s/o retirement and COL threads: tell me about living in FL

[Brilliant]

We live in a very high COL area (SoCal).  We don't own a home and can't foresee that we can buy one & get it paid off before retirement (15 years).  DH and I have been discussing whether we should move to a lower COL area - which is possible because of his job, as long as it's a city w/ a decent airport.  If you live/have lived in FL, tell me about it!  What do you like/dislike?  I don't need to know about homeschooling as we graduated our youngest. :)

[Seasider]

Cost of living is traditionally lower, but after a number of serious storms over the last decade, you should check on insurance rates.

 

Food prices are lower and there's no state income tax.

 

Biggest challenge is that good paying jobs are harder to find in the more inexpensive parts of the state. Don't plan to move there and THEN get a job - be sure of one before you make a move.

[SebastianCat]

COL would be significantly lower in FL than in SoCAL.     I'd recommend that you look at living in a major metropolitan area - Miami, Tampa, Orlando, or Jacksonville.   All of these cities have good airports.

 

Definitely agree with the advice of having a secure job before you move.    

 

I would seriously evaluate what type of city atmosphere you want before considering a city to live in.   Jacksonville is much more conservative, more "southern" atmosphere, more churches.    Orlando has a million things to do but is heavily influenced by tourism.    Miami is the most liberal area.   Tampa is in between but totally depends on the area in which you live.   

 

Insurance costs are going up in FL at an astronomical rate.   Definitely check on the specific cost of insurance for any property you consider purchasing.   The closer you are to the coast, the less likely you'll be able to obtain homeowners insurance.    Sinkholes are also affecting insurance rates state-wide.    You'll need to check your policy for hurricane deductable and sinkhole coverage before buying.

 

Hurricanes are a part of life here, but certain areas are more vulnerable (Miami, Pensacola, and the Keys) than others (Orlando, Tampa or Jax).    Jacksonville and Tampa haven't received a direct hit from a hurricane in a very long time, but you'll still have hurricane evacuation zones to deal with.   Inland areas can still get significant hurricane damage (google Hurricane Charley in 2004), even without evacuation zones.

 

Also factor traffic and commuting needs.   FL has no public transportation, so all of your travel (including to & from airports for work) will be car-dependant.    My husband commutes 20 miles to work, which can often take over an hour each way.

 

Climate is going to be similar to So Cal, but generally more tropical (no deserts or mountains).    The closer you are to the coast, the more stable your temps will be.   I live in Tampa, about a 30 minute drive from the coast, and our temps during the summer almost never fluctuate outside of 90-95 degrees during the day, and 70-75 at night.   Farther inland (Lakeland, Orlando, Gainesville) the temps go higher in the summertime.    Our summertime temps (and humidity) start in April or early May and last until November.   Winters are very, very mild - it hasn't snowed south of Gainesville since 1977.   But the good side of that is that you can live in shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops for 10 months out of the year.   We have very little need for winter clothing.

 

Hope this helps!

[Trish]

We live in a very high COL area (SoCal).  We don't own a home and can't foresee that we can buy one & get it paid off before retirement (15 years).  DH and I have been discussing whether we should move to a lower COL area - which is possible because of his job, as long as it's a city w/ a decent airport.  If you live/have lived in FL, tell me about it!  What do you like/dislike?  I don't need to know about homeschooling as we graduated our youngest. :)

 

It certainly depends on your goals and what sort of lifestyle you're seeking. I find COL to be low generally. When real estate prices collapsed several years ago there were a lot of good deals to be had on both condos and houses. Prices are starting to rise again, albeit slowly. My brother in law is actively involved in buying condos in the Ft. Myers area because there are GREAT deals to be had, according to him. 

 

Another thing to note is pace of life. Clearwater has many retirees, but also lots of younger tourists, so the pace is relatively fast and things are trafficky. The pace is very pleasant, but much slower, in areas like Venice and other coastal areas with a greater percentage of retirees. There are nice and not-so-nice areas in virtually every urban center, as you would expect. 

