i may be a bit premature but.....
 

some of you guys may already know but I own a retirement condo in delray beach. it's a bit down the road but in 8 short years i'll pull the pin on my career with the largest commuter rail in the country and dedicate my next chapter to being an east coast snowbird. lately I've been looking at pine island/st james city and maybe big pine key. something on the water. I know there's a waterfront condo complex on pine island that looks ok. don't know how many members are on the west coast but it seems like a nice quiet place to settle down. kinda like old florida. or course we know it's hard to beat the keys but i'm not sure I want my own house for the golden years, what with painting and mowing and such. any ya'll familiar with pine island or surrounding areas? looks nice from what I can tell and I already have an old buddy or two in the area.

also, the differences in the fishing between the east and west coast. more about the sport for me so I love the tuna and dolphin and such but i'm gonna want to bring home the occasional grouper and snapper for the table.

When you say Pine Island, which area are you referring to as theres 2 Pine Island's on the west coast that I know of. I'm guessing you're talking about the one close to Ft Myers?

Before you decide against your own house - compare the cost of condo dues with paying a kid to mow and paint. Looking at a condo, look into the financial reserves, condition of the property (roof, siding, etc.), history of big repair assessments, management - talk to some owners about their experience with the running of the place. Condos can be great but they can also be full of unpleasant financial surprises and it can be a pain to get things fixed if the management is incompetent or the maintenance guy is a slob. You don't want to spend your golden years tearing out what little gray hair you may have left.

Read John D. MacDonald's book Condominium and you'll check things out a lot closer if you decided to buy one at all. Great read btw.

p.s. Herman Wouk's Don't Stop the Carnival would apply as well.

Ferm, not sure. didn't know there were two. the one by Sanibel and cape coral and captiva. south end of the island. st james city.

Thats the bigger one which is the one I figured you were talking about. My sister in law lives down there, but inland next to I-75. The area is growing pretty rapidly, and not one of the cheaper areas to live in anymore. It's an unusual area with alot of money with those living out on the islands/beach, but as you go inland it quickly turns into illigal aliens, fruit pickers, and other assorted trash. I would reccomend spending some time in the area as it isn't for everybody.

Fruit pickers!! Perfect for CTT!! lol

Just a thought..
A NE Ohio friend who used to own a house in FL now rents a house there for month or so each winter. His rational was that for what he was paying for a house ($165,00 + taxes, maintenance, etc. every year ) he can rent a place or even a different place every winter. He has done this for the past 15 years.

maco, you'd be the first fruit I pick.