[Nancy Lynne]

It was a very very painful and long drawn out experience.

The selling price was less than its appriased value.

The buyers were brutal! I don't know if it is because buyers think they can can just rake the sellers over the coals because of the market conditions...but it took 4 months to close...and I still have to give up some money in escrow...until a few more things are fixed to their satisfication.

I loved my house. I had lived in it for 16 years. However, my property tax payments had recently been reassessed and were now more than my mortgage payment.

A neighboring town of mine, Long Branch, has been living through "eminant domain" issues here in NJ, where people along the shore line (I'm talking about people who owned their homes for 60 years), were forced out of their homes by developers (legally too), to support the redevelopment of the city. They were given "whatever the developer offered them", and once categorized as an eminent domain area, were not allowed to try and sell their property at realistic market prices. The area has been absolutely covered with wall to wall waterfront townhouse/high rises. Those high rises have been bought as second homes from folks outside of NJ. I bring this up, because in alot of way, the rise of property taxes here for those of us who have lived in our houses for a long time, are ultimately forcing us out of our homes as well.

Have a great holiday. Our Thanksgiving plans...We are on our way to SC to visit our old next door neighbors, who moved to SC in Sept, after selling their house as well...because they were both self-employed, had lived in the house for 20 years, and had been given new property tax payments they simply could not afford to pay. Oh....and the new buyers of my home....it's just going to be their second home...the 4th of my street out of 7 homes...that has become as such. Us "worker bee types" have to say good-bye.

Cheers!

[NHtoFLMom]

Congratulations! And Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[FLA2760]

Kudos on the sale. Florida voters just said yes to a Constitutional Amendment that offers much greater protection to Florida homeowners from eminent domain displacement.
Steve

[mygtstang]

Wow glad to hear you have finally sold your home. I have been reading these post, & have noticed yours here from Jersey. I too am from Jersey (Morris County) and we also trying to sell our home here but its only been a few weeks and I know things are hard right now there are 6 other homes in our area that are also for sale.
We have decided to move to Flordia, but after reading all the posts telling people to stay away I am starting to think.... I own a small home already in Satellite Bch & just love it, but with all the rising prices with home owners insurance going through the roof & the darn taxes and not being a full time resident GOD it can really empty your pockets!!!!!!
I think I read that you were moving to Flordia or have you changed your plans after reading what all the people that were kind enough to post and tell us what has been going on down there
Well good luck to you and I will be looking for more of your posts for a follow up Happy Thanksgiving to all Marilyn

[SunnyDog]

What you read here are opinions and experiences. It's good stuff but nothing that can take the place of someone finding out for themselves how much it will cost to live here--price it out on your own--rent/mortgage, HOA fees, insurance, tax millage rates, then make the decision.

[Margel]

I've been reading the different posts on this site and came across yours. I am relocating from Philadelphia to Odessa within the next year or so (having a house built) and am now scared to death. The area appears to be beautiful, but there also appears to be a lot of dissatifaction with Florida as a whole that now I am wondering if I did the right thing. How was your move? What area did you finally decide on? I seem to teeter between excitement over the move to sheer panic. Can you relate?

[Need_affordable_home]

Were you happy with the price your house sold for? Yes its brutal in todays eroding market. Rising property taxes and insurance price many out of their house. As house values go up, so do property taxes. Its good in a way because you have lots of equity and can sell, pay off the mortgage and buy a house in a cheaper place for 100% down with all that equity money.

As for relocating to Florida, do you have family there? Did you get that high paying job offer? If not, I wouldnt reccomend it. Theres other great states much cheaper.