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View Full Version : Where to buy in Florida?



yeller
04-07-2013, 02:46 PM
Looking for some insight on where to buy (and where not to buy) in Florida.

We're considering buying, but we're not very familiar with Florida....except it's a bunch warmer than Canada!
If you had your choice, what area of Florida would you live?
Area needs to have good boating (which I guess is pretty much all of Florida) and is it possible to be in a lower hurricane area or is all of Florida a danger zone?

gcarter
04-07-2013, 04:00 PM
Well, I do know Florida pretty well, and I strongly endorse the Central Florida area around the Harris Chain of lakes.

http://www.lakecountybass.com/harris_chain_map.pdf

This area is centered between Orlando and Ocala on US Hwy 441.
Here's a few reasons why;
1) Literally thousands of waterfront properties, still pretty affordable, on a very large chain of fresh water lakes.
2) Property taxes are a lot less here in the center of the state compared to either coast.
3) Insurance, both home and car, is cheaper here.
4) Location, location, location...from here, I can be doing something on either coast w/in 1-1/2 hours.
5) Two excellent airports (Orlando and Tampa) w/in 1-1/2 hours.
6) I-75 and the Turnpike are w/in a few miles, so Georgia and S. Florida are easily accessible.
7) I live here!!!!!:smile:

gcarter
04-07-2013, 06:19 PM
Also, the center of the state has fewer, less intensive storms than the coasts, although we had a dilly of a tornado 6 years ago.

yeller
04-07-2013, 06:52 PM
Wasn't really interested in that area, but your point #7 makes it difficult to pass up.............not because of you, but because Lain lives there. ;)


Just kidding. I didn't realize those lakes were connected. Makes it much more interesting, boating-wise. Thanks :beer:

CHACHI
04-08-2013, 06:09 AM
Yeller, make sure you have Laine make you some fried grits.;)

Ken

VetteLT193
04-09-2013, 09:52 AM
It is all very different. It's worth taking trips to see what you like.

I grew up Central East Coast (Melbourne area). Boating is all intracoastal / ocean. It's actually great 22 Donzi area. Places to run / eat and you can run fast for the most part so a 30-40 mile run is no big deal if you are cruising 50+ the whole time.

West coast is similar but the beaches are way different. Lower wave height, softer sand. Southwest is another area where a classic is an ideal boat.

Southeast Fla is the fishing hotbed. Go out within view of condos, in the gulf stream, and slam some Dolphin for dinner. Everything else about southeast though... it's a zoo.

The panhandle is where I am now... it's slower up here. Great boating with less boats and places to see in the armpit of the state through Apalachicola. Great deals on the waterfront (My in laws are in the midst of purchasing a nice, on the bay, with a dock / lift for well under 200). Totally navigable water that opens to the Gulf with beautiful sunsets. As you move west from Apalachicola it changes more... best beaches, arguably, in the World. Boating in Destin is the best I have ever seen. more populated, more restaurants etc. over there. It's another area a 22 classic would fit right in.

biggiefl
04-09-2013, 12:14 PM
I am in the Tampa Bay area and love it for boating and living. North of here it gets sketchy until you hit the panhandle. Great boating if you like the gulf and a river or 2 but not what I think of when I think boating. Tampa Bay has it all except hurricanes. The way the coast is formed we have not had a major slam in MANY decades. People think this is why so many native Indians resided here. Property and taxes are good/cheap/expensive all within a 40 mile run. We have everything from waterfront trailer parks to celebrities multi million dollar estates. I personally think the boating from say tarpon Springs south is the best in FL. Plenty to do without going offshore. Not many slow speed zones or seasonal zones like the east coast. Beautifull water and some of the best beaches in the world.

