Sarasota (Bradenton, North Port: lease, how much, home)

[movingqueen]

Ok, we have lived in Sarasota for 5 years renting a home at 1300 a month becuase we could not afford to buy, we only make 73,000 a year!!!!!!!!!!!
Now we are coming into some money and cant decide if we should invest in a falling over infalted market or pick up stakes and move to GA,NC,SC or back home to upstate NY land of high taxes and no jobs! Someone please give me some advise. We are have kids a 7th and 5th grader and need to make a decision by the end of the current school year since our lease is up the end of May.

[Ladywithafan]

Wait for the hurricane predictions that come out in March/April...see if that jacks up wind/flood & then make your decision......

[gypsychic]

Don't know how much $$$ you are coming into, but will you want to purchase in that overinflated market? And hurricanes are very real here - we have to worry each and every year. Sarasota has gotten by with no damage for a long time, but I lived there for 17 years, and saw MASSIVE flooding and destruction from a couple of seemingly non-significant "no-name" storms that struck without warning. And I am talking flooding all the way at least 5 miles or more to the east. Now there is even more building than there was years ago when this happened and less places for the water to go.

I would make a list of pros and cons and ask yourself if you can bear the cost of a property including taxes and ins. which are higher in Sarasota than other counties, also do research into some of the other states you mentioned. You can get quite a bang for your buck elsewhere, and a nice lifestyle to boot. Just depends on your priorities.

Good luck!

[beckw]

Sarasota is expensive but just minutes from there is Bradenton. Many great communities.

[jdber94]

Two words.........North Port

[Chimpie]

North Port is growing and even though the schools look like prisons, I've heard they are pretty good learning environments.

Over the next five years I can see the commerical and entertainment businesses increasing greatly, making it a funner place to live. Right now it is just too slow and boring, and a little too redneckish for me to move down there, even though I have family there.

[jdber94]

Originally Posted by Chimpie

Right now it is just too slow and boring, and a little too redneckish for me to move down there, even though I have family there.

What??????????

Let's see beaches, boating, bike riding, jogging, horse back riding, fishing, etc. all year round. Yup, it does not sound like the perfect area to me

[Chimpie]

Beaches in North Port? Okay, granted I only lived down there for a little over two years, but I don't recall any beaches there.

[movingqueen]

Originally Posted by jdber94

Two words.........North Port

See I have family in NP, some are even Police officers and I am under the impression the school are over crowed in Middle and High??

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

Wait for the hurricane predictions that come out in March/April...see if that jacks up wind/flood & then make your decision......

Ladywithafan,

What USA Today posted for 2007 Atlantic hurricane season:

should have above-average activity, with three major hurricanes and a good chance at least one of them will make landfall. This was posted on 12/06/06.

They also predicted 14 named storms and a total of seven hurricanes next year and was also noted a 64% chance of one of the major hurricanes — with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater.


Let’s hope for the best in 2007