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Old 10-19-2011, 02:53 PM
 
12,671 posts, read 23,734,357 times
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It is for my Brother. Most likely in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando.
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Old 10-19-2011, 04:27 PM
 
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
17,531 posts, read 24,617,171 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LauraC View Post
As far as who is attracting who, I understand Eric Estrada was promoting moving to Tennessee in Florida ads (can't remember what community he touted but I think they said it was Tellico Village). The Floridians who posted on our Tennessee forum used to mention it a lot about 1 - 2 years ago. But that was the same period when I was planning to move from Maryland in retirement and I never saw promos of any kind, by anybody, for the Tennessee place Estrada was touting. So, I was thinking maybe the developer didn't want people from Maryland...but maybe that's not it.

What I did see a lot, in Maryland, were ads for The Villages in Florida but most of my current Tennessee retiree book discussion group never heard of The Villages when we were talking about reading the book "Leisureville." How could that be, I wondered. I would never move to Florida (too hot) but I see those ads all of the time and have for the last 2 years in Maryland and now in Tennessee. I can sing the song I've seen the ads so much --- "The Villages, Florida's friendliest home town..." (You see Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez on the golf course in the commercial and retirees line dancing outside...) How is it possible my book discussion group has never seen the ads/heard of The Villages? That's when I realized, all of the ads for The Villages, in Tennessee and in Maryland, that I have seen, have aired on the Fox News channel (and one other channel that I can't think of right now) so maybe The Villages is targeting conservative retirees to move there and that's why my liberal book group mates have never seen the ads for that retirement community. If you read Leisureville, The Villages comes off as a Republican retirement community (Palin was campaigning there recently) when it comes to politics, although I think all developers take anybody's money.

But, that got me to thinking about targeted TV advertising that's not just age based. Why do Floridians who move to Tennessee primarily go to certain East Tennessee towns but midwesterners who move to Tennessee go to different places? You can see it in the migration stats of losing and receiving towns/counties. Why is it when I was driving through a retirement destination town in Tennessee on my way to someplace else, I saw a sign on a real estate office that said something like, "Your Florida connection blah, blah, blah," like they knew the people coming to buy homes in that town were primarily from Florida? I'm thinking they would only know that if their PR/ads were directed specifically at Floridians in Florida (as opposed to ex-Floridians now living someplace else).
I lived in a development outside Phoenix where the Republican Club made life there he11 for anyone who wouldn't goosestep to their tune. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Same with parts of Florida where the actually believe Fox """News""" is news. The Cable TV has only one option and that is Ruppert Murdoch.

I live in Arizona but in the mountains where its cool. I need neither Air Conditioning or Heating six months of the year
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Old 10-19-2011, 05:19 PM
 
28,803 posts, read 47,532,273 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by faithfulFrank View Post
Well, I guess I'll be the lone voice of decent.
I've grown up in NY, and just turned 50. I bought a nice home in a gated 55+ golf community in central Florida, about 13 miles south of The Villages in a place called The Plantation in Leesburg.

Frank D.
Gotta love a 2 year old revived thread!!

And what a coincidence. Plantation got hit by a category 2 tornado today. I hope Frank is okay.
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Old 10-19-2011, 09:09 PM
 
Location: Boca Raton, FL
6,873 posts, read 11,192,725 times
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Smile Florida - and some observations

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tek_Freek View Post
Gotta love a 2 year old revived thread!!

And what a coincidence. Plantation got hit by a category 2 tornado today. I hope Frank is okay.
OK, I'm a Florida girl (not a native but here since 5th grade) and my husband is an actual native from Miami. He is not Hispanic.

Plantation, FL is in western Broward County and did get hit by a tornado, however, it was not as bad as the news media would have you believe.

I believe Frank is in a lovely area not far from The Villages but a well maintained, friendly community with all amenities.

People are still coming to Florida even though the news media would have you believe otherwise. The Villages is building its last phase. I understand they are going fast.

Since I'm a mortgage broker, I've done a few loans in The Villages and each couple I speak to is more enthusiastic than the first. As the last one told me, we bought for the lifestyle! My husband and I have visited there and we have found all types - some from the NE, MidWest, all over. Most were smiling, friendly, said hello and spoke to us.

The internet has opened up the country for many. Now you can "see" Wyoming, Montana and places you were told about. I had a friend years ago who went to a dude ranch for 2 weeks and loved it. Now, he and his wife are retiring to Montana!

Our children are moving all over the place. It opens up more adventures and today, you don't feel like you have to stay in 1 place. Gosh, if you don't like Place X, you can move to Place Y.

