Fort Myers, FL real estate: buy or sell with a local AXEN agent
A Fort Myers mailing address often is not in the City of Fort Myers. City parcels pay a city millage, pull city permits and buy city water and sewer. Unincorporated parcels use Lee County for all three. The city also has four historic districts where outside work needs design approval before a permit.
Fort Myers neighborhoods buyers ask about
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Buying a home in Fort Myers: what to know
The rules that apply everywhere in Florida are on the Florida page. These are the Fort Myers details that trip people up.
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City or county is the first question. A Fort Myers address does not mean city limits. City parcels pay a city millage on top of the county rate and use the city's permit office. Check the parcel with the Lee County Property Appraiser.
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Four historic districts, one extra approval. The city has the Downtown District, Edison Park, Dean Park and Seminole Park. Outside work needs a Certificate of Review from the Historic Preservation Commission before the permit issues.
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Two different water companies. The City of Fort Myers runs its own water and wastewater plants. Lee County Utilities serves much of the unincorporated area. Who bills you depends on the parcel, not the mailing address.
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Lee County mows overgrown lots and bills you. Code enforcement acts when grass and weeds pass 12 inches on a significant part of a lot. Unpaid abatement costs become a lien, and the county's hearing examiner has no power to reduce a lien that came from abatement. Check any vacant lot for open liens.
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Docks and shoreline work have their own permit path. Lee County publishes a dock and shoreline permitting guide, and Caloosahatchee riverfront work may need state review too. Get the record of past permits with the property.
Selling a home in Fort Myers
Get the Certificate of Review history.
If the home is in Dean Park, Edison Park, Seminole Park or downtown, buyers will want proof that past exterior work was approved.
Run a lien and code search on the parcel.
Lee County code liens for mowing and unsafe structures do not go away quietly. Get the payoff from county code enforcement before you list.
Do the final utility read with the right utility.
City parcels close out with the City of Fort Myers. County parcels close out with Lee County Utilities.
Fort Myers real estate questions
Is my Fort Myers home actually in the city?
Often not. Large areas with a Fort Myers mailing address sit in unincorporated Lee County. City parcels pay an extra city millage, use city permitting and may be on city water and sewer. Check the parcel with the Property Appraiser.
Do I need approval to paint my Dean Park house?
Yes, for exterior work. Fort Myers requires a Certificate of Review from the Historic Preservation Commission before a permit is issued in its historic districts, which covers Downtown, Edison Park, Dean Park and Seminole Park.
What happens to an overgrown vacant lot here?
Lee County can cut it once grass and weeds pass 12 inches and bill the owner. Unpaid costs turn into a lien on the property, and the hearing examiner cannot reduce that kind of lien. Check the parcel before you buy.
Who provides water and sewer?
It depends on the parcel. The City of Fort Myers runs its own plants for city customers and Lee County Utilities serves much of the unincorporated area. Confirm the provider before closing so the final read goes to the right place.
Is downtown different from the rest of the city?
For permitting, yes. The downtown River District is one of the city's four historic districts, so exterior work there needs the Historic Preservation Commission's Certificate of Review before the building permit is issued.
Buying or selling in Fort Myers? Talk to a local agent.
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