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Fort Myers - Cape Coral area Lee County
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Old 10-26-2015, 06:55 PM
 
77 posts, read 73,149 times
Reputation: 53

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My husband has a possibility of getting a job in Ft. Myers. We have wanted to move out of PA for awhile now....tired of the snow and cold. We love the gulf coast....been to Clearwater beach and Tampa a few times and loved it. We haven't been to Ft. Myers, but we heard good things....we have 3 young children. Any thoughts on the move? I am a little concerned about some of the bad reviews Ft. Myers has gotten regarding crime, etc. Also, I'm not sure I like the School Choice thing....
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Old 10-26-2015, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Port Charlotte
3,930 posts, read 6,449,992 times
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Neighborhood, neighborhood, neighborhood. Like all cities, there are bad areas and good areas. You don't want to be in the Dunbar area, or Lehigh Acres. Off Colonial can be sketchy as well. Get a good real estate agent who won't be afraid to discuss neighborhoods with you.
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Old 10-26-2015, 08:30 PM
 
77 posts, read 73,149 times
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Restrain, thanks for the advice! I think we are going to rent first....we would like either a house with a pool or a town home type place in a community that has a pool. But, we have a dog...she is a boxer. She is old and about the most mellow dog you could meet. However, I know a lot of places won't allow big dogs, regardless of their age and temperament. Do you know of any good communities that have houses/town homes that allow dogs and are big enough for a family of 5?...at least 3 bedrooms.
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Old 10-26-2015, 08:35 PM
 
77 posts, read 73,149 times
Reputation: 53
Also, I'm concerned about the school choice. From what I read, it may not matter if we live in a safe neighborhood with a good school close by. Our kids could end up in another school, right? Are we at least guaranteed a school within our zone or sub zone?
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Old 10-26-2015, 09:43 PM
 
Location: Cape Coral
390 posts, read 635,924 times
Reputation: 357
There are two kids on my block about the same age. One goes to school close by and the other gets bussed 45 minutes away. It's a strange system. Do lots of research on this topic before you make any moves. I know a lot of parents are unhappy with the situation their kids ended up in.
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Old 10-27-2015, 12:43 PM
 
22 posts, read 25,341 times
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Hey I'm in the same boat, but definitely coming down there. Right now we're in NJ but I'm scheduled to leave for the Ft. Myers area right after x-mas. My husband is leaving a month earlier. I'm super nervous about the move- this is the biggest thing I've ever done in my life. I'm not usually such a risk-taker but I can't stand NJ and it has always been a dream of mine to move to FL. The school system is what worries me the most. I have two kids - 6 and 3 (almost 7 and 4), and I've never dealt with anything like this "school choice" thing. I'm just praying everything works out and things get better for us. It's been a rough few years for my family here.
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Old 10-27-2015, 12:59 PM
 
Location: Savannah GA/Lk Hopatcong NJ
13,406 posts, read 28,741,978 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floridamom29 View Post
Hey I'm in the same boat, but definitely coming down there. Right now we're in NJ but I'm scheduled to leave for the Ft. Myers area right after x-mas. My husband is leaving a month earlier. I'm super nervous about the move- this is the biggest thing I've ever done in my life. I'm not usually such a risk-taker but I can't stand NJ and it has always been a dream of mine to move to FL. The school system is what worries me the most. I have two kids - 6 and 3 (almost 7 and 4), and I've never dealt with anything like this "school choice" thing. I'm just praying everything works out and things get better for us. It's been a rough few years for my family here.
If education is important stay in NJ or somewhere else in the North East, as the schools here do not compare imo.
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Old 10-27-2015, 01:49 PM
 
22 posts, read 25,341 times
Reputation: 18
Are there any current parents of small children that can weigh in with experiences?

I realize that there will be a difference between FL and NJ schools, and I'm prepping myself for that. I'm just used to school assignment depending on where you live ( not school choice). Are the better schools that hard to get into? If we're put on a "waiting list" is there usually a good chance a spot will open up? I'm pretty clueless and I'm trying to learn the system. I'm also trying to find somewhere to rent that is closer to good schools, in the hopes that the proximity will give me a better chance of getting my choice.
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Old 10-27-2015, 02:47 PM
 
2 posts, read 2,431 times
Reputation: 10
We are also considering moving to the Cape Coral area, have two sons ages 9 and 13. Does anyone know any mom's groups or blogs that I can go to to get more information regarding schools, sports (soccer, basketball, and takewondo)? Thank you!
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Old 10-28-2015, 05:39 AM
 
Location: New England
3,848 posts, read 7,967,701 times
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I would not recommend Ft. Myers to any family. Nothing north of Estero IMO. I'm not sure where you're hearing these good things from? The amount of murders and crime in Lee county has caught the attention of the FBI and they are now recruiting officers from Miami who are familiar with high violence to assist the Lee county police in helping to stop the ongoing activity. Ft. Myers has several times made list as one of the most dangerous cities in America. A simply Google search is all you need to find that.
They were just in the news a week ago for the Zombicon murders. Yesterday they had a shoot out with over 50 shots fired between two gangs. Two children have been killed from stray bullets this year and there's a murder or stabbing a night. The violence is filtering out of the "certain neighborhoods" and into other places including public gatherings. Not to mention they have school choice which a lot complain is a pain and Lee isn't known for having an amazing school system. I'd stick to Esero, Bonita, Naples and save yourself the trouble of having to do it later.
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