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Kissimmee
Kissimmee (pronounced Kih-sih-me) is a city in Osceola County, in the south Orlando metro area. It’s right in the middle of central Florida, adjacent to a couple of big lakes called Tohokepaliga (really).  It enjoys a great location for exploring Disney (right next door), the Orlando area (10 miles north), or the chain of lakes region of central Florida (everywhere).  Melbourne’s excelent beaches are now less than an hour away, with the nearly complete modernizing of US 192.  From a commercial perspective, Kissimmee is at Florida’s crossroads – literally, since the big “X” where the I-4 corridor crosses the Florida Turnpike is just up the road.

For driving distances throughout Florida from Kissimmee go to :http://www.ersys.com/usa/12/1236950/distance.htm

Real Estate opportunities in the area are as diverse as you’d expect in a big city, or, close by, as rural as all the books about Florida’s “Best Backroads” and small towns. You can buy classic little historic places in the adjacent old town of St. Cloud, or you can find pricier river and lakefront properties both southeast and southwest of Kissimmee.  Just east of St. Cloud there is also the major new planned community of Harmony.

So Kissimmee is much more than just the gateway city to Disney World and other world famous attractions that it once was. It still is the inexpensive version of that.  But you should look past the congested and unattractive parts of US 192 that define too many people’s first impressions (City Fathers are doing something about this, and the city and county are belatedly working on creating the infrastructure to support the area’s rapid growth).  Instead, see it in context.  And if you are relocating to Florida, check it out.

A few facts

• The estimated population, in 2003, was 54,598 and the median age is 33.
• Kissimmee is adjacent to Lake Tohopekaliga and the Kissimmee chain of lakes. These destinations have always been some of the best destinations for trophy bass fishing in the country.
• The area to the south and through the lake district all the way to Lake Okeechobee is one of the prettiest in Florida.
• In general, recreation options are extensive, and include everything you can do in Florida
• The city of Kissimmee is located in the fourth fastest growing county in the United States.
• The growth has been in the areas of business, industry, tourism, and residential relocation.
• Due to the rapid growth there is a constant need for quality employees and new business.
• Kissimmee’s historic downtown historic districts feature unique shops, art galleries, antique shops, restaurant and sightseeing.
• The area goes from a modern feel to a Western feel. (The Kissimmee silver spurs rodeo is a major event and draws competitors from around the country).

Major types of employment in the area.

1. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation,
2. Accommodation, & Food Services
3. Trade (Retail/Wholesale)
4. Education, Health,& Social Services
5. Construction
6. Professional, Management, Administrative, & Waste Management Services
7. Transportation, Warehousing, & Utilities
8. Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, & Rental/Leasing

Transportation
Kissimmee sits astride the surface transportation commercial crossroads of peninsular Florida, and it’s also just minutes from the south airport entrance to Orlando International.

All the same highways, railways etc, that are on the Orlando transportation link apply here with a few additions.

• US 192
  A major tourist strip in the area around the Walt Disney World Resort, including “mile markers” (with a variable distance between each) to help tourists locate businesses.
• Osceola parkway
  In the late 1990s, the Osceola Parkway was built as a bypass of 192 around Kissimmee
• 192 Intersections with other U.S. and Interstate Highways
• US 27 west of the Walt Disney World Resort
• I-4 at the Walt Disney World Resort
• US 17/US 92 (John Young Parkway) in Kissimmee begin US 17/US 92 concurrency
• US 17/US 92/US 441 (Main Street) in Kissimmee end US 17/US 92 concurrency; begin US 441 concurrency
• US 441 at Holopaw end US 441 concurrency
• I-95 west of Melbourne.  As noted, 192 has been 4-laned from about Holopaw to 95, continuing on a commercial but fast urban parkway all the way to the beaches.  4-laning west of Holopaw is under construction.
• For more local information go to: http://www.floridakiss.com/
  In conclusion
  Kissimmee has both rural and brand new neighborhoods, and some Old Florida small town neighborhoods. You can have a home close to commercial streets in the city, in the country on a lake, or live in a rural neighborhood.  Prices are very affordable.
  And if you’re looking for commercial opportunity, there’s plenty of that here too.  The selection here is diverse, and yet you have everything a big city (Orlando) has to offer, and ready access to all the transportation links.

For more specifics go to the Orlando general information area links.

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Marco Island
A few miles south of Naples lies the unique community of Marco Island, a thoroughly American (and to its critics, charmless) version of Venice, Italy, with a zillion mansions on a zillion canals.  The picture is completed with a dense tourist quarter of very high-rise hotels and condos along much of the beach.

