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I think you can do all the research in the world but actually living in a place is going to give you much more insight into it. Before we moved we traveled to Florida several times a year, researched tons (several years-spoke to many people and realtors), had plenty of money and no debt and several businesses- but living here is totally different than what we though it would be like! Do we like the area we chose to move to-absolutely! It stinks that in 5 years it has turned into mostly vacation homes and there are many more foreclosures. Crime has also gone up. Electric has gone way up. Groceries are much more than up north (NYC, MA/NH.) Taxes are about the same. Insurance is higher. It is definitely not cheaper than NY, MA, CT, NJ or CA as far as we and our friends see.
Housing IS cheaper but the homes are crap. A sewer pipe near my parents broke last week. This is the third major pipe to break in 3 years near them. Builders have to rebuild things here all the time due to lawsuits-roofs leaking, bad insulation. Homes are nothing like the older homes up north. The concrete is bad-cracked all over. They send all the good concrete to China now. Wood is new and cheap. There are major issues here with the toxic drywall from China. They think it will be more than 300,000 homes in the US. Check that out before buying here! Heard it is bad in NJ, CT, VA too since a lot of it came in to the port of NY. Be very careful with new construction! Be careful with renting! Lots of people getting kicked out when the bank forecloses-the landlords are pocketing the rent $ and not paying the mortgage. Scary times everywhere but lots of transient, shady people here. Would never move here with kids between the education and the crime.
I guess what I am saying is you can do all the research you like but it is totally different living in a place. So that's why many people move back to where they came from. They realize what they left was far superior. They miss it and see the grass is NOT always greener. Or they try a new place
I think you can do all the research in the world but actually living in a place is going to give you much more insight into it. Before we moved we traveled to Florida several times a year, researched tons (several years-spoke to many people and realtors), had plenty of money and no debt and several businesses- but living here is totally different than what we though it would be like! Do we like the area we chose to move to-absolutely! It stinks that in 5 years it has turned into mostly vacation homes and there are many more foreclosures. Crime has also gone up. Electric has gone way up. Groceries are much more than up north (NYC, MA/NH.) Taxes are about the same. Insurance is higher. It is definitely not cheaper than NY, MA, CT, NJ or CA as far as we and our friends see.
Housing IS cheaper but the homes are crap. A sewer pipe near my parents broke last week. This is the third major pipe to break in 3 years near them. Builders have to rebuild things here all the time due to lawsuits-roofs leaking, bad insulation. Homes are nothing like the older homes up north. The concrete is bad-cracked all over. They send all the good concrete to China now. Wood is new and cheap. There are major issues here with the toxic drywall from China. They think it will be more than 300,000 homes in the US. Check that out before buying here! Heard it is bad in NJ, CT, VA too since a lot of it came in to the port of NY. Be very careful with new construction! Be careful with renting! Lots of people getting kicked out when the bank forecloses-the landlords are pocketing the rent $ and not paying the mortgage. Scary times everywhere but lots of transient, shady people here. Would never move here with kids between the education and the crime.
I guess what I am saying is you can do all the research you like but it is totally different living in a place. So that's why many people move back to where they came from. They realize what they left was far superior. They miss it and see the grass is NOT always greener. Or they try a new place
But you do seem to be saying that in making the move with caution and research, some people can succeed? I certainly hope so. Some posts make Florida seem like a terrible wasteland, but I have some family down there that are quite content.
I don't know. I'm no risk taker and make every major decision in life with foresight and as much knowledge as I can get. Seriously, it can't be all THAT bad?
It's discouraging to hear the negatives, but I suppose it's good to know what to watch out for.
But you do seem to be saying that in making the move with caution and research, some people can succeed? I certainly hope so. Some posts make Florida seem like a terrible wasteland, but I have some family down there that are quite content.
I don't know. I'm no risk taker and make every major decision in life with foresight and as much knowledge as I can get. Seriously, it can't be all THAT bad?
It's discouraging to hear the negatives, but I suppose it's good to know what to watch out for.
Don't be confused by negatives of peoples whose lives are not what they wish. It is easy to just look for something to place blame for your own failings or bad luck. I sometimes click on their history to see what else they write. In many cases all they write are negative comments. They seek out threads they can wade into with their often inflammatory comments. Not because they really feel they are adding anything, it is just what they do. I read quite a few technical forums where it is usually an honest exchange of ideas. Here though there is actual hate mongering. It's very curious.
Mouse,
Thanks for the information. So would you suggest buying a Florida home built in the '90s, then--old enough for problems to have shown up already (and built before the Chinese drywall problem), but new enough to avoid some of the insurance problems that "old" homes have here? Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvthatmouse
I think you can do all the research in the world but actually living in a place is going to give you much more insight into it. Before we moved we traveled to Florida several times a year, researched tons (several years-spoke to many people and realtors), had plenty of money and no debt and several businesses- but living here is totally different than what we though it would be like! Do we like the area we chose to move to-absolutely! It stinks that in 5 years it has turned into mostly vacation homes and there are many more foreclosures. Crime has also gone up. Electric has gone way up. Groceries are much more than up north (NYC, MA/NH.) Taxes are about the same. Insurance is higher. It is definitely not cheaper than NY, MA, CT, NJ or CA as far as we and our friends see.
