Bonita Springs, Estero, or Jupiter. Help me choose (Hollywood, Boca Raton: apartment, renting)

[rickyd]

Looking for...

Type of city (Overall)

• Has to be in the southern part of Florida, be it east or west (Need that "Tropical atmosphere" type feel).
• Slower-paced life
• Residential but not real boring
• Safety/low crime rate (meaning not too many bad pockets within the city to watch out for or feel threatened by).
• Not over-crowded
• Not over-developed like how most Southeast Florida cities are. Not too old looking, plain, cookie cutter, or run-down either.
• Proximity to the beach but doesn't necessariliy have to be waterfront.
• Very lush and tropical.
• Paradise-style beaches with nice sand, sultry breath-taking sunsets, lush tropical trees shading the areas.
• Not homogeneous
• Not over-run by older people or snowbirds (Think Boca Raton). I'm not into a bunch of hype and trouble but do need some social-life while I'm still young.
• Good schools (I have no kids yet and maybe not for a few yrs, but whenever I do have one, I want the child to be able to go to a good local school).
• A good bit of things to do within the city or at least without having to go too far out of city limits just to have some fun.

Type of neighborhood to live in

• Safe
• Suburban
• Laid-back and Peaceful but not in an "out in the boondocks" sort of way
• Tropical looking and trees shading the streets
• Not looking for upscale or very manicured, but not bland or run-down either, and definitely NOT cookie cutter. Just a modest working class type of neighborhood to dwell within.
• Not in a potential flood zone

Price range of home
Below $130-120k. Will most likely be renting an apartment or something first though, but just wanted to know if you can find homes within that price range in the cities mentioned.


Choices of cities...
Bonita Springs, North Naples, Estero, Jupiter

Does any of those 3 cities match my criteria? Well............I'm pretty sure all 3 match at least most of the criteria or else I wouldn't have them lined up here, but which one matches the most is the better question?

Thanks

[jpicard]

Originally Posted by jbclown

In fact the whole east coast of Florida sucks, so just move to the gulf.

I keep going back and forth on this. Do you mean, too built up on east coast and concrete jungle?

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by rickyd

Does any of those 3 cities match my criteria? Well............I'm pretty sure all 3 match at least most of the criteria or else I wouldn't have them lined up here, but which one matches the most is the better question?

Thanks

No, not at all. You are describing a Hollywood movie.

I edited the rest of my post, since I just realized the OP asked the question in May. I was looking at the 2 comments posted yesterday.

[Ruby24]

I think you are looking for someplace in the caribean, costa rica or Hawaii.

Maybe Tahiti too. Have you ever been to Florida?