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Heading down to Naples FL in January to Help my Aunt

Sugarcubesea

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We taught in northern Illinois and had a summer cottage in Wisconsin dells, we sold in Illinois and kept the summer cottage in Dells


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Oh what a cool idea. I love the idea of possibly buying a cottage.

My aunt is going to drive back and forth for each season. I worry about her being by herself but she always tells me life is for living and you have to live it to the fullest. I need to be more like her. LOL

Thanks for all of your help.
 

rapmarks

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I know so many women that make the ride alone, almost all in their seventies. How old is your aunt


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Sugarcubesea

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I know so many women that make the ride alone, almost all in their seventies. How old is your aunt


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Im pretty sure she is 64, none of the woman in my family like telling anyone their age. She is feisty as hell and she's an awesome lady.
 

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These are the ones she is interested in and are member-owned mobile home cooperative in naples

Naples Land Yacht Harbor
West Wind Estates
Cattleya Refuge

Naples Land Yacht Harbor is a good choice. I don't know about the others.
 

Sugarcubesea

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Naples Land Yacht Harbor is a good choice. I don't know about the others.
She really likes this one from what she saw on their website. However they sent her their most recent newsletter and they mentioned that they've been experiencing a rash of burglarys. I'm looking forward to seeing it
 

Talent312

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Per "Futurama" (TV show), in nursing homes of the future, we'll be living in a virtual reality in which we're young again.
... Sounds good to me.
 

Sugarcubesea

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Think about your social life, it is mostly your work colleagues, your family, people from church or groups and some neighbors. In many Florida communities, everyone is a transplant. They no longer work, their social life will depend on what goes on in their community for the most part. We go north for the summer, but we moved away from where we spent our working life. We don't have much social life in the summer because our neighbors all work, and we are not in a community setting. Your aunt definitely needs to find a community she likes, especially since she is a widow


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She has begun to narrow it down to North Naples. She wants to find a property on the Cocohatchee River or near it. I'm really looking forward to going down with her to explore the area
 

rapmarks

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I am more familiar with north Naples than the rest of Naples. We were staying in a timeshare on Vanderbilt beach when we found our home. But I never looked at any communities there.


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Sugarcubesea

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I am more familiar with north Naples than the rest of Naples. We were staying in a timeshare on Vanderbilt beach when we found our home. But I never looked at any communities there.


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Would you recommend North Naples?
 

rapmarks

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I really love north Naples, but don't know the neighborhoods. I have played at lots of golf courses off immokolee road, go to the beach there. My cousin has rented across from beach but it is six thousand a month. Our friends were at crystal lake rv park, it was upscale and expensive. There is a small park in estero on corkscrew called corkscrew woodlands. There is a nice one in estero called riverwoods. Just don't know much about parks in Naples


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Sugarcubesea

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I really love north Naples, but don't know the neighborhoods. I have played at lots of golf courses off immokolee road, go to the beach there. My cousin has rented across from beach but it is six thousand a month. Our friends were at crystal lake rv park, it was upscale and expensive. There is a small park in estero on corkscrew called corkscrew woodlands. There is a nice one in estero called riverwoods. Just don't know much about parks in Naples


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I do appreciate the info you did provide. Thanks
 

Sugarcubesea

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I secured lodging at the Bayfront Inn - 5th Avenue thru Hotels.com $145 a night...I can cancel up to 2 weeks prior to arrival if I find something better...
 

rapmarks

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Sounds nice, that is a distance from north Naples though, but it is in a great area.


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If you need any recommendations for realtors in the Naples area I know a bunch. I live about 3 miles from downtown Naples and know the area pretty well. I also used to live on Marco.
Since I work in home health I drive around the county all day and have been in and out of many of the communities here in Naples.
 

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22 years ago we decided to move to Florida. I thought I wanted to live in Naples but soon realized I could get much more house for the same money in ft Myers (or the same house for less money) so be bought in Ft Myers

There are several very nice manufactured home communities in south Ft Myers, one that comes to mind is Jamaica Bay and several in North Ft Myers

Something to think about is hurricanes. I'd much prefer concrete block construction
 

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22 years ago we decided to move to Florida. I thought I wanted to live in Naples but soon realized I could get much more house for the same money in ft Myers (or the same house for less money) so be bought in Ft Myers

There are several very nice manufactured home communities in south Ft Myers, one that comes to mind is Jamaica Bay and several in North Ft Myers

Something to think about is hurricanes. I'd much prefer concrete block construction


There IS a reason housing prices are much higher in the Naples/Bonita Springs/Estero areas..
 

