[2fla]

Sleepingdragon: LOL! My husband lived in MD for a short while and he said the same thing about it being a "military" state!

[SleepingDragon]

Originally Posted by 2fla

I will soon be escaping the mid-Atlantic area (Virginia Beach) too. This is something we've wanted to do for many, many years and we're finally in a position to make the dream come true. We're been working for months to get our house "show-ready" and will be putting it on the market over the Labor Day weekend. Since it's a beach house, I think it will sell quicker than most. Actually, some neighbors who are currently renting in our neighborhood have said they're really interested so I may not even have to list it. (wouldn't that be great?!)

We plan on moving to SW Florida. Had researched Cape Coral but have backed away from that plan because of the mess with the utilities and rapid growth. Now we're looking at the Rotonda West, Englewood, Punta Gorda area. I'm really hoping for the transition to be complete before the first frost.

Hiya 2fla! Va. Beach is lovely and the Beach Homes are lovelier still. Really
think those blue ceramic tiled roofs are gorgeous. So, haha you already live at the beach and I already live on an island!! The Floridian natives can rest assured that we are already living in a Florida "State of Mind", just need the palm trees, right?

[2fla]

Originally Posted by SleepingDragon

Hiya 2fla! Va. Beach is lovely and the Beach Homes are lovelier still. Really
think those blue ceramic tiled roofs are gorgeous. So, haha you already live at the beach and I already live on an island!! The Floridian natives can rest assured that we are already living in a Florida "State of Mind", just need the palm trees, right?

EXACTLY! Well, palms trees AND warm winters. Sad thing is, I live within walking distance to the beach. That's something we'll have to give up when we move to Florida but we'll be within a short drive of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and can sit on the sand in January and February so that seems like a fair trade. Besides, it might be difficult to tear me away from my lanai with a pool anyway. Who needs sand?

[2fla]

Sleepingdragon: I just realized you live on Kent Island. I LOVE Kent Island too! LOL! We were just up there in April or May (can't remember which) because a band that I run a fan club for was playing at The Jetty.

[SleepingDragon]

Originally Posted by 2fla

Sleepingdragon: I just realized you live on Kent Island. I LOVE Kent Island too! LOL! We were just up there in April or May (can't remember which) because a band that I run a fan club for was playing at The Jetty.

geez, small world, for sure This place has a very tropical flavor. It is like starter-Florida. I am headed to Crystal River, also on the gulf, north of Tampa. Punta Gorda, your destination, is highly recomended by folks here.

[sami]

Originally Posted by 2fla

EXACTLY! Well, palms trees AND warm winters. Sad thing is, I live within walking distance to the beach. That's something we'll have to give up when we move to Florida but we'll be within a short drive of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and can sit on the sand in January and February so that seems like a fair trade. Besides, it might be difficult to tear me away from my lanai with a pool anyway. Who needs sand?

Hey, unless you have the big bucks, why would you want to live on the beach: you get hit harder by hurricanes and they do more damage, house insurance is a lot higher if possible, you gotta evacuate for every nasty storm that comes by, and get to pay a ton of money to buy there. Heck, you can buy a nice home in a good area in a high and dry place with the beach still sooo close..... LOL

[2fla]

Originally Posted by sami

Hey, unless you have the big bucks, why would you want to live on the beach: you get hit harder by hurricanes and they do more damage, house insurance is a lot higher if possible, you gotta evacuate for every nasty storm that comes by, and get to pay a ton of money to buy there. Heck, you can buy a nice home in a good area in a high and dry place with the beach still sooo close..... LOL

That's exactly what we sweat out here every hurricane season. The last big one to hit here was Isabel about 3 years ago and we were very very lucky that we didn't have any damage. It hit at the same time we had a freak nor'easter too so it was like a double whammy. I'll be happy to have a nice home in Rotonda, Englewood or Punta Gorda and drive to the beach. As long as I can still wear flip-flops in Jan., I'll be happy.

[BeckyInLAF]

We are in DE right now, but also have a home in Polk County, FL (Lake Alfred). Very rural and reminds me of home, only warmer.

Yeah, there have been 16 straight interest increases (across the whole country) at .25 each for a total of 4 points. :-) If you have a mortgage with a 5-year ARM and can't refi without a penalty soon, I feel for you. The banks and mortgage companies made that look so good, but now it's put folks in a real bind.

We own a title company here, so that has greatly impacted our business. We made boatloads of money during the refinance boom and saved a bunch so we could move to FL debt free and retire at 45. Well, semi-retire. It won't last forever, but at least we'll have no mortgages over our head.

We retire in two weeks and will be in FL for good the beginning of October. Hubby plans to get a job (he can't NOT work) back in radio or with sports broadcasting and I plan to work for the Mouse. I don't golf, so that holds no interest for me even though we have a course in our development.

Anyway, I'm glad to be fleeing winter. We've been on a five-year plan for this move, and both our daughters moved down within the last two years so our family is there now too. They are 100 miles from us and that sure beats 1000.

Becky in DE/FL

[R Marshall]

We were in Florida two weeks ago because my husband had some job interviews and the good news is that he did get a job offer in the Hillsborough/Pinellas Cty area. Bad news we are not moving to Florida. Reason: real estate is over priced and all the papers spoke of the real estate bubble and how it is going to pop soon in Florida, amoung other states. (Residents are already starting to feel the pressure.) So we did not want to pay for a house next month to find out it is not worth what we owe the next month. In addition, we were told that if you can insure a house, you better take a loan to pay for it. So we are off to looking into NE Georgia (Savannah). Best wishes to those moving into Florida.