Lot Selection Tips in Cape Coral, FL

[Trevor Fleck]

Based on my investment experience in Cape Coral with Rent to Retirement, I often have potential investors ask about how to select an appropriate lot when they all more or less look the same. Below is my list of things I've learned to consider. What other tips/rules of thumb do you have? 

Freshwater Canal Lot Considerations:

• At least one block away from a major highway to reduce road noise
• A West, South, or East facing lot all things being equal (i.e., the direction the back of the lot where your tenant would relax faces)
• The wider the canal, the better
• Look for houses in the surrounding areas with pools - this is a good indication of a higher value home
• East of El Dorado (west of El Dorado is mainly designated as FEMA flood zone areas)
• Make sure no protected species on your lot or the adjacent lot (burrowing owls and gopher tortoises in specific)
• Consult the Cape Coral Utility Expansion Map. You want to be in one of the later expansion phases to avoid $15-$20k in tax assessments paid over 20 years when the City connects the lot to City water/sewer
• Flat lots without a lot of trees (moving earth or removing trees can be quite costly)

[Mike Barone]

Have you ever removed the burrowing owls from a lot in Cape Coral? Estimated time and cost for removal? I saw some info on the county website saying a few thousand dollars for removal. 

[Trevor Fleck]

@Mike Barone I haven't. However, I did have a lot with gopher tortoises on one particular lot that I was forced to sell. It's roughly $5k/tortoise to remove these days. However, you then have to have them sent to a "relocation ranch" and right now none are open in the state of FL due to laws limiting how many can be relocated/acre. It's a real mess and of course gopher tortoises didn't exactly get the memo about lot lines so that's why I stay away from lots that are anywhere near known gopher tortoises. You can get thrown in jail for up to three years if you try to remove them yourself. It's a big deal and Florida takes it very seriously.
Usually they are easy to spot by the burrow, unmowed grass around them, and often the City has marked them with small, white PVC pipes. 

@Stetson Miller@Peter Davis any experience removing burrowing owls or knowledge on who might be able to speak to the cost? 

[Stetson Miller]

Originally posted by @Trevor Fleck:

@Mike Barone I haven't. However, I did have a lot with gopher tortoises on one particular lot that I was forced to sell. It's roughly $5k/tortoise to remove these days. However, you then have to have them sent to a "relocation ranch" and right now none are open in the state of FL due to laws limiting how many can be relocated/acre. It's a real mess and of course gopher tortoises didn't exactly get the memo about lot lines so that's why I stay away from lots that are anywhere near known gopher tortoises. You can get thrown in jail for up to three years if you try to remove them yourself. It's a big deal and Florida takes it very seriously.
Usually they are easy to spot by the burrow, unmowed grass around them, and often the City has marked them with small, white PVC pipes. 

@Stetson Miller@Peter Davis any experience removing burrowing owls or knowledge on who might be able to speak to the cost? 

No personal experience, but I've spoken to several other people who have mentioned that all-in costs for relocating the owls or tortoises easily reaches the $5-10,000 range

[Patrick Bavaro]

@Trevor Fleck Great information! I would also highly encourage anyone looking to purchase a lot in Cape Coral to utilize the link below to search for property restrictions, such as owls, that have already been identified on any interest lots you are considering. This was an extremely helpful tool when selecting my lot with RTR as well for my new build.

https://capegis.maps.arcgis.co...

[Mike Barone]

@Trevor Fleck @Stetson Miller Thanks for the feedback this is valuable information

[Jorge Siverio]

Here is a good link to search for whether a lot is in a flood zone or not: https://www.capecoral.gov/i_wa...

[Rodney Menendez]

Removing tortoises can get really expensive since you have to pay to relocate each tortoise and you really don't know how many you have in your lot, definitely stay away from this. I have owls in a multifamily lot that I own and I received a quote for around $5k to remove them. Here is another useful link to find wildlife in Cape Coral https://capecoral-capegis.open...  

[Rodney Menendez]

I received this info from the City of Cape Coral employee

Cape Coral Helpful Links:

1. For Cape Coral’s Interactive Mapping System (Cape IMS) click here. *Useful for looking up information on a property such as Zoning, Future Land Use, flood zone, restrictions, ownership information, etc.

2. For a table of allowed uses by zoning district: click here

3.For Planning Division applications, documents, and information click here

4. For a searchable version of Cape Corals Land Development Code click here

5. For burrowing owl, gopher tortoise, bald eagle, or mangrove information click here

6. For City protection requirements for burrowing owls, gopher tortoises, or bald eagles click here

7. For wildlife GIS data and an interactive map showing locations of listed species in the City click here

[Trevor Fleck]

Thanks @Rodney Menendez these are really helpful links!