Does anyone winter in Florida?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Here is a nice place in Hunters' Ridge, a gated golf community in Bonita Springs. That's where I golfed before Rapmarks bought their Florida place.

12780 Maiden Cane Ln
Bonita Springs, Florida 34135
Lee County
$129,000
2 Beds, 2 Baths
1,602 sq. ft

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Last week we made a low-ball offer on a Fannie Mae house from the same website I have been watching FL ones on. It was not accepted.

A couple days later it got a contract on it.

Just about all of the Fannie Mae houses in our area that are at all decent are getting sold.

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

Here is a nice place in Hunters' Ridge, a gated golf community in Bonita Springs. That's where I golfed before Rapmarks bought their Florida place.

12780 Maiden Cane Ln
Bonita Springs, Florida 34135
Lee County
$129,000
2 Beds, 2 Baths
1,602 sq. ft

That is a good deal, unless it is really old and dated. We did look there, and a lot of the homes are too close to expressway and hear all the traffic noise. That's the ones we always got shown.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

A lot of the FL ones are getting sold too. Some very nice golf/water/pool homes newly listed.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

A lot of the FL ones are getting sold too. Some very nice golf/water/pool homes newly listed.

If the link works, here is a spectacular place. Google-map it & look at the setting. 15 years ago we woulda bought something like it in a heartbeat, at the price:

Charlotte County FL Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Here is an Englewood crapshoot for $34900:

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

& here is a nice, older, updated one for $69900:

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

Both just listed and will get contracts quickly.

The first one is near Rotonda, and golf, and the second is near a lot of nature, and the bay.

Here is (hopefully) the street view of the cheap one, and everything around it is nice:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...350.73,,0,5.08

tempting

Here is the street view for the other one:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...12,339.98,,0,5

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Here's a slick little updated Golf & Gulf pool home for 80's:

Oops, sorry, under contract.

OK, here's a condo next to Sea Oats on Englewood Beach/Manasota Key:

http://www.homepath.com/listingdetai...ingid=23908104

Naples/Marco Island Wow!

http://www.homepath.com/listingdetai...ingid=23870148

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Last Sale Price: $450,000 Price Now: $284,900

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale


Last Sale Price: $420,000 Price Now: $289,900

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale


Last Sale Price: $400,000 Price Now: $223,500

http://www.homepath.com/listingdetai...ingid=20472090

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Last Sale Price: $420,000 Price Now: $289,900

http://www.homepath.com/listingdetai...ingid=23932424


Mapquest this one (not googlemap, Mapquest)

What an absolutely wonderful setting!!!! The back yard is nature preserve and bay, with no neighboring houses!!!!

What a steal on a fabulous place.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Updated winter home under $50K:

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

Street view (nice little street):

1730 Bluebird Ln, Englewood, Florida 34224 - Google Maps

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Just about all the ones I've linked have sold.

Maybe keep an eye on this one if you want a Gulf access canal home:

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

and this if it goes down any more:

Charlotte County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

This should be a Street View:

26.865348,-82.289078 - Google Maps

Gulf and golf nearby.

[bigkenny Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bigkenny]

While we were at a TS in Orlando last month, we met some Canadians who spend the winter there (3 months, I think). We didn't have time to ask them any questions, but I imagine they must get a special monthly rate. Now that we're thinking of spending more time in FL during the winter, I'm wondering how people choose ownership versus rental. And if renting, how do you ensure a good quality unit? (comfortable furniture, etc)

PS - the Clearwater area would probably be our first choice, since we have relatives there.

I have fixed week (week 4) at Oasis Lakes opp Lake Eve, the original rooms.
I`m not going this coming Jan`11 (I have reserved and got my room confirmed) but would like to rent it out for this coming Jan` as I know I will not be going

any offers

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Oh, back to the OP, if you're still checking in.

Why not use craigslist vacation rentals this year, and go down to get the lay of the land? Check out some foreclosures or have an agent show you around.

Here's a neat one: http://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/vac/2037741856.html

Last year we could have gotten a nice, furnished three bedroom house with pool for less than timesharing.

Then decide if you wanna rent or buy. Problem is now is a great time for both buying and renting. When the housing market works itself out it will be a bad time for both buying and renting.

As I have said, we have been bouncing around on this issue since the early 90's and have still not bought, even with the great deals now. Owning a second home that far away is more hassle than we care to take on . . . so far . . . but it is tempting . . . buy a place and get a property management company . . . use it when we want and rent it (to Canucks) when we don't.

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

they do really well on rentals here, because they let the renters have the golf membership. You would get about $3000 a month. You might as well buy that place you emailed me about.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

they do really well on rentals here, because they let the renters have the golf membership. You would get about $3000 a month. You might as well buy that place you emailed me about.

Hey, why not two or three?