[Floridabound09]

Hello Everyone, New to this forum.

We are in Ohio and this past winter just did me in. We have traveled Florida for many years, mostly beaches, WDW etc. We thought we would relocate to Florida when I hit age 55, but I am 47 and ready to go to 2 years when I have 30 years in my job at 49.

I know Florida well when traveling, have made 1-2 trips every year for 20 years to FLA and like the West Coast area and Ft. Lauderdale area.

We love the beach, antiques, flea markets ( with old stuff, not new stuff)
Like the Webster Flea Market was a few years ago and back.

In 2 years my son will be 11 years old and we will need to have a good school of course, low crime, nice housing, not too close to the beach, can drive to that.

I read about 30 pages before registering and wow, alot of different opinions which is nice, but it all ran together.

Last year we made notes of areas when traveling of possible places to move in a few years, but we need to kick it up to 2 years and start looking and reading and making plans.

Prefer outside smaller towns with 50k and under populations range.
But these towns are areas we are thinking of:

Towns that made our list were Naples, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Ft. Lauderdale, Dania, Ocala ( may be to far to beach for us?) Clermont, Winter Garden, and Cocoa so most are west coast from mid FLA to south FLA.

Towns or areas that made our no way list are: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Miami, Gainesville, Panama City, within Orlando City Limits, Most not all of Panhandle ( we figured if you moving to FLA, you need to get down in FLA and not this area )

Wife wrote down this: Tampa to Naples, not too close to beach, but close enough to drive in 30-45 min. Low Crime, Good schools, Decent Jobs ( will have some retirement coming in with 30 years and out, but more at age 57 ) so supplement this retirement/insurance type jobs

Sorry to be so long, but I do value "all" opinions so blast away please.

We live in a 45k pop small central Ohio town and a neighborhood of great homes in the 200k range and lights are out at 9 pm, I hate this !!!
Biggest crime we have here is speeding and an occasional arrest for breaking and entering into a store or something and or family quarrel. 1 bank robbery in 5 years, no murders in 6 years, etc etc. The biggest gangs we have are the 13 year old boys picking on the 8 year olds
These homes would be 400-500k in FLA easily. Small school, K-6 has around 700 kids

Any advise would be appreciated! After all, it was below "0" ---- 15 days here this winter. Even the dog wont go out !!

[Need_affordable_home]

45k is a medium city, not small town. $200k is very expensive for Ohio, you must live in something approaching a mansion! Those estate homes will definately be over $500k in FL(well at least the southern part)

Port Saint Lucie is your best choice. By the beach and the safest city in FL. You dont want Miami(you already crossed it off) Ocala isnt near the beach and has quite a bit of crime compared to your Ohio city.

Youll be in for a sticker shock, everything is way more expensive. Hurricane insurance, high a/c bills, property taxes and youd be looking at a house a third the size(no basement, no attic) for $200k.

Have you looked into other states like Texas? Mucho cheaper there, your $200k will get you a house as nice as the one you have in Oh and there really isnt a winter except in far north Texas.

Hope this helps

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

Hello Everyone, New to this forum.

We are in Ohio and this past winter just did me in. We have traveled Florida for many years, mostly beaches, WDW etc. We thought we would relocate to Florida when I hit age 55, but I am 47 and ready to go to 2 years when I have 30 years in my job at 49.

I know Florida well when traveling, have made 1-2 trips every year for 20 years to FLA and like the West Coast area and Ft. Lauderdale area.

We love the beach, antiques, flea markets ( with old stuff, not new stuff)
Like the Webster Flea Market was a few years ago and back.

In 2 years my son will be 11 years old and we will need to have a good school of course, low crime, nice housing, not too close to the beach, can drive to that.

I read about 30 pages before registering and wow, alot of different opinions which is nice, but it all ran together.

Last year we made notes of areas when traveling of possible places to move in a few years, but we need to kick it up to 2 years and start looking and reading and making plans.

Prefer outside smaller towns with 50k and under populations range.
But these towns are areas we are thinking of:

Towns that made our list were Naples, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Ft. Lauderdale, Dania, Ocala ( may be to far to beach for us?) Clermont, Winter Garden, and Cocoa so most are west coast from mid FLA to south FLA.

