West Coast FL help
 

Who lives there and what city? Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel. Any info would be great for any city on the West Coast.

Oh, preferably a more conservative area.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

I haven't been there recently, but I used to go to Sanibel/Captiva Island almost every weekend when I lived in Miami. Are you looking for general info or what? Sanibel had been known as having one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, at one time it was in the top 10... silky sand and the most unbelieveable shells you've ever seen. The shells roll in constantly from the gulf .. you see people 'shelling' on the beach at all hours, especially at low tide. Very peaceful. I loved it. Lots of clean little 'mom and pop' motels .. up to the big chain hotels. My favorite beach city on Fla's west coast.

Sarasota .. Home of the Circus .. Barnum and Bailey? Trim little town.
Tarpon Springs .. big Greek settlement/influence. Lots of sponge items from the sponge fishermen.
Naples .. great Ritz-Carlton.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Sanibel is at the top of the list. We're just looking at other areas. I like the idea of being along the coast on the water.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Isnt FL on the East cost? :clapping:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

meh I lived in Ft. Myers for about 3 years. Believe it or not it is basically a working class retirement area. It is full of rednecks also. Same with Cape Coral. Sanibel is okay, but I prefer the beach in teh sunny isles beach area of Miami and the also the Aventura area of Miami is nice to live.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

for what reason do you ask?

RYD

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Mmmm Sanibel....

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Indian Rocks beach... upscale and nice. Close to Tampa.

But to be honest move to the Mtn's of NC..

Re: West Coast FL help
 

I have lived in NC and FL...If you love the nice weather move to FL...Rains alot some months but its usually late. NC is just as hot as FL during the summer. Sometimes warmer!!! Clearwater Fl is beautiful and coservative. Tampa is close by and has alot to do. The beaches are great and fishing is better than ever lately. If thats your deal. Check out St petersburg also. Nice place a little more crime and gangstas!!! All in all its nice as hell here. Down south is nice but more expensive and less to do...

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Tampa/St. Pete always depressed me. Take a look at the billboards ALL over and around those two adjoining cities ... all for mortuarys. Lots of seniors .. thus the mortuary/cemetary signage for 'pre-planning'. Miami Beach/South Beach is way too commercialized now. Adventura north is nice, but nothing to do. Naples on the west is pricey .. Sanibel/Captiva Island are getting taken a bit by commercialism, but still family-friendly .. still peaceful, relaxing beaches without the hoards .. though beware of 'no-seeum' times of the year(pesty little gnat type bugs that give bites like sand fleas ... check for what the season is with the Chamber Of Commerce for Sanibel Island). Now, higher up on the eastern side of Florida is St. Augustine. St. Augustine is still a nice, pristine area with great seafood restaurants and lots of original Spanish flavor. Are you planning a vacation?

Re: West Coast FL help
 

OK !

2 homes for sale in Miami-Dade County (east coast)

#1 DEEP S.W. of county next to the Everglades (The Redlands)
15 minutes from the upper keys on a dirt road
1.16 acres, 3100sqft, 2 story, 2 car garage, 3 bedroom, 3 full
bath, formal living room, formal dining room, great room,
fenced and crosed fenced, twin a/c, 2 fireplaces, new metal
stone coated roof, electric drive gate... LOG HOME ...

#2 25 miles north of #1 in a development 1 mile east of Miami's
MetroZoo (World Class) cbs block construction, new roof, 3
bedroom, 2 bath, enclosed garage, appx 1/4 acre, dining room,
t.v. room, living room, double concrete drive, rear fences wood,

both in the unicorporated county...

RYD

ps: buy both right now for cash (1 million total) and I will include 2 SUPERBOWL TICKETS

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Yes... permanently.:D

We've heard good things about Sarasota.

Fort Myers is out, but Fort Myers Beach looks good. Not full of old timers waiting to pass.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

You can come move in next to me, we'll have tea parties every Tuesday and Thursday evening.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Sanibel and Captiva are great. Went there on my honeymoon.... :rolleyes: They were badly damaged by a hurricane a few years ago.

There's Venice beach, and the small island to the south was really cool. One secluded house there had an H1 parked in a wooded drive past the gates. But the top half of the island was wooded, and had a National Covered Highway or something like that for the tree canopy over the road. I think it was Manasota Beach near Englewood. Somewhere near here I think:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...11694&t=k&om=1


What about Marco Island?

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Hmmmmm .. Sanibel/Captiva ... I don't about actually know about living there permanently. Could feel a little isolated and transient with all the snowbirds popping in and out for the beaches. Sarasota is a clean, organized town .. couldn't go wrong there. (I have NEVER liked circuses .. so the constant reminder of the "Circus Headquarters" would a constant reminder ..lol). Fort Myers Beach is fine, too. Even Naples .. has a mix of beach houses (small beach homes) up to upscale. Marco Island ... remote and had a big influx of the Miami folks when Marco was being built years ago. I'd probably move somewheres between Naples and Sarasota. Anywheres inland gets a little redneck .. be careful. The Gulf is beautiful ... calm and warm. Make sure you get to Sanibel Island frequently .. you WON'T believe the amazing shells that roll in 24/7. Get a couple of sand lounges, lay back, enjoy the warm breezes as you drift in and out of sleep... watch the sunset. I love it. :D When are you planning your move?