But: Marco Island stands at the gateway to the fabled 10,000 Islands fishing and recreation area, the northern gateway to Everglades National Park.  And that is what makes Marco unique. (More on that shortly.)  This duality is part of what defines Marco Island today.
Marco “on land”
Marco “on land” is a mix of ultra-modern beachside resort hotels and condominium complexes with a lot of seasonal English, German, and wealthy Northeastern visitors, and single-family homes on all those canals, owned partly by full-time retiree residents or Northeastern snowbirds. Apart from the usual resort hotel offerings, Marco basically rolls up its sidewalks at night, but nearby Naples provides an active, upscale social and entertainment venue.
So: boating or golf by day, Naples or stay home at night.  All in a place that wears the mantle “paradise” quite comfortably.  If you fit the description, and like a relaxed and Palm Beach-like lifestyle, Marco Island is heaven.

In between
As a collection of beautiful places, the Naples-Marco area offers some of the nicest beaches in all of Florida, one of which is Tigertail on Marco Island. My close friend who partly grew up on Marco tells me that you haven’t lived until you’ve gazed at a full moon from this magical spot.  In fact the whole western coast of the island, called Crescent Beach, is pretty nice.  There’s a good public beach at the southern tip of the island, adjacent to Caxambas Pass, with a jetty straight out of the movie “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”.

You can easily find other landside or land-based water diversions, of course; this is Florida. Resort hotels offer the usual tropical playthings, from SCUBA to windsurfing, and lots of residents (of all ages) partake.  It’s an important part of the mix. Tennis is an important part of many residents’ lifestyle, and it’s everywhere.  Just off island there are several good golf courses, and golf is big here.

Marco “on the water”
But what really sets this area apart from all of the rest of Florida is its easy access by boat to one of the world’s great Mangrove estuaries, stretching all the way to the remote Shark River in Everglades National Park on Florida’s far southwest coast.  There’s fishing, exploring, secret rivers, dolphin, rays, incredible bird life, eagles – you name it.  Few places in America can rival this.

With a backcountry boat you can be in some of the remotest waters in North America in ten minutes.  South and east of Cape Romano is a whole different world.
This is surprisingly wild country even if you have to stay offshore the very shallow inland waters.  (There are deep channels in some places, but captains beware.) With a big yacht you can still cruise, if a bit offshore, the remote mangrove islands that harbor all that backcountry and still be virtually alone. (Why? Because, as we all know, most boats always seem to stay in port. Why is that? If all Marco’s boats went out at once, it would be unfortunate.) And then you swim or fish off your boat in beautiful Gulf waters.

Or – and here is that duality of Marco again – you can cruise north to Naples and enjoy both amazingly wild islands (Little Marco, Keewaydin) along the way and then another version of mansions on the water (Port Royal), not to mention the delights of Naples Bay.

Some Basic Facts
Where
Marco Island is located at the southernmost tip of mainland Florida’s west coast about 100 miles from Miami via the Tamiami Trail highway (US Hwy 1, in the 1930’s a great engineering feat across the Everglades).  Marco is the largest inhabited isle of the “Ten Thousand Islands.”
Demographics
It has a year-round population just over 15,000 (seasonal 2-3x) and an average median age of 60 (which would be lower if you factored in seasonal visitors, many of whom are future buyers; like many of Florida’s wealthy formerly retirement communities, Marco Island is evolving towards a more eclectic mix).

Character
Basically this is a resort area which attracts tourists looking for the good life and residents who want elegance on a small island lifestyle with all the amenities.  Mixed in with both of these are those looking for, and finding, one of the world’s great outdoor adventures.
Beaches
Marco Island includes four miles of beach, and most of the resorts and condominiums are located directly on the beach.
Climate
The climate is (sort of) subtropical with nice breezes from the Gulf of Mexico. It is blessed with spectacular sunsets and Gulf sea breezes.  The island’s natural rainfall is fairly sparse; it is actually somewhat dry, and was partially desert before developers and homeowners started watering it extensively – and then, presto, it looked subtropical like the rest of South Florida. Temperatures can be a lot more pleasant than other more humid areas of South Florida

• Average Annual High Temperature: 85F (29 C)
• Average Annual Low 65F (18 C)

Employment
One does not live and work on Marco Island – not often, anyway.  The workforce is mostly off-island dayworkers, with some exceptions, who more frequent as you go up the income scale.

Here’s the mix:

• Tourist-related services (21.5%),
• Finance, insurance, real Estate and rental and leasing (17.6%),
• Retail trade (12.1%),
• Educational, health and social services (11.4%),
• Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services (10.7%)

[Above info from http://www.city-data.com/city/Marco-Island-Florida.html]

Recreation

• Fishing
• Incredible backcountry fishing among mangrove islands for redfish, snook, tarpon, and sea trout.
• Surf casting for black drum and sheepshead.
• Offshore fishing on reefs for grouper, king mackerel, amberjack and snapper.
• Golf is a major attraction here
• Ecotours and sightseeing
• Historical Sites (Indian and pioneer Florida, mostly off Island)
• Island-type Shopping: Resort boutiques and specialty shops feature everything from bathing suits and designer wear to sandals and sunglasses.
• Dining: Numerous restaurants and eateries renowned for straight-from-the-docks seafood specialties.

