Hi June,

Did you buy in North Port? Which community did you choose? I wanted to add that there are very few areas in North Port that require flood insurance, so that probably wouldn't be a requirement for you. Let us know which community you selected.

Shannon Moore, Realtor
Re/Max Anchor Realty
941-626-3926
twomoores19@comcast.net

Hi June, Nearly 3/4 of a year has passed since you wrote your question, and I wonder if you have come to any conclusions? Maybe the right answer is to rent for a season and see if you like the area--as a winter resident. There are tons of things to do, but as a resident there are even more. It's not all restaurants and art shows, you'll be thinking in terms of finding doctors and getting a Florida drivers license and the "real world" things that residents also do. Check vacation rentals dot com for the area and see what you have as available right now. -- Dane

June,

We would be happy to send you property samples when you are ready.

The "Eckler Team"
ecklerteam@comcast.net
941-408-5363

Hi June,
You have asked several GREAT questions! Let's take them one at a time.
Identifying a "Flood zone"- The best means to do this is to refer to the Sarasota County Records Dept. You can go on line or call by telephone for the information.

CDD-Community Development District is a means by which some developers sidestep some of the initial costs for implementing community infrastructure. Initially, homes in CDD communities can be sold at a lower price but there is a catch.......... the home owner pays an aditional fee(tax) forever for the benefit of living in the community. Typically, to calculate the approx tax for a property we tell buyers to take the new sale price and multiply it times 1.5. ie. A $100,000 home multiplied times 1.5 would result in a tax of approx. $1,500. In the case of a CDD community the index used might be between 1.7 & 1.9. These are generalizations that can result in exceptions-

Pets-The issue of accepting pets is normally a condo issue. Buyers of single family homes generally do not have to worry if a community is "pet friendly" or not. Since you own the land, pet ownership is a right that comes with ownership. There are condos associations that are pet friendly also.

Hope this is helpful!

Check out our website: http://www.venicerealestatesite.com

Feel free to call for additional clarification or to find out about specific locations.

Hi June,

My wife and I are both Realtors (licensed in Florida, NH, Maine, Massachusetts) and we live in Englewood, FL right between Venice and Northport.

A couple of years ago we spent months looking for a retirement home along the Southwest coast, we met with Realtors from Naples to Bradenton, and all points in between. Finally we found Englewood which offered location, quiet, beaches, golf and easy access to airports--plus affordable homes that were not tract built.

So last year we sold our Real Estate Company in New Hampshire, and moved here full time. We'd be glad just to chat about our experience. Call my cell 603-566-5460 and we can discuss what we've discovered.

I have a house and I'm looking to sell it, is not listed yet, if you are interested in finding more info please email me
damarispex@yahoo.com

Hi June,

All home insurance companies can tell you if a home is located in a flood zone, we also have maps that give us this information as well as government websites.

CDD fees are what a community charges for the initial infrastructure of a community, i.e. roads, street lights, water, sewer, etc.. There are some communities that have CDD fees and some that don't. The CDD fees would be an additional charge with your tax bill.

Not all communities except pets and some communities have a limit on how many pets or sometimes even a weight limit.

There is not really an average real estate tax. It would depend on the home you choose.

My partner and I both live and work in North Port and know Venice very well. I am a Florida native and have lived in this area all my life. I would be happy to show you around if you give me a call.

Shannon Moore

Hi! I am a Realtor who works in Venice & North Port. Now is a great time to buy!
1. You can look up a home before you buy it to see if it is in a flood zone on a federal gov. website. I would be happy to help you with this.
2. CDD stands for Community Development District. Short answer is for example you buy a home in a gated community. The gated community built roads to create the community. Now the residents have a special district to pay for the roads. Once the roads are paid for the district is done & the payment. This is just an example & each CDD is different. So it is a tax district to pay for something. Check out the link I have included below to find out more about different Sarasota county CDD's.
3. Many communities accept pets, but may have restrictions. A Realtor can help you with this info.
4. I would need to sit down with you & find out more info about you to answer this question. It is a complex answer & I can't give you a proper answer without finding out more info.You can also go to the Sarasota county website to find out more.
Please contact me so I can help answer any questions you have or help you find a home.