Bonita Springs and Fort Myers FL Area

[pkyorkbeach Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkyorkbeach]

Hello
Was looking into Miami-Dade County...But right now looking into Bonita Springs, Fort Myers Area....Has anyone lived or visited BS or FM??? Possibly looking to buy a vacation home. Any info is greatly appreciated....

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

I know it's a little overwhelming, but I've been going there since the 70's and have been blogging it here and elsewhere for many, many years:

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...rts-beach.html

We have been househunting there since the early 90's, and are in the process of buying a winter home a little north of there, where it is still more peaceful and less congested:

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...sehunting.html

Bonita Beach, Lover's Key, Vanderbilt Beach, Sanibel/Captiva, are some of our favorite places anywhere. We are not alone.

Rapmarks have a winter home there (Estero), as did ConchMan.

I don't believe there is a foreclosure in the last year in Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, or Collier County that I have not at least viewed on-line. There are some areas to avoid.

On just one foreclosure site, right now there are this many foreclosures:

Lee: 873
Coolier: 262
Charlotte: 213
Sarasota: 203

Ultimately, you need to do what we did, go and look at them.

The more specific you are, the better I/we can answer your questions.

[pkyorkbeach Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkyorkbeach]

Thank you
I did not look at any foreclosures. I am not handi so I kind of worried. But perhaps a foreclosure would do. The house you are looking at is beautiful. In the past I have read your posts... The web sites are loaded with homes for sale. Will continue looking...

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

Thank you
I did not look at any foreclosures. I am not handi so I kind of worried. But perhaps a foreclosure would do. The house you are looking at is beautiful. In the past I have read your posts... The web sites are loaded with homes for sale. Will continue looking...

Really?

Beautiful?

You got the right house?



Some of the foreclosures we looked at are move-in ready. Some need work. The good ones go quickly. Ya gotta be ready to pull the trigger.

It is more expensive living than lots of areas. Insurance is high. Property taxes are high. If it's a winter place, you need a property manager/property watch. Yard miantenance. more

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

I live in Estero, a great area. I would really advise you to take a look, but need to know what you are looking for

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

I live in Estero, a great area. I would really advise you to take a look, but need to know what you are looking for

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a good thing about your development is that there is only one way in, since Laurel Oaks on Three Oaks is closed off now. Being just a mile off I-75, that's important.

Estero, Bonita Springs, Bonita Beach are some of the better areas. But, it is a lot more congested than in the old days, more urban than vacationey. Baby boomers flocked to this area from all over the world from the Mid 90s through 2007 or so.

In addition to Americans from up north, SW FL has been a favorite of Europeans, especially Germans.

As for SW FL, and the Gulf, there are very few prettier places. Do you like golf? Art? Shopping? Boating? Beaches? Fishing? Nice Weather?

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

gated community at three oaks address

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

Mother Nature is still Mother Nature in places like Estero Bay, Lovers Key, Sanibel, Captiva, Bonita Beach, etc., but with the booming population of SW FL in the last 15 years, that means so many more people going to the same places. Now there are more dogs on Dog Beach than there used to be people on people beach.

FMB is now the main destination with public beach access, because Sanibel, Captiva, Marco, et al, have made it hard for the less desireable to have access. FMB is a motorcycle destination. Once peaceful and quiet locations along the road there (Bonita Beach Road/Hickory Blvd/Estero Blvd) no longer are.

A week or two visit is about it for us.

As they say, you can't go back to Constantinople.

[pkyorkbeach Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkyorkbeach]

Hi All
Right now I am checking places out. Waiting to see where DD will be relocating. My idea is to purchase a retirement home for my future but a place DD can live in. She will pay the mortgage instead of paying rent. If I could purchase in a 55+ community that would be great. Some allow non 55+ to live there as long as owner is 55+-I am. Looking at mobile homes, condo/townhouse. She may work in Fort Myers. Also, looking to buy as inexpensive as possible to keep her cost very low. $75,000 Max, would prefer much lower. Want as low as possible monthly HOA fees too!!! Tight budget...

Thank you for your comments and ideas so far.

[Nancy Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Nancy]

Be sure and check out rules of 55+ communities. In ours, the only way and under 55 could live here full-time would be if the 55 plus person also lived here full-time (not just owned).

Nancy

[pkyorkbeach Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkyorkbeach]

Yes...I wonder if that is the rule in all over 55 communities....Need to investigate.

Thank you

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

When we started looking, we were turned away at the front gate, without even being asked how old we were. It was obvious to Barney Fife that we were not old enough.

At that time, the manufactured home communities were along US 41/Tamiami Trail north of the Caloosahatchee, in North Ft. Myers. There were a lot of them. For what they were, they were pricey, plus you did not own the lot, so had to pay rent.

Once you get south of FM, to Estero, Bonita, etc. if there are any manufactured communities, they have gone in after we stopped looking. When we were actively looking, it was at the mega-developments like Pelican Bay, Pelican Landing, Pelican's Nest, Bonita Bay.

Now that you are saying more about what you want, a development like Rapmarks is/are in might work. There are condos there. Most likely there will be a COA fee on top of their POA fee. But, everyone gets golf.

By the same token, Rotonda, near Englewood, is a huge golf development, with condos and duplexes, and with a lotta stuff dirt cheap. Houses as low as the 50's. It's not convenient to FM, though.

There are probably more than 200 housing developments, most with golf courses and other amenities.

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

Here are the current Lee County Fannie Mae foreclosures (87 pages):

Lee County, FL - Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

our community is not age restricted. k Except for mobie hoe communities, that idea did not go over big in this area. DE facto over 55 though, probably 90% .
Jim, that kitchenless, bathroomless home sold for$106,500.

yes we have condos and villas in our community. our HOA fees are lower than most communities that do not have golf course and restaurant, but they do add up.

[pkyorkbeach Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkyorkbeach]

Estero is very nice. I was just checking out the town...

DD and myself would be happy with a pool at the complex. That is all. No spa, golfing, boating, fishing etc....

Checking the website that JLB sent too!!
Lots of good ideas.

I think I will call a realtor to find out about the mobile parks. Some ads say active, or 55+ or adult. I am unsure what that means.

The 55+ are so neat and clean. One I found you could buy a mobile home/land so your fee was very small. As I said this is fun looking. Time will tell what transpires.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help