How is living in mfg 55+ housing FULL-TIME in Florida? (weather, communities, states)
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Still on the fence with this. Seems our best $$ option and trying to come to terms with it. So many down there doing it...they must like it. Hate to leave Midwest but in order to retire with already retired husband have to let go of something to make it happen and downsize.
Then to find the best community for young retirees in the $50,000 and lower cost of housing....?
Have you considered nearby or adjoining states like Missouri or Arkansas? That would leave you nominally in or close to the midwest and both have quite low costs of living. Florida can be expensive and the humidity can be repressive. If you've never spent time there you might also be in for culture shock depending upon where you end up.
Yea, insurance. The article you linked mentions the change in law impacts homes built before 1994. I'm assuming it's a different story for newer ones. Though, it also appears there is primarily one insurer for all or most manufactured/mobile homes.
One of the options I've been looking at is buying a mobile home at retirement, but not in Florida. Arizona or California. I don't yet know much about insurance in those states. And whatever it is today could change tomorrow.
Mobile homes can be had for prices starting less than $10,000 in many places across the country. If they're in decent shape then it could be a good purchase for someone. As long as they're not expecting the Taj Majal. Monthly park fees will probably always rise, annually. I've only looked at some in Palm Springs, CA and Tucson, AZ online. Some have been nice, others ugh!
Thirty years ago I had a pretty dim view of mobile homes. But as I've aged and I get closer to my assumed retirement in several years ... my vision is sharpening and my likes/dislikes are being fine-tuned to contemplate what my income stream may be after retirement.
My own needs are pretty simple. And I live alone. So I think I will enjoy a degree of flexibility many readers here don't or won't have themselves.
I don't know beans about mobile homes/manufactured homes/etc. in Florida or elsewhere. Or insurance on them. I only suggested it was something to look into. Robyn
Still on the fence with this. Seems our best $$ option and trying to come to terms with it. So many down there doing it...they must like it. Hate to leave Midwest but in order to retire with already retired husband have to let go of something to make it happen and downsize.
Then to find the best community for young retirees in the $50,000 and lower cost of housing....?
MIL lived in such a community and she grew tired of it. pros: cost effective, pleasant, company, easy to relax and minimize your life. from our perspective she was safe and protected with minimal effort required on her part. cons: tend to get isolated into the community limiting your time in the rest of the world; drama queens; man chasing
What sort of mobile home can be purchased for $10K to $15K? What I mean is how much living space? How old would that home probably be? Decently insulated or not? Are we talking about one bedroom? Etc.
I lived in a mobile home in Houston. Same weather, same hurricanes.
The electric bills will be awful in the summer. You are living in a metal box. And don't even think you can get by without the AC. You can't. Add the humidity to the heat and it's a killer combo.
Mobile homes are always high insurance and in Florida, I'm sure it's higher than high.
What sort of mobile home can be purchased for $10K to $15K? What I mean is how much living space? How old would that home probably be? Decently insulated or not? Are we talking about one bedroom? Etc.
Don't know about Florida, but I've found many (many!) in Arizona and Oregon. About 1998 and older, 1700 sqf and smaller. High elevation in the pine trees. Some are on their own land, some have a space rent. Insulated. On stem walls. One to three bedrooms, plus an AZ room. Some with 2 car garages. You look in communities where the older owners have passed away, and the kids (usually in another state) just want to get rid of the home.
Lots of them are out there, Escort Rider.
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Questions about mobile homes
