Looking for Pine Island Florida Information

[nhkev]

Congrats its fun to dream

[monikac21]

There is another thread here - "How is Pine Island like" - there are more information and also pictures

[SJCjac]

I've lived on Sanibel Island for 10 years, and now Pine Island. Sanibel is upscale and pricey, but is an incorporated city so has some great laws that protect the wildlife, the environment, and your property investment in the bargain. Sanibel is just across the sound from Pine Island, but a thousand miles away in ambience (also at least an hour away by car.) Pine Island has no local government of its own, which I'm sure appeals to many people. It's just governed by Lee County. So you can find very rundown homes or trailers next to beautiful expensive homes. There is no beach, but if you boat you can get to the beautiful beaches of Cayo Costa State Park which is as good as it gets! (However, if you love the beach, and don't want to get there by boat, you'll be a long way by car from the closest beach.) Its pretty "red-neck" here which doesn't bother me...some very nice people here! The restaurants are limited, but there is a lot of live music venues in local bars if you're not uncomfortable with lots of ppl on Harleys, long-hair, and mostly boomers who love classic rock. And if you don't mind the drive into Cape Coral, there's pretty much any big box store or restaurant you could want about 15 to 20 minutes off-island. I love our bald eagles, ospreys, and other sea birds. You'll see them most every day, in every part of the island.
Despite some other posts I've seen here, there is some crime on Pine Island and we do lock our doors. We lived here during Hurricane Charley and the island was torn up. This community came together unlike anything I'd expect to see in any of the other FLA communities in which I've lived over the past 35 years. Visit, stay a week, see what you think.

[dualie]

HA.... I was going to argue SJC points at first,,,but then I read it again, and she/he is right!
The differences between Sanibel and Pine island are night and day! Sanibel has big beautiful homes, high rises, beaches, ambience. Pine Island has many beautiful homes, many middle class homes,, some pretty icky homes, and no beaches. The biggest difference for me... PI doesn't have a traffic light, and no hour long lines of traffic getting on and off the island.

We do have a lot of bikers as well, but if appears that the majority of them are middle aged guys riding Harley's trying to look like bikers! We have a large contingency of folks that make their livelyhood on the water, crabbers and fishermen. It's much more blue collar, working class, beer drinking, and country/rock then I imagine the night life on Sanibel would be.

When I first came to the island about 6 yrs ago, I wasn't that impressed...but now that I live here, I like it. But it would make many people crazy with the quiet. I also love that no one seems to care what happens out here...respect your neighbors and it's a live and let live attitude. I never want to live anywhere where there are so many rules and laws and people watching everything you do and are ready to turn you in at the drop of a hat for a perceived violation.

If you do consider the island for a home, pick your neighborhood carefully. Don't jump before you spend a lot (A LOT) of time here, the pockets of "cheap" houses are cheap for pretty good reasons. In my younger days Sanibel was where I wanted to be!!!!! Today, I'm very happy with laid back and easy going...and no traffic!

[Beachgoer44]

Dualie---what areas do you suggest one should avoid? We do not want a condo or manufactured home...something with easy water access, does not have to be waterfront, and a yard. Our budget is $300k or less.

[dualie]

'Personally, I like St James City best. Great water access for the most part. But.. houses in the $300 range are about gone! If you are serious, start looking and get down here. Things have sold a lot this season, I was amazed how many places are off the market.

Bokeelia has some nice spots, but some really sketchy spots. There are homes in that price range... just not sure I would want to be in the neighborhoods where they are. Now I don't mean that to sound snooty... just that they are older homes, very small yards, and... well, you just would have to look to see if they met your needs. Not much up there for a boy of your sons age though.

[SJCjac]

If you want to come in around $300K there's a newer subdivision called Calusa Ridge, in Bokeelia, not too far from center of the island. Welcome to Calusa Ridge: Pine Islands Best Kept Secret!
We looked at a house in there for $279K and it was really beautiful. Don't know if its still for sale, but it was empty and ready to move in. The houses in there are on acre lots, and while new, very "Old Florida" in style.