The truth about Cape Coral/ Ft Myers SWFL Area (Bonita Springs: houses, neighborhoods)

[katsinthekitchen]

For the last few years we have spent 5 winter months mostly in North Ft. Myers.Most of that time we were considering and looking at possible homes for the winter. We have friends who have bought and become full time residents in Naples, Bonita Springs Estero, Alva, and other towns around. After 3, 5, up to 22 years, they still love it. For us owning two homes has its own problems so we will continue to snowbird in an RV for another couple of years. If you can afford a large, upscale, gated subdivision you will have no trouble finding a place. If you are more middle class, you will have to look and be very familiar with a neighborhood before you buy, but those nice middle class neighborhoods are there. One of my friends bought a little house in a working class neighborhood; one of the two worst houses on the street and have totally rehabbed it. They just bought the second worst and are rehabbing it. It gives the whole neighborhood a face lift. And, with the Florida real estate market as hot as it is again now, fixing up is going to get more popular. Yes, during the real estate disaster neighborhoods went downhill in many spots. Now they just may be going back up. Look around.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by Phuku2

I came to Lee County in 1985, moved away to Charlotte County in 2002 because I saw where Lee County was headed {toilet}. If you are needing to work for a living: FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE. Once the snow birds go back home in March/April, most of the employers either cut your hours in half, or let you go altogether. There is no viable economy here for a working person unless you have investment income or welfare to supplement your wages. What type of work do you all do? There is a good possibility you will be competing against Mexicans for jobs, and I can guarantee you: YOU WILL LOSE. Florida just isn't for the working class. The "crackers" down here can make it, because they have the necessary connections that newbie Yankees from up north just don't have. Even skilled trades people can't make it here year around, unless they work for government, or a government subsidized sector. Do you know the HVAC trade? If so, you can write your own ticket, same goes for healthcare or anything geriatric. Good luck. Your going to need it.

I don't know if you realize the last three sentences in your post are contradictory. You say that even skilled trades people can't make it without subsidized second jobs, then you claim in your last sentence that someone who works in HVAC ( which is a skilled trade the last time I checked) can "write their own ticket", as can others who work in health care, or anything related to the elderly population in the area.

So *no one* can make it in SW Florida, especially in the summer, but some folks can.... Okie dokie then.

Sorry it seems YOU couldn't make it here.

[hiknapster]

This thread was started in 2007. The administration of City-Data loves for old threads to be resurrected because there are always new people looking for the same info that was asked a long time ago. But sometims things change so much that a thread is no longer useful at all.

The Fort Myers/Cape Coral of 2007 - reeling from the post housing crash apocalypse - doesn't even remotely resemble the area in 2014. The tide really changed a few years ago. The only thing that is about the same is there are still mostly service jobs in the area (although the unemployment rate has drastically changed and for the better) and there are a lot of retirees. Those could be negatives, positives or non-issues, depending on your circumstances. Also, pay is still low, but the housing prices are not ridiculously high. Back then, there were an incredible amount of people misrepresenting the issues so that they could dig themselves out of an enormous hole. A lot of virtual blood was spilled on the forum, and for good reason. People were trying to save themselves and at the expense of others.

But Cape Coral and Fort Myers don't even remotely resemble the ground-zero housing collapse that is once was. In fact, rather than resembling a ghost town, property sales are very brisk and values are definitely up.

[jan and dave]

Do any of you know about a retirement condo community called Seven Lakes in Fort Myers? We have nene looking for a winter place. Prices seem good, maybe too good, lol....thx in advance

[birmangirl]

looking for information on Sable Springs and Heron's Glen retirement communities in NFM. Any information appreciated. We would like a friendly active adult community. Information on any other places nearby is welcome…..trying to decide where to move part time for now and then sell up north in a few years.

Thanks, Diane

[BugManTPC]

Originally Posted by birmangirl

looking for information on Sable Springs and Heron's Glen retirement communities in NFM. Any information appreciated. We would like a friendly active adult community. Information on any other places nearby is welcome…..trying to decide where to move part time for now and then sell up north in a few years.

