Just moved here! Pros & Cons so far..... (Miami, Sarasota: 2015, credit)

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by Sunseeker33

...Oh, and gators aren't running 35 mph chasing you down and eating your young like the media or FB would have you believe. They live here in these ponds but you don't bother them, they don't bother you.

...

Can't even tell you how many times I've tried to tell this to people. I used to work around gators...I'm not blowing smoke...they really are lazy and would rather you not bother them, but if you do....well, you're an idiot. (general "you")

You also mentioned one thing I really, really liked about Florida. Everyone was from somewhere else so you didn't get that haughty attitude, stand offishness, closed, extremely reserved, and suspicious behavior from others like you do in some parts of this country. God, I can't stand that. I can think of a few places that I've lived that act like that and while those places have their qualities as well, the "closed inner circle" thing is just irritating and really does make me think less of people who would be so unwilling to just fricken open up around someone new.

Florida has a lot of good things about it, a lot of bad things, (you mentioned one of them and his truck, there's that and the abrasive, obnoxious incivility in Miami for examples), but overall, it's a pretty decent state. You will find a LOT to do if you are adventurous. Even if you aren't, the beach that close is a free outing for the day.

[Sunseeker33]

Got the key to the dog park a couple weeks ago. From what I understand, residents pay $50, Non residents pay $100. So worth it. Very clean and well maintained. It's separated by a chain link fence into 3 sections. Small dogs, big dogs, training area with equipment. 4 acres I think. Water access, Hoses, plastic pools, new tennis balls, sand pit, shade, benches, wifi, clean, clean, clean. Very large!
What will they think of next? Hopefully a light at 70 & Greenbrook. Saw a motorcycle man get creamed there. All of his teeth fell out. Maybe they were dentures. He was kinda old.
I'll be hanging my hat from this board. I've lost enough sleep over it in my Reconn days-which let me reiterate my point here, was a complete waste of time! I Followed my own gut decisions, and have met some super helpful people along the way. Specifically, through the FL Health Dept, Certain Staff at 2 different schools, a super smart and engaging DR at the Vet (hotspots-nothing serious). I can't say enough about an AMAZING Dog day care/boarding place we put them in for a few days while we physically moved in and a Realtor who was a huge help before, during and after our home purchase. Her & her husband helped unpack our moving truck! Talk about hands on! That is full service! Love her! If anyone has questions about the moving process, feel free to sent me a PM. I'm not a Realtor so I can tell you straight up what you want to know. Happy to help.
Maybe I'll see some of you around town.
Be brave Lurkers! Even if you are not, pretend to be! You got this! I'm already looking back and laughing at my crazy self.
Cheers!

[HeadingSouthSoon]

So glad you posted this thread. I'd be mortified to tell you the hours I spent LWR on this site. We visited a few months ago and will be moving into our new apartment in LWR 9/16/2016. Could you advise the name of the amazing dog care/boarding place? We will need to do this. Best of luck to you!

[Guitarguy73]

Any updates on living in LWR and the general area? I think we are going to try and rent a place on AMI for a month this summer. That will give us time to drive around and hopefully get a feel for the surrounding areas. Only way I could pull off moving the family from Philadelphia is a LWR type community and a new construction house. I really, really hope this is our last winter in PA.

[kimmerthy]

Thank you for this post! Seriously, a Saturday night, watching the Cubs WIN, drinking wine, perusing these threads once again, 3 years into our research to move to FL. I'm reading this entire thread to the husband as soon as he wakes in the a.m. Just need to do it! I'm actually boycotting the cold weather this year...the kids will be wearing their gear from last year, whether they fit in it or not, missing a glove?! Oh well! No new clothes for us either! I refuse to buy any more fall/winter clothing. The cold makes me anxious. I want pumpkins and palm trees!! Ok, I'm done. Again, thank you, thank you for making me feel better about all these threads I've read and have also gone crazy over, over the years. Would love an update too. Hope all has continued to go well in LWR!

[Nancy in Nokomis]

We live in a wonderful upscale neighborhood with an HOA - but a less restrictive HOA than LWR - we have huge yards that can be fenced, we can put up a basketball hoop, nice big driveways, kids, friendly neighbors, our own pool - and not huge HOA fee to drain our finances - and every home looks great - no questionable bumper stickers - I can paint my door any fun color - no stuck up snobs here - but then again no lowlifes either - the best of both worlds!

[missguided1]

When the old woman down the street passed, the neighbors and I all wondered what would become of her place. It's a quaint place, maybe 1000-1060s.f. No kids or heirs so in about 18 months there is a new owner, the permit box went up and remodeling began. Nothing extravagant.....new roof, 250s.f. addition on the back, trimming of some large oaks that were definitely gorgeous, but certainly a storm hazard and enlargement of the u-shaped driveway. Everyone said, "That's gonna' be one cute house."

A few of us are retired and on fixed incomes and can't afford professional yard maintenance. We like our screened gazebo where we can have drinks or cookout with our next door neighbors. We like our neighbors, the area and the closeness of shopping and the interstate. We like that we talk to each other and make each other aware of strange people walking by or strange cars in the neighborhood. When we leave town, we look out for each others' houses. What we don't like is newcomers who think it's their purpose in life to buy a house, remodel it and then force the rest of the neighborhood to look like LWR.

When you move into a new, unrestricted neighborhood it's not such a good idea to think to yourself, "This neighborhood is the perfect location. The neighbors all have yards that are not as nice as I would like, but after I move in, I'll just make my yard pristine because I can afford it and then I''ll simply call code enforcement and make them conform."

As soon as the house was finished we all started finding red tags on our doors from code enforcement. Our outbuildings were questioned, permits were missing (by the county, I had my copy) flower gardens were questioned as "overgrown"(?). The enforcement folks were VERY understanding as this is an old established, lazy, laid-back neighborhood that makes you want to drive through it slowly. They simply "knew the score" and were making an appearance so that they could say that they acted on the complaint.

Here's my free tip: If you find a nice area to buy into but you don't like the looks of the neighborhood, MOVE ON TO SOMEPLACE ELSE! But in our situation, this wasn't even the case. The new owners simply bought the house as a rental investment. The only reason they complained about the neighborhood was so that they could get higher rent and put more money in their pockets because they didn't give a crap about the neighborhood or the people in it.

My Florida con?? Newcomers arriving with the attitude that neighborhoods need to adjust to them, not the other way around.

[gratitude777]

Hi Nancy

We are currently here for a few days looking for places to live in this area and am curious which neighborhood you live in - it sounds like a great one!

Thanks!

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Gratitide777 - I sent you a PM

[ctwhitechin]

We relocated from the northeast in2014, we are in our 40s married no kids, we wound up in Parrish just north of lwr, couldn't be happier , not going back no way, we both found jobs in our respective fields, (nursing and retirement services) for about the same $$ and no way weccould have built the house we did here up in ct.