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Not until the end of summer, if at all. We're planning a trip for a week two to look at some places.

Naples = old people

Re: West Coast FL help
 

I smell old people...

Re: West Coast FL help
 

WTF? Your ruling out Wisconsin Ken??? C'mon its only -10 right now, once the windchil really kicks in tonight it will be -25+. Thank god, thought I was gonna have to turn the A/C on tonight. :)

Re: West Coast FL help
 

:D Poor thing. :D

Thanks for the replies. I am looking into them tewnite. Trying to plan a trip to check stuff out. I have only been to Orlando and Captiva/Sanibel, so it's you guys and realtor.com .

I'll know for sure- hopefully- when I get down there and look around. :)

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Just make sure you can get insurance before you buy, Hurricane, wind and flood. Yes they are all seperate now. On the East Coast (Cocoa Beach) if you live within 1000 feet of the ocean.... You will pay out the kazooo, lucky for me I am just over that limit. I have friends whos homeowners insurance has tripled in 2 years. And they are in Merrit Island miles from the coast.
So check everything twice and read all the fine print.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Ft. Meyers does have a good Hooters Ken. :beerchug:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Homes still for sale !!!

SORRY...

Sold the SUPERBOWL TICKETS

RYD

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Ft. Myers actually has 2 Hooters. The one in town isn't all that great...the one at the beach is MUCH better!

Re: West Coast FL help
 

BTW...let me know when you come down and we'll get together to hoist a few. :beerchug: Might even be able to take you out on the trails to give you an idea of what kind of off roading you could expect.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

That would be the one I am reffering to. :excited:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

I didn't know there were any trails.:D

There are none here within 7 hours or so anyway.

I knew about the insurance down there but never really thought about checking into it beforehand. The prices do put a little poop on my sundae. That's a good one. Thanx K9.:)

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Here are some pics:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Oh, my bad. This thread is about Florida. Sorry.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

CO, in the first pic, is Adam preparing to sit on his tire and do some biz?

Love the 4th pic with your truck! Are there fires in the background?

Is that I-70 in the 5th pic?

No need for the jungle gym in the 6th pic.

Yes, this is about FL.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Let's keep this about Florida. Hope you guys find something.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Hey I can wear a bikini all day on the beach and crap my pants in the grocery store without so much of a snicker or glare....Heaven.:D

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Keep this tread going a while! Lidia and I almost bought in Sarasota 2 years ago but then backed out to build in NJ. We moved in our new house in August but now are thinking about getting out of the COLD again!
We were supposed to go down for 3 weeks this month to look but that just got cabashed! :crying:
We loave it down there! :D

Re: West Coast FL help
 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

But seriously, don't sell yourself just on the west coast, Look at places like Vero Beach, Stuart Rocks, St. Augustine, PonteVedra, and up on the GA border Fernindina Beach. And remember seems like most of the Hurricanes and storms go West to East, Weird but true.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

My parents sailed out of Vero Beach right before the tornados hit.:eek:

K9, didn't you say the insureance is really bad on the east coast?

I was told it's actually warmer in the winter on the west coast because of the Gulf, and cooler in the summer because of the gulf breeze.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Glad your folks are off and sailing, must be nice! lucky ppl. And those Tornado's came from the Gulf. West to East.

Insurance is bad in FL period, but I am sure if your in the 1000 foot zone on all shore lines you will pay a even higher premium. Floridaselect is who we are with. Hasn't gone up yet.

And to be honest, I never heard that before about which cost is warmer, but it sounds logical. Which just means you get more afternoon storms than we, due to the heat. And why the Gulf is a Magnet for Hurrincanes.

I like sunsets and if you are into them, thats the place to be in FL. Unless you include the Keys. There you can see both sunrise and sunsets, from the same bar stool.

Have you gone to Homesandland.com and ordered your book for all the areas your looking at? Its free.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Bloody hell, you wuss! You don't want to stay on the "cold" side of Florida? :giggling:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Good Point, K9.

Ken,
Search on "geritol", "Depends", or "saggy" and you'll find yerself a match right quick.

Re: West Coast FL help
 

OK my employees are looking at me funny, I am crying cause I laughing so hard.. I won't let them see this either.
OH Yeah Ken, Lots and lots of Bingo halls in FL :giggling:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Oh yeah .. I forgot to mention that, too. Also, don't forget .. two other games big in Florida are Dominoes and MahJong, too ... uh-huh .. right on the beach, at little, umbrella'ed concrete tables. :giggling:

Re: West Coast FL help
 

Let's not forget the tea parties.:excited: