You just might NOT be qualified to live in SW Florida IF..... (Miami: real estate, foreclosures)

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by nhkev

There are several reasons why I don't live there , one of which is that I am a very established entertainer in Fanuel Hall in Boston and don't feel like starting over in a new place when it's not needed, also my wife does work in the health care field and is very comfortable with her surroundings right now and would only consider a relo for a promotion because her company has an awesome relocation program that financially would be a windfall, most of our family is around the Boston area (for now). And as I have stated previously The whole area is in a transition and is going to have some very unpleasant times ahead, I wouldn 't have invested there if I thought it wasn't going to come out of it for the better, The people that are buying are largely cash buyers or people that can afford to live there, the other group is the first time homebuyers who couldn't or shouldn't have bought the houses during the boom, that now can, short term it's going to be hard, tough times will end and I think the cape will come out stronger than the road it was heading down in 2004, Unfortunatly I don't feel the same about lehigh, just my opinion it's going to be an undesirable area for a very long time.

and I disagree with the lady from new york about waking up go to work etc etc etc That's why I left Mass because I found myself constantly getting into that rutt to me that's not living.

Exactly. I can't agree with enough.

Oh, and I knew you were an entertainer. I looked at your homepage! I liked it!

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by nhkev

to me that's not living.

Yes, when I'd meet people who were working 2 jobs just to make ends meet, that should have been a BIG sign. Guess I was mesmerized by the clear blue sky and amazing sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico. While I was sitting on the sand watching a big orange ball dip into a giant blue pool of water, my friends in New England were scraping the ice off their cars and defrosting their fingers. Then I'd think of the time I was walking on Commonwealth Avenue with my scarf over my face, because the cold wind was so painful. If it weren't for those darn rainbows I might never have stayed in this horrible place.

[jvelte]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Great job with the stats!

Just remember, now, some people are special.

They still have not released Knoxville's numbers. In May it was 8.8. The best we can hope for, up here, is that July's will be better. I'm finally starting to see "Help Wanted" signs.

I wonder how long some of those slapped together homes will last, I really do, especially in that weather.

Michigan: 15.2% unemployment. We beat out the nearest state (Rhode Island) by almost 3%. But for those that can move to FL and have health care jobs lined up or can take their current work with them, I guess that would be a "special" circumstance.

[121804]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Great job with the stats!

Just remember, now, some people are special.

Ohh, they sure are. They'll figure it out when they get the welcome wagon at the door when the welcome wagon sees a young child

I don't feel bad for the adults. I feel bad for the toddlers who are dragged into a retirement village & expected to adjust b/c as I remember oooohhh so well taking my then 19 month old to the pool (he couldn't swim & would hold on to me for dear life: "Ahhh, excuse me, is he going to make lots of noise & splashing b/c we don't like it when kids splash in the pool.". I felt like saying "I can make that happen if ya like!" But my all time favorite from the cashier at Publix "I moved to Punta Gorda to get away from my kids & grandkids. They're too poor to visit me so I don't have to worry about babysitting."

Funny thing is my neighbors are in their mid80s here & have more spirit & life in them then myself half the time! I asked them once why they have stayed in the same home for 50+ years & if they ever wanted to move to warmer weather: "It keeps us young." Great answer I thought.

Oh well, Hiknapster, some just like to learn the hard way We've all been there at one time or the other in life.

[jvelte]

Originally Posted by 121804

Ohh, they sure are. They'll figure it out when they get the welcome wagon at the door when the welcome wagon sees a young child

I don't feel bad for the adults. I feel bad for the toddlers who are dragged into a retirement village & expected to adjust b/c as I remember oooohhh so well taking my then 19 month old to the pool (he couldn't swim & would hold on to me for dear life: "Ahhh, excuse me, is he going to make lots of noise & splashing b/c we don't like it when kids splash in the pool.". I felt like saying "I can make that happen if ya like!" But my all time favorite from the cashier at Publix "I moved to Punta Gorda to get away from my kids & grandkids. They're too poor to visit me so I don't have to worry about babysitting."

Funny thing is my neighbors are in their mid80s here & have more spirit & life in them then myself half the time! I asked them once why they have stayed in the same home for 50+ years & if they ever wanted to move to warmer weather: "It keeps us young." Great answer I thought.

Oh well, Hiknapster, some just like to learn the hard way We've all been there at one time or the other in life.

Oh please, you are funny. Welcome wagon, haha. You make it sound like the entire community of SW FL hates children. Sure, a large percentage is retirees, but in the 15+ visits I've had down there in the past 16 months I have actually seen a lot of children, believe it!! They are there, just like every other area of the U.S. I've counted at least 5 other families with school-age children on my street in Port Charlotte. Oh my gosh, how did this ever happen!?!?!? So far we've received a great reception from the neighbors. Both next door neighbors and one we met across the waterway from us were so happy it wasn't another older person that wouldn't take care of the place. That made us feel good. We can't wait to get down there permanently this winter!

