The truth about Cape Coral/ Ft Myers SWFL Area (Fort Myers: home, buyers)

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Ruby24

The problem with Cape Coral is the lack of enforcement of rules. Maybe if they were enforced people looking to buy in the area would find it more appealing.

They used to do that but it is a big Catch-22. Once the foreclosures started the revenue went down and Cape Coral is lucky if they get all the grass mowed and the vandalism isn't obvious.

The average sale price of a home is one of the cheapest in the nation. If you want robust Code Nazis then you are probably going to have to look into a tonier area and loosen the purse strings.

[psch29]

My husband and I are looking for a vacation/retiring condo in SW, Fl. We have been looking at Bonita Springs, Estero, Cape Coral and Ft Myers. Can anyone help us with recommendations for safe areas and affordable golf?

[rikoshaprl]

Psch, do a search at the top of the page. You will find much on these topics.

[TXPD]

All cities have their bad areas! I am orginally from NY and now in TX (35 yrs). I am retired and was looking in CC beause I saw prices low. Now that I have read these threads--I don't know. I want out of TX. I live is a deed restricted and no they don't enforce them here either. HOA dues for nothing. Our taxes are over 6k a yr and our house is not worth what we built it for in 2004. It is 3000 sq ft have a full theatre, 4 bedrooms 2-1/2 baths and 2 car garage. This does Not including the over 10K improvements we put into it. We want to buy down...good luck to us!!!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by TXPD

All cities have their bad areas! I am orginally from NY and now in TX (35 yrs). I am retired and was looking in CC beause I saw prices low. Now that I have read these threads--I don't know. I want out of TX. I live is a deed restricted and no they don't enforce them here either. HOA dues for nothing. Our taxes are over 6k a yr and our house is not worth what we built it for in 2004. It is 3000 sq ft have a full theatre, 4 bedrooms 2-1/2 baths and 2 car garage. This does Not including the over 10K improvements we put into it. We want to buy down...good luck to us!!!

This thread is almost two years old. More homes are selling and the area looks much better. You might want to take a look.

[equalrightsforeveryone]

Well this area isn't much different.
Deed restrictions yes, enforcement on a basis if your neighbor turns you in. One street has all kinds of violations and they do nothing, the next over you have a neighborhood informant and the code people are there all the time. No HOA, But major mis-management of the taxes collected and the city is still in debt. Documented corruption at the government level over the last 25yrs. No jobs and none will be created in the immediate future, because after 40yrs. of being a city there is still no plan to bring industry to help support the region. Funds unaccounted for, fuel unaccounted for, it just goes on and on. This area needs major change.

[rikoshaprl]

If I thought the area was in such bad shape I wouldn't have bought here. Equal, I bought the same month you did!

[firemed]

Originally Posted by equalrightsforeveryone

Well this area isn't much different.
Deed restrictions yes, enforcement on a basis if your neighbor turns you in. One street has all kinds of violations and they do nothing, the next over you have a neighborhood informant and the code people are there all the time. No HOA, But major mis-management of the taxes collected and the city is still in debt. Documented corruption at the government level over the last 25yrs. No jobs and none will be created in the immediate future, because after 40yrs. of being a city there is still no plan to bring industry to help support the region. Funds unaccounted for, fuel unaccounted for, it just goes on and on. This area needs major change.

I just seen on the news the police in cape coral will try to change how they deal with the public. Lets see how that works out.

[kyjake39]

Think it is possible for Cape Coral to get in as bad a shape as Lehigh?
Jake

[Izmack]

Jake, here's a lot of Cape Coral naysayers on this board, so would not be surprised at some of the answers you get. There are just as many folks here that love CC and are thrilled with their decisions, like me. While no one has a crystal ball, there are far too many differences between Lehigh and CC for CC to become like that. For one, the canals and the mixture of both affordable and multimillion dollar homes constantly popping up along them. Two, the new Vet's facility and National Guard depot opening in the NE section will bring a lot of commerce into an area that has seen little or none prior. These two things alone bode very well for the Cape.

It has problems just like a lot of other cities in the US. The local government officials are kind of wacky (FL overall does have an odd track record regarding elections and their officials), but the election is next year and my guess is that they will be displaced with some more sensible folks. As wacky as they are, the mayor is working hard to bring revenue in and the city manager is uncovering a significant amount of cost savings through better oversight and thrift. Crime is very low here, something else that is widely disparate from Lehigh. Others with agendas may weigh in contradicting this, but take a look at the hard data and see where CC lies in terms of crime stats.

In short, no one really knows, but given real estate values have climbed since I purchased this time last year, I doubt we'll ever see anything like the sad situation in Lehigh.

Just a gal's 2 cents!

Originally Posted by kyjake39

Think it is possible for Cape Coral to get in as bad a shape as Lehigh?
Jake