Ft. Myers, FL question

[tmosier]

Are there any Intercotees who live near the Ft. Myers, FL area? My mom, who used to live in Ft. Lauderdale but moved back to Pittsburgh, is looking to return to Florida but this time to the Ft. Myers area. If I could ask you a few questions about the area, I'd appreciate it!

[murphy1]

Parts of it are nice and parts aren't, I guess like anywhere else, the marina area is really pretty, where you come in over the bridge. She might like Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte as well. A little further South is Marco Island and Naples, they are very resort-type areas, but nice. Insurance can be quite a bit, too b/c of the hurricane exposure.

[DisneyDog]

I used to live in Naples. We lived there for 3 years and moved back 5 years ago. What kind of questions(s) do you have?

[tmosier]

My questions include wondering about crime and if Ft. Myers is a dying area. Sperling's Best Places gives Ft. Myers a high crime score; would you agree? Sperling's also notes that property values have fallen 30%+ which makes me wonder if the area appears to be dying or if it's just part of what's happened with our country's economy lately. I have other questions, but that's it for now. Thanks!

[DisneyDog]

I didn't spend a lot of time in Ft Myers , mostly because I found it to be a bit run down, at least compared to Naples. In Naples, everything is new and pristine. Ft Myers felt very old in comparison. They do have a bigger shopping mall there, so I went there a few times for that.

The one thing I can say for sure (as a librarian) is that the Lee Co. Library System is first-rate with beautiful, modern buildings. (I worked for Collier County.) You might want to contact the library for specific information about the area, or maybe the Chamber of Commerce.

[Tinksalot]

Have you researched Cape Coral? It's just outside of Ft. Myers, but much safer in my opinion. My brother and sister-in-law lived there and its very nice. :thumbsup: