waterway speed limits and no wake zones (Port Charlotte, Edgewater: big house, buying)

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by kwiktsi

The person that was telling me about it was saying that the county is really pushing for it with the park and kyak/canoe launch (I didn't know there was one?) behind the stadium somewhere? I agree, housing would skyrocket back here if it opens up. As much as I would love it if it did open up, I think I would have to cash in and sell if it ever did happen.

I'm sure the county wants it (more tax revenue), but from what I've read the EPA, DEP and Army engineers etc said no...many times. They won't break through that flood barrier. I guess for good reason? Time will tell.

[kwiktsi]

Gotcha.

[Macgregorsailor51]

Several years ago,I thought as you do. That is until I actually talked to some people who own in that area.. As it turned out , it wasnt for lack of research with concern to travel times at all.
It was The Neighborhood..( I could be descriptive here in very few words ,but I will Choose to be PC here : ) Each of them that I had talked to, have in fact progressed as they predicted they would and someday, so shall I..... They use their boats less and less, most of them never used them, more than a few times a month even in the very beginning. ( The Old Fellow who owned my house never even had a boat and I am on sailboat water 15-20 minutes from the harbor...The FACT IS, in PC and PGI, actually anywhere you look down here.. water front homes with boats sittiig behind them ARE IN THE MINORTY!) I now understand that concept. Today with all of them being no less than in their Very Late 60's early to mid even late 70's and early 80's the boating Salt Water Life has taken, is taking , a less important place in their lives, just as they knew it would, from the beginnning.
They desired instead ( wait for it , here it comes) the nicer over all ambiance of the area At least by outward appearances that area is, a nicer newer more upscale sailboat water area than where I live. That said we have seen a number of those Newer type homes with the 10 and 12 foot trouffered ceilings and 9 and 10 foot sliding glass doors etc etc etc etc etc being built around me.. but the older style "80's and 90's" Homes still make up a 90+% Majority of the homes in my area .. Add to that , up there, there are Far Fewer, Off Water Homes..aka The Cheap Seats and far fewer wood frame homes.. and that all contributes to the ambiance of the neighborhood..

Originally Posted by HarborRat

I've been following that because I would invest in more properties in that area if it were true.....as home prices would skyrocket without the 45 min (at least) trip to the harbor. But unfortunately there is too much red tape for that to happen anytime soon. If we lived there I'd make the cut myself through the cut they already started many years ago, only a few feet to go....shhhhh. In the mean time there are (would be) million dollar houses with horrible gulf access with owners that did not do their homework and believed the RE agent when they said "only 15 minutes to the harbor".

We do have a house off Joseph down that way. But we're living on the Countryman Waterway...a true 10 minutes to the harbor.

[SJNE17]

Macgregorsailor51: Hopefully the circle of life brings with it new and engaged residents who treasure & appreciate the local communities.

That's always been a concern of ours about investing in a home in certain parts of FL in general. We know a handful of younger (30's/40's) professionals who have moved to the population centers in SW and SE Florida, for the job opportunities and lifestyle. They'd fall asleep standing up in places like PG. Ironically, at the opposite end of that observation, we have no desire for places like Miami, West Palm, etc. Even Ft. Lauderdale is bonkers. Too crowded, too cheesy.

Many older folks we've met in PG who have adult children have said their kids & grandkids rarely come visit, because the schlep to get there is a pain, expensive, etc. etc. Our question has always been: will that next generation of folks come to appreciate and enjoy the PG area as they get older?

Wish I had a crystal ball.....

[mrs.cool]

We too were shocked when we first started looking at canal front homes to see how many people living on the water didn't have a boat on their lift. There was even one boat right on our canal that had sunk and was just sitting there underwater!!
We have such a short boating season, AND mr.cool works 7 days a week, so any time we can be on the water we're THERE. Even though we have to trailer 20 minutes to launch and go through all of the work that entails. We can't wait to be able to keep the boat behind the house and come and go quickly. Personally I don't see the point of living on the water if you don't have a boat.

[Macgregorsailor51]

#1. One of our daughters is 44 and she and her husband are/ were considering the move down here.. I assured them that at there income level about the only people living down here CC would be a few retirees and most them honestly live out on the Keys.
#2.The other 3 kids and 8 grand kids come every other year because they only have so many week off per year and every vacation isnt at Grand-mas and Papa's and 2 own lake front homes as well. BTW it's heard commonly enough down here "we're going up to visit the kids and grand-kids" blablabla..... So Grandma does go back for 2 weeks every summer..

Originally Posted by SJNE17

Macgregorsailor51: Hopefully the circle of life brings with it new and engaged residents who treasure & appreciate the local communities.

That's always been a concern of ours about investing in a home in certain parts of FL in general. #1. We know a handful of younger (30's/40's) professionals who have moved to the population centers in SW and SE Florida, for the job opportunities and lifestyle. They'd fall asleep standing up in places like PG. Ironically, at the opposite end of that observation, we have no desire for places like Miami, West Palm, etc. Even Ft. Lauderdale is bonkers. Too crowded, too cheesy.

#2. Many older folks we've met in PG who have adult children have said their kids & grandkids rarely come visit, because the schlep to get there is a pain, expensive, etc. etc. Our question has always been: will that next generation of folks come to appreciate and enjoy the PG area as they get older?

Wish I had a crystal ball.....

[SJNE17]

Macgregor--the concept of accommodating others' schedules or circumstances vs. our own is one of those endless domestic debates....

If PG was closer to beaches (say, less than 20 min drive), the debate(s) would end!

[kwiktsi]

Wow, glad I posted this. There is some interesting discussion going on in here . I am 41, wife is a little younger at 33. We have a 6 1/2 your old and a 2 1/2 year old both boys ( I won- YES! lol). It is hard finding anyone in our age group or with kids for our boys to play with that we would normally "associate" with (trying to be PC here as well ).

As for the boat, I have to admit- we used it a LOT more and kept it in much better condition when we lived on Brooklyn Ave. and it was on a trailer than we do with it sitting on the lift behind the house! The ride to the harbor from here and the lack of things to do around the harbor once we are out there are demotivating to us. I was really surprised at the lack of waterfront eating with docks in the area and such. Aside from Fishermans, what else is there (serious question)?

[SJNE17]

kwiktsi--funny you should mention the "once we are out there, then what?" open water question.

we found half the fun of boating in pg area is cruising past houses, admiring them, waving to folks, to other boaters, etc.

lots to see & do at 5 mph.

my wife hates cruising past the mangroves though. i find them peaceful and relaxing, all kinds of underwater activity going on if one looks closely.

if we were down there and had a boat, knowing myself i'd get hung up on wanting more & more power once hitting the open water, because, after all, it's wide open body of water. that thought process gets expensive. it's kind of like having a sports car: sure, 400 hp is awesome, but 450 or 500 is better....

one thing we've enjoyed about boating in ft. lauderdale along the intracoastal was all the places you can pull up and dock for awhile.

i suppose in pg area the alternative is make a ton of friends and pull up to THEIR dock and crash the party! just be sure to bring beer.

[SeaRay35]

kwiktsi there are many more places than Fishermans to eat. You have Gators, Burnt store, Cabbage Key, etc. Do a search and you will find multiple waterfront stops to enjoy!