Pre-Move Questions (Port Charlotte, Venice, Punta Gorda: sale, rental, insurance)

[ClearBlueH2O]

Hello!

I have been a lurker for what seems like years now as my wife and I have fantasizes about moving to the Charlotte Harbor area. Now is the time to make an appearance as things have progressed to the point of us heading your way shortly.

We have actually contacted Messing About outside of this forum since we are following in his footsteps, moving from Phoenix to FL. He has been a HUGE help but suggested we hit this forum up with a couple of questions.

First, a little background. My wife and I are in our early 40's, have no kids, and are self-employed. We want to move to the ocean and feel Charlotte Harbor is a great place to start, especially since we want to take up boating.

We are very interested in the PG area. Yes, we know it is an older area, regarding resident age. As previously mentioned, we don't have kids. As a matter of fact, we have no desire to be around them, which is another reason PG is enticing.

Anyhow, as soon as our house sale closes, we are packing up the moving track and heading your way. We plan on finding a temporary place for a month or so (vacation rental, perhaps) while we find an annual rental to move into. We plan to rent before buying so that we can find the perfect area for us. Kind of hard to do from 2500 miles away...

OK, to the questions...

1. We are planning on bringing our clothes washer and dryer, but first need to confirm that Charlotte county houses have natural gas hookups for the dryer. So, do they, or are they electric only?

2. How are recently built condos constructed? Are they stick built, like they are here in Phoenix, or are they concrete block or concrete poured? I would think stick built might not be the way to go in hurricane alley.

That is it for now. Thanks for all of your help!

[nphomeowner]

I don't know of any homes with natural gas hookups. I would imagine there may be some but they are not the norm.

New construction is block and stucco. You don't want anything less, it withstands storms better and is easier on your wallet for insurance.

[yellowsky]

Welcome to the forum, clearblue.
As NP said, there is no natural gas here in PC or PG. Some houses have large (buried) propane tanks, usually as back up for systems during hurricane emergencies but this is not all that common.
As far as drying clothes, I have yet to use my dryer given all the free sunshine we enjoy without the worry over blowing sand and pollution you may have in Phoenix.
I am not sure about this but upper stories in condo/townhouses may be stick built sometimes but the lower level is usually cb. Went condo viewing a week ago with a friend in PGI and all of the buildings we looked at were cb on both levels. Although two story houses are rare around here the ones I have seen seem to be stick built on the upper level.
Hope you have a successful move and good luck with your search when you arrive here by the seaside.
Big House can tell you all about the fishing, and the beer.

[TamRE]

Welcome to the city-data board. You can learn a lot here.

Some of the communities in our area have natural gas but not PGI. We have a propane gas tank on the side of our house and have a gas stove and fireplace and tankless hotwater heater that runs by gas. We can, but did not hook up our dryer to the gas. Some homes have a gas propane tank above ground and others in the ground. Some people use one just for a back up generator or to heat their pool. There are a few condo communities that have gas as well. Your best bet is to stick with an electric dryer.

Most of the condos down here are block/stucco built.

You will be fine living in Punta Gorda at age 40ish. There are a lot of activities and things to get involved in if you choose. Downtown Punta Gorda is nice to walk around. They have some nice little restaurants, museums, shops, ice cream and more. The parks are great as well. Charlotte Harbor is one of the best boating and fishing areas around. We do not have any beaches near the Harbor. You would have to go to Boca Grande, Engelwood, Venice or Ft Myers for a gulf beach. There is a public beach in Port Charlotte but it is not on the gulf.

Good luck on your move.

[Harbor Hopper]

Have you visited the area at all?? I'm asking because of your screen name, hoping you don't assume the water here is "clear blue". The harbor is tea-stained due to the tannin from mangrove leaves. The gulf is more green colored. It is fairly clear right now (visibility about 15ft), but as soon as the rains start, it gets pretty cloudy.

[ClearBlueH2O]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

Have you visited the area at all?? I'm asking because of your screen name, hoping you don't assume the water here is "clear blue". The harbor is tea-stained due to the tannin from mangrove leaves. The gulf is more green colored. It is fairly clear right now (visibility about 15ft), but as soon as the rains start, it gets pretty cloudy.

Yes we are familiar with the color of the water. Don't read too much into the screen name.

Have you ever been to Phoenix? If so then you will know that the ocean water in Charlotte Harbor is a lot clearer than the ocean water in Phoenix. Just saying.

[ClearBlueH2O]

Originally Posted by TamRE

Welcome to the city-data board. You can learn a lot here.

Most of the condos down here are block/stucco built.

Good luck on your move.

Thanks for the welcome and the best wishes on our move!

As far as condo construction goes, are only the exterior walls block, or do they also make the interior walls (between units) block? Reason why we ask is one would think noise levels between units would be lower if the interior walls are block.

Thanks!

[ClearBlueH2O]

Originally Posted by yellowsky

Welcome to the forum, clearblue.

As far as drying clothes, I have yet to use my dryer given all the free sunshine we enjoy without the worry over blowing sand and pollution you may have in Phoenix.
Hope you have a successful move and good luck with your search when you arrive here by the seaside.

Thank you for the welcome and well wishes for our move!

We don't do much outside clothes drying in Phoenix, at least not in the suburbs. Dust isn't an issue, except when a Haboob blows in, but HOAs are.

[Harbor Hopper]

Originally Posted by ClearBlueH2O

Yes we are familiar with the color of the water. Don't read too much into the screen name.

Have you ever been to Phoenix? If so then you will know that the ocean water in Charlotte Harbor is a lot clearer than the ocean water in Phoenix. Just saying.

Yes, been to Phoenix many times. Too dry for me. Just an FYI, this is not ocean water. The harbor is comprised of two rivers flowing into it (Peace and Myakka). Then there's the Gulf of Mexico (you will get picked on down here if you call it the ocean). Welcome to FL!!!

[ClearBlueH2O]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

Yes, been to Phoenix many times. Too dry for me. Just an FYI, this is not ocean water. The harbor is comprised of two rivers flowing into it (Peace and Myakka). Then there's the Gulf of Mexico (you will get picked on down here if you call it the ocean). Welcome to FL!!!

Thanks for the welcome!

OK, point taken. I should have called it salt water. Either way, any salt water in FL beats the heck out of the salt water we have in Phoenix. The only salt water here is found in one's water softener!