Considering moving to Miami- advice please! (Tampa, Cape Coral: environment, foreclosures, hotel)

[Veloire]

I used to live in two other US cities before and I could find the same complaining type of people everywhere. They get the most awful services in restaurant, they always knowing others who just left this filthy place; they never find any decent job in the area and they pledge that even the honey produced by the local bees is bitter. The most important is that these people NEVER leave the city they complain about.

[RobGar]

Originally Posted by lisalisa4444

Rotonda is an area near Pt. Charlotte. It was greatly affected by Hurricane Charley in 2004. I managed many properties in the area and the devastation was great. As for the lifestyle there it is more or less a sleepy area and not alot to do. The west coast of Florida is full of rednecks and that is one reason why I can't wait to leave! I personally would NOT purchase a home in Rotonda. If you want any other info feel free to ask. By the way I am the original poster of this post and have put Miami back on my list. I think alot of people on this post live to be negative. I think life is what you make of it no matter where you go. Can't wait for the day I say Asta Lavista Sarasota!!! Hello East Coast!!!!!!!

Hello. I'm considering the purchase of some land in the Cape Haze Peninsula. Any information you could provide would be of great help.
Thanks.

[lisalisa4444]

Cape Haze is part of the Punta Gorda metro area and has beach activities, parks with recreational activities and is near the cities of Fort Myers and Sarasota. I have never been there but my Parents live in North Fort Myers and like the area. Keep in mind that if you are looking for nightlife and action this is not the place. If beaches, parks and such turn you on then go for it. Hope it helps.

[RobGar]

Originally Posted by lisalisa4444

Cape Haze is part of the Punta Gorda metro area and has beach activities, parks with recreational activities and is near the cities of Fort Myers and Sarasota. I have never been there but my Parents live in North Fort Myers and like the area. Keep in mind that if you are looking for nightlife and action this is not the place. If beaches, parks and such turn you on then go for it. Hope it helps.

I'm a 40 year old professional from NYC and plan to purchase land now, but to build in about 10 years. I am hoping that the projected population increase for Florida will bring with it certain conveniences (i.e. shopping, some nightlife, etc.).
Thanks very much for your help.

[True Brit]

lisalisa4444
Thank you for info on Rotunda. I will pass it on to my friend. I can see that it is on the other side of Florida from Miami so sorry if this was the wrong forum.

I was also interested to hear of the delays people experience in restaurants in Florida, mostly because in England America has a reputation for excellent customer service. Maybe this is not a country wide thing, or do you think quality of service is diminishing.

[CiXeL]

Veloire, most of us are trying to get out before the insanity corrupts our minds too. its obvious to me that people get a little nutty by staying here. it seems in general you can tell how long a person has been a transplant here by how odd their reactions and responses are. your driving also gets sloppier. it gets easier though, you slowly sink into insanity. you forget what the real world is like. you have to adopt phrases like "thats not my job", learn to pass the buck or call people on their sh-t to survive in a workplace. its sad but true. the only way to get people to do their part of the job at work is to ride them till they finish it. after awhile you finally give in and realize nothing is going to get done because there are simply too many points of failure for policies to be followed correctly or accurately. people make the same mistakes again and again, never learning. apathy and poor work ethic is common. it is however interesting to listen to their side of the story though, they believe they would rather live life than work.

somedays i fear it may be difficult to return to southern california because of all the horrible habits you are forced to accept to survive here. in many workplaces socializing and friendship is more important than doing any actual work. my girlfriend was actually written up for working too hard and not socializing enough. i am not joking at all.

[lisalisa4444]

Robgar- Yes I think in 10 more years that area will be more "up and coming" and by this time you will be ready to settle in an area like this. Florida like any other state has good and bad things about it. I am a native Floridian and for the most part find it pretty good. Enjoy your future move here!

[lisalisa4444]

TruBrit-
No problem. I am somewhat familiar with Rotunda. Sorry I could not help more. As for the restaurant / customer service in America... It's not what it used to be. Once in a while I will have an amazing experience somewhere but not often. I find at the more expensive restaurants service is better. It has to be or the restaurant would fail. In my town I find the service in restaurants average and the customer service in stores poor.

[Chelito23]

Let's remember that the original poster said she has visited Miami hundreds of times and knows the good bad and ugly. We have given her our experiences and information, and now she has made her decision. At this point we shouldn't be rehashing the same points or trtying to influence her. Let's start a new thread about aspects of Miami life where we can keep on with our group thereapy LOL.

Good luck, and please post after the move and give us some "closure," we are a very passionate forum! Just like Miami.

PS I think that living in the nice areas will insulate you enough...that you will be able to deal with the negative in smaller doses.

[2peaches2oranges]

I'm considering the purchase of some land in the Cape Haze Peninsula.

I live in Rotonda West. Also, I have been purchasing land on the Cape Haze peninsula since 2003 and before that in the Burnt Store Rd area of Cape Coral. I am in my 30's have kids 4-11 in the public schools here. It is beautiful and growing. It led Charlotte County in building permits in 2006.

Parts of Rotonda (the houses built in the 1970's in Oakland Hills and Pebble Beach, not built to hurricane code) were damaged by Hurricane Charley.

My home lost one tree in the yard and the electricity was out for about 8 hours, other than that, my pool cage and roof did fine (house built in 2000). I live in the newest populated section, PINE VALLEY. Many of the people moving in are families. The school buses are packed. It is not just for older people. We have a new skatepark/water park being built in Englewood, a new YMCA in Englewood, a new library proposed just outside Rotonda on Sunnybrook, a nice playground/park in Rotonda and we have the best schools in Charlotte County (Vineland & Ainger) and the high school is about to be completely renovated.

I live about 5 miles to the beaches on Boca Grande and about 10 miles from Manasota Key. The traffic is not bad, no murders, no car jackings. It is quiet! I got my sister to move here from Seattle, my mom too. They do have drug problems and burglary stories in the crime beat of the paper.

Yes, it is about 10 miles from Starbucks and the mall in Port Charlotte. They are supposedly building a Home Depot and Target right outside Rotonda West in Englewood. But we are 10 minutes from all that!

I moved here from Wellington near West Palm Beach which is a nice family friendly community as well.

If you buy land here, check for elevation, the size of the lot to make sure it is buildable due to set back requirements, check what utilities are available and the location, location, location! Check zoning and the schools the lot serves. The county schools are tightening school borders and many Rotonda lots will not be in the Vineland district anymore.