For Florida residents. Which would you choose? (Naples, Christmas: living, costs)

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

Holy cow, the 40s? My mom wouldn't even go outside if it was that cold. She'd have all of that on and then some if she had to go out. She usually starts getting cold by the time it hits the low 70s. And it's not just that she's used to Florida that much now. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio--lived there until she was in her 30s, and couldn't stand the cold there, either . . . although I do think her tolerance has gotten worse. I finally got them to visit me in colder weather last year--they came up for Thanksgiving. We took a weekend trip to Philadelphia, which my folks had never seen, it got into the upper 20s/lower 30s, and I thought my mom was going to die trying to walk around in that. She's happy with Florida in the summer, but I think she'd like someplace with even warmer weather in the other months.

Unless you go to the Keys, you cannot get much farther south. Yes, it does sometimes get into the 40s at night. I work at a school and it can still be that at 8 AM in the winter. Somebody here posted that last year it even got into the 30s. I don't remember it being that cold. I guess maybe because that doesn't bother me at all. I actually like it.

However, by Noon it is back up into the 70s, at least. Too hot for this New Yorker. I like the 40s as a HIGH during the day.

[SoTiredoftheHeat]

I would choose option 1 hands down. I HATE it here in Florida!
I moved here from Michigan for financial reasons abot 13yrs ago and I'm dieing to go back. Well,maybe not to Michigan because we would probably be in the same boat all over again but someplace up north. Away from all this heat and bugs. Even when I lived up in Michigan I hated when it would get in the 90s during the summer. I would always feel sick and get headaches if out in the heat for too long.
I miss the change in seasons and I miss being able to walk around bare footed. I also miss having a basement which was nice. I hardly ever watch the weather channel here cause its always the same every single day for months on end.
I also agree that the houses up there have character. When we first moved down here and were looking at houses we had a hard time trying to find ones that were different from the last one we looked at. Im sick of stucco.
I might sound like the scrooge but this is just my opinion. The heat makes me crabby =)

[toddmahone]

option 2. i grew up living on the water and to me that's the only place i could really be content. living close to the water is nice, but nothing beats looking out over the water having your coffee in the am trying to figure out where to go fishing today.

[LovingCapeCoral]

My family is in Long Island and I have seen both, and I come from Ohio. While I love my Grandma and family, I will pick here every time. No doubts.

[1JP]

Nice topic this is I think when one lives in a place all their life, there comes a time for change. Whether it's been living in a city, living in the country, living in the heat or living in the cold, some people just grow tired of being in the same place.

For me, southern New England, good ole Connecticut. I'm tired of the cold and so is my body. The damp, cold weather is creeping in as I type. Thirty-nine years in the Nutmeg State and an opportunity for me to flee. The cost of living here is a bit overbearing.

I would be the one voting for Florida. I'm on the hunt now, looking into what part of Florida I will call home. The East Coast, Panhandle and Keys are out; in play is inland and West Coast.

[Jellobiafra]

I would pass on both and get a place in the mountains around Asheville, NC. Housing bubble didn't burst there like it did here, so there are still jobs. Also, the winters are warmer than the north east, and the summers are to freaking die for. Which is what you might do in the summer here...die.

[helplessinfl]

I have lived in Fl. for 12 years coming from MI. I wake up every morning to beautiful blue skies, sunshine and warm weather. I feel so alive and the best part is you can be acitve almost everyday. And you are almost always guaranteed beautiful week ends, if you work... that is important.
I would not have a large house as I look at living here as living in a beach cottage. Keep the home close to the beach... try to have a screened in lani for those hot, buggy days and nights. Most of all, don't own a lot of expensive things so you can just leave when a hurricane comes..just leave and forget about material items.
My electric bill is $40.00, 8 months and $100.00, 4 months when AC is running. I do not have to buy anything but summer clothes and sandles. Life is so much more carefee here.

Guess you have to decide.. how do you want to live?

[Hurricane_hitter]

Personally I choose the Fla home. Coming from someone who's lived in both places. You get more bang for your buck, when the market comes back up you're going to make KILLING! Year round activities (regardless of what people say yes even in the summertime there is lots to do) its going to be 10x's cheaper to cool that house in the summer than to heat that house up north in the winter. Cheaper taxes umm hmmm the list goes on thats what I can think of off the top of my head

[Mrs.Bewitched]

It depends on the price of both...........please list pricing...

[TANaples]

My daughter is looking at a house on LI listed at $275,000 with $6,000 in taxes. We paid $285,000 with $4,500 taxes, not counting HOA fees, in Naples. There is a lot more property on the LI house. I can hear my neighbors talking and smell what they are eating,

They are getting a lot more for their money than us.


The weather in Florida means nothing to me. If anything, it is a negative for me.