Pharma job concerns for Fort Myers/Cape Coral Concerns (Orlando: crime, houses)

[ffroffices]

My wife looks to have just landed a Pharma job in Fort Myers. We have been trying to get back to the water and decided CC was a great place to get on the water within our budget around 5 to 600K. Been stuck in Orlando for 15 years. Originally from Stuart Fl. We spent the wekend memorial day looking at houses and found some we liked that are quick to open water just south of memorial parkway. Just needed her to land a job in the area as I am self employed. Best thing she found was a Fort Myers position. After reading many forums on here I have become concerned about her driving around Fort Myers visiting doctors. Sounds like it has gotten fairly nasty in some parts there. That's my first question. I have also read all kinds of threads about the best area to live and varying opinions. Is the are south of memorial parkway and east of del prado a good place to raise kids in elementary and soon to middle school? It sounds like everyone is pretty agreed that the SW side is best area. Is there an area that may have more successful 40 somethings with kids? Here in Orlando that would be Windermere hands down. Also the school busing thing I have read about concerns me. I think kids should go to school with their neighbors like we do here. Not crazy about that program at all. I love to fish for Tarpon, Snook, Barracuda, Sharks, etc..... The area we have found houses so far is off a large river as you probably know. Are the fish I mentioned in that river or is it brackish and not as good for catching. Should I be looking SW? I also found a house by burnt store road that has a quick out to the water by Pine Island but the neighborhood was half empty. Its tough to make a jump like this with kids without knowing someone there for good inside info. My Realtor is older and lives in Ft. Myers so she just doesn't know how to answer some of these questions. One more item on the schools. If I try to jump in there in the next month before school starts, I bet the schools I will want will be full and my kids will be bussed. If you suggest a certain area for me, let me know if you know of great private schools close. I am not apposed to private. Thanks for any help. Sorry for the data dump but just wanted to get some help.

[stahltkd]

Originally Posted by ffroffices

My wife looks to have just landed a Pharma job in Fort Myers. We have been trying to get back to the water and decided CC was a great place to get on the water within our budget around 5 to 600K. Been stuck in Orlando for 15 years. Originally from Stuart Fl. We spent the wekend memorial day looking at houses and found some we liked that are quick to open water just south of memorial parkway. Just needed her to land a job in the area as I am self employed. Best thing she found was a Fort Myers position. After reading many forums on here I have become concerned about her driving around Fort Myers visiting doctors. Sounds like it has gotten fairly nasty in some parts there. That's my first question. I have also read all kinds of threads about the best area to live and varying opinions. Is the are south of memorial parkway and east of del prado a good place to raise kids in elementary and soon to middle school? It sounds like everyone is pretty agreed that the SW side is best area. Is there an area that may have more successful 40 somethings with kids? Here in Orlando that would be Windermere hands down. Also the school busing thing I have read about concerns me. I think kids should go to school with their neighbors like we do here. Not crazy about that program at all. I love to fish for Tarpon, Snook, Barracuda, Sharks, etc..... The area we have found houses so far is off a large river as you probably know. Are the fish I mentioned in that river or is it brackish and not as good for catching. Should I be looking SW? I also found a house by burnt store road that has a quick out to the water by Pine Island but the neighborhood was half empty. Its tough to make a jump like this with kids without knowing someone there for good inside info. My Realtor is older and lives in Ft. Myers so she just doesn't know how to answer some of these questions. One more item on the schools. If I try to jump in there in the next month before school starts, I bet the schools I will want will be full and my kids will be bussed. If you suggest a certain area for me, let me know if you know of great private schools close. I am not apposed to private. Thanks for any help. Sorry for the data dump but just wanted to get some help.

First, paragraphs help with trying to give you answers to your questions

Cape Coral schools over all, are all decent to above decent schools. Mariner Middle (NW section) is the only C rated Cape Coral School. Chance of being bused that far - slim. Welcome to The School District of Lee County

Private - Canterbury School Ft Myers
It is expensive.

[hiknapster]

I've lived in Orlando and Fort Myers. While Fort Myers is not great in some parts and pretty bad in others, it does not come close to Orlando. Period. If she is driving around there she will be fine in Fort Myers. The biggest concern in Fort Myers is not your safety while getting around but that a lot of the area is spotty so that you could live in a very nice neighborhood and a neighborhood over it could be not very nice. That can be a problem because crime of opportunity rears its ugly head.

If you have the money - and it would have to be a lot - then I would say Sanibel. That would be the Windemere of the area. Those kids stay on the island for school except when they get to high school and then the district makes sure they are at the best high school. If not, go for a younger area in Cape Coral or perhaps near McGregor Road.