Naples or Marco Island? (Tampa, Clearwater: renting, house, buy)

[fashionablecowboy]

Could someone please tell me which would be better? -Naples or Marco Island? I can afford either-I know it's an expensive area. I am a young individual who wants to be near families, not retired people, and who does not need to be within ten minutes of bars/major shopping. MUST be slow-paced. 1. Is Naples slow and relaxed?! I heard traffic is getting awful in the winters! How crammed and stressful is driving?

2. Where are people the most friendly and warm (small community-type feel)? North Naples? South Naples? Marco Island?

3. How is the illegal immigration problem in Naples?

Also, does anyone who lives there have any advice?

[inftmyers]

Well my choice would be Marco Island. Literally, you feel like you are in the Caribbean and not Florida. However, the demographics are going to be primarily retired people. Most nice, upscale areas are going to be mostly retired people. Naples would probably be a slightly younger crowd but not as nice as Marco Island. I would visit to get a better idea of what you want. It depends on what your priorities are.

[hiknapster]

I agree with inftmyers. Also, Naples is far from relaxed. Traffic is horrendous no matter what part of Naples and the pace is often frenetic. Marco is quieter but more retirees.

[Hondax]

Friends tell me winter surge at least doubles in Naples, and a Realtor mentioned it may even triple but that seems inconceivable but noteworthy.

You will be closer to twenty miles from Major shopping if you lived on Marco.

[HockeyMom72]

The local NYC Broadcast TV stations are running ads to visit Naples and Macro Island. I had never seen that before. I guess you can expect more tourists?

[inftmyers]

Really, if you are vacationing, I think Sanibel, Captiva, Naples (beach), and Marco Island are simply the best you can find in the continental U.S. (Alaska and Hawaii are better). The sand isn't coarse like the East Coast. More tropical feel. All around just a great atmosphere! Ok I'll stop rambling now

[RMD3819]

Originally Posted by fashionablecowboy

Could someone please tell me which would be better? -Naples or Marco Island? I can afford either-I know it's an expensive area. I am a young individual who wants to be near families, not retired people, and who does not need to be within ten minutes of bars/major shopping. MUST be slow-paced. 1. Is Naples slow and relaxed?! I heard traffic is getting awful in the winters! How crammed and stressful is driving?

Traffic is hell year round but a nightmare in the winter. Snowbirds with poor driving habits as well as locals pack the streets. Perpetual road construction.
2. Where are people the most friendly and warm (small community-type feel)? North Naples? South Naples? Marco Island?

Marco is packed with retirees which only gets worse in the winter. To give you an idea-there is only one public school on Marco-an elementary school. Middle school and high school are bussed to Naples. I think there is only about 130 high school age students on Marco.

Goodland, just outside Marco is a warm and friendly small community, as is Everglades City which is about 30 miles from Marco. Old Naples has the older feel to it.

Other than those I don't think any of Naples is slow paced anymore.
3. How is the illegal immigration problem in Naples?

I guess it depends on your point of view. There is a very real possibility that the clerk at WalMart or the cashier at the grocery store doesn't speak English. The WalMart near me has all bilingual signs and the public address announcements are in Spanish ONLY. Anyone coming to do yard work or fix something at your house will probably not speak English. Generally a crew leader will speak some English but will probably not be fluent. The language barrier is very real and very frustrating.
Also, does anyone who lives there have any advice?

Please be more specific about the advice you want.

[Florida15]

NAPLES! Hands Down!

[Chromedome]

depends what you mean by 'slow-paced'

naples might be considered fast paced if your from a smaller town in the midwest or from small town florida or georgia. im from the northeast and i think naples is dead.

you definitely wont find any young people in marco, but depending on how slow you want it, marco might be wat you want, its definitly slower than naples

id say naples tho, more things easily accessible and younger people

[TeriB]

Hi. I don't consider myself an expert on Florida, but I have lived in many different parts of the state over the past 15 yrs. I'd recommend short-term renting in whatever area you're thinking of to see if you like it. If you buy a house, you might be stuck with it for some time before you can sell it. Naples is mostly mid-westerners (Chicago, Michigan, etc). Old Naples is beautiful, but very snobby. There is a large population of tomato farm workers in the Golden Gate and southern secton. The traffic is absolutely ridiculous...unless you like sitting at red light after red light. There are no short-cuts since the housing communities are mostly surrounded by cement walls. When I lived in Naples, I don't think I ever drove by a house..only on main commercial roads. Oh yeah, don't forget Red Tide. It is terrible on the gulf coast. When you're at the beach during Red Tide, you can't even breathe and fish are dead along the shore. Marco Island is beautiful too, but very vulnerable to bad storms and you constantly have to drive far distances to go anywhere, unless you like being isolated out there. Do your research before purchasing. Have you thought of Bellaire Bluffs in Pinellas County? You'd be more closer to more activities in Tampa and Clearwater. Let me know how things turn out for you.