[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

What % of Floridians live w/in 30 mins to a beach?

I rest my case...going to the beach and living near the beach are not connected.

Seniors dont go to the beach much, but they want to live near the beach to encourage family visits.

Now, do y'all get it?

Methinks you are the one who "doesn't get it", but whatever. Believe what you want.

[manny118]

Originally Posted by silverct9a

Once there, you will again commute to Stuart, Ft. Pierce, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale for entertainment as there is nothing there for anyone aged 21-45.

I think this statement is little harsh and maybe it's more reflective of how PSL was when you lived there. I find Port St Lucie to have amenities and conveniences comparable to suburbs of most large metropolitan areas. The area has many golf courses including the PGA village, the beach is within 30 minutes of most people, there are many parks including some bordering the north fork of the St Lucie River and the Savannas Preserve State Park. The nearby towns of Stuart, Jensen Beach, and Fort Pierce all have restaurants and nightlife that will work for most people over the age of 30. They are also opening a Dave & Busters in PSL and have had a Pop Stroke (Tiger Woods' restaurant concept with putting greens) location for some time. Tradition has a small town center with restaurants and there are many shopping centers with restaurants and bars typical of most suburbs.

I don't know the precise definition of "boom town", but I would have thought PSL qualified as a boom town long ago.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Methinks you are the one who "doesn't get it", but whatever. Believe what you want.

Kids and Grandkids get it...they want to visit the Grandparents, who live near the beach.

If 1 set of Grandparents was in Lakeleland, & the other was in North Port, which would the kids want to visit?

Most of Florida's population is w/in 30 minutes to a beach...because that is what is most desireable.

This map depicts population density in unique 3D form, which is easy to see:

https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/com...ida/?rdt=57547

Find the most vacant land for sale w/in 30 mins to a beach, & a hwy, & you have a place that will have enormous future growth...like North Port.

Working, & middle class peeps need affordable places to live too, so they build homes for them inland where its not as desireable, & land costs less.

So, the OP's query comes down to which group do you think will grow the fastest in FLA over the next 20 years, & where will they live/visit?

I think Florida will continue its trend towards affluence, & that group will continue to outpace the workers & middle class. That means affluent buyers needing the more desireable homes w/in 30 mins to the beach.

That is why I cannot see the next boomtown being inland.

5 of the largest FLA metro's (Jax, Miami, Ft. Laud, WPB, Tampa Bay) are w/in 30 mins to beach.

Only 1 large FLA metro (ORL) is not near the beach.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Kids and Grandkids get it...they want to visit the Grandparents, who live near the beach.

If 1 set of Grandparents was in Lakeleland, & the other was in North Port, which would the kids want to visit?

Most of Florida's population is w/in 30 minutes to a beach...because that is what is most desireable.

This map depicts population density in unique 3D form, which is easy to see:

https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/com...ida/?rdt=57547

Find the most vacant land for sale w/in 30 mins to a beach, & a hwy, & you have a place that will have enormous future growth...like North Port.

Working, & middle class peeps need affordable places to live too, so they build homes for them inland where its not as desireable, & land costs less.

So, the OP's query comes down to which group do you think will grow the fastest in FLA over the next 20 years, & where will they live/visit?

I think Florida will continue its trend towards affluence, & that group will continue to outpace the workers & middle class. That means affluent buyers needing the more desireable homes w/in 30 mins to the beach.

That is why I cannot see the next boomtown being inland.

5 of the largest FLA metro's (Jax, Miami, Ft. Laud, WPB, Tampa Bay) are w/in 30 mins to beach.

Only 1 large FLA metro (ORL) is not near the beach.

WPB and Ft Lauderdale are part of the Miami Metro. There are two other large inland metro areas besides Orlando: Lakeland and Gainesville.

Anyway, this entire post echoes exactly what we have been saying: PSL (and other boring “near-beach” towns might appeal to retirees, because their grandkids want to go to the beach. The average family and working professional needs far more excitement than that. Starting with some sort of city center with activity and nightlife. Which PSL does not (and will likely never) have.

And building inland has nothing to do with affluence, or lack thereof. Some people don’t want to be that close to the beach for a myriad of reasons. Being an hour away as opposed to 30 minutes is negligible for most. I doubt that John Travolta built his airport and horse stable in Ocala due to affordability issues.

The current boomtown in the Miami area is Coral Gables. People aren’t flocking there to go to the beach. It’s a royal pain to get to beaches from there.
For what it’s worth, Miami Beach is filled with sketchy streets with cheap, rundown apartment buildings. It’s not what you see on TV.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Kids and Grandkids get it...they want to visit the Grandparents, who live near the beach.

If 1 set of Grandparents was in Lakeleland, & the other was in North Port, which would the kids want to visit?

Most of Florida's population is w/in 30 minutes to a beach...because that is what is most desireable.

This map depicts population density in unique 3D form, which is easy to see:

https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/com...ida/?rdt=57547

Find the most vacant land for sale w/in 30 mins to a beach, & a hwy, & you have a place that will have enormous future growth...like North Port.

Working, & middle class peeps need affordable places to live too, so they build homes for them inland where its not as desireable, & land costs less.

So, the OP's query comes down to which group do you think will grow the fastest in FLA over the next 20 years, & where will they live/visit?

I think Florida will continue its trend towards affluence, & that group will continue to outpace the workers & middle class. That means affluent buyers needing the more desireable homes w/in 30 mins to the beach.

That is why I cannot see the next boomtown being inland.

5 of the largest FLA metro's (Jax, Miami, Ft. Laud, WPB, Tampa Bay) are w/in 30 mins to beach.

Only 1 large FLA metro (ORL) is not near the beach.

