[Lisalouwho]

My husband and I are close to retirement but we really want to spend our remaining years in Florida. The cold winters here in Pennsylvania are just too depressing. We both love the beach and sun. It rains here constantly (I know FL gets rain too but trust me it can't compare to PA).

Here's what we're looking for. We'd like to buy a 2 or 3 bedroom condo as close to the beach as possible. In an area that is mostly safe and has a quaint downtown. We really don't want big city living. In fact I hate elevators and driving big highways. Hubby doesn't mind. He's a tractor trailer driver and has about 5 years left before retirement. So he will have to find a good job that isn't OTR. He can drive tankers and any big trucks really. He just wants it to be local driving. He's also willing to take a factory job as long as it pays well... Hubby is the hardest worker I know. Anyway we'd also like to be close to an airport and hospital. I really hate high rise buildings but a first or second floor condo would be great. A pool is a must. Would love oceanfront but I doubt we'd be able to afford one.

We have been researching Florida towns for 2 years and we just can't find that smaller beach town that you can ride your moped or golf cart to the store and get to know your neighbors but yet have the feel of resort living withe a pool and the ocean.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[markjames68]

Budget? Preference for Atlantic or Gulf side?

[landk97]

We bought a condo a year ago in the Jax Beaches area, specifically Atlantic Beach. We are a couple blocks from the beach but there are lots of options available on the beach as well. Our condo has pool, tennis, rec center. It is a 55+ . I am 53 and my husband is 67 . For now we go down about 4 times a year as much as we can. We have a few obligations here in NY but once we are done we are moving permanently, hopefully within 2 years at the most. He will retire but i will still work for awhile. The Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach/Jacksonville Beach areas are so nice. We asked about golf carts and you can register them and drive them on certain streets. We have bikes and ride everywhere. Jacksonville Beach is a little more popuulated, lots of great restaurants, bars, the pier, etc. and Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach more residential - but does have great restaurants bars and shops as well - so we have the best of both worlds. It is just so beautiful there. We have visited many areas of Florida over our lives and never even knew this existed until my daughter moved down here to go to law school. We had been coming to visit for 4 years when finally last year we decided to buy a place . It truly was the best thing we ever did and so look forward to the day when we can be there for good!

[Arcenal813]

Sarasota will definitely be a good place for you.

[projectmaximus]

Yeah all I really know extremely well is the Jax metro. The beaches here (Jax, Atlantic, Neptune, Ponte Vedra, etc) in general aren't high-rises, and they have a quaint feel for being semi-big city. You can try St Augustine (which is amazing) or Amelia Island (also amazing but quite a bit smaller) but these will probably be farther from potential jobs.

Originally Posted by landk97

We bought a condo a year ago in the Jax Beaches area, specifically Atlantic Beach. We are a couple blocks from the beach but there are lots of options available on the beach as well. Our condo has pool, tennis, rec center. It is a 55+ . I am 53 and my husband is 67 . For now we go down about 4 times a year as much as we can. We have a few obligations here in NY but once we are done we are moving permanently, hopefully within 2 years at the most. He will retire but i will still work for awhile. The Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach/Jacksonville Beach areas are so nice. We asked about golf carts and you can register them and drive them on certain streets. We have bikes and ride everywhere. Jacksonville Beach is a little more popuulated, lots of great restaurants, bars, the pier, etc. and Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach more residential - but does have great restaurants bars and shops as well - so we have the best of both worlds. It is just so beautiful there. We have visited many areas of Florida over our lives and never even knew this existed until my daughter moved down here to go to law school. We had been coming to visit for 4 years when finally last year we decided to buy a place . It truly was the best thing we ever did and so look forward to the day when we can be there for good!

Welcome and glad you love the area!!

[LifeIsGood01]

North Florida is cold in the winter. Often as cold as the northeast, but not as harsh or as long a winter, but you need coats, where as in south Florida you do not. If you don't want hot all year go to central Florida on either coast. If you want south Florida I would stick with the west coast and the Gulf Beaches. Jobs are hard to find in Florida and I've never seen a factory here.

[kyle19125]

Being this is the second thread started by the OP, we still don't know what the housing budget is and kind of crucial to accurate recommendations.

[landk97]

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

Yeah all I really know extremely well is the Jax metro. The beaches here (Jax, Atlantic, Neptune, Ponte Vedra, etc) in general aren't high-rises, and they have a quaint feel for being semi-big city. You can try St Augustine (which is amazing) or Amelia Island (also amazing but quite a bit smaller) but these will probably be farther from potential jobs.



Welcome and glad you love the area!!

Thank you, can't wait to move down permanently! I agree about there not being many high-rises and I think too that we were told that Atlantic Beach has some kind of restrictions on anything on the beach over 2 stories which is nice.

[Joey Falcon]

Jupiter, or Vero Beach

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Lisalouwho

My husband and I are close to retirement but we really want to spend our remaining years in Florida. The cold winters here in Pennsylvania are just too depressing. We both love the beach and sun. It rains here constantly (I know FL gets rain too but trust me it can't compare to PA).

Here's what we're looking for. We'd like to buy a 2 or 3 bedroom condo as close to the beach as possible. In an area that is mostly safe and has a quaint downtown. We really don't want big city living. In fact I hate elevators and driving big highways. Hubby doesn't mind. He's a tractor trailer driver and has about 5 years left before retirement. So he will have to find a good job that isn't OTR. He can drive tankers and any big trucks really. He just wants it to be local driving. He's also willing to take a factory job as long as it pays well... Hubby is the hardest worker I know. Anyway we'd also like to be close to an airport and hospital. I really hate high rise buildings but a first or second floor condo would be great. A pool is a must. Would love oceanfront but I doubt we'd be able to afford one.

We have been researching Florida towns for 2 years and we just can't find that smaller beach town that you can ride your moped or golf cart to the store and get to know your neighbors but yet have the feel of resort living withe a pool and the ocean.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

That is because it is totally unrealistic. Unless you got lots of money, which you haven't told us yet.