Fort Myers, Florida
SperlingViews

Cost of Living - 6/10/2009

Expensive. Taxes are high, insurance is high. The current growth management practices of the city and Lee County will only exacerbate the problem. Urban sprawl is being caused by development driven by road expansion rather than urban planning. This spreads the need for infrastructure, causing increased costs for services.[more...]

Good area for retirees. - 6/3/2009

Crowded in the winter, less crowded in the summer.[more...]

Climate - 11/16/2008

It's hot.[more...]

Climate - 8/23/2008

Fort Myers has a good climate from November-May. The humidity is present almost year round, but it is almost unbearable between July and September. There are frequent rainstorms during the late summer months during the late aftn and evening. It is sunny during the early part of the day and the humidty builds causing the storms.[more...]

Fort Myers is getting a face lift... - 7/29/2008

In the last several years the Lee County Government and the city of Fort Myers have invested many millions of dollars in remodeling the Fort Myers Downtown area and areas within a 3 mile radius. The result is that not only is Fort Myers looking really good but, in addition, there are several very upscale highrises going up just east of downtown and Fort myers city is now attracting new storefront businesses to downtown Fort Myers. Almost all of the buildings in the downtown area have been restored too. Fort Myers has always been a thriving city but now our out of state visitors have a brand new city to enjoy.[more...]

Dunbar to Downtown-Fort Myers, FL - 3/25/2008

Fort Myers has its decent looking areas and moderate to rundown areas. Dunbar is a moderate to rundown area (about a 1-2 miles from downtown near the FleaMaster Flea Market. Not recommended as a place to live, although it is fairly quiet at night. However, the job market doesn't seem too good. Most of the contractors say their business is slow. If someone with nothing more than a High School Diploma does find a job, the pay is not as decent as say the state of Virginia, for example. However Captiva Island is another story accoring to my research. That area seems to pay well. Also, I would not recommend Fort Myers Beach. Too much seaweed and the water looks like any other beach. It's not aqua by any means.[more...]

Give it time.... - 12/13/2007

I am a native New Yorker. Our family moved to Florida when my husband retired. We were young retirees, in our 40's. The cost of living has increased quite a bit in the last few yrs, but it is still cheaper than where we came from. The weather is great from Nov-April, then its hot and humid from May-Oct, and you always live with the threat of a hurricane. If you enjoy shopping there is plenty.We have 5 large shopping areas within 20 miles of each other, and numerous other strip malls. If you enjoy dining out theres plenty of that too! The beaches are nice, sometimes very crowded. You can basically live outdoors year round. In other words, you can always find something to do! Getting around isnt easy if you do not drive, and the roads are busy. Crime seems to occur in certain areas but I wouldn't say it is something I worry about. Overall, its certainly not a bad place to live. Ive actually grown to like it very much, however I think the idea of being a snow-bird , as they call our part-time residents, is what we might eventually like to do.[more...]

Difficult to meet new friends - 11/3/2007

have been living here 1.5 yr and have very open personality but have difficulty making new aquaintances. Everyone seems more interested in fishing than anything else. No clubs/museums etc. we are thinking of relocating, also expensive housing.[more...]

jobs - 10/21/2007

IM a new MBA finishing my program at Florida Gulf Coast University. I have had a very difficult time finding a job to go to after my program is over. Furthermore, The economy here is predominantly service related (hospitality, tourism , and senior related). So I may have to move and am looking.[more...]

plenty of outdoor activity - 10/21/2007

rain or shine....always something to do. walks along beaches, walks in swamp and mangrove preserves..fish off or on shore...golf almost everyday of the year. summertime can be a little wet and humid, this is when you can use your pool.[more...]

Since Hurricane Charley - 9/14/2007

Homes have almost tripled in price.[more...]

