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Old 01-21-2008, 01:44 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
50 posts, read 204,389 times
Reputation: 30

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Hi again!

I asked the other day for information on the Bradenton area as we are considering a move to the FL gulf coast in the next year or two. But after reading the two Bradenton threads today, I'm thinking about other options. I love Sarasota but the housing costs are a bit higher than I'd like.

So now I'm wondering about south Sarasota and Venice - or even the island of Venice. And possibly the Englewood or Osprey areas. The housing costs are less than Bradenton and Sarasota and seem to be less over-populated. What can you tell me about these areas?

Crime, housing costs, culture, etc. Whatever you can share, I'd love to hear.

As always, thanks in advance!
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Old 01-21-2008, 03:37 PM
 
155 posts, read 1,049,597 times
Reputation: 147
Ihave a cousin who moved to Venice, FL and they love it there, but there are really no decent jobs there. If you retired or have a specialty trade youy could probably land a job in Sarasota, but very limited work in the Venice Englewood area. They are both beautiful places close to beaches and in my opinion have the best county in Florida in regards to the school system. Crime is everywhere but if I were to start my life in Florida again I would go to SW Florida. Also the cost of living is high but you get what you pay for.
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Old 01-21-2008, 06:28 PM
 
3 posts, read 14,613 times
Reputation: 10
Alot depends on what you are looking for. Venice is more of a retirement community, very nice though. Not alot for young people to do though, so it depends on your age. Also, it is only 20 minutes from Sarasota, where alot is going on! If you go about 10 minutes south of Venice to North Port, it is filled with young people. North Port is a family community. I think it depends upon what you are looking for in a community.
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Old 01-21-2008, 07:44 PM
 
65 posts, read 247,498 times
Reputation: 32
Default Sw Fl

I live in Venice with kids and it's not too Kid friendly of an area. People are nice but the kids get kind of bored. The average age here is 72. Bradenton has more kids and your closer to Sarasota where theres tons of things to do. Venice is also a lot more expensive than bradenton. I do like Venice but if you want to work you will have to go to Sarasota for the jobs. Venice is a retirment community and that's the way they want to keep it. Which is fine because the last thing you want to do is turn Venice into another Naples with nothing but hotels and traffic. A house in Sarasota that goes for $300 K is $450 K in Venice. Unless it's in an older area where people park there cars on the lawns and the houses aren't kept up. The best deal out there in my opionion is Cape Coral which is 15 minutes to Ft. Myers and the home prices are cheaper than Sarasota and all the work seems to be in Ft. Myers right now. Cape Coral schools are decent. My cousin has been there 7 years and the kids love it. I'm looking into it right at this moment. Venice lot is 50 x 80 where in Cape Coral is 100 x 200.
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Old 01-22-2008, 12:06 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
50 posts, read 204,389 times
Reputation: 30
Thanks for your feedback!

We're in our mid-30's and have no children. We'd be more interested in a laidback beach town with funky shops and restaurants versus chain stores. We love downtown Sarasota and I guess 20 minutes isn't too far to drive if we want a night out.

From what I've found online, it looks like we can rent a tiny vintage bungalow (2/1) in downtown Sarasota for just under $1000 or we can rent an average sized 2 or 3 bedroom house with a yard and close to the beach in Venice for $1100. Of course my only research thus far has come from online searching.

One more question... are Publix stores more common in the Bradenton/Sarasota area or in the Venice area?
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Old 01-22-2008, 12:38 PM
 
2 posts, read 16,111 times
Reputation: 11
Exclamation huh???

