Is it REALLY worth it? (Miami, Tampa: houses, condos, rental)

[INeedAChange]

diffrent strokes, I guess...

Originally Posted by PBCboy

I would love it. I like taking care of my yard and gardening.

[INeedAChange]

I guess you are used to things being VERY cheap--500,000 will only get you an average house in many places like DC, San Fran, LA area.

Originally Posted by tallrick

Well it's a shame that they are highly flammable and vulnerable to tornadoes and hurricanes. Condos have to be concrete otherwise they fall victim to Florida weather and insects. Those prices are even more scary! For 500,000 I would demand a home with 5+ acres in central Florida, at least 5,000 square feet with a nice home gym or a pair of bowling lanes.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by INeedAChange

I can't imagine having 5 acres of land--who would want to be bothered trying to take care of that?

A lot of people. My wife's family place in up state NY near Kingston is 34 acres. Two lakes one 5 acres, a water fall several houses that family members use off and on. The place I just made an offer on in north Florida is 5.2 acres and is the minimum, my wife wants like 20 acres. A lot nicer waking up to birds and dear in the front yard then sirens and emergence vehicles or your neighbors lawn service at 8 in the morning. One of the things people with money do From Martha Stewert to David Letterman is get a big place with a buffer between them and the world. A lot of people like horses and a big place for the kids to play. There is nothing like it, your own little corner of the world. I little freedom also.

[tallrick]

A person would have to earn a significant income to live in a place like LA, or DC, or SF in today's world. When the US economy was strong, those cities were quite affordable. Now that the dollar is becomming as valuable as toilet paper, the areas of choice to foreigners have grown increasingly expensive. Either money comes from elsewhere (Miami) , or the local employment pays well (DC) but living in a expensive city requires a drop in your standard of living.

Trust me, acerage is much easier to care for than a suburban lot. A smart property owner leaves as much of the lot natural as possible, and without a HOA or communist county inspectors to harass you, the grass can be left to grow. There's something about natural landscape that suburbia cannot reproduce. And you do not have to endure trucks and trailers full of lawn equipment blocking the street. People just are happier in a country setting.

[INeedAChange]

to each his own...

Originally Posted by tallrick

Trust me, acerage is much easier to care for than a suburban lot. A smart property owner leaves as much of the lot natural as possible, and without a HOA or communist county inspectors to harass you, the grass can be left to grow. There's something about natural landscape that suburbia cannot reproduce. And you do not have to endure trucks and trailers full of lawn equipment blocking the street. People just are happier in a country setting.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by INeedAChange

to each his own...

Exactly so why the comment, "I can't imagine having 5 acres of land--who would want to be bothered trying to take care of that?" I would bet a I lot more then would want to live in cookie cutter play house.

[INeedAChange]

so now you turn around and slam condos again?

Originally Posted by macguy

Exactly so why the comment, "I can't imagine having 5 acres of land--who would want to be bothered trying to take care of that?" I would bet a I lot more then would want to live in cookie cutter play house.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by INeedAChange

so now you turn around and slam condos again?

Thats not a knock but I think it is a fact. Most live in them because they have no other choice or it fits an unusual life style like people who travel and it is easy to lock the door and leave. Who really wants to live with people walking on your ceiling and you can hear everything people are doing next door. They just had a law suit where someone removed their carpet and laid down tile. The people under them now can hear every sound transmitted through the floor even if they walk barefoot. The judge said they had to put the carpet back because of the quality of life for the neighbors. Who really, if they have any other choice wants to live like that. Come on, be honest.

[INeedAChange]

well, I see lots of people on this board who do, and I know people personally as well. I grew up in a house and I saw how much work it is--every 2 seconds there is a problem with the gutters, insects in the basement, the roof needs something done, oh look there's water coming out of the wall in the garage--no thanks. As for the ones who put down the tile, I don't have any sympathy for them--they deserve to be sued for being so inconsiderate of the people below.

Originally Posted by macguy

Thats not a knock but I think it is a fact. Most live in them because they have no other choice or it fits an unusual life style like people who travel and it is easy to lock the door and leave. Who really wants to live with people walking on your ceiling and you can hear everything people are doing next door. They just had a law suit where someone removed their carpet and laid down tile. The people under them now can hear every sound transmitted through the floor even if they walk barefoot. The judge said they had to put the carpet back because of the quality of life for the neighbors. Who really, if they have any other choice wants to live like that. Come on, be honest.

[THASPECIAL]

Originally Posted by riveree

Like where? If I left Florida, where could I move to?

Not back to the NorthEast - too expensive. I like the Rockies, I lived there for a while, but they are pricey too (at least the cities I'd consider).

Honestly, Tallrick, I can't think of a state I would live in that isn't on par expense-wise with where I am now........suggestions?

From experience i would say Nashville would be the place to go if you are a Floridian looking to live in a nice area with decent pay and enough to start building a future....in Florida it is pay check to pay check for middle/lower class people and prices keep going up but pay doesnt...



Down here you can start at fast food places for a whooping $6.50 an hour and work 2 jobs and barely afford to roomate with someone in a $900/$1000 - 2 bedroom apartment in a "decent" area...

In Nashville you can start at fast food places that pay $8-$9 an hour and the rents are about the same for apartments up there as they are here....except there are more nice areas to find decent apartments in Nashville.....Nashville has its bad spots but you definatly dont need to think of knowing 2 languages to be good for a company up there and the people there are overall nicer than in Florida