Great place to live - 5/2/2007

Moved here two years ago and found home. Weather is great, beaches terrific. Area is growing--many new restaurants and more upscale and other shopping neighborhoods. USed to be geared just to rich retirees but it is attracting more profesional and technology companies and bringing in younger people. Some very good schools and more choices in everything. Housing is a bargain compared to other metro areas, and everything brand new. This place is a best kept secret...[more...]

two months of fun - 12/29/2006

Fort Myers is a fun place, but only for a couple of months a year. (November and December) after that the place is so packed with tourists that don't know how to drive that it can be very frustrating. The cost of living is higher than most cities that I've lived in. To get a decent apartment you would need $800 a month and your electric bill will be at least 200 a month (Summer). The summer storms are very beautiful, but you need to work so much that you rarely get time to enjoy the beauty here. No state tax is taken out of your check, but you can rarely find a job that pays $15 an hour. Most jobs are minimum wage or $10/hr., even some construction! If you're retiring you can get some great deals in trailor communities, unless you're rich you really can't enjoy the beautiful area. They have covered the beaches with condo buildings so you can't see the gulf unless you visit the bars! At least in the bigger cities, like Chicago you can walk along the beach without walkin on private property![more...]

Moving from FL to TX - 12/3/2006

Clima is great, besides of the Hurricanes, traffic is getting worse every year, snowbirds take over from December, not possible to get in any restaurant anymore,highways are blocked, accidents every day; a lot of old rich people, retired and expect you to follow their rules and speed, public schools are all having problems, some good private schools are available, living costs are very high, insurance is high, services like TV, phonea and internet, builders and so on suck, nothing works at the beginning you always have to call 2 or three times, crime rate is high. Native Floridians are OK, I like them. If you are retired, great place to be, if you are young and still working, you can find better places.[more...]

Not a nice town - 10/2/2006

We moved down here for my husbands job just 3 months ago, but as soon as his time is up here we are going to move. The housing is through the roof, along with renting. People are generally rude everywhere you go. It's not just driving that they cut you off, but people will push past you in the grocery store or a restaurant with complete disregard for you. Everyone acts as if they are more important than you. I had the lovely experience of visiting an ER and I have never been treated with such disrespect or disregard and I work in healthcare!!! I have never seen such a display in my life. It is not worth it to live here. We are putting in our time and getting out!!![more...]

We are leaving ASAP. - 9/13/2006

We moved here 6 years ago. Bought a nice house for $249,900. It was to be our retirement home. We thought we were smart about moving to our retirement area early and settle in before my husband stopped working. Well - in the past 6 years, our homeowner's insurance has gone from $800/yr. to $6750.00/yr. Our Real Estate taxes are $6300/yr. Our Homeowner's Association fee has gone from $50/yr. to $1600+ a year. This was after we were told by the developer upon buying that it would never go up as future buyers would make up any needed increases. So - needless to say, unless you have deep pockets and don't mind spending a small fortune for housing, you better check out this area VERY CAREFULLY before moving here. Middle class people are priced out of this area. Teachers, firefighters, police, etc. cannot afford housing here unless they are willing to live in the undesireable areas. Also, there are far better places in Florida to live than here. It is impossible to get to the beaches here, unlike Clearwater or St. Pete where there are several approaches. So, now our retirement income we planned on is not going to give us the lifestyle we want. We are leaving. I refuse to pay more than $6700/yr for homeowner's insurance just to live in this area. If I want Florida - I'll come here on vacation. Oh, by the way - to prove my point. My $249,900 house is now worth more than $600,000. At least I will get my money back to move elsewhere.[more...]

climate - 9/7/2006

WAY TOO MUCH RAIN!!! THEN DROUGHT!! No escape when Hurricanes are expected. [more...]

Climate - 7/27/2006

The heat just keeps getting hotter and there seem not to be a break from it as in years' past.[more...]

Not what I'd hoped for......... - 6/28/2006

Too many people in a small area, impossible to get to the beach in the winter months. Could've been nice, b.t.(before tourists), but has become overrun with snowbirds. Expensive and so not worth it. Time for a change.[more...]

Retire here! - 6/15/2006

Great place to retire, but not so great if you young and single. Very small town atmosphere.[more...]