2018 Resource & Relocation Guide

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Octavia Terry
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1 Florida 2018 Resource & Relocation Guide

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4 4 Table of Contents Newcomer Information 22 Home Buyer Information 8 Help Hotlines 25 Buyer Mistakes 9 Health & Hospitals 27 How Much Can You Afford 10 Local Education 13 Things To Do 14 Kids Activity Page 15 County History Lee County Map Fort Myers Map 28 Tips to Selling Your Home 30 Packing Tips 31 Moving Checklist 32 Homefinder Notepad Skyline Publishing Project Coordinator: Wes Robinson Ad & Book Designer: Asha Bohannon

Newcomer Information Post Offices US Post Office 1350 Monroe St.

14750 6 Mile Cypress Pkwy. - (239) 477-1000 Police Fire US Post Office 1030 S.E. 9th Ave.

(239) 482-5655 Cape Coral Police (239) 574-3223 Fort Myers Police (239) 321-7700 Bayshore Fire (239) 543-3443 Bonita Springs Fire (239) 498-1284

(239) 583-5000 Sanibel Police (239) 472-3111 Fort Myers Fire (239) 321-7311 Fort Myers Shores Fire (239) 694-2833 Cape Coral Utilities (239)

5 Newcomer Information Post Offices US Post Office 1350 Monroe St. (239) US Post Office 3954 Broadway (239) US Post Office 79 Mid Cape Terrace Cape Coral, FL (239) Lee County Sheriff Mile Cypress Pkwy. - (239) Police Fire US Post Office 1030 S.E. 9th Ave. Cape Coral, FL (239) Courthouse US Post Office 307 Del Prado Blvd. N. Cape Coral, FL (239) US Post Office S. Cleveland Ave. (239) Cape Coral Police (239) Fort Myers Police (239) Bayshore Fire (239) Bonita Springs Fire (239) South Trail Fire (239) Tice Fire (239) Lee County Courthouse 1700 Monroe St. (239) Sanibel Police (239) Fort Myers Fire (239) Fort Myers Shores Fire (239) Cape Coral Utilities (239) Fort Myers Utilities (239) Lee County Utilities (239) Utilities Florida Power & Light (239) Lee County Electric (239) AT&T (239) Comcast (239) Verizon (239) Iona McGregor Fire (239) Matlacha-Pine Island Fire (239) N. Fort Myers Fire (239)

8 9 Health & Hospitals Lee County Health Department

(239) 332-9501 Dial 911for Emergencies Cape Coral

Cape Coral, FL (239) 424-2000 Gulf Coast Medical Center

6 8 9 Health & Hospitals Lee County Health Department 3920 Michigan Ave. (239) Dial 911for Emergencies Cape Coral Hospital 636 Del Prado Blvd. Cape Coral, FL (239) Gulf Coast Medical Center Doctors Way (239) Lehigh Regional Medical Center 1500 Lee Blvd. Lehigh Acres, FL (239) Promise Hospital of Fort Myers 3050 Champion Ring Rd. (239) Lee Memorial Hospital 2776 Cleveland Ave. (239)

10 11 Local School Districts Lee County School District 2855

(239) 334-1102 When Registering Your Children For School, Please

Name & Address Of Last School Attended Last Report Card & Any Scores

South (239) 590-1000 Florida Southwestern State College 8099 College

7 10 11 Local School Districts Lee County School District 2855 Colonial Blvd. (239) When Registering Your Children For School, Please Remember To Bring: Current Immunization Record & Birth Certificate Name & Address Of Last School Attended Last Report Card & Any Scores Obtained From Standardized Tests Colleges & Universities Barry University S. Cleveland Ave. (239) Hodges University 4501 Colonial Blvd. (239) Rasmussen College 9160 Forum Corporate Pkwy. (239) Florida Gulf Coast University FGCU Blvd. South (239) Florida Southwestern State College 8099 College Pkwy. (239) Keiser University 9100 Forum Corporate Pkwy. (239) Nova Southeastern University 3650 Colonial Ct. (239) Southern Technical College 1685 Medical Ln. (888)

Lee County Bailey Matthews Shell Museum 3075 Sanibel Captiva Rd. Sanibel, FL (239) 395-2233 Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium 3450 Ortiz Ave.

(239) 344-5208 Gasparilla Island State Park 880 Belcher Rd. Boca Grande, FL Hammond Stadium 14100 Ben C. Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy.

(239) 334-4700 Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve 7751 Penzance Blvd. Sun Splash Family Waterpark 400 Santa Barbara Blvd.

1400 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL (239) 765-8080 12 Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge 1 Wildlife Dr.

(239) 939-5464 Fort Myers Historical Museum 2300 Peck St. (239) 332-5955 Lakes Regional Park 7330 Gladiolus Dr. Mound House 451 Connecticut St.

