Ft Myers/Bonita/Naples Restaurants

Old Jan 5th, 2008, 06:35 AM
  #21  
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NeoPatrick (or any local!), we are staying off Bonita Beach Road near Hickory Blvd and during our morning walk, we noticed soooooo many hoiuses for sale - both along the Blvd and the back streets. It seemed like every other one had a sale sign....

Do you know why this is? Is the FL RE market that bad? Or, is there something about this aea? Just curious....
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Old Jan 5th, 2008, 02:09 PM
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Celianne asks:

"during our morning walk, we noticed soooooo many hoiuses for sale - both along the Blvd and the back streets. It seemed like every other one had a sale sign....

Do you know why this is? Is the FL RE market that bad?"

Yes. Read the Ft Myers News Press tomorrow and see. The higher end of the market is not as bad as the lower end, but years of speculation seem to have ended in a major crash in some markets. Unfortunately, I still can't afford to live on Gordon Drive in Naples
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Old Jan 5th, 2008, 02:25 PM
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Yes the real estate market here is really bad. New home construction is way down and hundreds of construction workers have packed up and left. Real estate people are getting second jobs, many who were selling millions and millions worth a couple years ago have not had a sale in over a year.

I have a rental condo and have finally rented it after a 7 month vacancy. Why? Because there are so many people unable to sell their condos, that they are renting them full time for really cheap prices to try to meet mortgage payments and avoid foreclosure. I have a tile man who just got divorced and is renting a beautifully furnished former model of a half million dollar three bedroom condo for --$700 a month! Two years ago it would have rented for $2500 a month on annual and up to $5000 a month in season.

This is not new in Naples. When I moved here in 1977 it was very similar. Everyone was screaming that it was so overbuilt and would never recover. I picked up a brand new small condo for $32,000 from a bankruptcy auction by Chase Bank. Most recently those apartments were selling for $300,000. They were selling off waterfront lots in Parkshore for $35,000 and having trouble doing so, but eventually they were all sold and built on -- in the late 70's and early 80's. In the past few years, people were buying those 1980's homes on those lots for a million and tearing them down to build new ones! So it WILL turn around in a couple years at most. Frankly this is a fantastic time to buy here!
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Old Jan 5th, 2008, 05:03 PM
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Thanks, Ackislander and NeoPatrick. You hear a lot about the poor real estate market, but it is amazing to actually see it. We were driving down Bonita Beach Road again this evening and just couldn't believe the number of For Sale signs.

I really like it here, but we don't plan to move (who could leave Pittsburgh!?), and I like to try different places for vacation... Too old for an investment!

Had dinner at Campiello's -- great!! Almost went to Naples Tomato and may try it next week. Any comments?
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Old Jan 5th, 2008, 05:08 PM
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I've only been to Naples Tomato for lunch -- twice -- and really liked it. We rarely go that far north for dinner. We downtown Naples folk need to take our passports to go north of Pine Ridge Road. Campiello is more our neighborhood.

Guess it was too cold to eat outside at Campiello, huh?
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Old Jan 6th, 2008, 04:08 AM
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Thanks, NeoPatrick. Everything I've read so far has been positive, including something from the NY Times (can't remember exactly at the moment).

I can understand why you don't stray too far north. It's beautiful in Naples and has everything you need it seems. "Up here" is vey nice, but it has just about the exact stores and restaurants we have at home. I guess you could say that for any area in American -- and also, but less so, in Europe now too....

We DID eat outside! It was very nice -- not at all cold (with the heaters). We were surprised and delighted!
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Old Jan 6th, 2008, 05:20 AM
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Too early to buy right now. Sales Prices will probably still have a big fall this year.

Keith
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Old Jan 6th, 2008, 08:20 AM
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Just saw this thread....Snug Harbor is fine for a place to take kids, etc but the food isn't much. Our favorite restaurant in Ft Myers was always the Prawnbroker. Never had a bad meal there.
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Old Jan 16th, 2008, 09:32 AM
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Pinchers Crab restaurant in Bonita.

Any thoughts on this? It seems to be a local chain, but it also reminds me of a Red Lobster, which I do not like....
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Old Jan 16th, 2008, 12:38 PM
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I do not like Red Lobster, but like Pincher's. I thought I had posted a recommendation for it on this thread, but it must have been another one recently. It's not a formal seafood place, more of a place to get "down and dirty" picking crabs or eating raw seafood while downing beers. Everything I've had there has been very fresh and excellent and it's kind of a fun place.
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Old Jan 16th, 2008, 12:45 PM
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Thank you!!! Sounds good!
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Old Jan 16th, 2008, 05:00 PM
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Pincher's was good!

Now, I have just one more request. What do any of you Neopolitans know about the Watermark Grill on 41? It was very crowded looking tonight...
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Old Jan 16th, 2008, 05:04 PM
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My opinion of it? Not so great. It seems like a cheap place trying to be more than it is, and charging accordingly.
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Old Jan 17th, 2008, 07:16 AM
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Thanks, again. From the reviews I was seeing that is exactly the impression I was getting. Think I'll strike it off my list. Nothing worse than paying top $$ for mediocre food.

I apologize for having you (and the other Naples residents) my personal concierge, but I do very much appreciate your comments.
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