 

The weather is extremely fabulous (I'm a lifelong northerner who moved here about a decade ago). I can't get over how sunny it is MOST of the time. I don't regard heat as an issue due to air conditioning being pretty much universal. (just wouldn't recommend exercising at noon during the summer. Stick to morning/evening for your walk!)

 

The cold didn't especially bothered me when I lived up north but I did wonder WHY that was so once I moved south and discovered how much nicer it is to live this way.

 

Re: insurance, I wouldn't want to live right on the water for this reason. It would make a lot of sense to price insurance before buying anything, and shop around. 

[creekland]

We spent 5 years living in St Petersburg before opting to move back north (due to not seeing family and summers being too hot for too long).  St Petersburg remains my favorite city of any city in the US.  It has a nice mix of ages, entertainment options (esp including nearby Tampa), restaurants, etc, and is close enough to enjoy the water on a regular basis.  There's a mix of housing options including many that are affordable.  Tampa's airport is close, or St Pete/Clearwater has one with a few flights itself.

 

We plan to get more reacquainted with our city as my youngest will be attending college there this fall.  He was born in St Pete, so we liken it to the salmon that return to their place of birth!  (It just didn't happen with my older two.)

[Lady Florida.]

As has been mentioned, Florida is a varied state and where you settle will make a big difference. COL is lower than in many other states, and definitely lower than So Cal. Housing is much lower. We have no state income tax but there are a number of "fees" and counties and cities have the option of adding to the state base sales tax (6%). That's a pretty low base tax and in my county that's all we pay. I think the highest is 7.5% though I don't know where that is. Some counties have an additional tourist/hotel tax that you'll pay when staying there, even if you're a Florida resident.

 

Sinkholes can happen anywhere, but there are areas where they're more common. You will want to check out any places you're considering. We get a lot of the scare publicity, but Hurricane Andrew and 2004 notwithstanding, the U.S. Gulf coast (usually not including the Florida part of the Gulf) and the Carolinas get hit harder/more often than we do. We do get a fair number of tropical storms though they're often weak.

 

While the COL is lower, so are salaries. Florida is a right-to-work state. We have a pretty big service economy with much, though not all of it, servicing tourism. There have been attempts to attract high-tech and other "clean industry" but those are slow growing areas.

 

From what I know of Southern California weather (and all my knowledge is second hand) it's more humid here than what you're used to. Temperatures are probably similar but with more of a tropical/sub-tropical feel.

 

 

Also factor traffic and commuting needs.   FL has no public transportation, so all of your travel (including to & from airports for work) will be car-dependant.    My husband commutes 20 miles to work, which can often take over an hour each way.

 

 

 

Not sure what you mean by the bolded. All of the larger metropolitan areas, and some of the small ones have buses. In Tampa and St. Pete they have trolleys, and I think Jacksonville does too. Even my county has a bus system, though it leaves much to be desired. Orlando/Orange County just opened their commuter rail system last week. I agree though, that it could be better. We have no real options where I live other than the substandard bus service I mentioned. Still there is public transportation in Florida. 

[Lady Florida.]

 Don't plan to move there and THEN get a job - be sure of one before you make a move.

 

:iagree: This is how we end up with a lot of jobless folks. People think they'll come here and find a job. It isn't easy. It sounds like your dh will keep his job when you relocate though, so this might not be an issue for you.

[Truscifi]

What type of area are you looking for? There is a lot of variety here. We live in a fairly rural area, but are about equal distance from Tampa, Orlando, and Gainesville. All have different pros and cons. Also, while there is more to do generally speaking in the big cities, the smaller cities like Naples or Ft Myers are nice if you want a slower pace.

[pooh bear]

 

  Winters are very, very mild - it hasn't snowed south of Gainesville since 1977. 

 

 

I live about 60 miles south of Gainesville and it snowed once here about 2 years ago. OK it wasn't much, just enough to cover the ground but it was snow. It was one of my ds happiest mornings. Born and raised in FL and had never seen snow before.

