Cape Coral vs. Davenport/orlando (sea vs land) (Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach: real estate market, oceanfront)

[anyanka]

Hello everyone,

We are travelling from Belgium to Florida by the end of octobre to search for a nice holliday-house.
We love the nice weather and therefore we are looking for our own place here in Florida. During the rest of the year (when we need to work in Belgium) we would like to rent the place.

However we are still wondering what the best option would be:
1) A nice villa in Cape Coral (near the sea)
2) A nice villa in land (Davenport / Orlando)

We heard positive and negative things on both regions, but only from people who do not live there...
I was wondering if anyone elso could help us out by informing us about the big differences?

What we heard till now:
Cape coral:
+ rents very easily
- alligators in canals: so you can forget about swimming
- higher price of insurance (flood water)
+ safer (less crime) than in land
+ very close to the sea
+ houses will increase in value
- high risk on flood / tornado / ...

Davenport:
+ less high insurance
+ less flood
- further from the sea
+ near disneyland
- less safe (more crime)
- houses will not increase in value easily

Thank you very much in advance!
greetings
Anyanka

[Tungsten_Udder]

I don't know if I can help you as much as you'd like, as I've not lived in either Davenport or Cape Coral, but I've lived in Florida and I'm familiar with both . . . although what I want to comment on is more general than that anyway:

I'll put your comments in quotation marks:

"rents very easily . . . "

The real estate market in Florida is in bad shape at the moment. Nothing is likely to rent "very easily" right now unless you make it dirt cheap. Also note that if you rent something and you're nowhere nearby, you'll need to hire a property manager while you're gone, just in case you have a big problem, like someone leaving on water and flooding the condo.

"houses will increase in value . . . houses will not increase in value easily"

As much as some people might like to be, no one is a Nostradamus--no one can foretell the future. Who knows what will increase or decrease in value in the future? Real estate values in general should rise over long periods of time, barring some major disaster--like global warming resulting in sea level rises so that your property is now in the ocean rather than oceanfront. But all things being equal, no one can know that Cape Coral property values are going to increase "more easily".

"Alligators in canals: so you can forget about swimming"

Florida's canals aren't something you'd swim in anyway. They exist for water control purposes. They're basically long, straight ditches. I doubt it's legal to swim in them.

Most of Florida's rivers on the other hand are something that you could theoretically swim in, although yes, there can be alligators in them, but there can be alligators anywhere in Florida. You're never going to be far from water, never far from swampland, even if you're right on the ocean (and note that there are alligators that can go in salt water). Most of the Florida rivers that I'm familiar with also tend to be murky with muck-like river beds, lots of cypress knees and mangrove roots sticking out of them, etc.--but I mostly know Florida rivers from canoeing in particular parts of the state. There are some much broader rivers--more on the west coast and in the northern part of the state, and maybe some great swimming rivers . . . I don't know.

Most folks swim in the ocean . . . although of course, you can get sharks, jellyfish, etc. there, too, but especially sharks are rare to see, and as with alligators, it's wise to educate yourself about what you're trying to avoid--there are certain conditions that make it more likely to see those animals.

"higher price of insurance (flood water)"

Insurance prices do tend to go down if you're further from the coast.

"safer (less crime) than in land"

There's no general pattern of crime being more common inland.


One thing that might help you make a choice is to think about the kinds of activities you want to do--what do you like to do in your leisure time?

[Alphaman]

Swim in either the ocean/gulf/pool or Florida's natural springs do not swim in the lakes mostly due to amoeba infection of the brain, it can kill you.

[LovingCapeCoral]

I live in Cape Coral. No we can't swim the canals, but boating and fishing is nice, and the beaches here are amazing. Fort Myers Beach is a younger beach, while Sanibel is more tranquil. Lovers Key is a beach at a local state park, and there are several other beaches nearby. I have visited Orlando and would not live there due to crime and the local activities do not appeal to me. If you want more tranquil, pick Cape Coral. We are inland a few miles and are renting a house through a company called Miloff Aubuchon (a real estate company). Don't buy in a low lying area or storm surge area and you won't have to worry too much about flood insurance costs. There are a lot of really nice communities here. Look at Bella Vida or Coral Lakes if you like upscale gated communities. Otherwise contact Miloff Aubuchon about some great houses - I love the one I am renting and I know they sell nice houses.

[anyanka]

Thank you all very much for your reply's.
=> LovingCapeCoral: Thank you for the tip! I will contact this real estate company to make an appointment. I checked out their website and it looks very good.
I am sure they will be able to help us and find a nice house in Cape Coral, if possible for longterm hire. (yes, we quit the idea of short term...)