8 Lee County Bailey Matthews Shell Museum 3075 Sanibel Captiva Rd. Sanibel, FL (239) Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium 3450 Ortiz Ave. (239) Cape Coral Historical Society 544 Cultural Park Blvd Cape Coral, FL (239) City of Palms Park 2201 Edison Ave. (239) Gasparilla Island State Park 880 Belcher Rd. Boca Grande, FL Hammond Stadium Ben C. Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy. (239) Imaginarium Hands On Museum & Aquarium 2000 Cranford Ave. (239) jetblue Park at Fenway South Fenway South Dr. (239) Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve 7751 Penzance Blvd. Sun Splash Family Waterpark 400 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral, FL (239) The Koreshan State Historic Site 3800 Corkscrew Rd. Estero, FL (239) Wind & Water Sports Inc Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL (239) Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge 1 Wildlife Dr. Sanibel, FL Edison & Ford Winter Estate 2350 McGregor Blvd. (239) Edison Mall 4125 S. Cleveland Ave. (239) Fort Myers Historical Museum 2300 Peck St. (239) Lakes Regional Park 7330 Gladiolus Dr. Mound House 451 Connecticut St. Fort Myers Beach, FL (239) Museum of the Islands 5728 Sesame Dr. Bokeelia, FL (239) Railroad Museum of South Florida 7330 Gladiolus Dr. (239) Wooten s Airboat Tours Tamiami Trail E. Ochopee, FL (239) and so much more! 13

Lee County History 14 Lee County was created in 1887 from Monroe County. It was named for Robert E. Lee, Confederate general in the American Civil War.

It is located about 120 miles (190 km) south of Tampa at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River.

9 Lee County History 14 Lee County was created in 1887 from Monroe County. It was named for Robert E. Lee, Confederate general in the American Civil War. Incorporated in 1886, Fort Myers is the center of a popular tourist area in Southwest Florida and the seat of Lee County. It is located about 120 miles (190 km) south of Tampa at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River. Fort Myers, built in 1850 as a military fort to fend off Seminole Indians that were attacking the area s few settlers, was named after Col. Abraham C. Myers, who was stationed in Florida for seven years and was the son-in-law of the fort s establisher and commander. In 1858, after years of elusive battle, chief Billy Bowlegs and his warriors were persuaded to surrender and move west, and the fort was abandoned. Billy s Creek, which flows into the Caloosahatchee River, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west. In 1863, the fort was reoccupied by Federal troops during the Civil War. In 1865 the fort was attacked unsuccessfully by a small group of Confederates. After the war, the fort was again deserted. The first settlers arrived in By 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated, it was the second largest city only to Tampa on Florida s west coast south of Cedar Key, even larger than Clearwater and Sarasota, also growing cities at the time. Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the building of The Royal Palm Hotel in But what really sparked the city s growth was the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge built across the Caloosahatchee River in After the bridge s construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom and many subdivisions sprouted around the city. Fort Myers was the frequent winter home of Thomas Edison, as well as Henry Ford. Lee County has been the host to several Major League Baseball teams for Spring Training, over the past several decades. Currently, it is the spring home of the Boston Red Sox, as well as the Minnesota Twins. 15

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How much House Can You Afford? How much you can afford is determined by a relatively simple formula.

In addition, they require that your total monthly debt be less than 36 percent of your income. (Note: These are general numbers.

(Remember, that s $48,000 in gross pay, before federal and state taxes are removed.) Twenty-eight percent of $4,000 is $1,120.

Generally, to qualify, the self-employed buyer must have been self-employed in the same line of work for at least 24 months before applying for a loan.

15 How much House Can You Afford? How much you can afford is determined by a relatively simple formula. Lenders generally figure that no more than 28 percent of your income should be for total housing costs. In addition, they require that your total monthly debt be less than 36 percent of your income. (Note: These are general numbers. Other loan programs may allow higher percentages.) For example, if you make $48,000 a year, divided by 12 months, your monthly income is $4,000. (Remember, that s $48,000 in gross pay, before federal and state taxes are removed.) Twenty-eight percent of $4,000 is $1,120. That is the most you can make in a monthly mortgage, taxes, and insurance payments. Generally, to qualify, the self-employed buyer must have been self-employed in the same line of work for at least 24 months before applying for a loan. Lenders use your net income, the figure at the bottom of schedule C of your federal income tax form, to decide how large a mortgage you can carry. But they don t look at what you earn now or what you made last year. Rather lenders figure the monthly average of your income over the past 24 months. Also, overtime pay & bonuses sometimes may not be figured into your average income. Don t forget that points, closing costs & other out-of-the-pocket expenses probably will come out to about one percent of the mortgage amount

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17 Packing Strategies Supplies: Preparing to move: A strategy for packing: Packing for efficiency:

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2018 Resource & Relocation Guide

Horry County South Carolina 2018 Resource & Relocation Guide 1 Table of Contents 4-5 Newcomer Information 6 Help Hotlines 7 Health & Hospitals 8 Local Education 11 Things To Do 13 County History 14-15