Need Freeper Help on Where to Move to in Florida

11/13/04 | mass55th

[mass55th]

Within the next six or seven months, I'm hoping to move to Florida and set up residence. My youngest son, age 34 will be moving down there to set up residence as well. I'm asking for Freeper input and advice on where to move in Florida.

[G.Mason]

We were from N.Jersey, lived in Pinellas County and it became overcrowded for us. (pop. 1,000,000 summer time and about 2,000,000 winter time residents)

Citrus County is more laid back, plenty to do (doctors offices, hospitals, shopping, fishing, hunting, golf, beaches, forests, etc.) and has a pop. of about 120,000.

Florida active map

Another interactive Florida map.

With 67 counties in Florida, you have many to choose from.

[Scales]

I have lived in FL since 1962. I grew up in Clearwater and relocated to New Port Richey in 1980 when I graduated from law school. I really prefer the west coast of Florida. Pasco County has a lot to offer. It is a growing area and just north of Tampa. There is a lot more bang for the buck in residential housing.

There are some beautiful new neighborhoods being built here. Trinity is huge and very nice. Samuelson is the best builder in that area. I have heard complaints about other builders, but none about Samuelson. The really exciting new neighborhood is Longleaf. It is modeled after Celebration in Orlando. Houses have front porches, garages are in the back an access by alley. Very old fashioned neighborhood.

Bank related employment should be pretty good, either in west Pasco or in Tampa. Unemployment in Florida is around 4.5%. Real Property Taxes are low. You have already heard that there is no state income tax.

We went for Bush in 2004. Jeb Bush said that when he wanted to see how Florida was going, He checked the election results from Pasco and Orange County. When he saw we were going for GWB, he called and reassured him that Florida was his. There are more registered Republicans than Demonrats in Pasco.

If you are going to make the move, you may want to do so soon. We are seeing an average increase in home prices of 20%+ per year. We listed one of my estate homes in the Spring and sold it for 140K, the deal fell through and we took it from the market. It was re-listed last month and sold for 159K and that was a mere 6 months. The market is hot. Rates are good right now but expected to be on the rise with the increase in the Fed rate.

[dansangel]

But the quality of life far outweighs that one negative.

I have to agree with you on that. Although I recommended Indian River County for "quaintness," the Keys has it beat by far.

When I retire and don't have to worry about employment, the mid-Keys is definitely on my list of possibilities.

[MichiganCheese]

I strongly recommend the Sarasota area. It's beautiful and conservative. Kind of like Ann Coulter. We go to Long Boat Key a couple of times every year. It's absolute paradise. I believe the Sarasota economy is quite strong. Of course housing on the Gulf or Harbor is quite expensive, I believe it's somewhat reasonable in the city of Sarasota.

Good Luck with your search and subsequent move.

[mass55th]

"The only place I've met more con men than in Florida is in New York."

LOL! I can vouch for that seeing as I worked 23 years for the biggest repository of con men in the state...the New York State prison system.

[mass55th]

Thanks for all the helpful hints & info. I've written them all down for future reference.

[DocH]

If and when I have to move again, I'm going to look at the latest COUNTY Red/Blue map and... HEAD FOR THE RED!

[the invisib1e hand]

beautiful and conservative. Kind of like Ann Coulter

lol.

cameras on the stoplights, though? I guess some people think that's conservative.

I wouldn't think Sarasota's economy is exactly hot -- except as it serves the old money there. Old money can be a good boost to an economy.

[mass55th]

"Move up here to Michigan, we need the votes......."

ROFL! Oh yeah, just what I need...more snow and cold!!

[stacytec]

I've lived all over the state. IMO, the gulf coast is the best (Naples, Ft. Myers area). The pan handle gets cold in the winter, Jacksonville smells, Orlando is a tourist trap, Tampa is traffic hell, The Miami metro area is a controlled crime spree and all counties in the middle are populated by migrant workers and trailer trash.

South West Florida has the best beaches ( sand is fine white and you can watch the sun set from your beach chair). DOn't let fear of tropical storms stop you regardless of where you go. Just remember to buy a house made of cider block - the a-holes that use wood construction are just asking for trouble. Its always the trailor parks and the wood framed houses you see on CNN after the hurricane. Quite literally , you get what you pay for.

[mass55th]

Appreciate the advice. I prefer small towns, keep to myself mostly, and don't mingle much. Guess you could say I'm a recluse. I like my privacy and respect others. I've visited and camped out in the south numerous times over the years and have dealt with fire ants and big bugs. That shouldn't be much of a surprise to me.

[SunnySide]

"Naples is growing out of control and no longer resembles the wonderful "sanctuary of sanity" environment it used to be. It's being developed so fast it's hard to keep up."

True, it's a treasure that has become too popular and populated and not enough room to breath or DRIVE. The main highway up and down Naples to Fort Myers is a nightmare.

[SunnySide]

"The only place I've met more con men than in Florida is in New York."

That's because many of the Floridian transplants ARE ex New York con-men.

[mass55th]

Tennessee is great! I've been there several times visiting Civil War sites. Visited Shiloh one year in early December and had the park virtually to myself. It was like a beautiful fall day. Tennessee is one of the states that won't tax my state pension. But, my son wants to move to Florida so I'll try it for a while. If I don't like it, I can always move again.

[gdc61]

pan handle. my son lives near Pensacola its beautiful. plus thats where all the conservatives live.

[mass55th]

Thanks much for the tips.

[Poodlebrain]

Sarasota has many wonderful features. One of which is its proximity to Tampa and Orlando. Another is its airport that has many flights to and from cities in the northeast. The cost of housing is high for Florida, especially in the master planned developments and on the keys, but there are still some attractive places to buy. One drawback is the traffic in Sarasota has become unbelievable. It is not really a congestion problem; it is the number of drivers who drive slower than the speed limits. Especially between 3:30PM and 6:00PM as retirees seem to favor running their errands before heading to restaurants for the "Earlybird Specials", and they want to finish driving before the sun sets.

[mass55th]

ROFL!!!

[Nip]

Although I live in the panhandle of Florida (Fort Walton Beach) I would recommend the Jacksonville - Saint Augustine area for you and yours.

Jacksonville is becoming a major center for banking - not as big as Miami but growing (that would be important to your son).

In Jacksonville you have almost all of the services that you find in large cities (shopping, health care, social, etc) but the feeling is still that of a smaller city.

The area between Jacksonville and Saint Augustine is beginning a growth cycle so prices are beginning to start up but they are still reasonable.

Within an hour’s drive of Jacksonville you can live in a gated retirement community, condos, new builds, older homes, restored historical districts, or farms.

If you want to live on the water you have the option of living on the St John’s River (it flows from south to north) with many medium to small communities to chose from.

I recommend that you ask around any fraternal organizations you belong to - they most like have chapters, lodges, etc in Florida.

[mass55th]

Thanks. I've put Palm Coast on the list. Sounds great!