Quick question about North Port (Tampa, Sarasota: sales, real estate market, foreclosure)

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

There are over 1000 homes for sale in NP. Many of them are becoming rentals because they want the mortgage paid. The owners are going to HUD for renters.

Ok, d4g4m you know I like you but I gotta correct your statement. There are actually 574 homes on the MLS for sale and I'd say, maybe 100 homes FSBO. So, that figure is a little high

[d4g4m]

SoFLgal is correct with the listings. The # was an exaggerated estimate. I didn't check with the mls first. But even 574 of which 171 are short/bank owned, is alot of homes for sale. Plus about 40 for rent.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

SoFLgal is correct with the listings. The # was an exaggerated estimate. I didn't check with the mls first. But even 574 of which 171 are short/bank owned, is alot of homes for sale. Plus about 40 for rent.

Yup agreed. It was actually kind of funny what happened when I read your post. I was out all day and kind of panicked when I read it on my phone. The first thing I did when I arrived back at a computer at around 9 tonight was to pull up the North Port stats. Ya had me kind of panicking that maybe the banks got crazy today and dumped a truckload of homes on

[Daisy_may]

I talked to a local business man in the PC area and asked his unbiased opinion about NP. He said that if 10 years ago I would have asked he would have said don't you dare move to NP. He said now as long as you keep away from some of the old down town areas there are many great places to live that he would be proud to live in. He said that in his opinion that NP was moving in the right direction. Does anyone else agree or dissagree with this?

[CTC]

Originally Posted by Daisy_may

I talked to a local business man in the PC area and asked his unbiased opinion about NP. He said that if 10 years ago I would have asked he would have said don't you dare move to NP. He said now as long as you keep away from some of the old down town areas there are many great places to live that he would be proud to live in. He said that in his opinion that NP was moving in the right direction. Does anyone else agree or dissagree with this?

NP doesn't have a downtown per say-we bought in the older area, and apart from a few places, the properties are kept up nicely and it feels very safe.

[Daisy_may]

We had also looked in Venice on line. Would you say NP is as safe as Venice? Also what is the difference in Venice and North Port in how they feel as a place to live? I don't mean the beaches being closer to Venice but more in the general make up of the people and how you feel living in either city?

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by Daisy_may

We had also looked in Venice on line. Would you say NP is as safe as Venice? Also what is the difference in Venice and North Port in how they feel as a place to live? I don't mean the beaches being closer to Venice but more in the general make up of the people and how you feel living in either city?

The average age in North Port is 38 and the average age in Venice is 68. That's one of the biggest differences.

Venice has a real "downtown area" when North Port does not. At 103 square miles, North Port is the second largest city in Florida in land size, but it still retains the friendliness and convenience of a small town since it is only 18% developed.

So there's still a lot of vacant land in North Port and lots of wildlife. North Port is criss-crossed by a network of canals and greenbelts providing breathing room between homes. Water lovers enjoy the canoeing the miles of canals and lakes that wind through the city. Streets were laid out with many cul de sacs and U-shaped sections to minimize traffic in residential neighborhoods. North Port became a city in 1959, and its population has more than tripled in the last fifteen years. North Port’s population is around 46,000 now but projected to climb to 250,000 in the next 10-25 years. Concerned with urban sprawl, the city of North Port is extending more sidewalks and encouraging walking by planning smaller neighborhoods within the city. Among the city’s attractions is the North Port Library, a beautiful new building with over 50,000 books in print and access to over 500,000 through the Sarasota County Library system. A second library is planned in another part of town.

Another draw to North Port are twelve parks and recreation areas, where you can bike, hike and bird watch to your heart’s content. The newest one is the Garden of the Five Senses. Kids enjoy the North Port Skate Park, and a dog park. To accommodate future growth, new commercial complexes are unveiled constantly along US 41 and in the Price Boulevard and Toledo Blade areas, the two access points to I-75. A new shopping center making a third Publix and numerous other retail stores just opened on Toledo Blade. North Port still has thousands of lots available for development, and it is working diligently to preserve the pristine environment and balance growth with conservation.

Venice is a charming city with a perfectly casual atmosphere, beautiful beaches and many amenities. Venice was designed by the well-known city planner John Nolen in the 1920s and is known for its Italian architecture and landscaped open spaces. Its charming demeanor is further enhanced by the local art festivals and parades and the intimate nature of its neighborhoods. Venice Avenue is a broad boulevard lined with palms and boutiques, fine restaurants and sidewalk cafes.

Venice has a quaint downtown district, a yacht club, theater, a library, art center, hospitals, schools, restaurants, parks and the most beautiful beaches in Florida. It is close to I-75 and to local airports and features many recreational and picnic areas, swimming, boating and fishing, as well as the all-important Floridian sport of golf. Venice, Florida even has it own small airport, primarily for private planes.

[alfbroker]

Originally Posted by Daisy_may

We had also looked in Venice on line. Would you say NP is as safe as Venice? Also what is the difference in Venice and North Port in how they feel as a place to live? I don't mean the beaches being closer to Venice but more in the general make up of the people and how you feel living in either city?

Trust your own judgement of the data you saw, over those that may be influenced by financial gain. Venice is far nicer than North Port. Safer too. A drive around both places the same day will help make things clear for you, especially if you don't have someone in the car trying to say what you see and feel isn't correct.

[Daisy_may]

I like what I hear about Venice, but its hard to pay almost twice for the same home for 9 miles. If North Port is not a bad area and is even up and coming then one has to think hard about what that extra 45 thousand dollars will buy in your pocket. I may be a bit high on twice, but if you buy a 75 thousand dollar home in North Port you will most likely pay 125 thousand in Venice for the same type of home. Yes I like the idea of being 2 miles from the beach, but will that 125 thousand dollar home go up as fast or faster than the North Port 75 thousand dollar home? I think that if Venice is holding its own and North Port is up and coming than it may be a better investment to do North Port.

[mikey2]

I live in North Port and work in Venice and that arrangement works just fine for me.
I did look in Venice as well and thought it didn't make sense for me to spend $50,000 more for a home and get less home and more congestion.

I can make it to Venice in 20-25 minutes so why do I have to live there?

I really do like Venice a lot, but you have to realize that the downtown area is a TOURIST AREA....after being here several years I appreciate not living right near it.

Lastly, I work around the corner from the downtown area....talk a walk around...what you will see is an unbelievable number of empty offices and empty buildings. The building I'm in is at least 70% empty.

No place is perfect.

Mikey