I like Punta Gorda. We stayed there two months a couple winters ago. Very safe town and a Ky lawyer founded the the town, but it has a huge population of "older" people. There is no beach in Punta Gorda so you don't get any of the young crowd there and that is enticing to the older crowd.
Don't care much for Ft. Myers. No where near as safe as other areas. Venice is nice and very affordable within proximity of the beach. Very nice doublewide mobile home park there called Bay Indies. You can find some great deals there, but the lot rent is around 7-800 per month.
The Sarasota area is the nicest to me, but traffic in the winter is a bit much and the cost of owning in that area is more. We have been looking while renting a condo in the winter for a few years now and almost pulled the trigger a couple of times on something to buy, but it just didn't feel right. I think we are going to lease an apartment for a year and then have more time to look around and not have to worry about finding a place to go every winter. You can lease a nice apt for a year for about the same price you will pay to rent a condo for four months. Of course, you have furnish it and pay utilities, but we will be able to come and go all year as much as we want.