[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by oolala

I'm the original poster. Can I add a spec which may narrow it down. I'd like to be far enough inland to not get hurt by a hurricane but also be only a few minutes drive to the beach. Given this, would the places all of you mentioned still apply? Please advise.

There is no place in Florida like that. You can't be far enough inland in Florida that you wouldn't possibly be in harm's way for a hurricane--it just depends on where the hurricane makes landfall, and hurricanes can easily make landfall anywhere along the coast of Florida (as well as other states with a Gulf of Mexico coastline and other states near Florida with an Atlantic Ocean coastline). There is no place in Florida more than 75 miles inland, and Florida is relatively flat (but even if it weren't, 75 miles isn't enough land to break up a hurricane--just look at Cuba and Puerto Rico, which both have mountains).

[GloryB]

Tungsten_Udder is correct. There is NO hurricane proof areas in Florida. I live in Orlando, smack dab in the middle of the state, and we are just as much in harms way....but without the ocean water surge. You might want to check out this site if you are looking for homes for less than $100,000. They provide maps, pics and virtual tours. They represent a variety of real estate agents and homes in any price range.
Obeo | Leading Virtual Tours Provider
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[oolala]

OK. Then forget my question about hurricanes - what about places only a few minutes from the beach that meet my other specs? It seems that most places mentioned other than Palm Coast are far from the beach...

Thanks.

[Wilshire81182]

You should look into the panhandle if you need something in that price range. Also look at condos and townhomes. I do not have anything specific since this sounds like a difficult search.

[House4Sale]

They've tons of 'em.

[chicy724]

Crestview, FL has a lot of newer homes, a little over 100k though. Navarre, FL also. These are on the Gulf Coast, Panhandle area.
We got a 22 yr old home in Mary Esther, FL for 140k 2 months ago. We were looking around 125k and quickly realized that in Fort Walton Beach, FL, you will live in a neighborhood that doesn't look all too pretty, and in an "iffy" part of town.
There are a lot of townhomes in the $100k range I bet. But, Crestview and Navarre are mostly newer homes, especially since Hurricane Ivan.

There are a lot of short sales that are priced very well, but can take forever to close- if you close. This is why we stayed away from those. The homes around me, in Fort Walton Beach atleast, are mostly older, ranch style homes. You won't get the architecture you see in Orlando, for example, for under $250k. But, we are a stones throw from water, and about 10 minutes from white sand beaches............

I have a friend who moved to Siesta Key and her Mom got a really nice house for pretty cheap. I think around there homes were pricing around $70-$100k, but they were mostly foreclosures.

[chicy724]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

There is no place in Florida like that. You can't be far enough inland in Florida that you wouldn't possibly be in harm's way for a hurricane--it just depends on where the hurricane makes landfall, and hurricanes can easily make landfall anywhere along the coast of Florida (as well as other states with a Gulf of Mexico coastline and other states near Florida with an Atlantic Ocean coastline). There is no place in Florida more than 75 miles inland, and Florida is relatively flat (but even if it weren't, 75 miles isn't enough land to break up a hurricane--just look at Cuba and Puerto Rico, which both have mountains).

Very nicely said. When a hurricane or tropical storm falls where I live which is on the Gulf Coast/Panhandle area- Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Mary Esther, the winds and effects from the storms can be felt all the way to Georgia. Almost all that come here are felt way inland into Alabama... you will not live in Florida and have no worry about a hurricane regardless of where you are, quite unfortunately.

My fiance used to live in Orlando and a hurricane that hit Ft. Meyers area, he felt the effects in Orlando...........

[beachmouse]

The weird thing with hurricanes is that, if you're high enough to avoid surge and well-built enough to avoid wind damage, the coastal areas frequently seem to do as well or occasionally better than areas further inland. Florida building codes are quite good on modern construction, and the sandy soil common along the coast generally drains well and reasonably quickly. Trees along the coast also tend to be more wind-tolerant than in inland areas because they've had to be over the years.

Or the storm remnants will slam into a front or reorganize into something else, and you have an Ida, which was a light 36 hour drizzle here, causing all sorts of grief in the Middle Atlantic states.