Say what you want but its packed in Florida (Miami: rent, condo)

[Sea Ray Mark]

Wow!

[mr&mrssunshine]

Originally Posted by saxondale351

and sunshine is a Real estate agent having a dog in the hunt makes your opinion on anything real estate based not worth the paper a 3 dollar bill is printed on.

.

if you are referring to me, I am NOT a RE agent/broker,never have been...so where you get that from I have no idea.

I do build homes, been doing it for 30+ years, so would like to think I know a thing or 2.........maybe

your last comment is stupid, having a dog in the hunt....so are you saying every expert in every field has a worthless opinion

like warren buffet on finance
mark Cuban on business
and politicians on hookers and drugs

maybe its your opinions that aren't worth much

[saxondale351]

Originally Posted by mr&mrssunshine

if you are referring to me, I am NOT a RE agent/broker,never have been...so where you get that from I have no idea.

I do build homes, been doing it for 30+ years, so would like to think I know a thing or 2.........maybe

your last comment is stupid, having a dog in the hunt....so are you saying every expert in every field has a worthless opinion

like warren buffet on finance
mark Cuban on business
and politicians on hookers and drugs

maybe its your opinions that aren't worth much

What I am saying is that if anyone offers an opinion on a subject and they make a living or money off that particular subject you have to take that opinion as biased and worth less than someone who does not make money from that subject they have an opinion on. If you sell me cars and tell me that the Chevy Truck is much superior to the Ford truck what is that worth when you either work for a Chevy dealership or have a Chevy to sell? Your opinion means nothing to me. Sorry if that offends you but if you don't get it I can not help you. If you are an expert and you have nothing to gain by what decision others make I.E. A blood expert on blood analysis that does a blind study, but then again if you are hired by one side or the other in as a court expert you have to take your so called expert testimony for what it is, paid siding with the hand that feeds you. You build homes, you have a lot to gain by having more people here and prices going up. You can say your unbiased but I highly doubt that. So about it if you wish but your opinion is skewed as far as I can see if you have any thing to gain on one side or the other. I have a lot to gain by prices going up, I tend to think they will and I am sure some what due to the fact I want them to. I also think that things will keep going up, but who knows. People who bought 1million dollar homes in 08 thought they would just keep going up too.

[mr&mrssunshine]

Originally Posted by saxondale351

Your opinion means nothing to me. .

I can assure you,that is reciprocated

[saxondale351]

Originally Posted by mr&mrssunshine

I can assure you,that is reciprocated

OH MY,,,,,,.......: D

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by saxondale351

What I am saying is that if anyone offers an opinion on a subject and they make a living or money off that particular subject you have to take that opinion as biased and worth less than someone who does not make money from that subject they have an opinion on. If you sell me cars and tell me that the Chevy Truck is much superior to the Ford truck what is that worth when you either work for a Chevy dealership or have a Chevy to sell? Your opinion means nothing to me. Sorry if that offends you but if you don't get it I can not help you. If you are an expert and you have nothing to gain by what decision others make I.E. A blood expert on blood analysis that does a blind study, but then again if you are hired by one side or the other in as a court expert you have to take your so called expert testimony for what it is, paid siding with the hand that feeds you. You build homes, you have a lot to gain by having more people here and prices going up. You can say your unbiased but I highly doubt that. So about it if you wish but your opinion is skewed as far as I can see if you ha( especve any thing to gain on one side or the other. I have a lot to gain by prices going up, I tend to think they will and I am sure some what due to the fact I want them to. I also think that things will keep going up, but who knows. People who bought 1million dollar homes in 08 thought they would just keep going up too.

I don't know, seems to me the OP as a home-builder would be in a good position to know if he's had an uptick in the number of requests he's had to build homes in the last couple years, and this would be a good indication as to the number of folks moving to this area to make it their home. As would real estate agents who can point to an increase in home sales to indicate the same thing.

I'd take their word for evidence of growth in this area, for those reasons.

And while I am neither a builder or real estate agent, DH and I have been property owners in Punta Gorda since 1996. We have been periodic visitors ( summer and winter) to the area since that time, have spent as much of our free time as we had here since we completed our retirement house at the end of 2008, and about half time here since we retired in 2011, then full time after we sold our house in Miami in Jan. 2013. We've noticed an uptick in the amount of traffic, number of patrons in favorite restaurants, and in stores over the last 2-3 years, even out of season. While we could never compare the sheer numbers of drivers and insane traffic on the road in this area with Miami- or for that matter in Broward or Palm Beach county, all which we're waaay too familiar with, we've definitely noticed an increase in traffic, including slow commutes on Tamiami Trail, more traffic on US 17 and on I-75 in the last two years. It's not as busy out of season, of course, but then I remember these areas being pretty much deserted in the summers when we used to visit.

I've had friends and acquaintances in this area also comment on the increase in the number of folks staying here all year round, as well as comments from personnel in my dentist's office saying they never stopped being busier when the season ended, over the last year especially.

