January 18th, 2012 12:06 PM by Marianne Lilly
Charlotte County Florida, Best Place to Retire 2012
Real Estate in Punta Gorda, Charlotte County Florida. Voted the Best Place to Retire by US News. Charlotte County home prices were battered by the housing bust, which could mean bargins for retirees new to the area. The median home sale price was shockingly low at $59,950 in 2010. And many of these homes are located along canals and waterways. "There are a tremendous number of houses on the water, and everybody's got their boats in their backyard," says retiree Chris Zwirner, 78. "All the people who live on the water essentially have access to the Gulf of Mexico, and from there you can go around the world." The Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park spans 42,000 acres, including 70 miles of shoreline along the Charlotte Harbor. An added bonus: Florida has no state income tax.
Charlotte County Place to Buy a Retirement Home for Under $100,000http://www.usnews.com/