[121804]

Originally Posted by jvelte

Oh please, you are funny. Welcome wagon, haha. You make it sound like the entire community of SW FL hates children. Sure, a large percentage is retirees, but in the 15+ visits I've had down there in the past 16 months I have actually seen a lot of children, believe it!! They are there, just like every other area of the U.S. I've counted at least 5 other families with school-age children on my street in Port Charlotte. Oh my gosh, how did this ever happen!?!?!? So far we've received a great reception from the neighbors. Both next door neighbors and one we met across the waterway from us were so happy it wasn't another older person that wouldn't take care of the place. That made us feel good. We can't wait to get down there permanently this winter!

Punta Gorda isn't Port Charlotte. Not even close... Deep Creek pretends to be PG but it's just PC with a PG zip code.

We were actually considering PC when we were thinking of building b/c there are more families in PC. We were doing what we could to make a life for ourselves in SWFL b/c it was a job. If you were remotely aware of our background as Hiknapster is, you'd understand why we were doing what we had to at the time.

Then, after much research on the "fantastic" schools & many other factors that come into play when you are living there rather than visiting...we saw enough.

Make sure to run WatchDog for the sex offenders in PC. I'm being serious. Many are for soliciting sex over the internet or engaging in activity with someone who said they were 18 when they were not...but there is an extremely large number of sex offenders in PC.

Midland Ave near the junior high is another "must see" of Port Charlotte. I know the high school use to get a ranking of "C" but maybe that was knocked up to a B in the last year or so. Education speaks volumes about a city. And for us, quality of education far exceeded shoveling snow. The grade schools just scared me so I stayed away & hoped that we could send our son to Good Shepherd in PG if need be for preschool. Still subpar but better than whatever was going on in PC....

I've lived in SWFL, not just stayed for a few days & see people all excited that I was bringing up their property value. Grateful I did b/c it made all that more appreciative for what I have now.

Actually, I shouldn't really knock PC completely..the play area in the mall was nicely kept & my son though getting a pretzel was the coolest thing. Appreciated that on the hot days. Hope that more stores have come in to fill up the vacancies in the mall.

[jvelte]

Originally Posted by 121804

Punta Gorda isn't Port Charlotte. Not even close... Deep Creek pretends to be PG but it's just PC with a PG zip code.

We were actually considering PC when we were thinking of building b/c there are more families in PC. We were doing what we could to make a life for ourselves in SWFL b/c it was a job. If you were remotely aware of our background as Hiknapster is, you'd understand why we were doing what we had to at the time.

Then, after much research on the "fantastic" schools & many other factors that come into play when you are living there rather than visiting...we saw enough.

Make sure to run WatchDog for the sex offenders in PC. I'm being serious. Many are for soliciting sex over the internet or engaging in activity with someone who said they were 18 when they were not...but there is an extremely large number of sex offenders in PC.

Midland Ave near the junior high is another "must see" of Port Charlotte. I know the high school use to get a ranking of "C" but maybe that was knocked up to a B in the last year or so. Education speaks volumes about a city. And for us, quality of education far exceeded shoveling snow. The grade schools just scared me so I stayed away & hoped that we could send our son to Good Shepherd in PG if need be for preschool. Still subpar but better than whatever was going on in PC....

I've lived in SWFL, not just stayed for a few days & see people all excited that I was bringing up their property value. Grateful I did b/c it made all that more appreciative for what I have now.

Actually, I shouldn't really knock PC completely..the play area in the mall was nicely kept & my son though getting a pretzel was the coolest thing. Appreciated that on the hot days. Hope that more stores have come in to fill up the vacancies in the mall.

I agree there are alot of differences between PC and PG, but we liked the accessibility of "everything" that PC offered vs PG and PGI. A lot of people knock PC, and we've seen the good and bad just like every city has, including PG (yes, PG has some nasty areas too). As you recommended, we chose our area partially based on the sexual watchdog list you mentioned. That was one of the first things we did when choosing location, besides looking for the best PC water for boating. Right now there isn't a problem in our area, but then again you can't tell what will happen or who will move to our street in the future. In May we sold our home in a very nice neighborhood in Grand Rapids, MI. As nice as it may be, there were three residents who had CSC convictions that lived within a mile. Now we never knew who they were, nor did any neighbors. You just never know for sure no matter where you live.

[TedTLPN]

Sex offenders are 'just as bad' in some places in SW Florida as say Central Fl. I was shocked when I ran a 3 mile radius on my Orlando house and the one I want in LA. Almost exactly the same #.

[TANaples]

I heard those stats on the news but I also heard that housing sales are substantially up also. What does that mean? Is their a relationship between the two? Does that mean people buying these houses subsequently cannot find jobs after they are moving here? Or are they people buying these houses retirees, snowbirds, or have jobs before they are buying? Or is there no correlation between the unemployment figures and the housing sales?

Any thoughts?

[mrcoolmrcool28]

And WE are off topic?????