Why no one should move to Lehigh Acres (Cape Coral, Fort Myers: low crime, houses)

[traveldude]

Originally Posted by DebbieM76

Hello,
My name is Debbie, and I am from NY. I am new to this forum. After reading this post I am a bit uneasy. I am on my way to Florida to look, and Hopefully purchase a vacation home for the winter. I am 35 and my boyfriend is 55 retired. We are looking for somplace very quiet, but a big home. I dont care much about the school because we both dont have/ nor want any kids. I was looking at a beautiful house in the lehigh acres area, but now I am afraid. Can some one suggest a nice quiet area. I dont want to spend over 80 grand. I will be in Florida Feb 24th 2011. Thanks

Cape Coral and San Carlos are better than Lehigh. I think you can find homes in your price range. Idw...Check it out. But if i were to live in Lehigh i'd choose to live somewhere close to Lee blvd because it's close to Fort Myers and I-75. The closer to Fort Myers the better, unless you don't mind living in the woods.

[JeanL33]

Then leave-- I have lived here all my life. Yes there are issues, but there are issues everywhere.

[icopywriter]

Originally Posted by DebbieM76

Hello,
My name is Debbie, and I am from NY. I am new to this forum. After reading this post I am a bit uneasy. I am on my way to Florida to look, and Hopefully purchase a vacation home for the winter. I am 35 and my boyfriend is 55 retired. We are looking for somplace very quiet, but a big home. I dont care much about the school because we both dont have/ nor want any kids. I was looking at a beautiful house in the lehigh acres area, but now I am afraid. Can some one suggest a nice quiet area. I dont want to spend over 80 grand. I will be in Florida Feb 24th 2011. Thanks

I used to live in Lehigh (last year). Still have family there. I'm actually looking to purchase a home there this year. If you're looking for a new, big house that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg, Lehigh is just fine. The beaches are a little far, tho. Maybe 30-40 minutes? Plus, it's very hot out in the country.

Lehigh is mostly a blue collar kind of place. You have some ghetto folks, but also a lot of hardworking people of all races. No need to be scared of the brown people; most of us are regular folks trying to get by. Most immigrants are pretty shy and keep to themselves.

You won't find too many people with college degrees, but if you just want sun and beach, it's great. Lot of people work in Naples or Fort Myers and live in Lehigh. Naples and Fort Myers provide entertainment at night or on the weekends.

Lehigh has really built up in the last few years. All kinds of new strip malls, post offices, grocery stores, gyms, whatever you need. You don't even have to leave the city for anything if you don't want.

Invest in a good security system and always lock your car and stuff. My family and I never had a problem. Oh BTW I am a 20 something woman, self employed.

[icopywriter]

Originally Posted by allenk893

Oh that? I over exaggerated. It's just compared to the last school I went to, Lehigh sucks. It's an incredibly boring school. It should be good for your kids as long as they are excelling in their academics, join after school sports, and make sure they apply to UNIVERSITIES AND NOT EDISON COMMUNITY COLLEGE. As long as they do that, they will quickly ascend above the rest. The ones who are at the bottom, Lehigh doesn't care about and will leave them there. Don't let them talk you into sending your kids to Gulf Coast University either.

Wow, first of all, Edison is a state college now. They have bachelor's degrees and AS degrees in just about everything. It's a nice school with a lot of new buildings. Did I mention it's cheap?? I went there on a scholarship and it was great. I agree that FGCU leaves a lot to be desired, though.

[CDusr]

Curious what the crime is really like in Lehigh currently.

Seems like a *lot* of sexual offenders, interesting...maybe they are too far out in the woods?
However, other crime looks lower than other parts of Lee and Collier. Community Policing & Neighborhood Crime Statistics | CrimeReports.com

[nhkev]

It's partially that it is unincorporated and doesn't have a police force.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by nhkev

It's partially that it is unincorporated and doesn't have a police force.

Correct. They have the Lee County Sheriff's department that plays for the other side; the most morally corrupt bunch of bozos I've ever seen.

[kroeran]

Originally Posted by CDusr

Curious what the crime is really like in Lehigh currently.

Seems like a *lot* of sexual offenders, interesting...maybe they are too far out in the woods?
However, other crime looks lower than other parts of Lee and Collier. Community Policing & Neighborhood Crime Statistics | CrimeReports.com

I suspect the older more dense neigbhourhoods would have violent impulse, gang-type and other minority on minority theft type crimes, and that the equally low-cost but more anonymous and transient life that Lehigh affords would attract sex offenders ...just speculating.

Out of gate life is definitely different than the behind gate yankee lifesyle, the latter which is recommended for Florida novices. Just outside the Paseo gate is an established mixed (some mansions, some cracker shacks) ungated neighbourhood that looks after itself.

Some poor slob drifted in there trying to scam some seniors on something going door to door....within 15 minutes the neighbourhood was mobilized and the fellow found himself surrounded by a bunch of huge guys with baseball bats, hoping he would run before the cops showed up.

[ZebraCrossing]

Kroeran, he must have been crazy or very desperate to try that in Lehigh.

[CDusr]

With all the crime going on in many of these swfl areas seems it would be a turn off, but I guess it is depends on what you are accustomed. I mean Naples seem to have alot to me.