What's it like to live in FL?

[StSomewhere]

One of the issues some of my relatives discovered is that houses in hurricane affected areas that went relatively unscathed or were quickly repaired have gone up significantly in price, probably mostly a temporary increase until the construction crews catch up to demand.

 

[Orlando Eric]

Hoya97 - - You gonna make me tear up man. That reads better than a Pirate Turns Forty...

 

[adurso]

What part of SW Florida were you looking at?

From Venice on south. My daughter and I fell in love with the area while we were diving for shark's teeth from Venice. I looked from Nokomis through Englewood. My understanding is that Charlotte County is less expensive than Sarasota County, due to fewer services. In five years my youngest will be gone......

 

[kanigel]

this is a great thread--thanks for starting it, LDO, and to everyone for providing so much info.

Very interesting, indeed.

 

[ReefGuy]

That area is nice. I live just a bit further south than Englewood. I don't think that Charlotte is a lot less expensive than Sarasota, if at all, anymore. Housing down here is at a premium right now, although in a year or two it might fall back in line with the rest of the state.

From Venice on south. My daughter and I fell in love with the area while we were diving for shark's teeth from Venice. I looked from Nokomis through Englewood. My understanding is that Charlotte County is less expensive than Sarasota County, due to fewer services. In five years my youngest will be gone......

 

[CBulla]

One of the issues some of my relatives discovered is that houses in hurricane affected areas that went relatively unscathed or were quickly repaired have gone up significantly in price, probably mostly a temporary increase until the construction crews catch up to demand.

Unfortunately the contruction crews won't catch up. Even with all the damaged houses, new houses are being built just as fast as ever leaving the damaged ones to be addressed when insurance finally makes pay outs, then your on a 6 to 18 month waiting list. You don't get a 43% increase in real estate prices in a year and expect it to go down anytime soon.. most likely a plateau in prices for a while once demand and availability get close to meeting... but that simply won't happen here till a few more hurricanes come through and scare folks off.

 

[StSomewhere]

You don't get a 43% increase in real estate prices in a year and expect it to go down anytime soon.. most likely a plateau in prices for a while once demand and availability get close to meeting...

I'm sure you're right.

... but that simply won't happen here till a few more hurricanes come through and scare folks off.

If Charlie, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne (and maybe even Bonnie) didn't scare them off, nothing will.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Yeah, ya gotta have an Andrew.

 

[DennisS]

An Andrew that would come in at Miami and head North along the coast would devastate S FL. It would rearrange the barrier islands probably moving inlets. If it moved the barrier islands back a couple hunred yards, taking from the beach and adding to the back as it overwashed, those high rise condos would look pretty silly sitting in about 10 feet of water.

 

[adder70]

Having grown up in Gainesville, FL (a drained swamp, I think!), I don't feel right if it isn't humid. I live in the Atlanta area, and I always notice when I get out of the car for gas somewhere near Valdosta that the air finally feels right. I would love to move back to Florida, but I don't know how much longer it will be there. When my mom grew up in Miami, there were as many trees (Oaks and such) as there still are in North Florida, where it now looks like southern California (few trees) because so many areas have been clear cut and exotic landscaping bushes brought in. Unfortunately, Floridians are being driven North due to the loss of the land they grew up in. Now it's just New York south. I just hope the snowbirds somehow miss the northern part of the state and leave it in its current "threatened" state rather than completely destroyed like the southern part.

As for the weather, I think a Californian would find it difficult to adapt for a while, but you just need to get used to being a little damp from sweat, and feeling refreshingly cool (OK, maybe COLD) as you enter an air conditioned (and dry) home or business. It seems really bad even for Floridians in May, but by July you are once again used to the stifling late afternoon damp heat. (You know, after the 4 days a week 1/2 hour deluge of rain!) I don't think anyone mentioned the rain and lightning. Florida tends to build a thunderstorm most days which breaks and dumps about 4 hours worth of steady rain in about 20 minutes, and then the sun comes back out 20 minutes later and you have 80 degree weather with wet roads.

On the bright side, there are lakes streams and rivers all over the state so you are never far from water no matter where you live. The freshwater is often forgotten due to the ocean being right there, but the springs in particular are amazingly enjoyable, and many rivers like the rainbow river are a mix of 72 degree spring water and stifling river water so you get comfortably cool water even in the middle of August. Or just go to a nearby (there is always a nearby) spring and shiver from the icy cold water!

In short, stay away, it sucks!