I am really sad to see what is happening in Sarasota (Tamiami: buying a house, neighborhoods)

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I can imagine! We're located in Charlotte County, and while I know the amount of traffic here doesn't compare with the traffic in Sarasota County and points north into Tampa and beyond, in or around Orlando, Jacksonville or Collier and Lee Counties ( that I know of) it's also lots heavier here than it ever used to be, even during season. We're about 15 miles north of Punta Gorda off US 17, and the area is a lot less congested than it is in the other parts of Charlotte County. We bought the lots adjacent to us before we had the house built as we didn't want neighbors crowding into us. Glad we did, apparently a developer or three is in the process of buying up many of the empty lots around here and building small cookie cutter houses or duplexes on them. When they finish the houses, they put them up for sale or rent, so they're speculation type investments. Also looks as though they are clearing land south of us just off US 17 in several places with plans ( according to the signage) of building housing projects ( ie, as many
houses as possible on the property) there.



We get several requests a week to sell our adjacent lots. They are prime waterfront property and I can only imagine what's in the mind of an investor or contractor to put there and maximize their profit. We should just put signs up there saying neither the lots, or our house is for sale.



Hopefully it'll be quite a while before the throngs catch up with you there in Lakeland. We have friends in
Lake Placid, though they've had quite a few houses built around them since they finished their house on the property they bought long ago, my husband claims there isn't the congestion in the middle of the state that there is along the coasts. I don't know....

Your lots must not be in a subdivision then because most subdivision require building to start within so many months of transfer of ownership

[Above Average Bear]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Riding a bike in Sarasota area (Venice/Nokomis/Osprey) can get you killed
There have been at least two fatalities since Jan of this year
So riding a bike to circumvent bad traffic is not the way to go IMO
There are few bike lanes and fewer drivers who know what they mean

Thanks for the warning! I’ve have rode all over NYC for 10s of thousands of miles and survived. I think that I can handle Sarasota. I love to ride and it would really depress me if I couldn’t ride.
A bicyclist was killed in Asheville recently, where I currently live, so it can happen everywhere.
What really scares me is driving on Florida interstates.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I can imagine! We're located in Charlotte County, and while I know the amount of traffic here doesn't compare with the traffic in Sarasota County and points north into Tampa and beyond, in or around Orlando, Jacksonville or Collier and Lee Counties ( that I know of) it's also lots heavier here than it ever used to be, even during season. We're about 15 miles north of Punta Gorda off US 17, and the area is a lot less congested than it is in the other parts of Charlotte County. We bought the lots adjacent to us before we had the house built as we didn't want neighbors crowding into us. Glad we did, apparently a developer or three is in the process of buying up many of the empty lots around here and building small cookie cutter houses or duplexes on them. When they finish the houses, they put them up for sale or rent, so they're speculation type investments. Also looks as though they are clearing land south of us just off US 17 in several places with plans ( according to the signage) of building housing projects ( ie, as many
houses as possible on the property) there.



We get several requests a week to sell our adjacent lots. They are prime waterfront property and I can only imagine what's in the mind of an investor or contractor to put there and maximize their profit. We should just put signs up there saying neither the lots, or our house is for sale.



Hopefully it'll be quite a while before the throngs catch up with you there in Lakeland. We have friends in
Lake Placid, though they've had quite a few houses built around them since they finished their house on the property they bought long ago, my husband claims there isn't the congestion in the middle of the state that there is along the coasts. I don't know....

Sounds like you have a lovely location! Smart to buy those lots next to you. I guess unfortunately there is almost nowhere in Florida that will be "untouched" by development. We can only hope we can live out our lives before it overtakes everything. I was born and raised in Florida, this is my home and I want to stay here. Lakeland is growing but I hope it will be awhile before it becomes just a community of Tampa/Orlando.

