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I think most would agree that Naples is full. Bumper-to-bumper from 951 all the way up to Immokalee Road on 41 almost all year round.They can’t add any more lanes either.
Bumper to Bumper year-round? Really..I must have missed that in my daily commute.
I think most would agree that Naples is full. Bumper-to-bumper from 951 all the way up to Immokalee Road on 41 almost all year round.They can’t add any more lanes either.
I think we can agree that people buying 2nd and 3rd homes in Naples without any restrictions from commissioners has lead to younger people and natives to the area no longer being able to acquire generational wealth like these boomers had the opportunity to do. Driving up the prices (for example Naples Park which used to be blue collar working class and very affordable) has life for most under the age of retirement very difficult in terms of survivability in Naples. Every one of my siblings (all native, myself, and mostly all of my friends left Naples years ago because of these issues) The county itself couldn't care less and as long as they can squeeze one more golf course in or another age-restricted HOA they're happy to look the other way.
They ruined the town with this second home nonsense. Perfectly fine homes that families could have occupied year round, but are instead having to squeeze into tiny 2 bedroom apt for more than the mortgages these boomers pay, are sitting empty for 8 months a year and were paid for at an absolute premium so they can come and take up all the parking at the beaches, making locals pay for overflow etc. They drove up Naples prices long before the current market did. It's an absolute disgrace to see whats happened.
Nice to see SweetBottoms is still a Power of Positivity. Naples has missed you.
Nyuk nyuk nyuk
She’s not wrong. As a 33 year old firm republican and conservative who believes in capitalism and the free market I do realize not everyone is entitled to live in paradise. That being said, I lost the motivation to be there after spending 6 plus years as a working professional. I had my chance to buy into the market in 2017-18 and missed my chance, now forget it. I am currently exploring the Orlando central Florida area and spent half the year in 2021 exploring Arizona to possibly live there. Not a huge fan of the Orlando area, although it is nice being centrally located to almost everything Florida has to offer.
I’ve explored almost all of Florida at this point, been to the panhandle, extensively know Tampa, Sarasota, Orlando, and Fort Myers metro areas, been to the keys, been to the NE section of Florida (St Augustine recently), I know the lay of the land as far as Ocala, Gainesville, Clearwater, St. Pete, North Port, Port Charlotte, Venice, Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, Ave Maria, Etc. Just went to the art festival last weekend in Mount Dora here in central Florida, want to go back there without all the tents, cute little town and kinda felt similar to downtown Fort Myers. Lakeland is one place I’ve been eager to see too, will do soon.. East coast checked many boxes too, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Delray Beach….
And out of all those places and sections of Florida I mentioned I think Naples is still the cream of the crop. I mostly say that because of the beaches. I really don’t enjoy any east coast beaches, so that pretty much just leaves the gulf coast side. All the panhandle beaches I’ve been to are actually the nicest beaches in the state as far as I’m concerned, BUTTT you have a legit borderline winter season for 3-4 months of the year up there.
The beaches starting at Clearwater moving down south are great but pretty congested. Sarasota’s beaches and accessibility is also congested and overrated in my opinion, unless you live within a few miles of Seista Key beach. And once again, Anna Maria through Long Boat Key are all nice, if you live within a mile or so. Now if you’re retired and have all the time in the world to make your daily beach trip from say Lakewood Ranch fighting traffic then props to you.
Venice beach is nice, but kinda rocky and not a huge fan of the sand.
Fort Myers beach, no thanks. Bad water half the year from the mouth of the river and way too congested.
From Bonita Beach down to Port Royal, best overall beaches in state. Cleanest, most easily accessible and you get the calm warm waters of the gulf.
Naples it’s self is obviously cosmetically beautiful but overall it’s a very materialistic place. After living in Flagstaff and Sedona AZ half the year last year I had a bit of a culture shock when I came back briefly in the fall last year to Naples.
Also as a 33 year old who already spent 6 years of my prime youth living in Naples, yea the elderly people dominating the demographics starting wearing me down. I do appreciate the elegance and over all classiness of the population there though, just don’t think it’s a good place for a younger single person, Fort Myers I could make a case for that more. Where I’m staying currently in Winter Garden it’s much more diverse of a population, but not necessarily in a good way. I don’t mind being around other races but can’t stand trashy or ghetto people. With more diversity unfortunately usually means more ghetto and trashy people as well. Naples is about as white as they come lol, and Naples is about as void as you can get of any ghetto or trashy people, which I like. Once again these comments has nothing to do about race. I judge an area by the overall condition of the properties (obviously) don’t need the biggest or newest houses, but you can tell when an area takes pride or not. Also by the types of restaurants (healthy versus unhealthy fast food), cleanliness of the cars (don’t need to be the newest cars either but just overall clean says a lot) and driving behavior is a big one. I noticed the lower the economic and/or social status of a person the more aggressive and reckless they tend to drive. While Naples is predominately old people, they are pretty much all well dressed and clean looking.