Housing

Yes, this is an expensive area, in fact its rated cost of living index is 104.8 or number one in the state. However compared to New York with a CGI of 364 it’s affordable, especially if you’d like to be in an area of soft ocean breezes and palm trees, perhaps with your own boat moored at your back door.  And for those who covet this life style, there are wonderful neighborhoods and condominium complexes to choose among.

As of September 2005, the least expensive home was $445,000.

In conclusion
This is a little like Palm Beach, except in a more laid back atmosphere. If you can afford it and want some privacy and refrain from traffic of the larger cities, Marco Island is it.
If you want more affordable homes, they can be found just west in Everglades City.  But then you’re talking about a whole different world.
To see more information about the area, look at the Naples links.

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Boca Raton
Boca Raton is Palm Beach County’s southernmost city. It is located 17 miles north of Ft Lauderdale, 215 miles south of Daytona Beach, 192 miles south of Orlando and 42 miles north of Miami, on the Atlantic.
The City is growing rapidly. Its open-air shopping and dining districts, combined with a strong arts scene plus sports activities ranging from boating to tennis have helped establish it as a stylish area.

In addition to those amenities,  it enjoys a strong business community. In fact in 2004 it was voted the number 4 best place in the country for working, per the Job search site at
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsbystate/a/bestcities.htm
Some statistics

• 5 miles of coastline
• Population is approximately 75,000 within city limits
• Approximately 125,000 in the unincorporated area
• Total Area: 27.14 square miles within the city limits. Slightly over five miles at widest point.
• Average Annual Temperature: 74.7 degrees; low: 66.6 degrees, high: 82.9 degrees
• Average Annual Rainfall: 60.75 inches
• Average Household income: $62,594
• Median Household Income: $62,800
• Median Age: 42.9
• 3 colleges in Boca Raton
• 2 major hospitals
• 31 parks
• 36 Golf courses
• It has a Museum of Art and it’s own orchestra (Boca Pops)
• As of Sept 2005, per an MLS search the least expensive 2/2 was $310,000
• A good site to get more information is the Boca City site at http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/
• The cost of living here is approximately that of Palm Beach-ranging towards 110

However on comparison with other parts of the country it is still a deal.
http://www.eflorida.com
See comparable Florida statewide CGI’s below:

• Monroe  112.43
• Dade 106.28
• Broward 15.80
• Pinellas 103.74
• Sarasota 102.90
• Palm Beach 102.69
• Collier 100.99
• Hillsborough 100.86
• Seminole 99.48
• Manatee 99.22
• St. Johns 99.18
• Orange 99.04
• Brevard 97.92
• Lee 97.80

(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

• New York, NY       364
• Long Beach, NY    340
• Palo Alto, CA        268
• Menlo Park, CA     265
• Los Altos, CA        261
• Saratoga, CA        261
• Boston, MA          240
• Malibu, CA            233
• San Francisco, CA 217
• Greenwich, CT      215
• Cambridge, MA     211
• Santa Monica, CA 197
• Keystone, CO       194
• San Rafael, CA     192
• Weston, CT          192
• Darien, CT            192
• Wellesley, MA       192
• Fort Lee, NJ         189
• Arlington, VA        184
• Honolulu, HI        184
• Washington, DC   181
• Princeton, NJ        180
• Vail, CO                178
• Chicago, IL           166
• Sunnyvale, CA     164
• San Mateo, CA     163
• Marathon, FL       161
• Ridgewood, NJ      159
• Mystic, CT           159
• Key West, FL        149

For a complete list go to http://verticals.yahoo.com/cities/categories/costofliving.html

Transportation-The same roads 195 and the Florida turnpike connect Boca north and south.
Airports

• Palm Beach International Airport, the primary commercial passenger serve airport in the northern portion of South Florida’s metropolitan area, is just 25 miles north of Boca Raton and serves more than 5.8 million passengers.
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Just 20 miles south.
• Miami International, 47 miles south of Boca Raton,

Trains

• AMTRAK
• 561/USA-RAIL, 800-872-7245
• Metrorail
• 305/770-3131
• Tri-Rail
• 800/TRI-RAIL

In conclusion, this area tends to be expensive. But in return it has all the amenities of a suburban life style yet you’re close to Miami and Ft Lauderdale and all they have to offer.

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