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmtjss View Post
I live in Venice with kids and it's not too Kid friendly of an area. People are nice but the kids get kind of bored. The average age here is 72. Bradenton has more kids and your closer to Sarasota where theres tons of things to do. Venice is also a lot more expensive than bradenton. I do like Venice but if you want to work you will have to go to Sarasota for the jobs. Venice is a retirment community and that's the way they want to keep it. Which is fine because the last thing you want to do is turn Venice into another Naples with nothing but hotels and traffic. A house in Sarasota that goes for $300 K is $450 K in Venice. Unless it's in an older area where people park there cars on the lawns and the houses aren't kept up. The best deal out there in my opionion is Cape Coral which is 15 minutes to Ft. Myers and the home prices are cheaper than Sarasota and all the work seems to be in Ft. Myers right now. Cape Coral schools are decent. My cousin has been there 7 years and the kids love it. I'm looking into it right at this moment. Venice lot is 50 x 80 where in Cape Coral is 100 x 200.
I live in Venice and I actually think there is so much for kids here... they have a ton of nice parks, a huge play fountain and lots of other things....also... lots are not 50 x 100... more like 80 x 100... I dont think a house would even fit on that... Some areas are nicer than others but it is a nice place to live...
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Old 01-22-2008, 12:39 PM
 
2 posts, read 16,111 times
Reputation: 11
There are Publix's in Venice... Plus Albertsons, Sweetbay and Walmart
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Old 01-22-2008, 10:17 PM
 
Location: 05 to present Venice, Fla 91-05 Manchester, NH
354 posts, read 1,268,302 times
Reputation: 122
Thumbs up I'm in South Venice

Quote:
Originally Posted by keelybella View Post
Thanks for your feedback!

We're in our mid-30's and have no children. We'd be more interested in a laidback beach town with funky shops and restaurants versus chain stores. We love downtown Sarasota and I guess 20 minutes isn't too far to drive if we want a night out.

From what I've found online, it looks like we can rent a tiny vintage bungalow (2/1) in downtown Sarasota for just under $1000 or we can rent an average sized 2 or 3 bedroom house with a yard and close to the beach in Venice for $1100. Of course my only research thus far has come from online searching.

One more question... are Publix stores more common in the Bradenton/Sarasota area or in the Venice area?
My view: Wife(39) an I (52)are in 3rd year here
This will be from North to South

Bradenton is busy and closer to 41 is skanky. I have seen some nice neighbor hoods near the Bradenton Beach but for the most part I wouldn't live there.
My cousin lives on other side of Rt75 on golf course community with 9 year old. Not many kids in da hood. But a nice safe place

Lakewood Ranch - east of 75 and south of bradenton , very safe, very rich, One place I would live if I won the lottery. (that or manasota key)

Sarasota - less crime, more arts, more rich (old) people. Can't beat the beaches - Lido, Siesta etc. It's a city....

Nokomis/Osprey - Nokomis has Nokomis beach, some dumpy houses, Casey Key ($1 mil and up) not bad if you pick the right hood

City of Venice -includes Island Of Venice $$$ - the joke here is "the old people live in Sarasota and there PARENTS live in Venice. There is a good school system and more kids than you think. Very safe. Venice Beach, Brohard beach Casperson Beach, Venice Jetties, Venice fishing pier. Venice is a little pricier. Venice has some culture also. Theatre, Synphony

South Venice (Sarasota County services not served by City of Venice) big community blue collar/retirement community. (where we live). I am about 500 yds from the Gulf. Hit or miss on hoods (more hit than miss). My wife works in Sarasota- easy commute. I used to work in Ft. Myers - 60 mins.
We have our own beach with a ferry and Manasota & Blind Pass beach just down the road. Good place to do a rental while you check out the area for a permanent home

Englewood Rotonda - Charlotte county - has Englewood Beach. I think average age is even older in Englewood. I do help out at one of the high schools so there are kids. Some great deals. Another good place to do a rental while you check out the area for a permanent home.

PS: all Sarasota County has great free beaches with great access.

All florida is hit or miss depending on neighborhood. That's why gated communitys are popular.

