Best place to live as a retired diver

[Johnoly]

I love wrecks. the sea life and the history combined are my fave dives.

I like tec diving.....

Ft.Laud & Pompano is a popular Tech/Wreck area, but homes aren't cheap.
I'd look around Boynton like @scubadada . There's good value and within 30 mins south or north, you pretty much have the perfect diving you are looking for. PS> Yep stay west of I95,,,some insurance companies won't even write a policy for east of I95.

 

[The Chairman]

There's good value and within 30 mins south or north, you pretty much have the perfect diving you are looking for.

Just be sure you're not prone to being inundated by water.

 

[RyanT]

Just be sure you're not prone to being inundated by water.

This is a really good point. Homeowners insurance does not cover flooding and flooding is one of the major causes of property damage in hurricanes. Flood insurance has to come from somewhere else (like federal programs) and is becoming increasingly difficult to get. If you go on realtor.com, you can click the "flood" button on the maps and that will provide a flood risk for properties/neighborhoods. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it will at least provide an idea of whether or not an area is flood prone.

 

[scubadada]

Ft.Laud & Pompano is a popular Tech/Wreck area, but homes aren't cheap.
I'd look around Boynton like @scubadada . There's good value and within 30 mins south or north, you pretty much have the perfect diving you are looking for. PS> Yep stay west of I95,,,some insurance companies won't even write a policy for east of I95.

I'm 3 miles from the Boynton Harbor Marina, about 15 miles from the Riviera Beach charters and the Blue Heron Bridge, and about 30 miles from Jupiter. I haven't dived south of Boynton Beach since before buying our townhouse in Hypoluxo.

 

[The Chairman]

This is a really good point.

Thanks! I live in Suwannee County, because I would rather dive caves. There are so, so many flood prone areas, that my first intent was to buy high. I think I'm just around 60ft above sea level, and I'm far enough away from the Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers to not have to worry about them during a flood.

 

[RyanT]

There are so, so many flood prone areas,

There really are. Playing with that flood map on realtor.com is eye opening. I've clicked on some properties that didn't look like they should flood, only to find that there are actually a very high risk. Distance from the ocean is not the only flood risk factor.

 

[greeniguana]

Flood insurance is wise even if you're not in a FEMA flood zone because regular insurance does not cover water damage resulting from wind driven rain/hurricanes. After July 1 2027, Citizens Insurance will require flood insurance as a condition of all their policies. Flood zone or not. I would not rely on realtor.com for flood zone information.FEMA reworks their flood maps frequently in FL. Plus all the development changes drainage patterns in ways that go unnoticed until it's too late.

And don't forget about your separate "hurricane deductible" which can be whatever arbitrary percentage your insurance company decides upon, 2, 5, 10% or more.

Once they whittle down your claim payout and skim off their hurricane deductible, you'll be in for a real eye opener.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

Flood insurance is wise even if you're not in a FEMA flood zone because regular insurance does not cover water damage resulting from wind driven rain/hurricanes. After July 1 2027, Citizens Insurance will require flood insurance as a condition of all their policies. Flood zone or not. I would not rely on realtor.com for flood zone information.FEMA reworks their flood maps frequently in FL. Plus all the development changes drainage patterns in ways that go unnoticed until it's too late.

And don't forget about your separate "hurricane deductible" which can be whatever arbitrary percentage your insurance company decides upon, 2, 5, 10% or more.

Once they whittle down your claim payout and skim off their hurricane deductible, you'll be in for a real eye opener.

Is any of this directed to cave country near Capt Jim and The Chairman? I have been talking to my wife for the last few years about moviing here from So Cal when we retire... What are the negatives for lving in that area other then the college kids...

 

[The Chairman]

Is any of this directed to cave country near Capt Jim and The Chairman? I have been talking to my wife for the last few years about moviing here from So Cal when we retire... What are the negatives for lving in that area other then the college kids...

Yes, yes it does. This affects all of Florida. Florida is in an insurance crisis right now. There is no obvious end in sight. When it rains enough in Southern Georgia, our North Florida rivers go into flood. That affects properties that get flooded and can affect properties not so flooded. I have friends that live within a mile of the Suwannee that have their wells brown out with almost every flood. I'm 8 miles from the river, so I haven't been affected.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I’m in SWFL right between Ft Myers & Naples. We love it here. Less crowded than the SE coast & we have the beautiful white sand beaches the gulf coast is known for. It is definitely getting more crowded every year though.

I can get to Jupiter or Key Largo in 3 hrs, Palm Beach in 2:30, & Ft Lauderdale in 2, I dive on average one weekend a month. I drive over & stay the weekend in an AirBNB or hotel. Given that I don’t do expensive dive vacations, this works for our budget. I log 50-55 dives a year on average in Southeast Florida.