[saxondale351]

I think and this is purely anecdotal, this summer will be busier then we are used to. I was told by many last year that the old folks are gone by early April and by the fist of May its dead. It was not as dead last year as they thought it would be. I believe it will be a lot busier this summer than last. More people make the quality of life less in my book, just as living in LA or NYC is for those who like to torture them self. That said I believe that it will also make for good opportunity for selling property in the next couple of years if there is not a down turn. Many have been trying to tell me that the beaches are not crowded ect. Not the case. I have been past Siesta Key and the signs were out no parking avail. Rest, are full and we had to last week end drive around for 15 min, just to find a place to park at one place, then stand in line for another 20 min to be seated and that was considered not bad. LOL. The up side is prices go up with demand and unless we have some Hurricane season that is bad, it should keep rising. I took my condo rent up 300 a month and by the way things are going that may have to go up even more next time round. Or I could sell it and take profit off the table.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by born01930

Funny...I have lived and worked in crowded and busy areas most of my life. I travel a lot, this is really my first extended stay here and I find the traffic mild. Of course I am in Los Angeles much of the time so not a good comparison. I worked in the Middle East for many years as well, the drivers here are mild mannered in comparison.

On a different note...I hope to stay here for a long, long time, so I want prices to stay where they are...I want my property tax bill to stay the same or go down.

Many of us are from metropolitan areas, not rural farms areas with single lane country roads. So we know something about traffic too.

People aren't saying the traffic compares to OTHER PLACES. Or other COUNTRIES' driving norms.

They're comparing pre snow bird/vacationer arrival to post snow bird/vacationer arrival and comparing to other YEARS.

Yes there is alot more traffic now than in the summer...actually it started almost EXACTLY on Feb 1, and longer lines in places like popular restaurant and we are very grateful for that little boom.

People want their home prices to at least go back to where they were around 2009. Especially people with mortgages who may be underwater. Some areas are still in 1990's prices after the crash. My condo dropped in value 60% in 2009 and just now is creeping back up to about 80% of 2009 prices.

If you are a RESIDENT, your homestead will CAP your tax increases.

FL Dept Rev - Florida Property Tax Valuation and Income Limitation Rates

We are also seeing building starting up again. Commercial and in subdivisions that were abandoned half finished many years ago. We are VERY grateful for that, too. Florida is about to become the third most populated state so I say, BRING IT.

After living in a ghost town like we experienced since the crash, you'd feel the same way.

[born01930]

RWScissors,

Nice link. I was just giving my perspective...I don't see any, what I would consider, heavy traffic. That's why I prefaced it with "funny".

As for the cap...well my taxes would still go up, just at a reduced rate. My preference is for them to stay the same or drop. I didn't buy as an investment, bought as a place to call home and to stay Lord willing. I can understand people wanting prices to go up if they're underwater or bought as an investment. That just isn't my case and I am merely spouting my most valuable opinion

[saxondale351]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Many of us are from metropolitan areas, not rural farms areas with single lane country roads. So we know something about traffic too.

People aren't saying the traffic compares to OTHER PLACES. Or other COUNTRIES' driving norms.

They're comparing pre snow bird/vacationer arrival to post snow bird/vacationer arrival and comparing to other YEARS.

Yes there is alot more traffic now than in the summer...actually it started almost EXACTLY on Feb 1, and longer lines in places like popular restaurant and we are very grateful for that little boom.

People want their home prices to at least go back to where they were around 2009. Especially people with mortgages who may be underwater. Some areas are still in 1990's prices after the crash. My condo dropped in value 60% in 2009 and just now is creeping back up to about 80% of 2009 prices.

If you are a RESIDENT, your homestead will CAP your tax increases.

FL Dept Rev - Florida Property Tax Valuation and Income Limitation Rates

We are also seeing building starting up again. Commercial and in subdivisions that were abandoned half finished many years ago. We are VERY grateful for that, too. Florida is about to become the third most populated state so I say, BRING IT.

After living in a ghost town like we experienced since the crash, you'd feel the same way.

Hey, I though Fla was not a buy and hold state. Like MI where if you buy and its homesteaded they can not raise taxes more than 2 percent a year or thereabouts. I was told Fla could raise taxes on valuation anytime. I saw my home taxes go higher in North Port than my condo in Sarasota and my home in NP is homesteaded. I also agree that even though population IMO drops quality of life I will suffer it if my values go up. Then comes the decision of sell or not to sell. I want to stay for a few years and absorb he beaches and weather before I move. Then again who knows it may infect me and I will stay. Time will tell. No hurry. Traffic is crap but its better than ghost towns you talk of, I do think the drivers here are the worst I have seen, Detroit, Wichita, Chicago ect. I see idiots cut traffic like they are in Tokyo drift of some stupid movie, old people who should not drive at all.

Case in point, [Photo included] I took this photo of an old man, and when I mean old, he could barely walk, and could not even get out of his truck so he just turned feet out. I thought he was drunk because of the way he was slumped over the wheel of the truck. I asked if he was drunk in the Circle K and was told no he is so old he can barely drive. He made his way back to his truck, pulled out drove off then got it in reverse and just backed into the parked truck. Now we can all have sympathy for the old and feeble thats fine, but some should not have DLs. That is just a safety issue. This guy is going to kill himself and others. The cops wrote it up and he drove off, they let him go. I don't think they knew what to do with him. We need mandatory yearly DL checks for 65 and over in this state.