For Florida residents. Which would you choose? (Cape Coral, Naples: house, pros and cons)

[littlepawsinn]

What would you choose if you had the choice.

1. Average size home with small/average backyard, maybe a finished basement, up North (New York/Long Island) in need of updates.

or

2. A beautiful oversized home in South Florida (Ft. Myers/Cape Coral area), with many bedrooms and bathrooms, fireplace, Large courtyard pool and spa, on a wide canal with a dock that has access to the ocean?

Both places have their pros and cons. But what would you choose and why?? Can't wait to hear your answers.

[ChrisA70]

House in Massachusetts... No thanks on here in FL.

[Alphaman]

I wouldn't choose either I like Central or north Florida but definitely not in the Northeast anymore, been there done that and it`s not for me.

[TANaples]

This was posted on the Long Island board also. You don't need a fireplace in SW Florida. Even the New Yorkers who posted said that. But then watching some of the natives here walking around wearing parkas, scarves, and GLOVES (?????) when it is in the 40s, maybe THEY need a fireplace.

As I said on the other board, I would go with a dump on LI over a mansion in Florida. Last I checked, none of the New Yorkers chose SW Florida. "Nice place to vist, but" was the general feeling. I think one person chose being a snowbird.

[DailyJournalist]

Number 1 for sure. The boredom alone of living in SW Florida would kill me.

[On-da-Beach]

Having read this and the co-thread on the L.I. forum surprises me that some people can be so short sighted. I've lived in Fl. for 25 years now. Came from NW Ohio. There was no work there. My friends from there still say how lucky I am to have left and they would too if they could. They don't leave due to family or fear of change or I don't know why else, but they stay and complain about it.
I love Florida. I've had 2 homes with fireplaces and used them very much through the winter nights. I hear it's hot in Florida...Oh Really?? Here's your sign. IT'S FLORIDA!!! You know, tropical, sandy beaches, palm trees, cold drinks at the tiki bar? Tropical means bugs, heat, lizards and yes, hurricanes. Chicago got more rain from Gustav than we did.
Homes in the sun-belt frequently have swimming pools where people luxuriate in the sun...9 months a year. Hard to fit a pool in that tiny yard.
The largely retirement areas like SW Florida focus on golf, tennis and social clubs. Not a bad retirement lifestyle. If you prefer something different, it may be that you aren't retired and moved to a retirement hotspot and now find it boring. That's what I mean by shortsighted.
My wife took a business trip to NYC last December and loved the cold & snow. After a couple of days she was ready to come home. I picked her up at the airport and the first thing she did was use her camera-phone to capture the temp on the car thermometer...84* and send it to her co-workers up north. "Oh, you suck" was the most popular response.
So it's 'green grass and high tides' for me. Oh, and gator breath keeps the cars from rusting!

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by On-da-Beach

Having read this and the co-thread on the L.I. forum surprises me that some people can be so short sighted. I've lived in Fl. for 25 years now. Came from NW Ohio. There was no work there. My friends from there still say how lucky I am to have left and they would too if they could. They don't leave due to family or fear of change or I don't know why else, but they stay and complain about it.
I love Florida. I've had 2 homes with fireplaces and used them very much through the winter nights. I hear it's hot in Florida...Oh Really?? Here's your sign. IT'S FLORIDA!!! You know, tropical, sandy beaches, palm trees, cold drinks at the tiki bar? Tropical means bugs, heat, lizards and yes, hurricanes. Chicago got more rain from Gustav than we did.
Homes in the sun-belt frequently have swimming pools where people luxuriate in the sun...9 months a year. Hard to fit a pool in that tiny yard.
The largely retirement areas like SW Florida focus on golf, tennis and social clubs. Not a bad retirement lifestyle. If you prefer something different, it may be that you aren't retired and moved to a retirement hotspot and now find it boring. That's what I mean by shortsighted.
My wife took a business trip to NYC last December and loved the cold & snow. After a couple of days she was ready to come home. I picked her up at the airport and the first thing she did was use her camera-phone to capture the temp on the car thermometer...84* and send it to her co-workers up north. "Oh, you suck" was the most popular response.
So it's 'green grass and high tides' for me. Oh, and gator breath keeps the cars from rusting!

They just don't like the same things you do. Not everybody likes 90 degrees, beaches, golf, tennis, etc., etc., including ME. I lived here 30 years ago and swore I would never come back. My husband got a job here. We will be able to retire in about 5 or 6 years. I cannot wait to get out.

When my husband told his former coworkers that he was moving to Florida, there was dead silence. No, they weren't jealous. He invited one man to come visit him. He turned him down flat. Said he had no desire to ever visit Florida. "I will see you when you come up here". His Air Force buddy from Buffalo, yes BUFFALO, said no too for the same reasons as the other man. They both like it just fine where they are.

I guess I am just "shortsighted", but one man's paradise is another man's ......... You know the saying. I am in the latter group. Many others probably feel the same way.

[ChrisA70]

You know I agree...

Originally Posted by TANaples

They just don't like the same things you do. Not everybody likes 90 degrees, beaches, golf, tennis, etc., etc., including ME. I lived here 30 years ago and swore I would never come back. My husband got a job here. We will be able to retire in about 5 or 6 years. I cannot wait to get out.

When my husband told his former coworkers that he was moving to Florida, there was dead silence. No, they weren't jealous. He invited one man to come visit him. He turned him down flat. Said he had no desire to ever visit Florida. "I will see you when you come up here". His Air Force buddy from Buffalo, yes BUFFALO, said no too for the same reasons as the other man. They both like it just fine where they are.

I guess I am just "shortsighted", but one man's paradise is another man's ......... You know the saying. I am in the latter group. Many others probably feel the same way.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by BacktoMA4good

You know I agree...

And many others do too.

[cmj_fla]

Back on topic please.