Do what I did when I moved from NJ....check it out over a few weeks and don't buy anything until you have been down here 6+ months. What you might think is great, 3 miles away might be 100 times better for the same $$. I cruised the east coast down spending a night or so in each spot I was interested in. Launched the boat, cruised the town, talked to as many people as possible w/o annoying them. Went across the ditch to Naples(not for me), hit Ft Myers and areas, then Sarasota/Bradenton area, the St Pete. Cruised up 19 to the panhandle then went home. Panhandle is awesome but it does get cold and hurricanes love that area so I never pursued it. East coast has some great places like the St Augustine area, etc Stuart I did not like but boating was Ok. Ft Lauderdale you can keep, etc. We like the Sarasota/Bradenton/St Pete area the best. Others will disagree and hence why we have members from all over the state. Lastly.....no way in hell would I live in central FL :popcorn:

Greg Guimond
04-09-2013, 05:07 PM
Good friends swear by Delray Beach for what it's worth.

yeller
04-10-2013, 03:04 PM
Thanks guys. Appreciate the info.

Suggestions are all over the map. Not making my job easier. ;)
What I'm getting from this though....is get my a$$ down there cause I'll be happy pretty much anywhere. :smile:

Greg Guimond
04-10-2013, 04:25 PM
Hey yeller there is no income tax so any area in Florida will save you enough to buy this mint Howard 220 Offshore. Notice the Florida colors!

biggiefl
04-11-2013, 10:14 AM
No you will not be happy just about anywhere. If you want warm waether all year do not go much north of Tampa. If you want some change of seasons stay within 100 miles south of Tampa. If you want it hot, go far south like Naples or Miami. If you want congestion or traffic, stick with major areas like Orlando, Miami/Ft Lauderdale, Naples, etc. There are so many variables in FL. Just remember the size of it. Going from Miami to Jacksonville is like going from Virginia to Vermont, not only in miles but in everything. FL is not just palm trees and funky colored houses. Matter of fact 50 miles or so north of Tampa you won't see many palm trees because it gets too cold there. Stay off the main roads too, you won't get the feel for anything unless you get in and get local....bring a scooter.

gcarter
04-11-2013, 05:32 PM
I think maybe Nick's temperature line should be a bit closer to the Georgia line.
I'm more than 80 miles north of Tampa and my neighborhood is filled w/palm trees.
We probably have 3-5 nights per year where it freezes.....this year, not one.
It is true that tropicals will likely not make it through the winter most years.

biggiefl
04-12-2013, 09:54 AM
You get up around Brooksville and the palm trees start to disappear in the wild. By the time you are in chiefland, the only palm trees on the roadside might be cabbage which you can't kill, the rest are pine trees. It is at least 10 degrees cooler in Chiefland than my area, sometimes 20 in the winter as I have a few friends up that way and we compare temps. Heck in some parts in the panhandle they winterize their boats.

VetteLT193
04-12-2013, 10:18 AM
You get up around Brooksville and the palm trees start to disappear in the wild. By the time you are in chiefland, the only palm trees on the roadside might be cabbage which you can't kill, the rest are pine trees. It is at least 10 degrees cooler in Chiefland than my area, sometimes 20 in the winter as I have a few friends up that way and we compare temps. Heck in some parts in the panhandle they winterize their boats.

That's what I call the armpit of FL. round the corner and things change yet again. Once you hit Carrabelle, Apilachicola, St. George Island and Dog Island (dog has no bridge, it's a boat only access island) you get a different scene. This area is called the 'forgotten coast' because it is truly laid back, nature is key, etc.

Past that heck... it looks like S. Fla again in Panama City Beach through Destin and on to Pensacola... Tourists, Palm trees, spring breakers too.

Like you said, it's a huge State. We rent our condo in Panama City to Canadians in Jan - Feb most years and they think the coldest days are warm. It's all relative.

biggiefl
04-12-2013, 11:02 AM
I agree....you drive up 301 north of Ocala and you would think you are in Kentucky, not FL. That is kinda why I said you need to check it all out. I like a change of seasons so to speak so where I live is great except raking the leaves. Others want it warm all year, some like it to snow....pick a spot.

yeller
04-13-2013, 09:42 PM
..... Others want it warm all year, some like it to snow....pick a spot.