Towns or areas that made our no way list are: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Miami, Gainesville, Panama City, within Orlando City Limits, Most not all of Panhandle ( we figured if you moving to FLA, you need to get down in FLA and not this area )

Wife wrote down this: Tampa to Naples, not too close to beach, but close enough to drive in 30-45 min. Low Crime, Good schools, Decent Jobs ( will have some retirement coming in with 30 years and out, but more at age 57 ) so supplement this retirement/insurance type jobs

Sorry to be so long, but I do value "all" opinions so blast away please.

We live in a 45k pop small central Ohio town and a neighborhood of great homes in the 200k range and lights are out at 9 pm, I hate this !!!
Biggest crime we have here is speeding and an occasional arrest for breaking and entering into a store or something and or family quarrel. 1 bank robbery in 5 years, no murders in 6 years, etc etc. The biggest gangs we have are the 13 year old boys picking on the 8 year olds
These homes would be 400-500k in FLA easily. Small school, K-6 has around 700 kids

Any advise would be appreciated! After all, it was below "0" ---- 15 days here this winter. Even the dog wont go out !!

Be prepared, because Florida will be a COMPLETELY different way of life from what you have described. The larger cities have a lot of crime, I would stay out of Tampa completely. St. Pete is nice, but you will pay a lot for a nice home and there will be high taxes and insurance. There are also neighborhoods of crime you must avoid there. Cities like Sarasota and Naples are among the most expensive in the state. For a smaller town in Pinellas County, I really like Tarpon Springs. Still has that smaller old-town charm, with a funky coast, a great beachfront park, lots of antiques, great food, and is close to the bigger cities. Can't help you out on the schools, probably if you narrow down your choice of a town, you can then investigate schools in the area.

[RedWingsFan]

You should look into Ormond Beach or Port Orange. We are Michigan natives. First moved to the Tampa area and didn't like it. Considered the Orlando area and I'm so glad that I didn't go there (been there several times now visiting). So we ended up in the Daytona Beach area. We are in Ormond Beach and in the process of buying a home in Port Orange. It's great here! Very nice...

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

45k is a medium city, not small town. $200k is very expensive for Ohio, you must live in something approaching a mansion!

Not really a mansion at all. 2400sq ft quad level home.

Those estate homes will definately be over $500k in FL(well at least the southern part)

If I could sit my house down in certain areas in Fla, yes. easily 400-500k.

Port Saint Lucie is your best choice. By the beach and the safest city in FL. You dont want Miami(you already crossed it off) Ocala isnt near the beach and has quite a bit of crime compared to your Ohio city.

I have spent some time in PSL, will add it to my list. The only thing is not much in antiques in that area.

Youll be in for a sticker shock, everything is way more expensive. Hurricane insurance, high a/c bills, property taxes and youd be looking at a house a third the size(no basement, no attic) for $200k.

We can deal with that. You have to trade something you hate ( cold ) for something you like ( warm ) and give up something ( space )

Have you looked into other states like Texas? Mucho cheaper there, your $200k will get you a house as nice as the one you have in Oh and there really isnt a winter except in far north Texas.

Do not like Texas at bit. The only town I like when I traveled Texas was Austin, they can keep the other cities, Texas to me ( my opinion ) is one of the dirtest states I have traveled and have been in more then 40 states.

Hope this helps

Why is your sigy state you want to leave Fla? The reasons are?

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Be prepared, because Florida will be a COMPLETELY different way of life from what you have described. The larger cities have a lot of crime, I would stay out of Tampa completely. St. Pete is nice, but you will pay a lot for a nice home and there will be high taxes and insurance. There are also neighborhoods of crime you must avoid there. Cities like Sarasota and Naples are among the most expensive in the state. For a smaller town in Pinellas County, I really like Tarpon Springs. Still has that smaller old-town charm, with a funky coast, a great beachfront park, lots of antiques, great food, and is close to the bigger cities. Can't help you out on the schools, probably if you narrow down your choice of a town, you can then investigate schools in the area.

Thanks! I have read allot of your post on this board.

I understand it will be different.

My wife read this and said " We might as well stay here in Ohio, is every post about Florida all about crime?"
Am I reading right, almost every post on this board mentioned crime, my goodness, am I blind or what? Is Florida the crime state?
Do move here because of crime, dont travel here because of crime, dont leave your car unlocked while shopping here because of crime.
What the heck is going on down there? Are there any police or laws?
When people move to Ohio for instance mainly because of the good jobs, the first thing out of our mouth is not do not live there, too much crime.
Sure, every major city has it, but seems like even the small towns in Fla has allot of it. You can put 1k on your dash here and it will be there over the weekend without being touched.
We love the heat, beaches, things to do, the people we have met are awesome, but as I read more on this baord, crime, crime, and crime.

