Relocating to Ft. Myers airport (Cape Coral, Fort Myers: rent, house, safest neighborhood)

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by mannygusha74

Santorini Apartments
2346 Winkler Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33901
How about these apartments. or Town houses?

Originally Posted by mannygusha74

Sundance Grove??

Bad neighborhood.

[Hemidancer]

Originally Posted by Billythepokerkid

Ummm I won't tell you how bad it is to accept a transfer to a place you have never been. I also won't get into how insane it is to rent an apartment and then moving here sight unseen.

I actually did BOTH of these things, and I don't have a single regret. I spent about 6 months researching prior to my move. I wasn't transferred by work - I chose to 'transfer' myself from the Washington DC area. I had visited many places in Florida, but I had never been to SW Florida. But I did my homework, and I determined that SW Florida was the best fit for me.

I also rented my house sight unseen. I worked with a reputable realtor and I saw lots of photos of the property online and again, I did my homework. I checked out comparable properties to get an idea of the layout, I checked out the neighborhood, I spent countless hours on Google Earth, and countless hours on this very forum reading everything I could find to weed out fact from fiction. By the time I moved down here, I was already pretty familiar with the area, and everything was exactly what I expected. I couldn't be happier.

Do your research - you will be amazed at the amount of information you can gather via the Internet these days. Find a reputable realtor and research everything you can think of that may have an impact on the quality of your life. Only you can decide whether or not its a right fit for you and your daughter. I happen to love boating, beaches and year-round outdoor activity. To me, this is paradise.

[hiknapster]

I did the same thing. However, I moved during the economic boom in the fall of 2005 and I moved to Knoxville which had a great economic climate. In fact, it still does.

Also, like you, I researched the heck out of the move for about seven months. This was before City-Data but I still made friends via the internet and got some help. I moved sans job or a place to live and it worked out very well.

However, this person only has a few weeks to decide. The good news is they already have a job. They also are moving down about a week before the job starts. I highly recommend coming down, then finding the place, especially in a place like Fort Myers where there are plenty of nice places to live but there are no clear-cut "good" areas. To me it is worth it to stay in a hotel for a couple of days while you find a place. It's what I did. I would have never found the place that I initially moved into from 750 miles away.

[mannygusha74]

Awesome thank you. I know it's hard. Geez is it hard.....But I have been searching and searching. Cape Coral is probably a better bet also or Naples Park? Idk I'm trying to figure it out. But I probably will not be able to be around the area. I probably will be in Tampa for the couple of days. And driving down and seeing some of the places. Just don't want to wait to long and lose out on the better places. But if I can do short term like 6 months in a decent place and then do my
Ont term place. Even if it is a one bedroom with my budget. Let's see if it works.

[hiknapster]

Stick with Cape Coral, then. Chances are high it will be a good place. Still, with the budget you are looking at, you are finding all the really bad places. I really think with that budget you need to see the places in person. Once you realize what you are dealing with I bet you'll up your housing budget. Naples Park? That is too much of a haul to the airport.

[Hemidancer]

I live in SE Cape Coral, very close to the Cape Coral Bridge, and it's a breeze getting to and from the airport. Its about a 17 miles each way, but it's an easy drive. I do not have school-age children, so I cannot really speak to the CC school system, but from what I hear, it's pretty decent.

I agree with hiknapster, given the short period of time you have to prepare for the move, you should consider staying at a motel for several days while you look around and get a feel for the area. It may cost you a few extra bucks up front, but it may save you a lot of headaches down the road.

Best of luck to you with your move!

[mannygusha74]

Thanks thanks this is y I came to this forum alot of good it is doing to make me ease in. Thanks again everyone.....

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Stick with Cape Coral, then. Chances are high it will be a good place. Still, with the budget you are looking at, you are finding all the really bad places. I really think with that budget you need to see the places in person. Once you realize what you are dealing with I bet you'll up your housing budget. Naples Park? That is too much of a haul to the airport.

Plus Naples Park is not the greatest of areas. The drive isn't all that bad from there, it's the same drive as driving from most the Cape, but again the area is not great at all.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Billythepokerkid

Plus Naples Park is not the greatest of areas. The drive isn't all that bad from there, it's the same drive as driving from most the Cape, but again the area is not great at all.

Believe me, I know. However, it is one of those areas where there are people that like it. It's spotty. So rather than open up a can of worms that probably needs to be in the Naples forum anyway, I told him it is too far because it really, really is a haul.

[mannygusha74]

I have one question about Sienna at Vista lake. Any suggestions about this place. I hear great things even with the off duty police around. It is on Winkler Ext. This is the exact address 3621 Winkler Extension, Fort Myers, FL 33916.
Anything that you heard. I know that Graystone has taken over this property since 2009 and it is 640 units.