Despite the elderly population dominating Naples, if housing was more affordable it would still be a desirable place. Sure I could rent a room in Naples Park for $1,200 a month but ehh, there are other places in the state and country I don’t have to work so hard for and can live just as good of a quality of life.
I still may come back to Naples temporarily since I may have my very first listing as a licensed realtor in North Naples, fingers crossed single family home, but can work that one deal either from my new base here in the Orlando metro area or if I decide to work in Arizona for the spring again, either way it’s just one transaction very easy to handle.
The more I’ve been exploring Orlando the more I realize this is a place geared for young people and families. Insane the amount of things to do here, all the water parks and amusements parks. My saving grace being away from the ocean the past couple months has been a cold crystal clear spring fed pool and river only 15 mins away.
Naples somewhat (and Lee County more so) is also geared towards families and people who just want to settle down and live a simple life, but since SWFL is one of the highest priced real estate markets east of the Mississippi currently that dream is out of reach for many unfortunately.
I could only imagine someone like Sweetbottoms (or as I like to say Sourbottoms) who was a native to Naples be a little in disgust the amount of development and destruction that has been done to the natural beauty. Sure Collier County has been better at curbing development then other counties in Florida but yea, the people who have witnessed Naples 30-40 plus years ago know what they are missing while new transplants don’t.
Last edited by JPrzybylski07; 02-15-2022 at 02:07 PM..
Shockingly I agree with almost everything you just said.
I too and very familiar with Florida (having spent 35 years here) and can attest nothing is more well kept & beautiful than Naples. Palm Beach, but only the town, will obviously compare but that's a small enclave for billionaires and isn't a real comparison. Even my beautiful Miami doesn't compete because when you go just a mile or two from the 'pretty' spots, it gets pretty ugly quick. Naples doesn't experience that.
I disagree on the beaches, that's about it. I Personally love the Atlantic Ocean way more than the Gulf. No red tide nonsense to deal with, actual waves once in a while to enjoy, prettier water...Miami Beach is my #1 beach, then either Naples or Siesta Key (Siesta has the best sand of the 3 beaches, I can admit that).
Naples is paradise for a young family like myself. We rarely have to worry about crime which is PRICELESS after living in Miami. We were always 'on guard' over there - crazy homeless people, crazy drivers trying to hit us pushing a stroller, whack job people in various stores, lack of care for your fellow human being, etc. and Ft Lauderdale was no different, so spare me the "Thats just Miami" response.
But sadly, prices are out of control for most and the dream of living here has slipped away for many. A lot of those snow birds are becoming year round residents which is what drives up costs. People with 2nd homes in Michigan or Minnesota could only afford the $200-$400k villas/coach homes so they left the non-resort communities and single family homes to the rest of the residents. Now they are selling those Midwest homes and permanently coming here, which means they want a nice pool home in Saturnia Lakes, Riverstone, etc. where as before they didn't.
Demand is off the chart here in Naples and you can't fault people for finally seeing the secret of Naples beauty/living!
Nice to see SweetBottoms is still a Power of Positivity. Naples has missed you.
Nyuk nyuk nyuk
I lived in Naples for 37 years and watched my grandmother buy a home in Naples park on the 500 block for 30k cash and that same home sold untouched for 600k. Go look at a realtor app. I don't think there's a home under 500k in Naples Park. That is a PROBLEM for people who grew up there and have family there. You seem to think its hilarious that people have no choice but to leave family and friends due to the unaffordability and f*** you attitude of those coming down and taking up homes that should otherwise be affordable to those people.. My childhood home my parents paid 80k for in Four Seasons is knocked down and a multi-million-dollar home is built there now. My parents used to own all the Swim Worlds in Naples which was essentially one of the only places you could buy bathing suits in the 80's. We had a store right at the Pavilion next to the salon. All family owned and operated, and all gone because Naples has zero limits and control on what it is happening and that's on the Commissioners for letting it get the way it has. ..