What the heck is going on, Columbus Ohio is a super place to live, 1/2 from me, one of the best job markets in the US, and they have crime, but only or mainly in certain areas, not all over the town.

Now I am reading Ft. Myers is full of illegals who are stealing the locals blind.
I always thought Ft Myers was the perfect place, has it all, but last night reading this about made me cross them off my list.

I know sticker shock as I have been looking at realtor websites.

Buddy of mine moved from Dayton Ohio to Winter Garden Fla, his income dropped from 55k to 35k in that town, but he is able to supplement it with a small antique business on the side and he says now he is making over the 55k because the antiques business in Fla is bigger then here. He too had sticker shock with a home but told me that there is far more potential to make up for those issues in Fla.
I emailed him and he told me there is not more crime here then in Ohio, that papers exploit that to stop the growth. Is this true?

I am now confused. Is it all that bad down there? Why are so many floridians on this board wanting to leave Fla?

Please keep up the advise as now my wife has read tons of other post on this board and told me if they are so full of that much crime, we will just stay here. I need to give her solid good info on this issue.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

45k is a medium city, not small town. $200k is very expensive for Ohio,

No. 200k gets you a good middle class home in the nicer suburbs of the cities in Ohio. Not "mansions" or "estate homes!"

Clayton, Englewood, etc....Ohio, outside of Dayton, around 200k:







Now, you'll find 30k houses IN Dayton, for example... just make sure you want to live in the deepest heart of some rough rough neighborhoods!

(Why do I feel like you dispense information about locales (Ohio, Texas, et al) that it seems you may never have actually BEEN to!?)

Originally Posted by Floridabound9

Why is your sigy state you want to leave Fla? The reasons are?

He has an unusual intolerance for hot weather, and he feels unsafe living in his Singer Island home. Granted, Singer Island empties out on one end to the ghetto, But it IS an Island... and a nice, upscale one at that with beautiful beaches and a state park. It also empties out on the other end to Palm Beach Gardens, one of the nicest, safer towns in Florida, in my opinion.

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

You should look into Ormond Beach or Port Orange. We are Michigan natives. First moved to the Tampa area and didn't like it. Considered the Orlando area and I'm so glad that I didn't go there (been there several times now visiting). So we ended up in the Daytona Beach area. We are in Ormond Beach and in the process of buying a home in Port Orange. It's great here! Very nice...

When you are from Michigan and or Ohio, anyplace in Florida looks good, doesnt it?
The cold did me in this year, like to see my kids get to play outside for more then 3 months.
Thanks for the tip, but do not like the Daytona Area for some reason.

Also, can you tell me what made you decide on THAT SPOT!
Did you research it? Know someone there? Close your eyes and point to the map? Job?
I often wonder how people like you decide on where to live?
Would you move back to Michigan?
What is your opinion on the crime compared to our states?

Originally Posted by TriMT7

No. 200k gets you a good middle class home in the nicer suburbs of the cities in Ohio. Not "mansions" or "estate homes!"

Clayton, Englewood, etc....Ohio, outside of Dayton, around 200k:







Now, you'll find 30k houses IN Dayton, for example... just make sure you want to live in the deepest heart of some rough rough neighborhoods!

(Why do I feel like you dispense information about locales (Ohio, Texas, et al) that it seems you may never have actually BEEN to!?)

[COLOR="red"]What are you talking about? I do not want to live in Ohio!!!!
I live there now. Want to move to Fla.[/color]

What do you need to know about Texas or Ohio ?
Lived in Ohio for my whole life, did ALLOT business travel to Texas and many other states for 15 years as a customer service rep.
Took a 2 week vaca a couple years ago and drove from Ohio out west though Montana, Colorado and down to the Rockies, to Texas ( Canton Flea Markets are great !) back through Okla, MIssouri, Tenn, Ky to Ohio.
Did not like anything about Texas other then the antqiue malls and Canton srea FM.
Austin is nice, spent 10 days there on business a few years ago.





He has an unusual intolerance for hot weather, and he feels unsafe living in his Singer Island home. Granted, Singer Island empties out on one end to the ghetto, But it IS an Island... and a nice, upscale one at that with beautiful beaches and a state park. It also empties out on the other end to Palm Beach Gardens, one of the nicest, safer towns in Florida, in my opinion.

