Victorian Neighborhood (Gainesville, Fort Myers, Coconut Creek: home builders, safe neighborhoods, buying)

[goldsoul]

HI, my best friend is relocating to Fort Myers area but she doesn't care for the typical Florida architecture. She is more of an Old World charm kind of girl. Quaint towns with outdoor shopping, restaurants, music, etc etc
Also needs to have some good elementary school options.
Any ideas?

thanks

[JenkKzenDiBen]

Following.

[TerraDown]

McGregor blvd., if she has the money for it. Although it is a main street, it is a part of downtown outwards-expanding. Little neighborhoods back in that area may appeal to her. Good schools. If you want to shop though, go inwards (south) not east towards downtown for best shopping, imho.
If she likes history, downtown offers the Ford and Edison estates, also a Butterfly gardens. They are all quaint and worth seeing.
McGregor houses are typically concrete block, built in 50's, 60's 70's, but of good strength and value.
To actually purchase the charming look your friend seems to like, she'd have to live downtown, which I would not do.
Of course, there are realtors here who know a lot more about the city than I, and may be able to point you into a different direction.
But from what I've seen, the original style Ft. Myers homes are wooden, mostly falling apart unless maintained by an organization that preserves them (Edison and Ford Estates) and many are not in safe neighborhoods.
Have her get with a realtor. They know their stuff.

[Sweetbottoms]

This isn't New England lol. The homes are built like they are for a reason. To withstand 140 mph winds. SWFL doesn't do "charming" everything old is knocked away to build bigger better and more expensive FOR the old.. If it is old it's probably not up to code, part of a historical society or listed at $950,000. There are no small towns here.. You can choose Naples, Bonita, ft. Myers or Lehigh. This is a large metro area with no distinction from one town to the next in looks or building styles. One stop light is Naples and the next is Bonits and the next is Ft. Myers. Ft. Myers and Lehigh are less than desirable in some areas and the others are some of the most expensive in the state. I think what she wants resides north of the Fla border. There is no such thing as a Victorian neighborhood here, this is drained swamp land at best.

[TerraDown]

Sweetbottoms is right. S. Florida, and I mean both coasts, resembles more of a meditterean type house appeal, with a sub-tropical look (per plants that grow here)
And again, SBottoms correct, built of concrete block to withstand hurricanes. Much safer.

[theonlywizard]

Tell your friend to buy a lot (many around) and have a house built. She can have an island style done with gingerbread looks like the houses in Key West.

That's my style too. I had one built 1 year ago CBS construction, metal roof ,gingerbread, and bahama shutters.

There are a few around just have to look. I don't know why there aren't more. The Mediterranean look is nice but so very boring. They all look the same.

Talk about cookie cutter. Don't come home drunk!

[PonceDeLeon]

For the type of home your friend is looking for, she'd have a much easier time finding it in nice, quaint central FL town such as Mt. Dora. Very nice town, but not in SW FL.

[Jareb]

Agree with Ponce. You have to go North Central Florida for old Victorians. Search the Duckpond neighborhood of Gainesville for examples.

[livinginfortmyers]

Have her check out the McGregor Corridor (33901 zip code). Have her use Zillow or the Greater Fort Myers Board of Realtor's website to see the homes. There are some unique older homes in that zip - so she might find something that interests her. I'd also have her check out the Iona McGregor area. Like Coconut Creek has some really nice Florida/Keywest style home with Victorian touches. Zip for Iona is 33919 & 33908. Our school district is operating under a school choice process - aka student assignment/lottery system. So basically she'd pick the school she is interested in sending her kids to and towards the end of summer she will be notified of the schools she's assigned to. They just revamped the districts website - they have tons of videos and webpages that can walk her through the process. They do give priority to keeping sibling together. Based on statistics about 95% of families get there 1st choice. Heights, Tanglewood, Edison & Allen Park Elementary Schools would all be in the South Zone which is the zone of the properties I mentioned above. I have friends with kids in each of these schools and they just love it. Heights has the International Baccalaureate Program, Edison is a magnet school focusing on the Arts. There is also Charter schools to choose from (paid for my the Public School District - but operated independently). Then of course private schools, parochial schools.

[MarkDNH]

Originally Posted by theonlywizard

Tell your friend to buy a lot (many around) and have a house built. She can have an island style done with gingerbread looks like the houses in Key West.

That's my style too. I had one built 1 year ago CBS construction, metal roof ,gingerbread, and bahama shutters.

There are a few around just have to look. I don't know why there aren't more. The Mediterranean look is nice but so very boring. They all look the same.

Talk about cookie cutter. Don't come home drunk!

My wife and I just returned from CC and although I never did care for the CC style homes, she hates them. I agree with your statements...... they are boring. It seems the only choices are buying an older ranch and do a complete make over........ build...... or settle for a Mediterranean style home.
We drove around Naples and Sanibel and we love the island style homes but unfortunately the homes in those areas are out of our price range and I like the idea of gulf access so CC makes sense and we will need to have one built if we decide to move there.
We have developments up here in NH and there will be 20 homes, all cookie cutter colonials, the only thing that distinguishes them apart is they are different colors. It's so silly.
Not saying Mediterranean style homes are ugly...... just wish CC home builders would mix it up a bit and think out of the box.