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

I live about 60 miles south of Gainesville and it snowed once here about 2 years ago. OK it wasn't much, just enough to cover the ground but it was snow. It was one of my ds happiest mornings. Born and raised in FL and had never seen snow before.

 

 

We're 3 hours southeast of Gainesville and have had flurries 3 or 4 times since the late 80's. I do know of the 1977 snow though. It actually hit the ground before it melted lol. I was in Tallahassee in college at the time. Around 2 am someone was knocking on all the doors yelling, "Get up! It's snowing in Florida!" I think that was the year they had flurries in Miami. :D

[Truscifi]

 

 

I live about 60 miles south of Gainesville and it snowed once here about 2 years ago. OK it wasn't much, just enough to cover the ground but it was snow. It was one of my ds happiest mornings. Born and raised in FL and had never seen snow before.

 

 

Hey, you must live near me! Howdy, neighbor! :seeya:

[pooh bear]

Hey, you must live near me! Howdy, neighbor! :seeya:

 

If you live any where near the old folks then we must be neighbors! :seeya:

 

I'm about 5 miles from The Villages.

[pooh bear]

We're 3 hours southeast of Gainesville and have had flurries 3 or 4 times since the late 80's. I do know of the 1977 snow though. It actually hit the ground before it melted lol. I was in Tallahassee in college at the time. Around 2 am someone was knocking on all the doors yelling, "Get up! It's snowing in Florida!" I think that was the year they had flurries in Miami. :D

 

Oh, the snow of '77. My dh has told tales of that winter. The way he went on you would think they were snowed in for days. :lol:

 

I was born in '77 and living in the UK, so the reaction Florida folks get to snow is funny. I mean true Florida folks, the ones born and raised here.

[Truscifi]

If you live any where near the old folks then we must be neighbors! :seeya:

 

I'm about 5 miles from The Villages.

 

Lol! We live in Citrus county, so not too far from there. Maybe 40 minutes. Dh used to work there, but got transferred to an Ocala location last year.

[Lady Florida.]

If you live any where near the old folks then we must be neighbors! :seeya:

 

I'm about 5 miles from The Villages.

 

I had a feeling one of you was going to say The Villages. :)

 

Oh, the snow of '77. My dh has told tales of that winter. The way he went on you would think they were snowed in for days. :lol:

 

I was born in '77 and living in the UK, so the reaction Florida folks get to snow is funny. I mean true Florida folks, the ones born and raised here.

 

That was funny. The Florida natives were fascinated and were trying to inspect the snowflakes up close. With flashlights in the middle of the night. As the snow melted.  :lol:  It shut down the city of Tallahassee. Public schools were closed. Florida State OTOH wasn't. We were pretty disappointed.

 

Sorry we got so off topic OP, but I hope before we did, we gave you some things to think about if you're going to keep Florida in the running.

[Brilliant]

Hmm, I was aware of the hurricanes but am alarmed that so many of you mentioned sinkholes!  I was looking at houses online and did see one that had a note to the effect of "sinkhole fixed, see engineering report" but I assumed that was an unusual thing.

 

 

 

:iagree: This is how we end up with a lot of jobless folks. People think they'll come here and find a job. It isn't easy. It sounds like your dh will keep his job when you relocate though, so this might not be an issue for you.

 

Right.  We wouldn't move unless he could stay in his position.  (he works from home and does some traveling). We're trying to think of where his salary will go a lot farther!
 

[Brilliant]

What type of area are you looking for? There is a lot of variety here. We live in a fairly rural area, but are about equal distance from Tampa, Orlando, and Gainesville. All have different pros and cons. Also, while there is more to do generally speaking in the big cities, the smaller cities like Naples or Ft Myers are nice if you want a slower pace.

 

I don't know...urban, I think (although we like to spend time outdoors).  The extent of my Florida experience is 3 trips to Disneyworld in the last 15 years, and a trip to Miami.  I only saw the Disney & Universal parts of Orlando.  And I wasn't that impressed with Miami - it was so crowded and expensive; reminded me of New York except it was hotter. :)  We drove up to West Palm Beach for a day for dh' business meeting.  He has spent a lot more time than I have in Florida, in various cities.  He likes Tampa, from what he's seen.

