Central Fla......Help, A Plan for Second Residence (Clearwater, Sanford: real estate market, rental)

[bullies]

Hi all, first post. I’m still 3 years away from retirement but know for sure we want to retire to Florida. Have been coming down for over 30 years now and feel it’s about time to start investigating an escape from the Pennsylvania winters. My wife and I really have only one preference, which is to avoid south Florida at all costs. We like the Ormond Beach area down to Vero beach on the east coast and Homosassa down to Clearwater on the Gulf. Our long term (5yr.) goal is to purchase a brick and mortar home in Fla. and sell our home in Pa. (a total relocation) In the short term though our plan is to have a second residence somewhere in the areas of Florida I mentioned above. This plan has 2 main goals, first to give us a place to stay while on vacation, Second, after I retire this will be my "home base" in searching out the area I want to permantly retire to.

Since the place will be vacant for at least 9 months out of the year I need something that needs absolutely no outside maintenance on my part. That narrows my choices down to a condo or a mobile home, in a park that charges a monthly fee for things such as grass cutting. With the real estate market in flux the last thing I want to do is purchase a condo and five years from now find out it’s worth 10 % less than I bought it for. OUCH! That leaves me one choice…. a mobile home.

Does anyone know of a park where I can purchase just the trailer and pay a monthly lease / maint fee for the land. Looking for a park in a safe, decent area that is not run down with “white trash” as the norm but also not looking to spend a zillion dollars in a high class “gated community”. As I stated we’ve visited both coasts many times and location is secondary, my primary concern is the trailer park itself. Since the property will be vacant for such long stretches my major concern would be preservation of my trailer. Does such a place exist while doing it on a middle class working mans budget? Would love to get some solid leads to investigate on our next trip down.

Thanks

[beckycat]

You'd still be able to have a house in FL. There are many lawn service companies which would manage your yard while you're not here. It's not that expensive either. If you're in a trailer park, you'll have to pay lot rental which can be around $400 month. There are some nice ones here. In central FL, you can check out Lake Kathryn Estates in Casselberry. I belive that park is 55+. Also, there is Carriage Cove in Sanford FL, but that is all ages. I believe you can look them up on the internet. Both are very conveniently located and in safe areas. It is about 45-1 hour to the coast. The Kove is another one in Osteen that is about 1/2 hour to the coast. I don't know anything out there though. Good luck!

[vacationhomes]

I totally agree with Becky cat.
You can find a small home that has lawn maintenence included in the homeowners dues.
Or have a lawn maintenence company come sut the lawn for about $75 a month.

Mobile homes do not appreicate as much as a brick home.