[121804]

Appears that yet again, everyone is using the same formula to fix the economic/professional issues in FL: retirees + tourism = money.

Ironically, same thing people complain about....FL needs to attract a bigger demographic along with varied professions....

But, nope....the same counting on the retirees to buy up the homes.

Great.

Seeing that hundreds upon hundreds of retirees or those close to retirement have lost b/c 50%-75% of their savings which took 20,30,40 years to earn...how quick do you think a 65yr old couple who lost $500k-$1m is going to make that money back in order to afford to even RETIRE?

By the time they earn enough to retire, they'll be in their late 70s-80s.

And with this change in economics & professions that the US & world is now facing...all new places & opportunities are at one's disposal.

Florida is #1) not the only year round warm place to live #2) not the only state that has somewhat lower costs of living compared to the highest in the country #3) not the only state that has golf courses & the beach

More needs to be done to attract long term residents to the state in order to pull the state out of it financial gutter.

It's attractive to all age groups. But if it wants to keep using the same formula its been using for decades & refuses to think outside the box..the same thing is going to happen again & again & again.

We are in our 30s. We don't know of anyone our age who is planning on retiring to FL. Vacation, but not retire. Retire "wish list" spots for my age group are much more diversified b/c of all the opportunity there is now & the incredible wide array of choices. And, lots of places that are just as cheap.

With the state of the economy, people are not being picky about geography. So, why not create a state that offers real jobs instead of constantly relying on retirees & tourism which creates excessive low level service industry jobs that have no real growth pattern?

Don't know many retirees who want 4 bedroom, 2,500-3,000 sq ft homes which is what we saw over & over & over in SWFL....So, a ton of the homes that are for sale aren't even partical for the average retiree.

[verobeach]

Originally Posted by 121804

We are in our 30s. We don't know of anyone our age who is planning on retiring to FL. Vacation, but not retire. Retire "wish list" spots for my age group are much more diversified b/c of all the opportunity there is now & the incredible wide array of choices. And, lots of places that are just as cheap.

With the state of the economy, people are not being picky about geography. So, why not create a state that offers real jobs instead of constantly relying on retirees & tourism which creates excessive low level service industry jobs that have no real growth pattern?

Don't know many retirees who want 4 bedroom, 2,500-3,000 sq ft homes which is what we saw over & over & over in SWFL....So, a ton of the homes that are for sale aren't even partical for the average retiree.

Well... maybe it's because in your 30's and your priority is jobs. We live in Vero Beach where jobs are not a priority and retirees own 3,500 sq ft homes. I just love it when people come on this board and speak for everyone using their own fuzzy logic.

BTW, a lot of retirees have pensions, a solid, fixed income for the rest of their life. They've invested conservatively, and they had big homes up north that they sold for mucho bucks.

[121804]

Originally Posted by verobeach

Well... maybe it's because in your 30's and your priority is jobs. We live in Vero Beach where jobs are not a priority and retirees own 3,500 sq ft homes. I just love it when people come on this board and speak for everyone using their own fuzzy logic.

BTW, a lot of retirees have pensions, a solid, fixed income for the rest of their life. They've invested conservatively, and they had big homes up north that they sold for mucho bucks.

I was bringing in a different view point.

But that's ok...keep attacting people who don't agree with your close mindnesses. Perfect example of what I was getting at...thanks

If you want to keep it a state of 65 & older, great. If you don't want the state to encourage demographic growth in order to prosper...good for you. Way to be! Or are you just a retiree who is afraid or bitter of those under the age of 70? Be careful of making that left hand turn from the right hand lane! People may honk their horn at you...but darn those youngens with their loud music & baggy clothes!!!! Oh, my...some of those may reach Vero Beach & even have horrible babies who ** gasp gasp** cry!

But there are lots of people who like FL who are younger than 65 & with the close minded opinion you have...those people are turned off & go elsewhere.

Do you ever watch the news that covers things outside of your bubble? Yes, tons of people invested conservately & still have a decent amount of money. And no, they are still up north, stuck in their homes & unable to sell their homes & thus figuring out different plans. Or maybe they realize that the amount of money that is left needs to be left instead of spent on a new home in FL or AZ or TX or SC. Or maybe with the loses, they are uncomfortable retireeing. Thousands have lost much of their investments that were meant for retirement.