Sugarcubesea

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22 years ago we decided to move to Florida. I thought I wanted to live in Naples but soon realized I could get much more house for the same money in ft Myers (or the same house for less money) so be bought in Ft Myers

There are several very nice manufactured home communities in south Ft Myers, one that comes to mind is Jamaica Bay and several in North Ft Myers

Something to think about is hurricanes. I'd much prefer concrete block construction

Ron,

Thank you so much for this info and I'm going to pass it on to my aunt. Her husband died young and I don't think she has a lot of money. When her girlfriends that she's known for over 40 years retired down there in mobile home communities she saw a way to escape the brutal winters the Midwest has.

I want to only have one no maintenance home in retirement and I would love for it to be in a warm climate near the water for my boat. This hurricane season made me realize that Florida might not be a good final stop for me but my Aunt is still delighted to be house hunting down there come January.
 

Sugarcubesea

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There IS a reason housing prices are much higher in the Naples/Bonita Springs/Estero areas..
Not trying to be obtuse but can you tell me why that is. I really no nothing about Florida real estate but my aunt really tests me and I don't want to let her down
 

Sugarcubesea

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My aunt just texted me that she found another place she wants to check out. It's called "Palm River" it's a 55+ community

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of this place?
 

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Not trying to be obtuse but can you tell me why that is.

I am not a native Floridian (...who is?), but I know that particular geographic area reasonably well after several decades of multi week stays there (in timeshares) in winter. Perhaps it's not fair to generalize and I don't want to seem crass, but I am inclined to believe that the one word answer to your question is simply --- Money. There is just a whole lot of it in that area and a fair number of absurdly ostentatious homes (particularly in "old" Naples). "Like begets like", as the saying goes...

When you enter Naples driving south on 41 (so-called Tamiami Trail) you pass by a whole string of consecutive very high end car dealerships (Maserati, Bentley, Porsche, Rolls Royce, etc.). The first time I noticed that phenomenon I said out loud to DW --- "Wow! We're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto". I've never actually set foot in Kansas, but you surely get my point.
 
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Sugarcubesea

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I am not a native Floridian, but know that particular geographic area reasonably well after several decades of multi week stays (in timeshares) in winter.
Perhaps it's not fair to generalize and I don't want to seem crass, but I am inclined to believe that the one word answer to your question is money.
There is very simply a whole lot of it in that area and a fair number of huge and pretentious homes, etc. "Like begets like", as the saying goes...

When you enter Naples driving south on 41 (so-called Tamiami Trail) you pass by a whole string of consecutive "very high end" car dealerships (Maserati, Bentley, Porsche, Rolls Royce, etc.). The first time I noticed that phenomenon I said out loud to DW --- "Wow! We're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto". (I've never actually set foot in Kansas, but you surely get my point). ;)

Theo, thank you for sharing that with me. My aunt is not poor but she sure is not mega rich. I wonder if she is in a mobile home park in Naples if that will make her feel bad? I'm glad I'm going down with her, so that I can get a feel for the area...
 

theo

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Theo, thank you for sharing that with me. My aunt is not poor but she sure is not mega rich. I wonder if she is in a mobile home park in Naples if that will make her feel bad? I'm glad I'm going down with her, so that I can get a feel for the area...

Naples actually covers a lot of terrain and there are many different areas and neighborhoods. I pointed out a somewhat extreme sample / example.
I'm not at all a fan of Naples, but we do like that general area of SW FL and some of the coastal towns and areas north of Naples. YMMV.
 
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erm

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Your aunt is wise to explore the area before making a commitment. She is young and I'd recommend she rent in a few different areas so she can get a feel for different options. After Irma she may want to reconsider living in a mobile home. Also, she may be interested in an area a little farther north, Sarasota/Bradenton. It has wonderful beaches, many cultural activities, great shopping and restaurants.
 
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