looking for holiday home

[Iamrita]

We love it here for all the reasons you mentioned. The beach is 25 minutes West on 64. We were 20 minutes from Philly and 40 minutes from "the shore" in our Southern New Jersey home, so it's close enough for us. We have a nice pool home as well as the rec center olympic size pool. I'm beginning to prefer pools to the sand, strong sun, etc. of the beach BUT you can't beat the sunsets!

Homes are newer and bigger here for the $. Proximity to Sarasota is great. We grew up in NJ suburbs so we're used to short commutes. Compared to what I'm used to the traffic seems light but I guess that'll change "in season"...

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by Iamrita

We love it here for all the reasons you mentioned. The beach is 25 minutes West on 64. We were 20 minutes from Philly and 40 minutes from "the shore" in our Southern New Jersey home, so it's close enough for us. We have a nice pool home as well as the rec center olympic size pool. I'm beginning to prefer pools to the sand, strong sun, etc. of the beach BUT you can't beat the sunsets!

Homes are newer and bigger here for the $. Proximity to Sarasota is great. We grew up in NJ suburbs so we're used to short commutes. Compared to what I'm used to the traffic seems light but I guess that'll change "in season"...

Oh I thought it was a bit farther than that from the beach. See that's what I mean, when people share things about their neighborhoods everyone learns, including me, an older timer around here

Glad you're pleased with you're choice that's always nice to hear.

[mr&mrssunshine]

i too am intrigued by the anti Rotonda remarks . PTB is usually more forthright in his reasons.

the OP wanted
1. close to the beach - we are 15 mins ,thats close enough for us.
2. close to shops - we have Publix and Winn Dixie within 5-10 mins, Wal Mart is similar. PC for the mall takes 15-20 tops.
3. safe and clean. well unless they have moved in the manson cult whilst we have been away we always feel very safe.

So yes cmon Pete -share your reasons - I may have to move !! :-)

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by sellbydate

what is best area to buy a holiday home in e.g. close to beach, good shops, safe and clean environment. thanks

I'll give you the same answer to your post on the Fort Myers/Cape Coral forum. It's all relative!

The bottom line is always "what are you willing to spend?"

The next question is "what is your lifestyle?"

Then you need to decide what "close to the beach" means to you.

Are you a pensioner or a young family?

Some people enjoy a deed restricted community with an HOA and others hate them. It's a personal choice.

[sellbydate]

We are a young family of 4 i.e. with 2 kids of 5 and 8. We are looking for a holiday home to buy i.e. a 3/4 house with a pool. We would also love a view of water e.g. lake, canal etc. We intend to visit 3 -4 weeks a year. Mainly in the winter months. We love out door living so a beach close by is paramount i.e. 10 - 15 minute drive would be fine. My wife is a shopper so good shopping & resturants would be nice too. I don't mind lively areas but would rather drive to them instead of having them on my door step. We are looking for an area with nice flora/fauna that is considered a safe middle class area.


PS thank you for you kind, informative responses.

[barryp1]

Originally Posted by sellbydate

We are a young family of 4 i.e. with 2 kids of 5 and 8. We are looking for a holiday home to buy i.e. a 3/4 house with a pool. We would also love a view of water e.g. lake, canal etc. We intend to visit 3 -4 weeks a year. Mainly in the winter months. We love out door living so a beach close by is paramount i.e. 10 - 15 minute drive would be fine. My wife is a shopper so good shopping & resturants would be nice too. I don't mind lively areas but would rather drive to them instead of having them on my door step. We are looking for an area with nice flora/fauna that is considered a safe middle class area.


PS thank you for you kind, informative responses.

Location has a huge influence on price in SWFl.

What is your budget and will you want to rent out when you are in the UK?

[foggytoad]

As a soon-to-be homeowner in Rotonda, we found it to be exactly what we wanted: clean, quiet, safe, and affordable. (Our 9/30 closing was delayed but that's a whole nother story that I won't bore you all with. ) As M/M Sunshine point out, Rotonda is within 15 minutes of the beach, grocery stores, pharmacies, coffee shops and Walmart are plenty close. I personally don't want them a block or two away from where I live but that's just me. It's about 20 minutes or so to a mall for other types of shopping (I am used to driving about 10-15 minutes now for the closest mall), and although part of Rotonda is old and worn and could use a facelift, it is for the most part safe, secure, and well kept. It all depends on what you're looking for because I think there's something for everyone in SWFL.

[justNancy]

Unless you plan to rent out your house when you're gone through a rental management company, buying to visit for "a few weeks a year" doesn't make much sense to me, although this is definitely a good time to purchase a house in Florida for a future investment.

Keep in mind that since this will not be your primary residence, your property taxes will be high, and then you need to add insurance, maintenance and utilities. If you live in a gated community, you'll also need to pay a monthly HOA fee. I also suggest you pay a home watching service. Homes that are unoccupied for months at a time are targets for vandalism, even in safe areas. You also should employ a service simply to make sure your home is in good repair (i.e., leaks, insects, etc.)

So, depending on the price of your home, your taxes and insurance alone (add flood insurance in some areas) might be over $500 a month plus other fees, basic utilities and maintenance like lawn care. If you have a pool, which most visitors enjoy, you need to keep it clean. Although you can turn up the thermostat to 85, turning it off in the summer is not an option in SWFL unless you want to return to a musty house.

So even if you pay cash, you'll be spending at least $8,000 (that's a low estimate) a year for a few weeks of use. You can rent a heck of nice home for $3,000 a month.

[mr&mrssunshine]

we bought our home 18 months ago. during 2009 I estimated it cost us including the mortgage approx $12k.
we spent some 9 weeks there which would have cost us around $7-8k
so I look at it that the houses cost me approx $500 a month. i had just finished a car loan that was $480pm. so to my mind i got a home for $20 extra-bargain