Wow, guess I would move inland then. If you do not like it hot, come to Ohio and freeze you butt off, my dog wont even go outside during Jan.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

No. 200k gets you a good middle class home in the nicer suburbs of the cities in Ohio. Not "mansions" or "estate homes!"

Clayton, Englewood, etc....Ohio, outside of Dayton, around 200k:







Now, you'll find 30k houses IN Dayton, for example... just make sure you want to live in the deepest heart of some rough rough neighborhoods!

(Why do I feel like you dispense information about locales (Ohio, Texas, et al) that it seems you may never have actually BEEN to!?)





He has an unusual intolerance for hot weather, and he feels unsafe living in his Singer Island home. Granted, Singer Island empties out on one end to the ghetto, But it IS an Island... and a nice, upscale one at that with beautiful beaches and a state park. It also empties out on the other end to Palm Beach Gardens, one of the nicest, safer towns in Florida, in my opinion.

My house is similar to the middle home in your pic, only I have a quad, 4 beds, 2 baths up over the living area you see, family room below that and an extra full basement below the garage area.

Would trade for heat anyday!!!

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

What are you talking about? I do not want to live in Ohio!!!!
I live there now. Want to move to Fla.

What do you need to know about Texas or Ohio ?
Lived in Ohio for my whole life, did ALLOT business travel to Texas and many other states for 15 years as a customer service rep.
Took a 2 week vaca a couple years ago and drove from Ohio out west though Montana, Colorado and down to the Rockies, to Texas ( Canton Flea Markets are great !) back through Okla, MIssouri, Tenn, Ky to Ohio.
Did not like anything about Texas other then the antqiue malls and Canton srea FM.
Austin is nice, spent 10 days there on business a few years ago.

The homes and info about Ohio were meant for "Need Affordable Home," who thinks he can get a grand estate home in Ohio for 200k. (Note the response to a quote by NAF). I'm just correcting his misrepresentation.

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

Wow, guess I would move inland then. If you do not like it hot, come to Ohio and freeze you ass off, my dog wont even go outside during Jan.

Actually, it's hotter the further inland you go. A nice ocean breeze is always nice!

[Floridasunshine]

I was former PA girl of 18 who said I am ready for beach in 1968. Left with 200 in my pocket.

Check out Lakeland zip 33810, you can get those homes here for about 180
new Realtor.com , I like the west coast, the surf is calmer to swim in.
Our taxes and INsurance are cheapest in State.

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by Floridasunshine

I was former PA girl of 18 who said I am ready for beach in 1968. Left with 200 in my pocket.

Check out Lakeland zip 33810, you can get those homes here for about 180
new Realtor.com , I like the west coast, the surf is calmer to swim in.
Our taxes and INsurance are cheapest in State.

Thank you!

Been in your city a few times, Spring Training games etc.

** Have you ate at Buddy Freddys in Plant City !!! Yumoooo

Location is perfect, close enough to various beaches, lots of antiques, WDW, etc etc.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

The homes and info about Ohio were meant for "Need Affordable Home," who thinks he can get a grand estate home in Ohio for 200k. (Note the response to a quote by NAF). I'm just correcting his misrepresentation.



Actually, it's hotter the further inland you go. A nice ocean breeze is always nice!

Honestly, if you drive through Dublin or Pickerington, Ohio cities they have homes there that would rival all the best Florida has to offer for under 1 mil. Just to damn cold...

Florida RE is way over priced, home in Pickerington would sell for double in Florida for sure, but does that mean the FLA homes are overpriced? I think so by comparision of the home and nothing else.

In my small town, you need a "bottom" 200k to get a decent home.

Do not be fooled, Dublin or Pickerington Ohio homes can compare in homes to any city in FLA, without the heat and beaches etc of course.

Look over Dublin Ohio homes you will be amazed.

Columbus Ohio is often referred to as the top Marketing City in the US for many large businesses. Clothes, Food, etc all come here to test market new products before they go anywhere else.

Again, too damn cold.... need sunshine, need sunshine, need sunshine.....

Originally Posted by Floridasunshine

I was former PA girl of 18 who said I am ready for beach in 1968. Left with 200 in my pocket.

Check out Lakeland zip 33810, you can get those homes here for about 180
new Realtor.com , I like the west coast, the surf is calmer to swim in.
Our taxes and INsurance are cheapest in State.

WOW !!

You are dead on, awesome houses for 180-200k..............

Looking at demographics, schools, jobs, COL, insurance/texes for that area right now.

Thank you!