[tabinfl]

I live in the Tampa Bay area and love it. Lots of homeschoolers (of every flavor), beautiful beaches, and a day trip to Disney World. :)

 

Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions about this area.

[JonesinIndiana]

I'm in central Florida.

 

COL is rising here, especially the homeowners insurance. In comparison to WNY where DH's family lives, it is cheaper here. Our property taxes are about a third of what theirs is. Expect salaries to be lower here than So Cal but homeownership is very doable in comparison. You might consider a newer built home rather than an older one; you might not have as many problems with getting insurance. Depending on where you live you might need sinkhole insurance. If you're on the water you will need wind insurance too, I think. Also, you might want to look at the Tampa Bay Times paper online to read about the latest regarding flood insurance.

 

We would move out of FL if we could. We don't like the heat and after 27 years we really miss seasons. Unfortunately, we are stuck due to my license (only in FL) and dh's job. Oh, for 20/20 hindsight, eh?

[Lisa in Jax]

Consider Jacksonville, too, if you liked Tampa. We've been here since 1991 (with a break to attend law school in VA), and I wouldn't live anywhere else. We *love* Florida.

[Joker]

We live in the St. Augustine area and absolutely love it. Insurance has not been as big of a deal as I expected. Our homeowners insurance is less than $1000/year and our flood insurance is less than $400/year (I just this week paid our renewal). We do not live in a flood zone but we have it anyway due to tropical storms and hurricanes (we've only had one big tropical storm in the 9 years we've lived here and we had very little damage in this area). We're about a 20 minute drive to the beach and our area has sidewalks to take us to the grocery store, a few eateries, a UPS store, our dentist, our doctor, two drug stores, and a local branch of our bank that is being built now. That is all within a 3 mile round trip.

 

The weather is humid and takes some getting used to as do the bugs (and lizards, snakes, and gators). We haven't really had any big issues with these though. I didn't want to move here and expected to hate it but I'm really liking it now and we don't ever expect to leave.

[kroe1]

We live on the Gulf coast on one of the barrier islands. Property taxes here run about 10 to 20% of one's house note. Insurance on the island runs about $500 to $1000 a month for an average home. About 20 miles inland, that insurance rate drops a hundred or so.

 

I would highly recommend the Gulf side, south of Tampa if you and DH are into the arts. Theater, symphony, and dance are the mainstays of entertainment. Then, obviously, one has water sports. There are also many animal reserves in this part of the state. Get used to seeing all kinds of creatures in your yard. This is between two houses, one on the beach and one inland, but this is what is in my backyard on any given day:

 

1. Dolphins

2. Manatee

3. Seagulls, plovers, and other shore birds.

4. Crabs

5. Spoonbills, herons, ducks, egrets, ibis, and anhingas

6. Alligators

7. Bobcats

8, Florida panthers

9. Deer

10. Armadillo

11. Snakes

12. Lizards

13. Owls, eagles, and hawks

 

In other words, we do not let small pets or children out by themselves. Lol.

 

All the homes have cages in the back and large lanais with big grills. We are outside several hours a day 360 days a year. Bicycle is the most popular means of transportation after cars.

 

HTH

[Brilliant]

Thanks for all of the input!  I told dh last night, "You need another business trip to FL soon so I can tag along...!" 

[Brilliant]

...

I would highly recommend the Gulf side, south of Tampa if you and DH are into the arts. Theater, symphony, and dance are the mainstays of entertainment. Then, obviously, one has water sports. There are also many animal reserves in this part of the state. Get used to seeing all kinds of creatures in your yard. This is between two houses, one on the beach and one inland, but this is what is in my backyard on any given day:

 

1. Dolphins

2. Manatee

3. Seagulls, plovers, and other shore birds.

4. Crabs

5. Spoonbills, herons, ducks, egrets, ibis, and anhingas

6. Alligators

7. Bobcats

8, Florida panthers

9. Deer

10. Armadillo

11. Snakes

12. Lizards

13. Owls, eagles, and hawks

 

In other words, we do not let small pets or children out by themselves. Lol.

