[A. Penny]

YOU ARE ALL IN THE WRONG PARTS OF FLORIDA! I would personally like to invite everyone to join me here in North Central Florida. I am located in Anthony, FL a small town just outside of Ocala. My husband and I just recently moved here from Tampa. I spent most of my life in the greater Tampa Bay area and I saw the same things many people have mentioned (rising property taxes, rude/angry people everywhere, too much traffic, and too much crime). We wanted a place to raise our family that is more like the old Florida I grew up in. WE FOUND IT! We sold our less than fabulous 3/2 1576 sq ft house in Seminole Heights (that we paid $3100.00 in taxes on) for $245k. We purchased an immaculate 1900 farmhouse with 2000+ sq ft living area 4/3 on 1.27 acres with a detached garage and a carriage house apartment for $260k and our taxes without homstead are $880.00. Our neighbors came and welcomed us to the neighborhood. People are nice here...No one is hovering over the horn to honk at you and flip you the bird if you don't move the millisecond a light turns green. Life is a bit slower here in general, but that is what makes it great. Yes, I am a real estate broker with my own company, but this is no sales pitch. I honestly feel I would have had a stroke if I continued my lifestyle in the city. I am not the only one who feels this way. Our sleepy little town is the home to many stars and athletes.
Still more reasons??? Voted #4 of top 10 places to live (CNN MONEY website).Currently #2 for most appreciation Nationwide this quarter (CNN Money website).Voted 11th most livable small city; best place to live, work, celebrate retirement or raise a family (Money Magazine). #13 in the U.S. for job creation (Milken Institute). Statewide median sale price of homes $248,000 Ocala Median Sale price $169,000. (August of 2006 National Association of Realtors). Trade up your house and move to where Florida is still enjoyable. I would love to help you find your place in the sun. Let me know if I can help.

[A. Penny]

Originally Posted by nina

Dee,
I am from Miami and currently live in Panama, I am planning on moving back to the states within the next two years and though I love Miami the high cost of living made me deside to move to Ocala where homes are a lot less $
I have visited the area several times and have just closed on a house there.
I am counting the minutes till I move back to Florida!!!!

I love it here in Ocala. I am a new transplant too.

[Shores9]

Just my $0.02

According to US Census data we have reached 300 million [people] and climbing. They also note the distribution of people in this country is heavily weighted to the coastal states. The projection is our country will continue to grow and the coasts will continue to get their percentage share but so will the states that many of you are talking about, currently being less expensive with better quality. These states will be new centers for immigrants (good and bad) for the same reason - affordability… and will eventually suffer the same problems (economic and other) that we are currently experiencing.

PS I read a recent stat in a national financial paper that “The foreign-born population of Tennessee is up 140 percent in the past five years”

I ran from up north 5 years ago thinking I was ahead of the curve – in reality I was somewhere in the middle or even behind. I love it here I’ll have to be dragged out kicking and screaming. Besides I really hate moving (packing and un-packing gets me nuts).

[samurai1136]

Originally Posted by chocomom

Not saying you were at all!!! I like civil discourse because it opens our eyes to all sides of a debate and the issues at the core of it. But a state cannot survive on retirees alone. Childless singles play a great role in society (especially the tax money they contribute to the system), but they are not the backbone because they don't create resources in the form of children who for the most part become future taxpayers.

FL is not doing enough to help the middle class citizens WITH children. That is something that will, and is starting to, hamper economic growth. Businesses in South FL are complaining about a lack of employees and/or qualified employees. With affordable housing dwindling more and more everyday, they have just begun feel the pain.

Sunshine, beaches, and continually warm weather are great but don't pay bills. I would love to see a CURRENT study on how many people not only move into FL everyday, but how many are moving OUT.

Actually, there was one written in Florida Trend Magazine. Most people know that there are roughly 1000 new residents a day moving into Florida. What most don't know is how they get to that number:

4000 moving in
3000 LEAVING

I've lived in Florida most of my life, Living primarily in Broward & Palm Beach counties, just moved back from the Panhandle city of Lynn Haven (Bay county, just N of Panama City.. Now THERE'S a growth explosion going on there!). & There are certain areas of FL where there are more people moving OUT than moving in. For example, in my job you can see some traffic decreases in the Naples/Ft. Myers areas. Just too pricey!!

[dig02]

I'm a school teacher here and can't afford to buy a house even though my husband works and I work after care and private tutoring as well. We live simple lives with our two kids (No overly expensive cars, clothing, etc etc). So we're Leaving to eihter GA, or NC. It's a shame because my family is here and I truly love Florida.

[bamboosmom]

Well, we are outta here because we miss the change of seasons and family up north. We will be down alot though because two of our children are staying until they are done with college.
Also, we want to travel down in our motorhome to the Keys during the winter months.

[seesthru]

Originally Posted by BarbieGirl

I have noticed a huge trend of Floridians that have lived in FL 5+ years are looking to leave. Where are all of you relocating to and why?

IWISH I could leave. If I coudl leave, I'd move to Wyoming or someplace where hurricanes don't go!

[scamutz]

Originally Posted by samurai1136

Actually, there was one written in Florida Trend Magazine. Most people know that there are roughly 1000 new residents a day moving into Florida. What most don't know is how they get to that number:

4000 moving in
3000 LEAVING

Uh Oh...Muggy will be here shortly.

[Shores9]

Florida is still gaining more than it loses!

Here are a few links that support/confirm previous post.
The first link is a recent summary of US Census data from the State Florida. http://edr.state.fl.us/population/popsummary.pdf

And then second is an online news article (quoting a demographer with the Census Bureau) http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/19/real...n_tilts_south/

[josephhawkinson]

Originally Posted by dig02

I'm a school teacher here and can't afford to buy a house even though my husband works and I work after care and private tutoring as well. We live simple lives with our two kids (No overly expensive cars, clothing, etc etc). So we're Leaving to eihter GA, or NC. It's a shame because my family is here and I truly love Florida.

hey according to some realtors you just dont work hard enough. they think house prices should go up 20% a year, and people should work three jobs to afford a home (aka slavery), because they think it is fair. Me think not

FL houses are unaffordable for most people who work in FL. They may not be for a Californian fleeing astronomical RE prices but for those people who actually have to earn their living in FL housing has become very overpriced. But dont worry because prices are coming down and next year , in my opinion, is going to give birth to "huge" price drops that some parts of FL has already started seeing.