Within 30 minutes?? LOL with traffic you can double that. From here I can be at a beach in about an hour and 15 minutes or so, negligible, IMO. In Florida one is never that far from a beach.

You are so insistent on being "right" that you are ignoring the literally DOZENS of articles on the internet about Lakeland being at the top of the list for boom towns not only in Florida but the entire country. Also, from here kids can be at Disney in about 40 minutes. Do you really believe kids would rather have the beach than Disney? I don't think so. Once they visit the beach, then what? Nothing else to do over there. Not to mention there are other cool things here or nearby for kids like Lego Land in Winter Haven which is the largest in the world. And it is an easy drive to Tampa for Busch Gardens. I think this area is WAY more "kid friendly." Here is a link for a few more fun things in the area:

https://visitcentralflorida.org/blog...mer_newsletter


There are a lot of young families (and college students) here, which I frankly saw very few of in Sarasota/Bradenton. In my old neighborhood there were exactly zero, it was almost 100% old people (myself included lol)

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

What % of Floridians live w/in 30 mins to a beach?

I rest my case...going to the beach and living near the beach are not connected.

Seniors dont go to the beach much, but they want to live near the beach to encourage family visits.

Now, do y'all get it?

Why wouldn't seniors "go to the beach much"? I'm 65 and would love to be on the beach every single day (and am working toward that).

However, I can well believe that many buy property on the beach just to lure their adult children and grandchildren from their inland homes and perhaps the other inland grandparents.

I've seen this motivation explicitly stated on the "House Hunters" shows.

What a depressing thought that THEY are the ones buying up all the property, and they don't even appreciate it themselves!

[otterhere]

Oh, and poor little St. Augustine is already bursting at the seams so, please, no...

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

WPB and Ft Lauderdale are part of the Miami Metro. There are two other large inland metro areas besides Orlando: Lakeland and Gainesville.

Anyway, this entire post echoes exactly what we have been saying: PSL (and other boring “near-beach” towns might appeal to retirees, because their grandkids want to go to the beach. The average family and working professional needs far more excitement than that. Starting with some sort of city center with activity and nightlife. Which PSL does not (and will likely never) have.

And building inland has nothing to do with affluence, or lack thereof. Some people don’t want to be that close to the beach for a myriad of reasons. Being an hour away as opposed to 30 minutes is negligible for most. I doubt that John Travolta built his airport and horse stable in Ocala due to affordability issues.

The current boomtown in the Miami area is Coral Gables. People aren’t flocking there to go to the beach. It’s a royal pain to get to beaches from there.
For what it’s worth, Miami Beach is filled with sketchy streets with cheap, rundown apartment buildings. It’s not what you see on TV.

PSL never impressed me....but home prices 35 years ago were crazy low. I think my Dad's new home was $140k for a 3/2/2 ~1850 sw ft.. no pool but nice lanai's in front and the rear. At the time, I was living in St. Louis in a 20 yr old 2/2 condo w/ a car port that I paid $120k for.

North Port has already built its town center in Wellen Park, but it's no where near complete. They have a new Minor League Baseball stadium walking distance from the town center that hosts concerts and other entertainment, & an amphitheatre for free live music that attracts families....which is when you realize its not just a retirement community.

I thought Coral Gables was built out? Is the new growth coming from tear down/build over? I know most of Miami is seedy, and old apts.. I went to college in Boca, & we'd go down to Miami to party, & we knew to stay along the boardwalk, or Lincoln Rd. in South Beach...we stayed away from Miami proper. I went to the Orange Bowl once (seedy area), & to Calle Ocho, which was okay, but they were not too friendly to Gringo's.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Why wouldn't seniors "go to the beach much"? I'm 65 and would love to be on the beach every single day (and am working toward that).

However, I can well believe that many buy property on the beach just to lure their adult children and grandchildren from their inland homes and perhaps the other inland grandparents.

I've seen this motivation explicitly stated on the "House Hunters" shows.

What a depressing thought that THEY are the ones buying up all the property, and they don't even appreciate it themselves!

Most Seniors dont go to the beach that much that live here year around. Some do. I go ~40x/yr.., but I'm at restaurants w/ beach views a lot more often, than the times I actually sit in the sand in a swimsuit.

It is a shame that most of the water front condo's & homes sit empty most of the year...all those wasted views, & the beachfront highrises block out everyone else's view.

I hate driving along A1A, & not being able to see the ocean most of the time....just huge walls of cement and glass.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

PSL never impressed me....but home prices 35 years ago were crazy low. I think my Dad's new home was $140k for a 3/2/2 ~1850 sw ft.. no pool but nice lanai's in front and the rear. At the time, I was living in St. Louis in a 20 yr old 2/2 condo w/ a car port that I paid $120k for.

North Port has already built its town center in Wellen Park, but it's no where near complete. They have a new Minor League Baseball stadium walking distance from the town center that hosts concerts and other entertainment, & an amphitheatre for free live music that attracts families....which is when you realize its not just a retirement community.

I thought Coral Gables was built out? Is the new growth coming from tear down/build over? I know most of Miami is seedy, and old apts.. I went to college in Boca, & we'd go down to Miami to party, & we knew to stay along the boardwalk, or Lincoln Rd. in South Beach...we stayed away from Miami proper. I went to the Orange Bowl once (seedy area), & to Calle Ocho, which was okay, but they were not too friendly to Gringo's.

I'll keep an eye on PSL based on this, as I'm curious to see how they would change the structure and feel of the city.

As for Coral Gables, there are still quite a few surface parking lots, and every time I am down there, there seems to be a new midrise taking up its spot. Like this big hotel that now sits on what was recently a huge parking lot:

https://www.google.com/maps/@25.7448...!1e3?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.7441...8192?entry=ttu