Venice or Englewood? (Plantation, Sarasota, Port Charlotte: foreclosure, to rent, insurance)

[Leontine]

Hi,

I'm a single 46 year old woman living in upstate New York. I've just sold my house up here and I'm planning to move to Florida. I will be renting in the south west Florida area for a while before I buy something. I was just wondering if anyone had any input of where I should look for a house. Venice, Englewood, Port Charlotte? I like a nice neighborhood but my budget is limited so I am willing to go for a fixer upper.
Does anyone have something interesting to say about either area? I'd love to hear it and any helpful hints regarding this move will be very welcome. Thanks!

[SoFLGal]

Well, I guess the first question is what do you like to do? Golfing, boating, going to beaches?

Venice is more of a golfing/beach community. It has a quaint downtown and a very nice beach. Englewood has many boaters due to its close proximity to the beach. Port Charlotte on the west side of 41 has many boaters but it doesn't have any real beach close by. The beach is right on the harbor, so it's more of a bay.

Prices really vary depending on the neighborhood. The least expensive area in Venice would be in the southern half. Venice is also located in Sarasota county. The northern half of Englewood is in Sarasota county and the southern half is in Charlotte county. Port Charlotte is in Charlotte county.

There are lots of questions that need to be answered to find the right fit: your interests, deed restricted or not, price range, other things that may be important. There are some pretty good foreclosure deals right now but I do think you are wise to rent until you become more familiar with the area.

[d4g4m]

There are plenty of 'fixers' in Port Charlotte if you don't mind it being a 1960's - 1970's house. It would probably be a 2/1/carport or 2/1/1 Most would be in zip 33948 and 33952 A lot of the 1980's 'fixers' have already flipped during the housing boom. If access to I-75 is important, I would look at Port Charlotte. Our local RE search site was disbanded 3 weeks ago, so you'll have to do the national RE site search thing.

[loves2read]

right now it is a buyer's market and will be for some time to come from what I can tell since there is still a hugh oversupply---but living in that area is not cheap--taxes, insurance, and energy costs are still imploding and that too will continue for some time

my daughter and son in law live in Venice in condo across the street from the beach--they can bike to the jetties and watch the sunset (that is where he proposed)

they really like living in Venice area because it is fairy laid back--close enough to Sarasota for the malls if they need them but Venice has Publix, Target, Sharkies and some other nice restaurants/bars type places...they like the less-hectic pace

if they can sell their condo they probably would live to move to Englewood which is to the south--North Port is little to tract-housing for them although they have good friends who bought a house there last year...
Venice is VERY safe--my daughter has no qualms about riding her bike by herself or running on the beach
it is an older (65-75+) neighborhood but there are families scattered around...

[Leontine]

Thanks for all the advice so far. It's very helpful. I do love the beach and boating and snorkeling, as well as going for nice walks. I also like gardening so I prefer a house over a condo and I want to be in a safe neighborhood. Sounds like Venice would be the place.

Leontine

[imagardener]

I think you are right to choose Venice as a single woman. More social possibilities and more shops etc.
I love living in Englewood but I'm married and love staying home or boating with the DH.
If you love gardening check out MRT garden center.

[hdzup3]

what are the new communities in venice? and best area for schools? just keeping options open along with northport and sarasota. seems the homes im seeing in sarasota and venice are older and more pricey than northports newer homes.

[SoFLGal]

Some of the newer communities in Venice are: Belliago on the Island of Venice, Stoneybrook, Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club, Plantation Golf & Country Club, Sarasota National, Sawgrass, Venetian Golf & River Club, Venice Golf & Country Club, Waterford Golf Club.

Some of the "more established" areas are: south Venice, Jacaranda West, Chestnut Creek, Pinebrook, Lake of the Woods, Lakes of Jacaranda, Southwood.

The schools would be: Venice Elementary, they have a great gifted program. I actually went there as a kid and my oldest daughter went there in 3rd grade. Then there's Taylor Ranch Elementary, which always gets good reviews. Then you have Garden Elementary. I don't know too much about Garden so I won't make any comments-if you look on GreatSchools dot com they get really good reviews. There's also Island Village Montessori School, which is a public Montessori/charter school. The concept is great but the school-not so good, IMO. I helped with starting up that school so I'm pretty familiar with it.

For middle school you have Laurel/Nokomis School which I have heard good things about-at least their gifted program. There's Venice Middle- which got good reviews again, but I'm not too familiar with it. For high school it would be Venice High School. I have cousins that could have attended Pine View and choose to attend Venice High. So, I would say were pleased with the school.

Of course, being in Sarasota county you would always have the option to test into Pineview, which covers 2nd-12th all on one campus in Osprey and is a full time gifted school.

Yes, you are correct with your observation that the same home in Venice or Sarasota would be a lot more than in North Port.

[hdzup3]

thanks!! i am set on pineview but one year in first grade is important too. i have a showing on my house today in CT. only the second one since april 1st so lets hope something comes of it. my husband gets so mad that i look at all the houses online. he wont even look when i say look at this one. lol. i have to make my way down alone if we get an offer. its alot on my head.. i might consider renting for a year but just want to be settled.
i would love to look at venice too.
i have alot to take in when i come down. im a nervous wreck! all this anxiety could be for nothing. lol.... houses are sitting, even the ones with showings..
i saw a perfect set up in northport, but it was built in 1996. what are the insurance rates on these years compared to 2004 and newer?

[SoFLGal]

hdzup3- It's hard to just give insurance info based on the year on the home. Usually what I do is go house hunting and then when we've narrowed it down to say, the top 3-5 I shoot them over to my insurance guy to give me quotes on. Believe it or not, one of the biggest factors is how close it is to a fire hydrant or natural body of water. There are many companies that won't even write the insurance if it's not less than 1000 ft.