Housing IS cheaper but the homes are crap. A sewer pipe near my parents broke last week. This is the third major pipe to break in 3 years near them. Builders have to rebuild things here all the time due to lawsuits-roofs leaking, bad insulation. Homes are nothing like the older homes up north. The concrete is bad-cracked all over. They send all the good concrete to China now. Wood is new and cheap. There are major issues here with the toxic drywall from China. They think it will be more than 300,000 homes in the US. Check that out before buying here! Heard it is bad in NJ, CT, VA too since a lot of it came in to the port of NY. Be very careful with new construction! Be careful with renting! Lots of people getting kicked out when the bank forecloses-the landlords are pocketing the rent $ and not paying the mortgage. Scary times everywhere but lots of transient, shady people here. Would never move here with kids between the education and the crime.
I guess what I am saying is you can do all the research you like but it is totally different living in a place. So that's why many people move back to where they came from. They realize what they left was far superior. They miss it and see the grass is NOT always greener. Or they try a new place
Mouse,
Thanks for the information. So would you suggest buying a Florida home built in the '90s, then--old enough for problems to have shown up already (and built before the Chinese drywall problem), but new enough to avoid some of the insurance problems that "old" homes have here? Thanks.
In 2002 the state changed the standards for meeting the hurricane codes with all construction built that year and after. If you buy an older home, have it inspected for the new stricter codes. The state will give you tax credits to make the necessary improvements.
Also, I would watch out for Toll Brothers built homes. I have read numerous articles about their shoddy construction.
Thanks Naples. I've read some about the four point inspection process. But if I get something that's concrete block, but built before 2002, is that basically ok? (unless the roof needs updating?).
Quote:
Originally Posted by TANaples
In 2002 the state changed the standards for meeting the hurricane codes with all construction built that year and after. If you buy an older home, have it inspected for the new stricter codes. The state will give you tax credits to make the necessary improvements.
Also, I would watch out for Toll Brothers built homes. I have read numerous articles about their shoddy construction.
Thanks Naples. I've read some about the four point inspection process. But if I get something that's concrete block, but built before 2002, is that basically ok? (unless the roof needs updating?).
will tell you if it is up to code. Not sure if just being concrete block meets that. Maybe somebody else can elaborate on the specifics of this?
Thanks Naples. I've read some about the four point inspection process. But if I get something that's concrete block, but built before 2002, is that basically ok? (unless the roof needs updating?).
You need an independent home inspector to tell you the condition of the home. I would never buy a home without an inspection. As far as being CBS. What matters is how much poured concrete the home has. You want poured tie beams and collums all tied together with steel. The block work is not where the strength comes from, it is the poured concrete skeleton of the building. Then the roof tied into that concrete skeleton. Finally the over all design of the house. After Andrew they did autopsies on the homes that went down and many just had poor designs.
Big overhanging porches that were tied into the roof that acted like kites taking off the roof. Dormers built into the roofs that blew off opening up the structures. These structure failures also caused a domino effect as they crashed into other homes. Too many trees to close to houses that crashed through roofs. It was amazing, this was a disaster just waiting to happen due to not just sloppy construction buy bad designs for a place like Florida that may be prone to storms. A lot of common northern designs just don't work here but builders build what they think people want and people want what they are use to. Some New England style house with multi level roofs, dormers with a bunch of valleys.
The best roof is a hip roof with no gables. While I mention gables they failed all over the place causing roofs to fly off. Most homes are an illusion when it comes to gables. The block work ends at the roof line. If you go in the attic you may find what you think is a solid wall is just a piece of ply wood with plasters on it and one or two studs holding it in place.
A lot by the way can be fixed. You can beef up your home with added tie downs and added studs in places like gables. Much of this you can just do yourself on a few weekends. You could easily save your own house from damage with a little common sense. First being get those trees away from the house that can do damage. Trees account for 50% of all the damage done by storms even mild ones and is totally preventable. Next month is June and anyone who hasn't tended to their trees by then are fools.
Thanks for the long reply Mango. I tried to give you a rep point but it wouldn't let me.
Your comment about trees made me laugh--a few months ago I went to an open house in Thornton Park. The house was built in the '20s, and I noticed there was a huge oak tree that must have come within six inches of the roof. The whole house was basically a tear down anyway for whoever bought--electrical and other problems, so the tree problem would go away. But I wouldn't want to have something like that right next to my window.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mango23
You need an independent home inspector to tell you the condition of the home. I would never buy a home without an inspection. As far as being CBS. What matters is how much poured concrete the home has. You want poured tie beams and collums all tied together with steel. The block work is not where the strength comes from, it is the poured concrete skeleton of the building. Then the roof tied into that concrete skeleton. Finally the over all design of the house. After Andrew they did autopsies on the homes that went down and many just had poor designs.
Big overhanging porches that were tied into the roof that acted like kites taking off the roof. Dormers built into the roofs that blew off opening up the structures. These structure failures also caused a domino effect as they crashed into other homes. Too many trees to close to houses that crashed through roofs. It was amazing, this was a disaster just waiting to happen due to not just sloppy construction buy bad designs for a place like Florida that may be prone to storms. A lot of common northern designs just don't work here but builders build what they think people want and people want what they are use to. Some New England style house with multi level roofs, dormers with a bunch of valleys.
The best roof is a hip roof with no gables. While I mention gables they failed all over the place causing roofs to fly off. Most homes are an illusion when it comes to gables. The block work ends at the roof line. If you go in the attic you may find what you think is a solid wall is just a piece of ply wood with plasters on it and one or two studs holding it in place.
A lot by the way can be fixed. You can beef up your home with added tie downs and added studs in places like gables. Much of this you can just do yourself on a few weekends. You could easily save your own house from damage with a little common sense. First being get those trees away from the house that can do damage. Trees account for 50% of all the damage done by storms even mild ones and is totally preventable. Next month is June and anyone who hasn't tended to their trees by then are fools.
Last edited by stars99; 05-17-2009 at 08:44 AM..
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Hurricane codes