 

All the homes have cages in the back and large lanais with big grills. We are outside several hours a day 360 days a year. Bicycle is the most popular means of transportation after cars.

 

HTH

 

Thanks! 

 

The arts part sounds nice - that's something we enjoy about SoCal.

 

Funny about all the critters.  When we've looked at houses online, I immediately reject anything that's directly on a creek or lake, and we joke that "oh look you can see the alligators right from your backyard."  :tongue_smilie: 

 

I like the part about being outside; we spend a lot of time outside.  And we noticed that many of the houses online have the screened-in pools & porches.

 

[Brilliant]

I live in the Tampa Bay area and love it. Lots of homeschoolers (of every flavor), beautiful beaches, and a day trip to Disney World. :)

 

Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions about this area.

 

thanks, I'll send you a PM

[umsami]

I've lived in the Orlando area, Jacksonville, and now SW FL (Naples/Fort Myers).  Most of my adult life has been spent in Florida.  FL is a great place to live, but realize that many people act the same way in the summer as people up North do in the winter.  (You stay inside most of the day, and then go out late afternoon/evening. :))

 

My property taxes are much lower than up north.  Homeowner's insurance and flood insurance for us run about $2500/year.  Our property taxes are about double that.  Schools really vary (JAX has great magnets--and two of their high schools (Paxson and Stanton) have been ranked in the top 10 high schools in the country for years), but homeschooling is easy.  Homeschoolers are also eligible for Bright Futures scholarships which is nice, as well as dual-enrollment.  There are some umbrella schools here too.  

 

Central FL has some toll roads, which can add into your costs if you use them a lot.  Gas is on par with the national average.  Food on par with national average.  Really good local grocery store called Publix, which has an excellent bakery, wonderful subs, and great store brand to save money.  If you like Trader Joe's, it's limited in the state to Naples and Gainesville, I believe.  That kind of sucks. :)   Costco, BJs, and Sam's Club are everywhere.  Aldi has pretty good distribution.   Lots of cities/towns have wonderful farmers markets.  

 

Gulf has the best beaches, although I really loved living in Jacksonville.  Going up to Amelia Island or down to St. Augustine was great.  Central FL is great (Orlando area), but traffic can get insane.  Naples/Ft. Myers is weird because it's so heavily seasonal.  Snowbirds triple the population of Naples every winter.  Some businesses close in the summer when the snowbirds leave.

[Lady Florida.]

 If you like Trader Joe's, it's limited in the state to Naples and Gainesville, I believe.  That kind of sucks. :)   

 

They're building one in Winter Park (near Orlando). It should be opening this summer.

[Brilliant]

... If you like Trader Joe's, it's limited in the state to Naples and Gainesville, I believe.  That kind of sucks. :)   ...

 

How did you know that would be a key factor?  ;)  But guess what?  I already googled it and the first Tampa TJs opened in March!  So now there are at least 3 cities to choose from. :)

[umsami]

They're building one in Winter Park (near Orlando). It should be opening this summer.

 

You just made my day.  We're moving back to Orlando in July. :)  Is it going to be on Aloma near Whole Foods?

[Lady Florida.]

You just made my day.  We're moving back to Orlando in July. :)  Is it going to be on Aloma near Whole Foods?

 

Here you go. :)

 

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-04-21/business/os-trader-joes-orlando-opening-date-20140421_1_trader-joe-trader-giotto-trader-jose

[Alisa in Florida]

The Winter Park Trader Joe's is going to be on 17-92, near Morse Blvd. It's in a new shopping center called Lakeside, I think.

[Beth78]

I live about 5 minutes from downtown Tampa. Oh and the TJ parking lot here is tiny so I suggest not going after work. 

[umsami]

Oh, and also Orlando, Tampa, and I think Davie/Ft. Lauderdale have Ikeas.  (Important to know. :))