Moving to Cape Coral....maybe? (Fort Myers, Pine Island: real estate, homes, neighborhoods)

[bberman]

Sami - fresh water boating in CC is alot different than salt water, right? Just putt-putt on the pontoon up and down with no place really to go,5 mph, no wake. However, home prices on fresh water are considerably cheaper than gulf canal sites so I guess it's a money issue. Do I have this correct?

[janetvj]

Another Florida wannabe here. I've visited this area, as well as the Port Charlotte and North Port areas, Homosassa Springs, Crystal River and Inverness areas, Ocala, and on the east coast - Fort Lauderdale, and as far north as Jacksonville (where I have family). I have narrowed my prefered areas down to the gulf coast, although I haven't ruled anything out yet. I am retired, and will be visiting again the end of January to look at some properties. My budget is around $100,000 (although less would be better). I'd love to live somewhere that's walkable (shopping and restaurants), and close to beaches as well as biking and hiking trails. Any suggestions specific to Cape Coral or Fort Myers?

[ihurst]

It would be public courses only. Thank you for the list!

[Angelala]

Cape Coral is awesome, I lock my doors more where we live full time than I do when we are down south. We started out with a house on a freshwater lake and within a year and a half knew we really wanted gulf access. We sold our house and bought a gulf access in the SW area and it's great! We could have bought anywhere but decided we really liked Cape Coral. Gulf access is the way to go for sure.

[MikeP]

Ihurst: Where in upstate NY? I'm from a small town about 45 minutes NW of Albany (Broadalbin). I've been here almost 15 years and love it. Golf is wonderful here. It's pricey in the winter/ early spring but dirt cheap in the summer and fall.
Coral Oaks, Magnolia Landing, Eastwood, and Westminster are all very nice public courses. Coarl Oaks and Eastwood were once top 50 public courses according to golf digest.
Hit um straight!

[ihurst]

MkeP, My farm is south of Syracuse, north of Ithaca, fingerlakes area. I was thinking that I would have to get used to paying more than a buck a hole to play down there! Spoiled up here with the prices and lack of people on the courses, if it wasn't for winter I would stay!

[MikeP]

You can't play for a buck a hole, but you can come close in the summer. You'll pay $20 - $30 for the courses I listed earlier in the summer (with a cart) and some of them throw in lunch for that price! There are also deals where you can get on really nice private courses for cart fee only (usually $25 - $30) in the summer. You often need to buy a play card or pass for those deals, but it's well worth it. Many of those courses charge $150 - $300 "in season".
It's hot in the summer, I bring a towel to keep my hands dry but the courses are empty and you can't beat the prices.

[ihurst]

Can I say that I am used to Hot when we have baled hay on the 4th of July in 100 degree plus weather? It dosn't happen often but been there done that. Will I be able to adapt? The cold is way worse than the hot! Its frezn here!

[Mommas5]

I live in the SE Cape, right off Del Prado really. As a true CC native, I've lived in the NE area right off Del Prado and now SE. It's great. There are MANY nights I forget to lock the car doors. I even once left the passenger side door open to my mini van and no one stole anything.

My aunt used to work out of Heron's Glen in NFM and said it was a great course. There are a few others too, but the names escape me as I don't golf. In the area that Heron's Glen is there are quite a few courses. Heron's Glen, Pine Lakes, Lake Fairways, etc. There is also a course right off Hancock Pkwy that is $20 a round.

As for canal's, my g-parents lived on a fresh water one off Hancock Pkwy. They liked it, it led to several small lake areas. Shamrock Lakes as one of them. The canals are quite extensive, there is even a canal map if you can find one. It depends on how much you plan to boat and the type of boat you'd like. A small tiny boat I'd stay in the fresh water canal areas. Or one a canal w/ Gulf access/Caloosahatchee access.

Good Luck!

[freddyCF]

Is the Hancock area a good place to live?