Need Venice area information (Orlando, Sarasota: home owners insurance, buying a, buying)

[jqlqmaui]

We are in the last stages of buying a home in the Venice area, we will be coming down with 3 kids in the spring. We have done a lot of research on schools, etc but that is all by internet and several trips to the area. Can anyone with good information on this area offer us further adivice. Thank You

[jqlqmaui]

Can anyone give me information on the Venice area how do you feel about the area is it a good area to live etc. Thank you

[maryann1804]

Wanted to write you about info on Venice. I am a 38 year old mother and wife. Lived in Venice FL for 25 years. Moved from there to Central FL (orlando) now reside in TX. You mentioned you had children, let me start by saying your children will hate it there. I lived there most of my childhood, moved from NY. Venice caters to the elderly and that is no lie. As a child living there, the old people govern that town. We used to have a skating rink, they took that away. They used to have a skate park where my boys could skateboard and not bother anyone, they took that away. When I first moved there we had the Barnum and Bailey circus that came there, the old people complained about the noise, they took that away. I am speaking from a lot of experiance, that town is not for young people. Look at the statistics, it is mostly elderly. There is one high school there, Venice High (the school I went to), we are talking ONE high school. The hospital there (Venice Hospital) does not even have a maternity ward! Does that sound like a town that is geared for families??? The closest town to have a baby would be Sarasota Memorial or St. Joesph's in Port Charlotte. I could not wait to get out of that town as well as my husband & kids.If u out to eat with your family, you look at nothing but elderly people, same goes for shopping etc. They took the movie theatre out. Old people frown down at young people and their children. I am telling you from experiance. The elderly are either extremely nice or horribly mean. And most of them are mean. When I would shop there, I would encounter at least once a month an alternacation with an elderly person in the super market. Mind you I am a very passive person with four children. I know it sounds like I do not like old people but I am telling you , the elderly people in Venice walk around as if you owe them something. They are rude, mean and very inconsiderate. Not to mention they can't drive worth a sh*t. If you do not mind driving at a snails pace, then you wont mind living there. Twenty five years there, the best and ONLY thing I can say that I liked there was the beaches. That is it, and for that, I will get a pool rather then put up with all the negative things I witnessed living there. I am telling you from experiance, before making the big step moving there, talk to others. Go there and visit more if you could. I did not mention the cost of housing which is incredibly outragious not to mention home owners insurance and propertytaxes which are both increasing in leaps and bounds. One of the reasons why we left the state. Do your research, get more opinions. It will be worth it in the long run. We live here in Fort Worth, TX where you can get a mansion for under 250K. We are actually moving back to NY because we want to be close to family, but TX may be alternative. Getting back to Venice, FL... if yo have any other questions feel free to email me at:
maryann1804@aol.com. or maryann1804@yahoo.com

[bamboosmom]

We even had the same problem here in Pt. Charlotte. We used to have a beautiful carosel in the center court of the mall and they took it away.
Now there are reclining chairs for the old people to sit. Geez. They complain about everything and there is nothing to do for the young crowd down here.
Pt. Charlotte is just sout of Venice. I wish you the best in your move and if you have any questions pm me.

[McKeesCat]

Originally Posted by maryann1804

Wanted to write you about info on Venice. I am a 38 year old mother and wife. Lived in Venice FL for 25 years. Moved from there to Central FL (orlando) now reside in TX. You mentioned you had children, let me start by saying your children will hate it there. I lived there most of my childhood, moved from NY. Venice caters to the elderly and that is no lie. As a child living there, the old people govern that town. We used to have a skating rink, they took that away. They used to have a skate park where my boys could skateboard and not bother anyone, they took that away. When I first moved there we had the Barnum and Bailey circus that came there, the old people complained about the noise, they took that away. I am speaking from a lot of experiance, that town is not for young people. Look at the statistics, it is mostly elderly. There is one high school there, Venice High (the school I went to), we are talking ONE high school. The hospital there (Venice Hospital) does not even have a maternity ward! Does that sound like a town that is geared for families??? The closest town to have a baby would be Sarasota Memorial or St. Joesph's in Port Charlotte. I could not wait to get out of that town as well as my husband & kids.If u out to eat with your family, you look at nothing but elderly people, same goes for shopping etc. They took the movie theatre out. Old people frown down at young people and their children. I am telling you from experiance. The elderly are either extremely nice or horribly mean. And most of them are mean. When I would shop there, I would encounter at least once a month an alternacation with an elderly person in the super market. Mind you I am a very passive person with four children. I know it sounds like I do not like old people but I am telling you , the elderly people in Venice walk around as if you owe them something. They are rude, mean and very inconsiderate. Not to mention they can't drive worth a sh*t. If you do not mind driving at a snails pace, then you wont mind living there. Twenty five years there, the best and ONLY thing I can say that I liked there was the beaches. That is it, and for that, I will get a pool rather then put up with all the negative things I witnessed living there. I am telling you from experiance, before making the big step moving there, talk to others. Go there and visit more if you could. I did not mention the cost of housing which is incredibly outragious not to mention home owners insurance and propertytaxes which are both increasing in leaps and bounds. One of the reasons why we left the state. Do your research, get more opinions. It will be worth it in the long run. We live here in Fort Worth, TX where you can get a mansion for under 250K. We are actually moving back to NY because we want to be close to family, but TX may be alternative. Getting back to Venice, FL... if yo have any other questions feel free to email me at:
maryann1804@aol.com. or maryann1804@yahoo.com

