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Florida advice (vanity)

Posted on 07/10/2016 2:46:43 AM PDT by freepertoo

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To: larryjohnson

I’ve toyed with renting, but, God willing, I hope to live 30 to 40 more years. Rents would go up a lot in that time.


141 posted on 07/10/2016 1:56:02 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
Don't take me too seriously TIK. I have relatives in FL and have visited there many, many, many times. The geology of that region is just part of what makes it unique. I was just having some fun with the poster.

nevertheless ...

142 posted on 07/10/2016 2:07:00 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: freepertoo

As others have suggested, go down there during the worst part of the year, every other time will be an upper. Rent a while and check out the areas.

It seems to me that I heard property taxes were pretty high, probably because there is no income tax and they gotta get the money from somewhere.

Another suggested a pest control contract - please do. We lived in Navarre beach (Panhandle) and termites were EVERYWHERE.

Finally, what many don’t consider: The home you buy will probably be the one you die in, so lose the idea of thinking of your home as an investment to be cashed in on later on. The flip side may occur - constantly rising prices mean constantly rising property taxes that may squeeze you out or make your life a bit harder on a fixed income.


143 posted on 07/10/2016 2:10:41 PM PDT by Oatka (Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young.)
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To: freepertoo
Check out Winter Haven. Crime is low because of Polk County Sheriff Grady "we ran out of bullets on him" Judd. Taxes are miniscule. Many gated and ungated communities with low HOA dues. Gated means no door to door salesmen. Chain of Lakes boasts 17 lakes in southern chain and another dozen in northern chain. Bike trails. 50 golf courses within one hour of my house. Watch the sun rise over the Atlantic. Come home for lunch and a nap. Then go to St. Pete to watch the sun set all in the same day. 45 minutes to Disney. One hour to either Orlando or Tampa. College baseball teams come down for pre-season tournaments.

Great restaurants. Many Bible adhering churches.

144 posted on 07/10/2016 2:29:33 PM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys-Can't drive, can't ski, can't fly, can't skipper a boat-But they know what's best for you.)
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To: N. Theknow

Winter Haven sounds great.


145 posted on 07/10/2016 2:41:21 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: FXRP

What’s your opinion of the Bradenton area?


146 posted on 07/10/2016 2:57:10 PM PDT by Velveeta
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To: freepertoo

Next door.


147 posted on 07/10/2016 2:59:18 PM PDT by sparklite2 ( "The white man is the Jew of Liberal Fascism." -Jonah Goldberg)
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To: sparklite2

What is next door? Another 55+ community?


148 posted on 07/10/2016 3:16:36 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: freepertoo

Yes. It’s called Pine Run Estates.


149 posted on 07/10/2016 3:40:59 PM PDT by sparklite2 ( "The white man is the Jew of Liberal Fascism." -Jonah Goldberg)
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To: sparklite2

Do you like it? May I ask what made you choose it, rather than OTOTW? The HOA fees at OTOTW are crazy high.


150 posted on 07/10/2016 4:17:40 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: HotKat

Not dead set on Florida, just seems to fit my interests. Lots of scary stuff to think about as well as the cool stuff...like hurricanea, bugs, lightening...like that. But, this thread is very helpful. Alabama, huh?


151 posted on 07/10/2016 4:28:09 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: smokingfrog; freepertoo
smokingfrog :" The entire Florida peninsula is actually resting on Swiss cheese."

Actually, Frog you are more right about "Swiss cheese", than wrong.
Florida is a limestone shelf covered with sand, and under the limestone is a freshwater river; limestone and water don't agree with each other as the water erodes the limestone.
That is one of the reasons why I personally would avoid any area where there is a standing body of water at the surface,
and I would look more towards either the Atlantic or Gulf Coast, or the Panhandle.
Proximity to known 'sink holes' will also raise your residential insurance costs.
The idea of retiring on a fixed income of Social Security and possible pension can be eaten up by raised rates of taxes, utilities, transportation, infrastructure.
That is why I suggested that you see where the retired military folk go when they retire; they know where the services are, and where the fixed cost of living is low.
As someone earlier said for you to go during the 'tourist season', and then go during the 'off season' and see what works for you.
The difference can be astounding; also, the rates of rentals as well as home purchases vary according to the season; prudence says buy during the 'off season'.

152 posted on 07/10/2016 4:28:15 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt ( British historian Arnold Toynbee - Civilisations die from suicide, not by murder.)
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To: Velveeta

“What’s your opinion of the Bradenton area?”

Too urban and too much traffic. It does have a WaWa however.


153 posted on 07/10/2016 8:02:41 PM PDT by FXRP (Just me and the pygmy pony)
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To: Florida native

The Villages population may indeed be on the verge of a swing towards political left-leanings and that may be the catalyst for the rise in STDs, but it is not driving down the values of those homes nor has it impeded the sales of new ones.


154 posted on 07/11/2016 1:37:56 AM PDT by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth.)
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To: equaviator

Looks like it will probably be Lakeland or Winter Haven, folks. Thanks so much for all of the input.


155 posted on 07/11/2016 5:46:24 PM PDT by freepertoo
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