Sorry, a state alone cannot count on retirees & tourism...as being proven right now in FL...

Learn from history. It has a lot to teach. But yoour eloquent post proved a the point...awesome!

Not everyone wants to retire to FL. Not everyone wants to vacation in FL. But many do. And many people want to live there in their 20's, 30's, 40's & retire there afterwards. If the state wants to recognize this & do something about it...everyone will benefit. Hopefully you will never need any assistance from anyone ever since you believe jobs are not necessary. Are you self-sufficient in terms of food, energy & medical care? Vero Beach doesn't need any of those things? Interesting....

[DailyJournalist]

Originally Posted by verobeach

and they had big homes up north that they sold for mucho bucks.

In the end it seems that Floridians only want to rely on Northern money. That is not how you build a diversified economy. The worst is yet to come for Florida.

[121804]

Originally Posted by DailyJournalist

In the end it seems that Floridians only want to rely on Northern money. That is not how you build a diversified economy.

Incapable of providing for themselves & attacking anyone who brings in a different view. What a thing to be proud of....

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

They came down $1,000 but how much do you still pay ?

Also, I would say insurances (home, auto, life) are still pretty high.

If my home was in Charlotte, NC, according to the property tax website for that city, I would pay $3500 in property taxes. Right now, I pay $5100 per year in property taxes in West Palm Beach.

A savings of $1500k if I moved to NC, BUT, I'd also pay over 5k/year in income taxes if I had the same salary living in NC. Plus car taxes (which I may be mistaken, but is something like 3% of assessed value per year?!) and up to 7.25% in sales tax (INCLUDING a 2% tax on groceries, which does NOT exist in Florida).


My taxes AND insurance rates went down last year here in Florida. I pay under 2k and live 7 blocks from the intracoastal, and less than two miles from the ocean. It's about shopping around, and doing wind mitigation. Should I buy hurricane shutters, I can expect another big drop in my HOI. My mother got a renewal for 2400/year in January of this year, but she shopped around and now pays 800/year for HOI in Western Port St. Lucie. My car insurance is a bit high ($140/month), but I do have a sports car and some blemishes on my record in the form of two accidents when I was in college and grad school, so.... that should drop eventually.



Now, I don't hate North Carolina, and probably could enjoy living there without whining, but I don't find Florida as expensive as it used to be during the bubble years at all.

[verobeach]

Originally Posted by 121804

But that's ok...keep attacting people who don't agree with your close mindnesses. Perfect example of what I was getting at...thanks

You are your own perfect example of closed-mindedness. Keep generalizing. It's just what confused new Floridians want to read when they come to this board looking for answers.

[121804]

Originally Posted by verobeach

You are your own perfect example of closed-mindedness. Keep generalizing.

Defintion of generalization: an idea or conclusion having general application

Definition of close minded: A closed mind (or closed-minded) is someone unreceptive to new ideas or information

So, my "generalizations" can apply to everyone but are close minded & can apply to no one but myself?

That bubble gets no air, does it?

Glad to know for some people, in their mind, that Never Never Land does exist. Just glad to know I am not one of them.

I wasn't attacking the state, if you can comprehend the written word from others that don't jump as high as you want them to, but stating that if other means of economic & professional support are given a chance, it can rely on monies other than retirees or tourists & fix some of the mess..who monies OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW are NOT HELPING; hence the great economic & housing fiasco FL is in. But it appears you are of the mindset that has destroyed the state from the get-go, so guess there would be no reason for you to change. Plus, it's Vero Beach, & the streets are paved in gold!

[Sunny-Days90]

Both sets of our parents still today own 3000 sq ft homes and they are all in the middle 70's age.

They both bought them with intentions of grand children staying over etc.
Both 1500-1800 square foot homes when they raised their kids and bought larger homes as they got older.

At the in laws home both my kids have their own bedrooms full of toys, TV's, Wii's etc as well as one other grandkid has his own bedroom at grandmas and grandpas house.

