ottotheboar

Anyone any positive or negative comments on the Port Charlotte area ?
We are interested in a place to spend some time in the winter months.
Our children are in high school / college so schools are not important.
Heat and humidity is no issue we have been in Virginia for the last 20 years.
Not looking to rent it out and make a killing or any other hare brained scheme.
The pool and garden would have to maintained while we were not there.

RICH

My ex's parents live in Venice. Next door, and around their neighborhood are several snowbird residences that are only occupied half the time. HOA takes care of it I think, for a price.

Port Charlotte is down the road a bit - only time I was there, was a year or 3 after Hurricane Charlie so 2006/7 - it was still a bomb site.

Samxboy

You should check out North Port, just up from Port Charlotte. I have a vacation home there and you really get a lot of value for your money. My neighbors and friends there really love the area and it has a lot to offer. Close enough to the beaches at Manasota key and Venice and also close to shopping etc. Just off the I75 so travel up and down the Gulf Coast is easy. Schools all appear good and there's generally a good and safe feeling about the place. The 'city' if you can call it that is spread over 100 sq miles but has only 50,000 population which actually makes it Sarasota county's biggest city....crazy really. I think it's the best secret in SW Florida. It got hit by the depression but is now bouncing back. Building again but there is so much space, it will be decades before you feel overcrowded.
Any commercial developments are carefully built and above all else it's clean, tidy and safe. There 's some gated communities...Plantation, Bob cat if you want real security but most of the area where I live ....off N Cranberry Blvd is perfect for kids, seniors and families. Give it a look over.......

Wibblypig

It would depend on your age and what your interests.

My step MIL lives in North Port (North Port Charlotte) so we frequent the area often. It's not the area I would choose to live in, but I am in my mid 30's It's very popular with the snowbirds and also for retired folk who live there full time (that is why the step MIL moved there, she has lived in several places along the west coast of FL). We stayed there when we first moved over, we did consider living there but was put off by the lack of youngsters and things to do for the kids.

On the plus side, houses are cheap (although home insurance is very expensive), the beaches are fabulous and the lightning storms are spectacular.

Sportychico

Know it well....I have a home in Naples / Bonita Spring and think its much nicer....sanibal & captiva islands very near as well

Flabound oneday

we live very close to PC. here is my 2c worth but it does depend what your main 'wants' are

Port Charlotte - bigger older town. in general the area is lower end, there are some more upscale areas around the harbour but very pricey. sadly the main town is pretty trashy, a fair bit of low scale crime (drugs/alcohol fuelled). personally I wouldn't live there if you paid me.

NoPo...as has been said is an upcoming newer city. a few (pricey) gated communities many golf related. the non gated are spread out and you can still get a bargain BUT you have to get the right area. there are a couple of places that aren't so good with a bit of crime. definitely a step up from PC.a min 30 mins to the beaches.

Englewood. Lovely old town feel, nearer the beaches, homes are generally older.

Rotonda - this is a very popular area for Europeans /snowbirds , safe deed restricted lots of golf courses. close to beaches and amenities.

there are a few other smaller communities South Gulf Cove, the Sands, The Lakes which are all quieter.

I would suggest get a good realtor (can happily recommend one ) as you need to be aware of
HOA/Deed restrictions
Flood zones and insurance (very key issue if you buy an older home)
wind mitigation (affect insurance)
areas to avoid

as I say I live in one of the above and love it, we are far enough out of town its like being in the country yet close enough to shops restaurants and beaches etc. I can be on the boat in 15 minutes and out on the gulf in another 15.......we have wildlife, and the area is still affordable. I am happy to give any help/info you need -ask away.

DISCLAIMER - I also build new homes in some of these areas so yes Im biased !!

Flabound oneday

oh and the pool/yard maintenance -least of your worries. there are loads of companies down here doing that

ottotheboar

Thanks for the input we are leaning towards Siesta Key right now. One factor is the relatively short drive from Tampa airport.

Flabound oneday

Siesta key is gorgeous but very expensive and can be horrendous in season. the traffic is snail pace and IIRc correctly there are only 2 ways on/off and at rush hour it can take 30-40 minutes just to the mainland

there are better places if living on the beach is the criteria,however budget is going to be the key thing

ottotheboar

Any suggestions are welcome, we fly out of Raleigh usually.
Key West is another area we like.

Flabound oneday

you aren't really giving enough feedback
key west, siesta key and Port charlotte are about as diverse as you can get

whats your budget ?
what size /age home do you want ?
pool?
location....ocean/water/golf
amount of land

etc etc

ottotheboar

The only reason Port Charlotte caught our attention was it was on HGTV in the gym one day.
We are basically eliminating places like the East Coast and Orlando area.
Much after that we are still looking at different options / countries.
Jamaica is out as well.

Flabound oneday

in that case I would forget all you saw. I missed the programme but friends say it was pretty inaccurate

you don't really seem to have a game plan as such so its hard to say what would suit you.


I would say whatever you might spend in PC ,multiply by 4 for SK

the areas nearby to PC are more geared to snow birds

jmood

What about for a short holiday?

We've been to Miami, the Keys and West Palm Beach/Palm Beach each of them several times. But nowhere else in Florida.

I'm looking to get tickets right now and we're planning to go within the next week or so.

Like good scenary, good beaches, good (sophisticated or simple but authentic ) food, good architecture. Don't care about nightlife/clubs, but come culture would be good.

Thoughts please?

Flabound oneday

on the west coast
St Petes beach
Sarasota and any of the keys , Siesta, Longboat or casey
Boca Grande
Naples