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Old 02-13-2015, 08:47 AM
 
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We're looking at Marco Island for potential condo purchase. Main attraction is the beaches (and my interest is in the boating). Never been to Marco Island but we're starting to look online at as many possible places that fit the budget. Punta Gorda has been main attraction for us in the past year (we've been looking mainly there), but we're realizing that beach will have a bigger desirability factor for us in the years to come (family & friends visiting with kids, etc).

Is Marco Island mainly retirees, similar to Punta Gorda? Or is it a decent mix of ages? Lots to do? How long a drive is it to Naples restaurants/nightlife/shopping?

Any tips appreciated, esp. regarding having a place that faces either the bays or ocean (which is what we're after). It sure looks like a beautiful area. We're hoping to make a trip down next month to check things out. On that topic, is Ft. Meyers airport about an hour drive? Seems to be the case when looking at google map/directions.
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Old 02-13-2015, 09:31 AM
 
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Long Drive from airport in Marco Island. I stayed there a few times and Marco Island itself is very expensive and mainly condos high rises. Most folks live just outside Marco Island.

The Marco Island Marriott is beautiful I recommend you book a few nights, take a vacation and check out the real estate and see how far a ride from airport it is. It took me one hour and the finally 15 minutes are kinda sideroads.
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Old 02-13-2015, 09:43 AM
 
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Thanks SandyJet.
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Old 02-13-2015, 11:11 AM
 
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Marco is very family friendly. It has nice schools including a private school. It was voted number one vacation destination by Trip Adviser last year. It has a beautiful beach with lots of shells and bird watching. There is the South Beach area which is on the bottom tip and then there is Tigertail Beach which has a very large parking area, concession stand, restrooms and beach rentals. There is also a boat ramp at Caxambas Park (south area). Caxambas also has a concession stand and restrooms. The Coast Guard also has a station there.

Marco has many nice shops, restaurants, banks and a post office. There are two Publix groceries and a very nice Winn Dixie. Not too far off island (about 7 miles north) is a Fresh Market, Walmart, Lowes home store, and more. They are building a restaurant row in that same area where the Fresh Market (across the street). That area is Hwy 951 and Hwy 41 (Tamiami Trail East).

House Speaker John Boehner and wife just bought a condo on Marco last year.

There is always something going on in Marco.
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Old 02-13-2015, 01:41 PM
 
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How is hazard and flood insurance determined on Marco Island? I'm reasonably familiar with the pricing, methodology & process as it pertains to single family homes on canals (Punta Gorda, more specifically), but I'm completely unfamiliar with it on a condo tower that faces the ocean or open water. Since we'll have a mortgage, I presume we'd need flood regardless if above 1st floor? Or not?
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Old 02-13-2015, 03:42 PM
 
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We were in Naples a couple of years ago in late October. We happened to have a lot of rain while we were there and I remember seeing reports on the TV of street flooding in Punta Gorda. Just make sure you check out the flood situation of you end up looking there.
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Old 02-13-2015, 05:06 PM
 
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Marco is a nice place, albeit a bit remote if you have to leave with any regularity.

They are building like gangbusters down there.

It gets crowded this time of year, and the traffic on and off the island is a nightmare in season.

Adding insult to injury, they're "re angling" the Collier Blvd approach (making less of a curve through the intersection) where it crosses 41. I went through that intersection twice today, and it took almost 30 minutes to go under a mile southbound on 951, and about 20 minutes to get from Manatee Rd to 951 coming back. Northbound, it was backed up several miles.

It took me nearly an hour to get down there (22 miles) and about the same to get back, taking San Marco Rd to 41 in an attempt to avoid the back on 951.

Normally, this kind of construction is temporary, but in this case, they're re angling the approach now, and, more or less as soon as that's done, they will start working on the planned "flyover". Traffic in the area is going to suck for the next 5 years to a decade. Not many ways around it either, if you need to go south or east. Add a large population of "Driving Dead", and it makes driving a very unpleasant experience.

The folks I were visiting today are in their 60's, and they rent the same house down there every season. FWIW, they are always complaining that everyone on Marco is OLD! Take that for what it's worth.........

Last edited by Tripower455; 02-13-2015 at 05:15 PM..
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Old 02-13-2015, 05:12 PM
 
Location: SW Florida
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tripower455 View Post
Marco is a nice place, albeit a bit remote if you have to leave with any regularity.

They are building like gangbusters down there.

It gets crowded this time of year, and the traffic on and off the island is a nightmare in season.

Adding insult to injury, they're "re angling" the Collier Blvd approach (making less of a curve through the intersection) where it crosses 41. I went through that intersection twice today, and it took almost 30 minutes to go under a mile southbound on 951, and about 20 minutes to get from Manatee Rd to 951 coming back. Northbound, it was backed up several miles. Normally, this kind of construction is temporary, but in this case, they're re angling the approach now, and, more or less as soon as that's done, they will start working on the planned "flyover". Traffic in the area is going to suck for the next 5 years to a decade. Not many ways around it either, if you need to go south or east. Add a large population of "Driving Dead", and it makes driving a very unpleasant experience.

The folks I were visiting today are in their 60's, and they rent the same house down there every season. FWIW, they are always complaining that everyone on Marco is OLD! Take that for what it's worth.........
We used to have a timeshare on Marco Island ( bought it in 1980) for two weeks in season ( February), and sold it last year. The traffic there has been terrible and amenities crowded every year that we went there. And that was before any construction. It's much less crowded there out of season, at least it was. Marco Island was way too crowded for our tastes, one of the reasons we elected not to retire there.
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Old 02-13-2015, 05:16 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelassie View Post
We used to have a timeshare on Marco Island ( bought it in 1980) for two weeks in season ( February), and sold it last year. The traffic there has been terrible and amenities crowded every year that we went there. And that was before any construction. It's much less crowded there out of season, at least it was. Marco Island was way too crowded for our tastes, one of the reasons we elected not to retire there.
Yeah, we considered buying a canal lot years ago when they were $50-100K, but came to the same conclusions.

It is a nice place, but not for us.
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Old 02-13-2015, 05:25 PM
 
747 posts, read 1,011,432 times
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That's very good info, thank you.

Will have to see it in person, ultimately, to decide if we like it.

Reading the 1st person experiences here are very helpful nonetheless. Always good to get a different perspective. Thank you for the posts.

Incidentally, we're in our early 40's. Will we be on the lower end of the age spectrum in general? I presume yes, since census says roughly half of population is over 65. Then again, isn't most of Florida?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelassie View Post
We used to have a timeshare on Marco Island ( bought it in 1980) for two weeks in season ( February), and sold it last year. The traffic there has been terrible and amenities crowded every year that we went there. And that was before any construction. It's much less crowded there out of season, at least it was. Marco Island was way too crowded for our tastes, one of the reasons we elected not to retire there.
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