You seem to think I don't know what's going on with Naples or what I've seen. Based on your comments I'd say you're part of the problem and have a "I got mine so scr*w you" mentality about it all. 3 generations of my family were pushed out of Naples and myself and my husband make 6 figures and still had to live paycheck to paycheck there.
Lets be clear leaving is the best thing young people can do for their bank accounts unless they're trust fund babies. We now enjoy working from home, spending entire months renting airbnb's in various states across the country with our kiddo and not stressing and fighting every other boomer for a place to simple live and settle down. Keep it. I certainly haven't missed Naples one day since leaving. Upkept medians, materialistic mentality and beaches I can't enjoy because of snowbirds don't pay the bills and based off others comments its not paying their either.
Demand is off the chart here in Naples and you can't fault people for finally seeing the secret of Naples beauty/living!
Naples WAS beautiful and it was better when it WAS a secret. Everyone knows Naples now. I meet people all across the country who know Naples. We used to ride horses down Airport Road, drive our cars onto Vandi and have bonfires, kids in Naples Park would ride to the beach in groups without a car and no traffic to contest with. We would fourwheel drive up what is now Livingston all the way to Bonita and go to swimming holes with rope swings and crystal-clear waters. Naples is none of that now. Its red tide and traffic. You missed the good Naples with its rows of shopping centers and age restricted HOA'S
Naples WAS beautiful and it was better when it WAS a secret. Everyone knows Naples now. I meet people all across the country who know Naples. We used to ride horses down Airport Road, drive our cars onto Vandi and have bonfires, kids in Naples Park would ride to the beach in groups without a car and no traffic to contest with. We would fourwheel drive up what is now Livingston all the way to Bonita and go to swimming holes with rope swings and crystal-clear waters. Naples is none of that now. Its red tide and traffic. You missed the good Naples with its rows of shopping centers and age restricted HOA'S
Thanks for the by-gone memories.
Coconut grove was where the poor immigrants/blacks had to live while they built the Coral Gables neighborhood..what's your point?
Bumper to Bumper year-round? Really..I must have missed that in my daily commute.
I should rephrase my statement. Don't take my bumper to bumper statement literally. But it is very congested much of the time Though I wasn't born here, and complaining about snowbirds, I did grow up in a town with 112 residents, no lights or stop signs, never been to a larger town before Naples, so I was intimidated by the traffic. I know large towns are even worse. But Naples population seems to have grown faster than its infrastructure since I first visited in the 80s.
Shockingly I agree with almost everything you just said.
I too and very familiar with Florida (having spent 35 years here) and can attest nothing is more well kept & beautiful than Naples. Palm Beach, but only the town, will obviously compare but that's a small enclave for billionaires and isn't a real comparison. Even my beautiful Miami doesn't compete because when you go just a mile or two from the 'pretty' spots, it gets pretty ugly quick. Naples doesn't experience that.
I disagree on the beaches, that's about it. I Personally love the Atlantic Ocean way more than the Gulf. No red tide nonsense to deal with, actual waves once in a while to enjoy, prettier water...Miami Beach is my #1 beach, then either Naples or Siesta Key (Siesta has the best sand of the 3 beaches, I can admit that).
Naples is paradise for a young family like myself. We rarely have to worry about crime which is PRICELESS after living in Miami. We were always 'on guard' over there - crazy homeless people, crazy drivers trying to hit us pushing a stroller, whack job people in various stores, lack of care for your fellow human being, etc. and Ft Lauderdale was no different, so spare me the "Thats just Miami" response.
But sadly, prices are out of control for most and the dream of living here has slipped away for many. A lot of those snow birds are becoming year round residents which is what drives up costs. People with 2nd homes in Michigan or Minnesota could only afford the $200-$400k villas/coach homes so they left the non-resort communities and single family homes to the rest of the residents. Now they are selling those Midwest homes and permanently coming here, which means they want a nice pool home in Saturnia Lakes, Riverstone, etc. where as before they didn't.
Demand is off the chart here in Naples and you can't fault people for finally seeing the secret of Naples beauty/living!
Marc even if you agree with me you’re not suppose to admit that!
I wouldn’t say I love the gulf beaches way more then the Atlantic (unlike you that loves the Atlantic beaches way more then the gulf) but something about the calm waters and catching a sunset can’t be beat here on the gulf side.
Just got down for an extended weekend and took a dip here at Vanderbilt, wish the water temps stayed this cool and refreshing year round so there’s some way to cool off during the hot summers!!
Anyways, hope all is well.
Last edited by JPrzybylski07; 02-16-2022 at 03:39 PM..
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