Punta Gorda - Port Charlotte the best place to live again and again.

Punta Gorda and Charlotte County Florida are rated one of the best places to live in the United States consistently by the experts. Money Magazine, CNN Money.com, Golf Digest, Sail Magazine, Florida Trend, Forbes Magazine, Men’s Journal, and topretirements.com and the list keeps going on and on…

Located on the Gulf Coast of Southwest Florida, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte sit across the Charlotte Harbor. Charlotte Harbor is the second largest bay on the west coast of Florida. Tampa bay is the largest .The waterways, canals that lead to Charlotte harbor which has 270 square miles of pristine protected waters and 219 miles of protected shoreline as reported by MoneyCNN.com 2009. This harbor offers the finest of boating and water sports. You don’t even have to go out in the Gulf of Mexico Sail Magazine named the harbor one of the “Top ten greatest places to sail” in the United states. Charlotte Harbor is a large estuary being fed from two rivers the Myakka to the northwest and the Peace River to the east. Charlotte Harbor and Gasparilla Sound make up some 80,000 acres of barrier islands and mangrove forests. This is a fishing haven second to none. Boca Grande sets at the mouth of the Harbors entrance to the Gulf. It is world renowned for its Tarpon Fishing. The gulf beaches also offer great swimming and diving.

Punta Gorda #1 Place to retire in United States beating out Palm Springs California
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bpretire/2009/
Homes here cost less than half of what they did in 2005

The Punta Gorda – Port Charlotte area has so much more to offer than just the water and beautiful scenery. It has great medical facilities. The Cultural Center has a 500 seat theater along with cafeteria, thrift shop, work out center, library, and year round classes on all kinds of hobbies. A multitude of restaurants, malls, parks, beaches, airport, hotels, motels, marinas, and of course let’s not forget Golf Courses.

Golf Digest in 2005 rated Punta Gorda #3
http://www.golfdigest.com/images/rankings/gd200508metrogolfrankings.pdf

Now as for taxes we have homestead exemptions for owners, property tax breaks for widows, and disabled veterans. The current sales tax is 7%. Florida has no tax on income. It seems like a no brainer when compared to California and New York.

Combine all the facts above along with the sunshine, great weather, and the people, and then you will see why I call this place home. Have a great day and smile