There is also a difference in Florida - I find more Midwesterners in Sanibel, Captiva and Naples. South Florida has more from the NE - now that I've visited NYC so much, I can see that. Never noticed it before b/c I grew up here.

Don't count Florida out so fast!
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Old 10-20-2011, 06:55 AM
 
Location: State of Being
35,879 posts, read 77,155,934 times
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The big thing about Florida that gives me second thoughts is the cost of HO insurance and property taxes (some wh/ I consider "hidden" taxes). We have thought about renting to avoid those costs. We have a second home now in the mountains of NC so we would split our time b/n the two places.

We have many friends from the Midwest who have bought condos or second homes in Florida and either plan to retire there or already have retired there. I have noticed that many choose the gulf area, and I am thinking that is b/c there are direct flights to Tampa, wh/ is a big deal if you have a second home and plan to fly back and forth.

As far as the Villages, the only reason I know about them is b/c they were heavily advertised in years past in KS/MO (I can't speak for currently, as we no longer live in KCMO metro). We moved back to NC in 2002 and have not seen one TV ad for the Villages since we moved. We had to conclude that the Villages targeted their market to particular regions and NC is not one of them.
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Old 10-20-2011, 08:30 AM
 
9,300 posts, read 16,595,657 times
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We travel to FL Keys for a few months in winter via RV. Come October 1st the convoy from Canada and points in the snow belt head south. We spend the majority of our time in the Keys, which has become noticeably more and more depressed, as are other areas of FL. To mention a few...We were considering Pensacola for a reunion, but it seemed like a ghost town. Tampa had many new strip malls that were totally unoccupied.

AFA The Villages, some people love it and others hate it. It's a matter of preference.

For us, we enjoy being near family and friends and the changes in season. Although we travel with friends from another northern state, there's still no place like home when that humidity starts.
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Old 10-20-2011, 08:54 AM
 
28,803 posts, read 47,532,273 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nancy thereader View Post
Wow ! What an insult that Tennessee only wants people with "two million in assets". What a totally snobbish thing to say, anyway. What is that , about .05% of the population?
If you do some research you will find that your number is very, very, low. In our neighborhood, which consists of a horseshoe with 45 houses, we have three millionaires that I know of, and I would wager there are at least three more. We live in a modest suburban area of 1700 to 2100 SF homes.
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Old 10-20-2011, 08:59 AM
 
28,803 posts, read 47,532,273 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bette View Post
OK,
Plantation, FL is in western Broward County and did get hit by a tornado, however, it was not as bad as the news media would have you believe.

No surprise there....

I believe Frank is in a lovely area not far from The Villages but a well maintained, friendly community with all amenities.

So where he is is not the same Plantation?

There is also a difference in Florida - I find more Midwesterners in Sanibel, Captiva and Naples. South Florida has more from the NE - now that I've visited NYC so much, I can see that. Never noticed it before b/c I grew up here.

One of my brothers bought a condo in Naples and that area and the surrounding area is one we are looking at as well.

Don't count Florida out so fast!
My biggest concern regarding FL is insurance. Is it really that high, or are we talking media hype again?
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Old 10-20-2011, 09:34 AM
 
2,420 posts, read 4,354,404 times
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Florida is a bargain now, and if I were younger and had the energy to cope with rental properties again, I would be buying up like crazy now. Also, because of the depressed real estate market here, valuations are very low. We have a $50,000 exemption now, so if you were to buy say a 1200 sq. ft condo or TH now with reasonable HOA fees, you would be paying taxes on only $25,000.

I live in a 55 plus community in a duplex house, a small yard, and boating facilities, yearly HOA $160, and yearly RE taxes of $750, and no personal state income taxes. It's a block house and with hurricane insurance $1,200 a yr. and without hurricane insurance $600. (I am 5 minutes from the ocean)

If you buy a more expensive house, that is another matter, but for those who are looking for a more modest place to retire, Florida is a winner right now.
Heck, buy a place with RV storage, and now you really have the best of both worlds.
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Old 10-20-2011, 11:04 AM
 
Location: Boca Raton, FL
6,873 posts, read 11,192,725 times
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Smile Media hype

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tek_Freek View Post
My biggest concern regarding FL is insurance. Is it really that high, or are we talking media hype again?
Depends on the area but I pay $2900 per year - hazard & wind - 3000 SF 4/2.5 bath home built in 1982. South Florida.

Central Florida and parts north - most likely half of that.

Depending on the age of home, roof, security system, hurricane shutters, impact windows - you may get discounts.

Since I'm a mortgage broker, I always get 3 quotes for clients and they vary.

Yes, Frank is in a different Plantation (I believe his city is Leesburg).

(Frank - correct me if I'm wrong on that)
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