ANNOUNCING! 25 Best Places to Retire-PORT CHARLOTTE!!

Port Charlotte, Fla.

Port Charlotte is tops for sailors.
Population: 48,000
% over 50: 44%
Typical 3-bedroom home: $170,000
Housing prices down: 63%
State income tax: None

Lots of places in Florida have been battered by the housing bust. But this laid-back Gulf Coast town, just across Charlotte Harbor from pricier Punta Gorda, arguably best hits the sweet spot of great prices and great amenities.

Homes here cost less than half what they did in late 2005, and about 40% of them sit on canals and waterways leading to the harbor - which has 270 square miles of cruising waters and 219 miles of protected shoreline.

But H20 is far from the only reason to move here. The area boasts top-notch medical facilities. The town's Cultural Center houses a 500-seat theater and offers year-round classes in everything from Japanese embroidery to belly dancing. And there's great bird watching in 42,000-acre Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, which has hundreds of avian species and is crisscrossed with hiking trails and kayaking blueways.

The lack of a Florida tax on income -- including interest and dividend income -- only sweetens the deal. --S.M.
See complete data, including tax rates, for Port Charlotte

Contact Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate to grab your dream home here! 941-916-2251, anytime!

StormPulse Hurricane Tracker

It's that time again, folks.....
With the pleasures of living in paradise comes the dreaded anticipation of Hurricane Season...now in full swing. Stay on top of the latest hurricane activity to affect southwest Florida by visiting StormPulse...

Punta Gorda's five-year revitalization began on August 13, 2004 and has been going strong ever since. Join the citizens, businesses, and local government who have been working together in partnership to achieve dramatic results. We welcome those who helped Punta Gorda begin this process, especially those from surrounding counties without whom the revitalization would have had a slower start. Save the date of August 15, 2009 for Punta Gorda's Five-Year Xtreme Makeover Celebration. Festivities will begin at 1 p.m. in Laishley Park. Don't miss the fireworks that will cap off a day of fun for people of all ages. Come together as a community... Visit the website here.

Remember August 13th, 2004?

Hurricane Charley made landfall in southwest Florida on Aug. 13, 2004. Not since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 had the Florida peninsula seen such devastation. Five years after Hurricane Charley, Punta Gorda has emerged better than before. Read the story and actually click on the photos to see the same scene immediately following Hurricane Charley...by Emily Nipps:

http://blogs.tampabay.com/photo/2009/08/hurricane-charley-punta-gorda-anniversary.html

Laishley Crab Shack Prepares to OPEN

Charlotte County Prescription Savings

Your entire family will truly enjoy the savings of up to 65% for each prescription filled and overall savings of up to 40% annually. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with all of the benefits of the discount prescription card.

Charlotte County is now offering its residents a free discount prescription card to help lower their cost of obtaining prescription drugs. While the card is generally for people without health insurance, the card in many cases has better pricing than what people with health insurance are paying for their prescriptions. So it's good for everyone to compare pricing even if they have insurance.

With the Charlotte County free discount prescription card you will save up to 65% on individual brand-name and generic drugs.Pet prescriptions are included too! Click here to print your own savings card

Rooftop View at the Wyvern Hotel

We love the view from the Rooftop Lounge at the upscale Wyvern Hotel in downtown Punta Gorda. Grab a refreshing cocktail and enjoy the harbor breezes in the best seat in town! Sunday's is pool party day with music, karaoke, and pool time fun!

In the downtown lobby area you will find Lulu, a unique Latin infused restaurant offering an upscale environment.

The Wyvern is a wonderful addition to the downtown area, and offers elegance and ambiance for visitors and locals alike. Make a reservation here!

Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!

Discover the Beauty of the Peace River...

If you are visiting the area or are lucky enough to have the beauty of the Peace River winding through your community, you will enjoy this trip through native Florida.

"It’s morning on the Peace River. This is when the river earns its name. Wrapped in a blanket of mist, it’s a study in serenity and stillness. In many places its flow is barely perceptible, averaging a mile per hour or less. Few ripples mar its glassy surface. Only the leisurely drifting of a leaf points the way downstream." Discover the Peace River....


Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!

Got Mud?

Welcome to Florida's largest Off Road Park for Swamp Buggys, ATVs, Trucks and Jeeps...the Redneck Yacht Club!

With over 800 acres of trail riding, 4 mud holes, 500’ oval mud track and drive thru buggy wash, everyone is sure to have a "dirty" time at the Redneck Yacht Club.

Located on Bermont Road in Punta Gorda, the Redneck Yacht Club is the area's newest attraction, and folks are flocking to the Mudding Events from all over! The rules are pretty easy to follow...just BYOB and bring your own buggies and beer, and they'll supply the mud!
Grab the dirt on the Redneck Yacht Club here.


Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!

Must Sell...Short Sale Deal! $749,000..One Acre of PGI Waterfront!

One acre of exceptional waterfront living with all of the amenities to ensure the Florida lifestyle you have always dreamed of! This home is situated on three waterfront tip lots with over 400 feet of seawall!Watch the sailboats drift by the untouched mangroves, and grab a front row seat for the annual Christmas parade. In an area of elegant upscale homes.

An outstanding gourmet kitchen...you ll love to cook in! Features upgraded chefs appliances, warming and cooling drawers, center working island, custom cabinets, granite, and don t forget the awesome waterfront view! Open living room and dining area features gleaming wood floors and floor to ceiling fireplace. Formal dining room offers a private outdoor screened room for more dining options. The family room features a seperate lounging area with built in wet bar, icemaker, granite counters and built ins. Grab a bottle of wine from the humidity/climate controlled 1300 bottle wine cellar.

Entertaining? Head on out to the outdoor kitchen with built in grill, or take a dip in the heated pool with oversized lanai. Elegant master suite offers private screened patio overlooking water and french style master bath. Third bedroom is being used as office. A beautiful home, with amenities too numerous to mention...make an appointment to view right away! Offered at 1,600,000...NOW REDUCED! NOW OFFERED AS A SHORT SALE $749,000...Call Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate 941-916-2251 for a private tour.


Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!