Maryann, years ago I could have written your post. Growing up in Venice, I was bored out of my mind because there was NOTHING for kids to do unless you had very involved parents who directed you, which mine did not. We didn't have ANYTHING back then, there weren't even fast food restaurants when my father moved us there. We had the old Fisherman's Wharf, a restaurant called Sambos and I think Sonny's BBQ was there then. That was it!!

And I hated the older people because they were so selfish and hateful to younger people. I finally joined the Navy in 1985 for a fast way out. BUT, now I am 50 and when I visit there, I would love to move back because now it's just what I want. What a difference 22 years makes!!

To summarize, it's not for raising children...it's for retirees and older people like me. We need to have a place to go to get peace and quiet, which is exactly what Venice offers and I'm looking for.

[Christina1223]

Venice might be one of the most beautiful places in Florida. We host the Shark's Tooth Festival every year on Venice Island, celebrating the fact the were the Shark Tooth Capitol. We also have the Venice Art Show in Historic Venice, with music from all over the world, great food, amazing local art. The Historic district of Venice has amazing shops and resteraunts. T.J. Carney's is my personal favorite place to eat. It also holds the Venice Little Theater, a very fun place to go and they also have really cool summer camps for kids. The Italian Festival is another cool thing to experiance. Probably the funnest of all the festivals in Venice. The best food you could ever eat! All around Venice a great place to raise a family and live in general. It's the perfect size and surrounded by beautiful views(Were all about the BEACHES). Just ask anyone here and they'll tell you the same. Good Luck!

[Christina1223]

As a reply to the above comments, Venice really is a great place to raise decent kids. I'm 18 years old and yes, it can be really boring sometimes, but were surrounded by Sarasota and Port Charlotte, its fine. If the children you raise are out of control, obnoxious lunitics who are oblivious to everything around them and disrespectful too , then Venice isnt for them. There are alot of old people, and it gets frustrating, and there is one High School, but the teenagers here know whats fun to do....mostly go to the beaches, pools, camping, the mall in both cities, shopping Historic Venice, road trips to Orlando Theme Parks. If it was a big city with multiple High Schools, we would feel smothered and the city would lose its charm. Its not like a town were everyone knows everyone else. Theres people in my High School that I dont know anything about. I like Venice, and all my friends do too. With all of our festivals and beaches, who wouldnt. The old people can get mean here, but can you really name a place where the arent? People are people, some are mean and some arent. You'll like it, I swear!

[Carbondated]

I would suggest you reconsider moving to Venice, Florida. It is not family friendly and unless you are considerably wealthy, it is a two-tier society town. Venice is picturesque, but do not be fooled by the appearance. Good luck to you.

[Audacious]

Venice is beautiful. That's the only way to describe it. In the past it was mostly retirees and the old folks but the town has made a 180 since then and the median age is dropping drastically. Don't believe ne do your own research and you will see for yourself. I'm from up north and now in Sarasota. I wish I went to Venice instead.

[arria]

Originally Posted by jqlqmaui

Can anyone give me information on the Venice area how do you feel about the area is it a good area to live etc. Thank you

Hello I have lived in Venice for 10 years, We absolutely love it. It is a nice quiet place to raise your family. Sarasota county, has one of the best school systems in Florida, my kids go to Pine View School, an absolutely wonderful school. It goes from 2nd through 12th grade, its a public school but the only thing is the children have to be tested to get in. It is one of the few "all gifted schools" in the country. I don't think that all the kids are gifted in this school, it is for those seeking academic excellence. My daughter is in college now and Pine View helped her so much! ...She is in her first year in college, but is already a sophmore. The school is in Osprey only 15 minutes away from Venice, check it out. Over all We love Venice, Yes there are lots of old people but its a pretty safe place for kids.
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