Looking at Southwest gulf coast area--need info (Tampa, Cape Coral: real estate market, rentals)

[zippyzippy]

From Missouri, retiring soon to FL. Need your input on rentals or homes on gulf side between Tampa and Naples. Where would you recommend us to stay and why. Interested in what the weather is like year round. Are bugs/rodents/reptiles a problem? How's the real estate market? Besides this forum, where could I get more info (newspapers, magazines, websites, groups/communities/facebook)? Do you know a good/honest broker? What's the pros/cons of adult communities and do you recommend any? As you can tell, I'm just starting my research and I have lots of questions.

[xoomer]

Originally Posted by zippyzippy

From Missouri, retiring soon to FL. Need your input on rentals or homes on gulf side between Tampa and Naples. Where would you recommend us to stay and why. Interested in what the weather is like year round. Are bugs/rodents/reptiles a problem? How's the real estate market? Besides this forum, where could I get more info (newspapers, magazines, websites, groups/communities/facebook)? Do you know a good/honest broker? What's the pros/cons of adult communities and do you recommend any? As you can tell, I'm just starting my research and I have lots of questions.

You can find answers to most of these questions by doing some searches on this forum. I don't know much about the area between Naples and Cape Coral except that it the weather will get warmer the farther south you travel.

Any tropical or sub-tropical climate will have problems with bugs, rodents, and reptiles, but those can be managed or avoided.

The real estate market is still a bargain in Cape Coral especially if you want a canal home. Prices are on the way up, but still much lower than they were just a few years ago.

The local Cape Coral, Fort Myers newspaper is the News-Press and you can subscribe to the digital edition online. CapeCoral.net is the City website.

I worked with a good real estate agent for over a year before I bought in Cape Coral. If you are interest in the area and would like her name, just send me a PM.

[nhkev]

personally not a big fan of the tampa area but from sarasota down to naples have some very good areas and will play largely on your budget and lifestyle. I would work with realtors in specific markets, a realtor in sarasota will know next to nothing about cape coral, and a Naples realtor would have little insight into communities in port charlotte. this is over simplification but at least in cape coral. seems to be about 78-82 degrees from late october thru april with very little rain. summers usually start the day at 74 degrees up to 92 degrees by 2pm then thunder showers move in anytime after that, cools things down to about 78 gets back up to 82 or so before sunset. the summer sun is hot and it is humid but the closer you are to the coast there is a nice breeze most days.

I never really thought the bugs were any worse than any parts of the country I've been in with the exception of right at sunset they can come out in swarms. reptiles , yes.

[zippyzippy]

Xoomer and nhkev-- Thanks for your info. Missouri has high humidity in summer, so used to that. Not used to reptiles--assuming we are talking about alligators. I'd like more info on them like what gulf coast towns are they NOT in.
Xoomer, sorry I don't know how to PM you (definitely green on this form). Can you elaborate so you can share your realtor's name & contact info with me?

Anyone else out there to give me some advice??

[nhkev]

Originally Posted by zippyzippy

Xoomer and nhkev-- Thanks for your info. Missouri has high humidity in summer, so used to that. Not used to reptiles--assuming we are talking about alligators. I'd like more info on them like what gulf coast towns are they NOT in.
Xoomer, sorry I don't know how to PM you (definitely green on this form). Can you elaborate so you can share your realtor's name & contact info with me?

Anyone else out there to give me some advice??

reptiles mostly small geckos occassional snake. rare alligator.

[vacoder]

Originally Posted by zippyzippy

Xoomer and nhkev-- Thanks for your info. Missouri has high humidity in summer, so used to that. Not used to reptiles--assuming we are talking about alligators. I'd like more info on them like what gulf coast towns are they NOT in.
Xoomer, sorry I don't know how to PM you (definitely green on this form). Can you elaborate so you can share your realtor's name & contact info with me?

Anyone else out there to give me some advice??

Gators greatly prefer fresh water over saltwater. So it would be rare to see them in bays or saltwater canals. It is not uncommon to see them on golf courses that have ponds. I've golfed on a number of coastal town courses and have seen them at quite a few. If you want to avoid them stay away from fresh water.

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by zippyzippy

Xoomer and nhkev-- Thanks for your info. Missouri has high humidity in summer, so used to that. Not used to reptiles--assuming we are talking about alligators. I'd like more info on them like what gulf coast towns are they NOT in.
Xoomer, sorry I don't know how to PM you (definitely green on this form). Can you elaborate so you can share your realtor's name & contact info with me?

Anyone else out there to give me some advice??

Living in Missouri will NOT get you used to humidity in Florida. That's like saying we are used to cold weather in Florida because it was 47 degrees one night. Gators are in every town from South Carolina on down. Reptiles do not stop at Alligators and the lizards are NOT geckos, they are Anoles. You will see some geckos, but they are not the lizards that own your yard, those are Anoles. We also have the occasional nile monitor, black and white tegus and iguana along with 3 types of rattlesnakes, coral snakes, pythons, crocodiles, many non venomous snakes. If you don't like reptiles stay in Missouri.