Deep Creek for ya!

Initally, we looked in that area, more due to the allure our realtor put on it due to what you can get for your money. We then spent lots of time without our realtor looking around at all different times of the day.
It offers little to nothing & the deed restrictions are pretty silly for that community.

I did take my son to the one park they have for 5,000 homes a few times & every time we went there was no one there.

If you are older & without children, PG would be a nice place.

Deep Creek doesn't have sidewalks nor does much of PG, so walking a dog could be a challenge. There is a dog park in PG that gets quite busy due to this fact.

Avoid DC.

Good luck.