Posted on 08/26/2023 8:31:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
I am a 6th generation Floridian and your list mirrors my own as to why I left Florida three years ago. I am much happier homesteading in the Ozarks where I can literally go days without seeing another person.
We were half/snow birds spending most of December, January and February in the Fort Pierce/Port St. Lucie area, but my wife's health reasons prevents long distance travel so we haven't been to FL for several years.
Living in Western PA, the brutal part of winter was avoided and the worst heat and hurricane season of FL was also avoided, the best of both states.
We tried living in Florida for an entire year back in the early part of the 2000s, but could not stand the summer heat, humidity and bugs/critters.
Switched plans and went back to being half snow birds {whole snow birds usually spend 5-6 months in FL} and quarter pounders are there for about 5-6 weeks... it's all good.
Wow, long time Floridian!
The ozarks are beautiful!
My bride’s family is from there
I love the hot weather and hate perverts. Florita sounds PERFECT!
When I lived in LA (lower Alabama) I met several couples from NY and Mass that decided to retire in Alabama instead of Florida. Property taxes in Bama were very low. My property taxes on a 1/2 acre lot and a house was $350/year.
Low property tax is BS. 3bdrm 3bath 2 car garage in Palm Beach County $33,000 per year prop tax. Raping by Citizens insurance $12,5000. Other expenses negligible.
nice try....
BTTT!
We retired from Coastal Georgia and are currently living in South Florida on a sailboat in the Treasure Coast. It’s cooler here than in Coastal Georgia, we love the lower tax rates and deal with the higher sales taxes by not buying stuff just to buy stuff.
We’ve been here 3 years. Saw A snake, A shark, a bunch of Dolphins, manatees and rabbits. The bugs are bugs. There are ways to deal with them without chemicals.
We don’t currently own a car, but, the bus system is top notch here and is free. If we need to rent a car to go somewhere, we can easily get one. If we don’t want to go to the grocery, we can Insta-cart.
I loved Coastal Georgia and go back whenever we can. But, Florida is VERY pleasant.
(By the way...it’s full here....if you want to move south, Coastal Georgia still has some room.)
I went on a run with a groups early this morning. When I sat down on the sidewalk afterward to relax, I had ants biting me, and flies and no-see-ums flying round my face. Millions of cubic feet of air available, and they gotta fly round my face.
Correct. Florida summers especially weed out the weak players.
I live on the Gulf coast and could write a book about salt air corrosion. I’ve had aluminum screen door hinges dissolve in less than a year.
Insurance for home/auto is crazy expensive.
New homes at existing prices mean way high real estate taxes.
Is it a common hazard? The map looks like one of Hunter's modern art pieces!
Where are you generally? We're in a cute little forest in west Central Florida, non-flood, non-evacuation zone but close to the beach. Just too much "gardening" (mainly collecting deadfall for fires ;-) - We're both 68. A 3/2 place out of a tornado alley would be nice!
PSA
Don’t come to Florida, it’s a hot and dangerous place.
Especially if you’re a liberal.
5.56mm
Good for you. Thanks for your service.
I lived there several years, in Naples, close to the Everglades. Alligators in the swimming pool, but not such a huge problem, as Animal Control comes to get them and take them back to the swamp. They do eat cats, so people need to be told to keep them inside. Hurricanes? Been through a few, had hurricane closet with weeks worth of canned and bottled food.
Made friends there easily, but my kids were back on the West Coast. So I left.
I actually like the heat. Friends here in Spokane think I’m nuts to leave AC off until it’s 98 outside. Weigh 110 lbs, so that helps, I think.
This is laughable - the 3 reasons retirees leave Florida.
The far and away #1 reason is that they miss their kids and grandkids up north. The #2 reason (that I see) is folks just looking for the mountains in TN and NC. They want at least 3 seasons.
I have never heard of any retiree leaving FL because of insurance costs. That’s just a ridiculous assumption.
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