[NewAdventure]

Florida is really beautiful but in the tampa area there isn't alot of land and the house prices are going up big time! There is alot of crime and traffic. Plus litter mostly every where. So i suggest NOT moving to the tampa bay area UNLESS you have ALOT of money, or you'll be happy with a nice little house on and eigth of an acre of land. Look inland there is alot of nice little communities that are more protected from hurricanes than people who live on the coast. Good Luck.

[lulu]

Oh my...no, my intention is not to scare people from coming to Florida, ohhh...no. I truly understand why people would want to escape the snow, etc.as we are all looking for our individual utopia's. Maybe, for some people money is no object, nor are hurricane threats, crime, etc. But to the majority of humanity these are very, very important points to consider. There are other places in FL that have more adequate/affordable living conditions than in Miami or the Keys - maybe, nice to visit on a drive for 1-2 days but that's it - & look at it from photos. But to live?? No. This is not the same retirement haven or paradise it was back 30-40 yrs ago that people used to hear from their families/or friends that would come down & visit. I remember horse farms & acreage in Miami, being able to walk the beaches safely & not even under my dads watchful eye, which is saying a ton. He used to be like a hawk but that's how safe it was. My grandmother wouldn't even lock the door on the house & we were never robbed, nor security systems existed. I even remember going w/my parents as a child to pick tomatoes & strawberries in Kendall on Sat. mornings as a family outdoorsy outing thing. Now all one sees there are condos, homes, offices, by the tons in the area. Even this so called art deco South Beach area which is all of the sudden like a touristy trap, years ago retired sweet harmless old ladies & gents.that came from the North would sit outside these hotels/motels and actually live there and they were displaced from greedy developers, high costs, etc. Families, kids like me would go fishing w/their parents right on the S. Beach pier & one doesn't even see this anymore, it's like ancient history - an era past.. I guess that in writing my thoughts, what I'm trying to do is open people's eyes on the realities of what's really going on in S. Florida only & what we are enduring - which is at times inhumane. I'd hate to see anybody coming down innocently w/dreams & illusions w/their kids and families and wake up to a harsh reality & find themselves in a nightmare. This can be prevented from happening from informing oneself which is also why I guess I'm here. I, too have discovered I cannot take it anymore. I'm sure you'll find an affordable & dreamy niche if you are willing to take the plunge. I just wish I had the courage of packing like most people here.

Happy hunting...
Lulu

[backtofla]

trying to get back to fla not leave, as are most ppl on this site. try northern fla if you want more quiet, lower cost of living. it's true, if you are trying to move to s fla, it is very expensive... need to make a lot of dough.

[backtofla]

lulu, where do you want to go???

[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by lulu

Forgive me for interrupting...

I feel like an outcast down here in Miami! And to think the people in the Keys are much, much worse. All those prices are so unheard of down here, especially in the last few years. We pay $10,000 a yr with Citizens state ins for the home & this policy doesn't even cover flood or the inside of the house. Forget the deductible...I'd have to wait till my house disappears before I get a penny. Even if my roof were to fly off, it probably wouldn't even cover it. My car Ins. is $1200 a yr. with an extremely safe driving record as I've never had an accident in my life. It's gotten so bad that I have kept my 95 Corolla for fear of paying more for car Insurance. The funny thing is I can buy a newer car but what for??? We are being controlled by insurance companies...including medical, home, car, etc...this is no way to live. I just hope the Insurance commission does something, Now, according to yesterdays, Miami Herald the Business community is being left out in the cold without coverages. I don't like what I feel is coming.
I'd give anything to get out of here, I guess that's why I'm reading this site. Wish I had the guts to do so, like so many of you. Quite admirable.

Lulu

With all due respect, if you are paying that much you need another company. We pay $7000 wind, 1600 flood, $4200 hurricane damage for waterfront property worth 1.67M in Key West. Unless your home is that expensive and on the water, you just need another insurance company.

[lulu]

Hi 'backtofla'...

I'd love to go to Ocala...& see nature, horses and stuff..not for everyone but it's definitely me. Now, the question is how on earth do I get my bu.. to do it.

and...Dee2e
It's ok you most certainly can give your thoughts/ideas... See, the thing is that 3 private insurers have cancelled us without ever having putting in a claim nonetheless. No private insurers want us, including all my neighbors. We don't have any choices in comparison shopping. The only choice we have is the state insurance which is called, "Citizens Insurance". The thing with Citizens ins. is that it's the most expensive. Why? one might ask, well...see, the thing is that as a state ins. by law they are not allowed to compete with private insurance companies, sooo...they have to be the most expensive of all. The thing I don't get is that if no private ins. companies are insuring us then whom on earth are they competing with??? Doesn't make sense does it?? I know, I know nothing does...but it's a true reality. What can I say???

[backtofla]

lulu, i have heard that ocala is beautiful... horse capital of the world with rolling hills... cool!!!

[lulu]

Ohhh...simply gorgeous! At least in my eyes...I took my digital camera & some of the photos came out looking like postcards. What I can't believe is that I've been here all my life & I never knew about those rolling hills. Truly beautiful.

[backtofla]

have you ever been to clermont??? have you ever see any one of the housing developments there??? it doesnt even look like fla --- it's pretty wild...

[backtofla]

pretty wild as in... lots of hills and very greenish!!!