Ok, so if we want to boat through the winter, how far north could we go? Down the road, we'd be spending 6mo in Canada and 6mo in FL. Probably October to March in FL

bertsboat
04-13-2013, 09:46 PM
Water is close. Look at this place. Guy has a Donzi too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-5-AC-HORSE-FARM-W-2-STORY-HOME-CHRIS-CRAFT-DONZI-RV-MOTOR-HOME-TOY-STORAGE-/390566274652?pt=Residential&hash=item5aef90665c

olredalert
04-13-2013, 11:49 PM
----Gimme a cot and Id live in the garage!!!!.......Bill S

gcarter
04-14-2013, 07:00 AM
Ok, so if we want to boat through the winter, how far north could we go? Down the road, we'd be spending 6mo in Canada and 6mo in FL. Probably October to March in FL

Glen, in this area, including Ocala, I think you'd find about 10 winter days (most years, less days) you'd probably not care to go boating.
But the same thing could be said about summer, too hot, and raining nearly every afternoon.
Our best boating season is exactly the months you mention.
I'm very familiar w/the area Bert posted the ad for. Ocala (Marion County) is known for horse farms, there're several hundreds of them. Like Nick said, this area does look like Kentucky w/rolling hills.

Ed Donnelly
04-14-2013, 09:04 AM
Water is close. Look at this place. Guy has a Donzi too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-5-AC-HORSE-FARM-W-2-STORY-HOME-CHRIS-CRAFT-DONZI-RV-MOTOR-HOME-TOY-STORAGE-/390566274652?pt=Residential&hash=item5aef90665c

Convert half of the 4,000 sq ft garage into a guest cabin and rent it out to fellow Canucks. That will cover your property taxes and more.
I will take the first 2 weeks of February ..Ed

Greg Guimond
04-14-2013, 10:04 AM
Is 425k just for the Barn?

gcarter
04-14-2013, 10:41 AM
Is 425k just for the Barn?

Greg, Florida, at least this part, is not New York!

yeller
04-20-2013, 02:22 PM
That's a heck of a lot of home for $425 compared to our prices here! A lot more than I need...........plus I'd have to let Ed stay....and I'm trying to get away from the darn Canadians. :wink: :biggrin:

George, we have a (soft) plan of coming out early July to drive around. Plan to fly into Orlando and come and visit you and Laine for a day then take a week or so driving down the east coast then up the west back to Orlando. From past experience, you know how flaky our plans can be, but that's what we're talking about doing. Haven't book anything yet.

gcarter
04-20-2013, 02:46 PM
It does sound like a plan, and we're looking forward to seeing you.

Home prices here are still really low. I know of two homes, near us, that sold last year, one was on the market for $1.7M (7,500 sq. ft.)
and sold for $900K. Another, just south of us, is on top of a high hill and has a spectacular view of Lake Griffin, was being marketed for $1.1 M
and sold for $390K.
Our home (pretty modest at 2,200 sq. ft.) had a high value in '07 of $400K, and is now valued at $220K, and had a low last year of $188K.
It's a good time to look!

bertsboat
04-20-2013, 08:00 PM
Just spent three days in Clearwater. I would recommend looking there for sure. The boating was out of this world and the homes looked cheap. And it looked like a great place to retire. There was plenty to do close by and did I mention the boating looked out of this world?
i am going back there before the summer is over for sure.
its just north of the Tampa area.

Greg Guimond
04-06-2014, 12:04 PM
Alright yeller, did you end up buying? This looks like it would work out nicely for your Florida purchase, and the Donzi is included.

Ghost
04-06-2014, 03:17 PM
For anyone looking, recommend paying attention to to changes, and proposed changes, in flood insurance law and premiums.

Craig S
04-07-2014, 11:36 AM
Alright yeller, did you end up buying? This looks like it would work out nicely for your Florida purchase, and the Donzi is included.

Looks like my old 55 VW in that pic!