[Eda_Pimentel]

Anyone riding a bike or motorcycle anywhere in SRQ, Man, Lee, or even Hills must have death wish. This isn't NYC or China where drivers commonly see bikes or even respect them. I see fools riding with their spandex and helmets on even on Univ/I75/UTC area, now one would have to be crazy to do that, but whatever

[Above Average Bear]

Originally Posted by Eda_Pimentel

Anyone riding a bike or motorcycle anywhere in SRQ, Man, Lee, or even Hills must have death wish. This isn't NYC or China where drivers commonly see bikes or even respect them. I see fools riding with their spandex and helmets on even on Univ/I75/UTC area, now one would have to be crazy to do that, but whatever

I’ll be in an Airbnb in Southgate in May. I’m mainly concerned with biking to the Tamiani Trail, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, the beach, and locally. I’ll see if that feels comfortable for me.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Your lots must not be in a subdivision then because most subdivision require building to start within so many months of transfer of ownership

Nope, no subdivision here. No HOA either, long ago we made the decision NOT to ever live in a location where life is ruled by an HOA.



In fact, our lots, including the lots we built the house on, and the adjacent lots are all considered one lot now. They were combined by the county just after we finished the house in a process they called "kill and combine". Doesn't stop speculators or "gottamovetoFlorida" hopefuls from stopping and asking us about their availability, but we have no problem breaking the news to them that they are NOT for sale.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Sounds like you have a lovely location! Smart to buy those lots next to you. I guess unfortunately there is almost nowhere in Florida that will be "untouched" by development. We can only hope we can live out our lives before it overtakes everything. I was born and raised in Florida, this is my home and I want to stay here. Lakeland is growing but I hope it will be awhile before it becomes just a community of Tampa/Orlando.

Indeed it is, and we appreciate it more the longer we live here.



I know Lakeland is pretty too, and I'm with you in hoping these areas can stay untouched ( or lightly touched) by overdevelopment long enough so we don't live to see it.



I'm not a FL native, but I moved to Florida in my mid 20's so have lived here coming up on 50 years. I've invested enough of my life, I think, in the state, to feel some ownership here.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by Above Average Bear

I’ll be in an Airbnb in Southgate in May. I’m mainly concerned with biking to the Tamiani Trail, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, the beach, and locally. I’ll see if that feels comfortable for me.

I'm not trying to disuade you from riding your bicycle in Sarastota. Just pointing out how dangerous it can be to rely on a bicycle for transportation in many of our areas. Lots of the drivers here are seniors and they don't see as well as they used to. There are also a lot of impatient drivers. There are not many sidewalks and the streets are designed in a way that is usually not friendly for bicyclists.

Pedestrians and motorcyclists are also at higher risk here.

Florida leads US for bicycle fatalities, data shows

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wfl...ata-shows/amp/

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Report: Suncoast region ranked among most dangerous areas for pedestrians in US

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wts...0-4933cd30f7b5

According to the "Pedestrian Danger Index" study, the Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port area ranked as the nation's sixth-most dangerous place for pedestrians from 2010 to 2019.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

I'm not trying to disuade you from riding your bicycle in Sarastota. Just pointing out how dangerous it can be to rely on a bicycle for transportation in many of our areas. Lots of the drivers here are seniors and they don't see as well as they used to. There are also a lot of impatient drivers. There are not many sidewalks and the streets are designed in a way that is usually not friendly for bicyclists.

Pedestrians and motorcyclists are also at higher risk here.

Florida leads US for bicycle fatalities, data shows

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wfl...ata-shows/amp/

------------------------------------------

Report: Suncoast region ranked among most dangerous areas for pedestrians in US

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wts...0-4933cd30f7b5

According to the "Pedestrian Danger Index" study, the Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port area ranked as the nation's sixth-most dangerous place for pedestrians from 2010 to 2019.

This is true, and especially in this area. We live in Lakeland which is actually one of the more bicycle friendly areas in the state. Sarasota/Bradenton is not.

[tinytrump]

Originally Posted by Above Average Bear

Is the heavy traffic year round or seasonal? And regarding heavy traffic is it NYC like heavy traffic?
I’m currently looking at where to land coming from Asheville NC to SW Florida,
My sights are set on Southgate and Gulfgate. They look to be close to downtown, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

There’s an average of 12 accidents a day in this area. They are building 500 new homes in an already overblown Lakewood Ranch area to the west. The homes are there- but all the food, attractions, groceries stores etc and beaches are west. It’s a mess. The season it’s worse but many not returned since covid. We get 1000 peeps a day. Developers and councilmen are destroying our natural habitats and peace!