The population fluctuates (winter - snowbirds) Summer can be very relaxing, much less traffic and people, get in to your favorite resteraunt easy with dinner specials etc. Hot/humid as hades but a pool is very nice..... every day

Now you can get great rental deals and pick anything. Prices aren't going up anytime soon.
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Old 01-22-2008, 10:28 PM
 
Location: 05 to present Venice, Fla 91-05 Manchester, NH
354 posts, read 1,268,302 times
Reputation: 122
Thumbs down Part of Cape Coral are Skanky

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmtjss View Post
I live in Venice with kids and it's not too Kid friendly of an area. People are nice but the kids get kind of bored. The average age here is 72. Bradenton has more kids and your closer to Sarasota where theres tons of things to do. Venice is also a lot more expensive than bradenton. I do like Venice but if you want to work you will have to go to Sarasota for the jobs. Venice is a retirment community and that's the way they want to keep it. Which is fine because the last thing you want to do is turn Venice into another Naples with nothing but hotels and traffic. A house in Sarasota that goes for $300 K is $450 K in Venice. Unless it's in an older area where people park there cars on the lawns and the houses aren't kept up. The best deal out there in my opionion is Cape Coral which is 15 minutes to Ft. Myers and the home prices are cheaper than Sarasota and all the work seems to be in Ft. Myers right now. Cape Coral schools are decent. My cousin has been there 7 years and the kids love it. I'm looking into it right at this moment. Venice lot is 50 x 80 where in Cape Coral is 100 x 200.
A South Venice buildable lot is 80 x 100. Englewood lots are a little deeper at
at 100 - 125 deep. Cape Coral - I worked in North Ft Myers and got around the Cape a lot. The lots aren't that much different especially in the older neighborhoods. Lee County has more crime - period - including Cape Coral. Check out all the Cape Coral and Lee county threads. Ft. Myers is crime -ridden. Worse than Bradenton.

Cape Coral has NO beach and Ft. Myers is a tough hike to get to the beach
It is a younger community- I'll grant you that.

I do like some of the Cape Houses, especially the new ones near Burnt Store Road. It's like North Port - you can get a lot of house for the money.
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Old 01-22-2008, 11:27 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
50 posts, read 204,389 times
Reputation: 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by paradiddle View Post
My view: Wife(39) an I (52)are in 3rd year here
This will be from North to South

Bradenton is busy and closer to 41 is skanky. I have seen some nice neighbor hoods near the Bradenton Beach but for the most part I wouldn't live there.
My cousin lives on other side of Rt75 on golf course community with 9 year old. Not many kids in da hood. But a nice safe place

Lakewood Ranch - east of 75 and south of bradenton , very safe, very rich, One place I would live if I won the lottery. (that or manasota key)

Sarasota - less crime, more arts, more rich (old) people. Can't beat the beaches - Lido, Siesta etc. It's a city....

Nokomis/Osprey - Nokomis has Nokomis beach, some dumpy houses, Casey Key ($1 mil and up) not bad if you pick the right hood

City of Venice -includes Island Of Venice $$$ - the joke here is "the old people live in Sarasota and there PARENTS live in Venice. There is a good school system and more kids than you think. Very safe. Venice Beach, Brohard beach Casperson Beach, Venice Jetties, Venice fishing pier. Venice is a little pricier. Venice has some culture also. Theatre, Synphony

South Venice (Sarasota County services not served by City of Venice) big community blue collar/retirement community. (where we live). I am about 500 yds from the Gulf. Hit or miss on hoods (more hit than miss). My wife works in Sarasota- easy commute. I used to work in Ft. Myers - 60 mins.
We have our own beach with a ferry and Manasota & Blind Pass beach just down the road. Good place to do a rental while you check out the area for a permanent home

Englewood Rotonda - Charlotte county - has Englewood Beach. I think average age is even older in Englewood. I do help out at one of the high schools so there are kids. Some great deals. Another good place to do a rental while you check out the area for a permanent home.

PS: all Sarasota County has great free beaches with great access.

All florida is hit or miss depending on neighborhood. That's why gated communitys are popular.

The population fluctuates (winter - snowbirds) Summer can be very relaxing, much less traffic and people, get in to your favorite resteraunt easy with dinner specials etc. Hot/humid as hades but a pool is very nice..... every day

Now you can get great rental deals and pick anything. Prices aren't going up anytime soon.
Thanks so much for responding, paradiddle! This is very helpful information!!

And thanks to everyone for responding! The more info I can gather the better. This forum has been wonderful so far!
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