Cape Coral, FL...do or don't? (Miami, Sanibel: attorney, real estate, broker)

[kappersack]

Cape Coral is not that nice....why dont you think about Fort myers or Naples.

[Milabs]

Ask yourself this...can you afford to live on $7 an hour? At your age..that's about all you'll make in Cape Coral...unless you get a good waiting job and with those jobs you need to work alot of hours and there are no benefits.

As a parent with a child you're age I have to ask...what do your parents think?

And dont' let anyone fool you...it's not the safe place it used to be.

[Floridian34210]

Originally Posted by kappersack

Cape Coral is not that nice....why dont you think about Fort myers or Naples.

FORT MYERS SUCKS!! Naples is $$. Cape Coral may be $$ as well, but Cape would be better for you. Again, Choosy Wisely.

[Floridian34210]

Originally Posted by 2peaches2oranges

My vote is "no." Look at the Tampa area instead. Good Luck!

Tampa is not bad, if you don't mind walking into a gas station and coming out with your car missing, or having a man with a gun hide behind a garbage can and shoot you when you see him. Tampa is too unsafe. Stick to the Cape, you'll be better than. "My vote is ''no''" to Tampa.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by Floridan34210

FORT MYERS SUCKS!! Naples is $$. Cape Coral may be $$ as well, but Cape would be better for you. Again, Choosy Wisely.

The Sarasota-Bradenton market was down 18 percent from the same time in 2005. That was the second biggest drop in the state behind Fort Myers-Cape Coral, which saw a drop of 23 percent.” I dont think Cape Coral is $$ never was and never will be a Naples.

[V20]

Originally Posted by firemed

The Sarasota-Bradenton market was down 18 percent from the same time in 2005. That was the second biggest drop in the state behind Fort Myers-Cape Coral, which saw a drop of 23 percent.” I dont think Cape Coral is $$ never was and never will be a Naples.

For the two years before the drop Cape Coral jumped up 26% one year and then 49% the next year. So a 23% drop really isn't a terrible price collapse.

You are right Naples is $$ - but it wasn't 5 years ago (I bought a great condo in Naples in 2002 for $118,500). It definintely wasn't 10 years ago.

I love Naples. Naples is awesome. My view is that they are not going to do anything to make Naples better. It is at its peak. So if you can afford it you should buy in Naples. For 3 million dollars you can buy a tear down house (gulf access) in Aqualane Shores that was $600-700k six years ago. You then can build your dream home there.

If like most people that is slightly out of your price range you must look elsewhere.

My view of Cape Coral is that it is in its infancy. Cape Coral will change immensely over the next decade or so. Some think it will be for the worse. I think it will be for the best. There are 1.2 billion dollars in developments in the planning or permitting stage in the 1.5 mile stretch of downtown Cape Coral. There are an additional 200,000 people expected to move into the city in the next 14 years.

It is my belief that Cape Coral will follow the path of Naples in the future. Sailboat access homes in the Yacht Club (just south of the above mentioned development area) are now acquirable at $350k. With all the planned high-end developments and the massive population growth it is clear that saltwater access properties in Cape Coral will be vastly more expensive in the not to distant future.

Will Cape Coral ever be Naples? Probably not. But when the 3 million dollar proeprties in Naples become 5 or 7 million what will the $350k Cape Coral properties 20 miles away be worth?

[firemed]

Naples was built around the fact it was the playground of the old money wealthy. It had white sand beaches and was created for the elite as a summer getaway. Cape Coral on the other hand is a filled swamp with some newfound money. To redevelope a downtown area is nothing new, it usually starts off with good intentions and ends up looking pretty but failing miserably. Cape Coral would have to shut down cape coral pkwy., knock down all the buildings, refill, widen the roads, and then rebuild. A conservative estimate would be at least 3 years ( and that's very conservative ). For three years no businesses in that area would operate, traffic would be impossible, and curb appeal would be non existant for future investors. I know of a lot of downtown areas that have attempted this. Ever heard of the Fort Myers river district?If you believe you have a good investment thats all that counts but there are many other investments that will give you greater returns with less risk. Unless Cape Coral can lure big corporations to the area with high paying jobs it will still be a few nice riverfront homes surrounded by slums.You have to remember 96% of Cape Coral homes are smaller than 2000 sq. ft. and is basically a bedroom community to nothing. Kind of makes me think of Atlantic City New Jersey with the exception of the beach and the casinos. Get the point?

[Floridanative2]

Originally Posted by FromSandiego

DO it , my family and i will be moving there in 2 weeks

I think you will be surprised at the growth in Cape Coral. It is the largest city in Florida(land mass), it is so crowded now on the roads, it takes an hour to get anywhere. It is a nightmare there, and Fort Myers, especially in 'season'.
I would make sure you have a job on the Cape, do not cross over the bridge!
Also, the crime is rising. In many good areas you have grow houses being busted, two children were murdered not long ago-gang related. A cape rep was recently thrown off the board for a crime!
The best paying jobs are serving drinks, and/or food in a good establishment, unless you are a professional.
I would rethink the move. I am going to Colorado!

[badgertim]

My wife and I were close to moving to Matlacha area, at least for "wintering" but we have been mentally stifled by the reports we see regarding the nile monitor infestation....what's the truth? Anybody? Buhler?

[firemed]

Originally Posted by badgertim

My wife and I were close to moving to Matlacha area, at least for "wintering" but we have been mentally stifled by the reports we see regarding the nile monitor infestation....what's the truth? Anybody? Buhler?

I dont think Pine Island has a Monitor Infestation. There has been some reports in Cape Coral but I don't think its real bad.