So the idea that no one wants large homes is absolutely not 100% true. Some may not but many do.

As far as Florida goes, far too many homes were built is the real problem and people see all those homes and want to believe its FLORIDA, look people at all these empty homes!!!

Empty homes is not a guide to use when they overbuilt them and you know it.

Sorry to burst peoples bubbles but I believe that Floridas housing and economy will be the FIRST to come back once the economy gets rolling again if it does.

Using fake home values and trying to convince people they are dropping lock a rock is plain silly. Sure they are dropping, like all over the country, but you should already know that prices in Florida were fake to begin with.
If you do not understand that then you have no need to try to even understand.

I will say it again, a investment group in Ohio with millions to spend is in Florida grabbing up any good priced home they can. These investors are not stupid, they made millions years ago when they bought up property in the Charlotte NC area when it was a hot market. They did the same thing in Myrtle Beach in the early 90's.

They are not temporarily living in Florida right now for nothing.

Florida will rebound long before any northern state even with the tourist being the number one job market. People will be spending money again and it will not be spend in their home states in the north, it will be south.

Baby boomers with money want to live in the South and many of those boomers made their money in the north.

Projections show a huge shift in population to the southeast and southwest, leaving the north and midwest with tons less people. Why do you think congress is scrambling to change the rules, it is so they can take advantage of the population shift before the 2010 census.

I posted a link earlier that showed one county in Florida is the largest and fastest growing county in America. That tells me something.

Ask any realtor in Florida who is selling any homes right now, I would be willing to guess the majority are not current Floridians.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days90

Both sets of our parents still today own 3000 sq ft homes and they are all in the middle 70's age.

They both bought them with intentions of grand children staying over etc.
Both 1500-1800 square foot homes when they raised their kids and bought larger homes as they got older.

At the in laws home both my kids have their own bedrooms full of toys, TV's, Wii's etc as well as one other grandkid has his own bedroom at grandmas and grandpas house.

So the idea that no one wants large homes is absolutely not 100% true. Some may not but many do.

As far as Florida goes, far too many homes were built is the real problem and people see all those homes and want to believe its FLORIDA, look people at all these empty homes!!!

Empty homes is not a guide to use when they overbuilt them and you know it.

Sorry to burst peoples bubbles but I believe that Floridas housing and economy will be the FIRST to come back once the economy gets rolling again if it does.

Using fake home values and trying to convince people they are dropping lock a rock is plain silly. Sure they are dropping, like all over the country, but you should already know that prices in Florida were fake to begin with.
If you do not understand that then you have no need to try to even understand.

I will say it again, a investment group in Ohio with millions to spend is in Florida grabbing up any good priced home they can. These investors are not stupid, they made millions years ago when they bought up property in the Charlotte NC area when it was a hot market. They did the same thing in Myrtle Beach in the early 90's.

They are not temporarily living in Florida right now for nothing.

Florida will rebound long before any northern state even with the tourist being the number one job market. People will be spending money again and it will not be spend in their home states in the north, it will be south.

Baby boomers with money want to live in the South and many of those boomers made their money in the north.

Projections show a huge shift in population to the southeast and southwest, leaving the north and midwest with tons less people. Why do you think congress is scrambling to change the rules, it is so they can take advantage of the population shift before the 2010 census.

I posted a link earlier that showed one county in Florida is the largest and fastest growing county in America. That tells me something.

Ask any realtor in Florida who is selling any homes right now, I would be willing to guess the majority are not current Floridians.

People from the NE are SHUNNING Florida. Why? Search my thread on "Are you jealous of people living in Florida". The vast majority DON'T WANT year round summer. They like their 4 seasons. If they move any where at , they are moving to South Carolina or maybe Tennesee (read threads on that) for a somewhat more temperate winter.

I do not know ANYONE who has retired to Florida, either my age or older. I know people who retired to South Carolina, New Mexico, Pa. I have never even HEARD anyone in my ENTIRE LIFE who said they wanted to move to Florida for retirement.

Florida is your GRANDPARENTS retirement paradise. It isn't the Baby Boomer's.

Read that post. Go on the General Forums here. You will see. It isn't just MY opinion.