How Bad Is It? Apartment help please (Tampa, Cape Coral: for sale, apartment complexes)

[captaincaliena]

This is my first post here on City Data. My fiance and I are planning to move to the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area in August. We need to find an apartment, but don't have any experience with neighborhoods. I know what you're going to say "Don't move to an area unless you've been there and have a job." Well, we're currently living in Chicago (suburbs) and we can't stay at our current place of residence anymore (landlord is selling). We can't afford ANYTHING in our current area. Also my fiance can get transferred with his current company.

Budget/Requirements
CANNOT exceed $700-$725 a month
One bedroom or more
600 sq ft or more
Must allow pets (We refuse to part with our cat)

This is what we have found so far:

Gulfstream Isles
Sundance Grove
The Place at Summerlin
Crossings at Cape Coral
Westchase Apartments (which I just found out are terrible but I'm just listing what we have)

I'm open to other suggestions. Please help!

EDIT: Other areas (like Tampa) can be suggested too. We're actually kinda flexible with where we go.

[Kim in FL]

With a budget like that you won't find much. All of those are at your budget or higher.

Westchase is income based and is the ghetto. You do NOT want to live there or anywhere NEAR there.

Gulfstream Isles isn't bad...it's been around for awhile and needs some updating, but the new manager (2yr or so) has really cleaned it up (tenant wise and building wise) I have friends who live there and they like it...it's quiet enough (you will sometimes have parties, but again, the manager is on top of that crap and is evicting rif raf on a daily basis)

And yes, I'm going to say it...if you don't have a job, don't come down. Without a job, or proof of income, you won't be able to rent in any of those places

Good luck

[elston]

I read the reviews of all the choices on line and they all sound like nightmares......but Kim's update on Gulfstream makes it sound like it might be getting better. I hope so.

[AnotherTouchOfWhimsy]

With that budget, you might consider renting a small house instead of an apartment. The apartment complexes charge more, but in a house you'll have to pay all utilities (inc. water/sewer if no well/septic), lawn care, etc. Not sure if you were factoring that in.

You could call a rental agency or search on the Florida MLS: Florida Homes for Sale direct from MLS

I don't know what prices are like in Ft. Myers for small houses but you can rent one in Port Charlotte for about $700. They might be in iffy areas, but I think they're generally safe, just older and run down.

I agree with not moving without a job, though; jobs are hard to find. Good luck!

[Kim in FL]

Originally Posted by elston

I read the reviews of all the choices on line and they all sound like nightmares......but Kim's update on Gulfstream makes it sound like it might be getting better. I hope so.

Yeah, it is. They had a double homicide there last year, but those kids were gang members visiting the girls mother. They were followed there...it had nothing to do with the complex or the girls mom...they were caught there..simple as that.

My girlfriend said since then they have been kicking ppl out left and right. Evictions going up like crazy....they aren't putting up with crap. She had a neighbor who partied every weekend...the manager told her to call the cops..the cops fined the neighbors and after x amoutn of calls, they got evicted. It's about time these places start taking their community and stop allowing dirt bags to ruin everything.


i dont listen to the reviews..they are usually from pissed off tenants who got kicked out

[captaincaliena]

Thanks to you all for your responses! Gulfstream sounds like the best out of all of them.

Once again, my fiance is getting a transfer, so we won't be applying for anything until he gets word that the transfer is finalized. I'm an artist/photographer and I work from home most of the time, so I can do that pretty much anywhere.

Our budget is for rent only, not for utilities or anything like that.

Thanks again!

[elston]

Originally Posted by captaincaliena

Thanks to you all for your responses! Gulfstream sounds like the best out of all of them.

Once again, my fiance is getting a transfer, so we won't be applying for anything until he gets word that the transfer is finalized. I'm an artist/photographer and I work from home most of the time, so I can do that pretty much anywhere.

Our budget is for rent only, not for utilities or anything like that.

Thanks again!

Good Luck Captaincaliena! I hope you find a home in which you are comfortable. Welcome to the area.

[Donna-501]

You may want to look into a 1 bedroom and get more choices.

[vaneloor]

Hi! My husband and I spent 2 whole days visiting complexes in Ft. Myers (we went to 10 different places!) and the ones we liked the best were:

Bay Harbor - They're BEAUTIFUL and they're around that budget.

Audubon Cove - this is where we ended up renting and it's a great place to live. The management is super friendly and it's a very quiet neighborhood. Plus, they're SUPER pet friendly!!

[lawofattractioncoach]

I lived in Madison Brantley Pines for a year. A 2 bedroom was $725 a month. Nice community close to EVERYTHING! I liked it, we left to get a bigger place, we have 2 kids so we got a house in Cape Coral. Good luck!