Thanks, Diane

Diane

Both communities you mentioned are very active, have great HOA's that keep up expenses with little debt and seem to resell well.

Con:

Location to everything else Fort Myers and Cape Coral have, the drive is a killer during the busy months (Feb. to May).

Professionally, we have a lot of customers in both communities. Everyone we deal with appears fair and reasonable, from a customer perspective, if they are nice people to their contractors, they might be nice neighbors as well. I hope you my meaning here.

Personally, I have several friends who live in Sable Springs, they are very content with their buying decision.

[BugManTPC]

Originally Posted by jan and dave

Do any of you know about a retirement condo community called Seven Lakes in Fort Myers? We have nene looking for a winter place. Prices seem good, maybe too good, lol....thx in advance

Hi Jan & Dave,

Seven Lakes is a very central location to every Ft Myers has to offer.

If you are buying on investment and are not going to be here full time, watch the comps, buy right. Look at several places and stay apples to apples on amenities and square footage, there are several homes that rotate through the community (former model homes) that hold the value up through out the comunity.

There is a lot of noise is some of the valuations, I have seen Realtors gloss over, Dens, Florida Rooms and square footage, like it doesn't matter to resale value.

Also, some homes have been kept up to date, these will pop out like sore thumbs due to homeowners holding the market try to recoup investments.

Finally, being central to everything has it's downfall, traffic, always and twice on Sundays during season (February to May)

Weigh this out before you buy. Spending thirty minutes in traffic, just to get to your gate to go home, everyday, 4 months a year. Can be a struggle.

If your retired and not commuting everyday, it helps deal with the added stress.

[Adrian J Hare]

Originally Posted by birmangirl

looking for information on Sable Springs and Heron's Glen retirement communities in NFM. Any information appreciated. We would like a friendly active adult community. Information on any other places nearby is welcome…..trying to decide where to move part time for now and then sell up north in a few years.

Thanks, Diane

Hi Diane, you maybe should check out Lazy Days Village on Tamiami Trail . Seems like a nice place with friendly people with reasonable value...

[palolembeach]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

Ft. Myers named one of the nations most dangerous small cities...


no you're right its just us 3 posters..
oh hey look at that, right above it. Two police officers shoot each other in a DV fight. One dead.. such a lovely town

I live in Denver SW metro. And this place is in such a high demand, everybody wants to live here. Real estate prices are high (old homes that need all redoes start from $350 000, built in 1970-80). Lots of shopping (all you can wish) and gorgeous parks yeah! Most families have about $100 000 income. But still, the most high rated high school in our area is the Columbine High school. Rings a bell??

I was just checking the crime report maps in CC and there were many assaults and some robberies and break ins. No wonder, if the homes are empty and the lots around are undeveloped. Then I've decided to check our local Littleton area crime reports just to compare....and what I found out - scared me...EVERY neighborhood, I mean EVERY has a sexual abuse person live in. Maaaan. I walk my 5 year old daughter through the neighborhood to the playground and all these man in their garages say "hi! how r u?" and I reply the same way...and now I find out that one of those down the road is registered as a sex abuse????? Good Lord!!!!!!!!!!! Where the hell am I??

[palolembeach]

About crimes again. I was born and lived almost whole of my life in Moscow, Russia, huge city with only registered population over 15 mln today. Crime? There are so many people killed, killed in car accidents, rubbed, raped, bitten etc every day. We have no official statistics, but I believe they are scary. My husband had been knocked out and robbed by 3 man just going home from a bar late in the night. I've never had any problems hanging out in the streets with my friends in the middle of the night in diff places. Probably it was about him being by himself. But still lots of crime, but I never faced any.

Also I read here about gators..some people see them every other day, some never have seen living there for 10 years. Probably it's all about the areas they live in or how lucky u r. Would be nice to have a map showing gator appearance areas (maybe somebody has that information?)

Ola