Unhappy or just making excuses (Tampa, Orlando: rental, insurance, mortgage)

[jbevard1]

I could use some advice and insight here. My family currently lives in Ocala. A few years agao, we started visiting the Tarpon Springs/Dunedin area. While I will acknowledge that no place is perfect, we fell in love with the area. I grew up on the east coast, so I miss the beach culture. My wife grew up in Ocala, and is actually tired of it.

Though I'm not sure what determined our decisions, we bought a house in Ocala two years ago rather than moving to Pinellas. We now live in a situation where we are almost daily questioning our decision. I could eventually become happy with Ocala, but my wife insists she will not.

The only way for us to now make the move is through bankruptcy. Our mortgage is underwater. On the upside, my wife is an RN and can transfer to other company-owned hospitals in the area. I currently stay home to homeschool our boys so schools don't matter as much to us.

My concerns right now involve finding a rental with a possible bankruptcy on our credit. I am also torn between taking the plunge to avoid more regret or having to return to Ocala after we find the area isn't really the paradise we see. I don't want to lose my home if the move turns out to be a bad decision. However, I want my boys (6yo and 8 mo) to have the childhood that I think those small towns and the Gulf can offer.

Ocala also has natural beauty, but jobs have always been limited if you are not already rich in horse farming. Not to mention that my wife wants to work labor and delivery, which Ocala lacks good facilities. Finally, part of me wants to show my boys the beach culture that I was able to enjoy.

Thanks in advance for any advice and for reading my rant.

~John~

[vaughanwilliams]

Well, Pinellas isn't paradise but it's definitely a step up from Ocala.
I have no problem with someone walking away from a bad mortgage arrangement, but could you rent your Ocala house to someone instead? Maybe spend a couple of hundred and talk to a lawyer.

[gulfer]

I would rent the place first before you filed for Bankruptsy. People want to know who they are renting to and rightly so.

Have you thought about renting your home in Ocala? You may not be able to get the entire price to pay your mortgage and insurance, but if you come up a couple hundred dollars short a month, it could still be worth it to keep the home, hope the value increases, save your credit, etc...?

A few years ago I would have said, pay your obligations. But this entire housing mess has made me indifferent to it all.

How much upside down on your house are you? If you are less than 20 grand, sell the house and take the loss out of your pocket and start fresh again where you want to live. If you are 50K to 100K underwater, you'll have a hard time ever making that up.

[algia]

Well, IF those are your choices (Ocala versus Pinellas) I would definitely rent out that property, and move west. In no way I would ever move to Ocala no offense, but by comparison I think your life WILL get much better in Pinellas.

[Irishiis49]

Rent a place in Dunedin/TarponSprings BEFORE you file for bankruptcy!!!!Though not all landlords do a financial backround(most do a criminal) you will never get a lease otherwise!

[MeInDenudinFL]

Unhappy or making excuses, you ask?

I say excuses. I wouldn't go the bankruptcy route just because "my wife grew here and is tire of it" and I "want to show my boys the beach culture that I was able to enjoy," your exact phrases.

Please make sure you cover all the consequences before making a second mistake.

Good luck

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by MeInDenudinFL

Unhappy or making excuses, you ask?

I say excuses. I wouldn't go the bankruptcy route just because "my wife grows here and is tire of it" and I "want to show my boys the beach culture that I was able to enjoy," your exact phrases.

Please make sure you cover all the consequences before making a second mistake.

Good luck

I agree, I say excuses, big time. You would actually consider going bankrupt just to make a move because your wife is "tired of it" and you want to show your boys beach culture???? Man, I don't have any words for this.

Please step outside, take a look around and appreciate what you have before making a huge and stupid mistake. Hopefully by now you have had time to rethink and realize what a bad idea this would be.

[algia]

"Happy wife, happy life"! (LOL, joking aside) I wouldn't file for bankruptcy, and ruin your credit.

Ocala sucks though...we loved Orlando between 2003 and 2007....(we owned two homes there) and then it got worst and worst...overbuilt, overpopulated etc, a mini South Florida where less and less people spoke English! & more and more people got mad with the roads! Ocala is not too far from that...I can understand why they want to get out of there.....I don't know what he meant about the "beach culture" though....unless he meant going kayaking, boating etc on regular basis...

In Tampa/St Pete/Tarpon if you get tired of the roads, and people, and stress all you have to do is go to the beach and relax, watch an awesome sunset, take in the breeze etc! What do you in Ocala?

[planedition]

Gulfer: So are you advising the OP (and maybe possible clients?) to walk away from their homes if they are 50k or more underwater? Just wanted to ask you to clarify that statement.

[corvidae]

Well, if you can find a way to move without going bankrupt, then do it. As others have said maybe you can rent your house. But otherwise stay put. It is not worth going bankrupt to move two hours south.

Ocala is not so bad. There are a lot of beautiful springs in that area, there is the forest, and you are only an hour and a half from the east coast beaches.

If you moved to the Tampa Bay area you may grow tired of the traffic, the crime, and the strip malls. Every place has its positives and negatives. I love Tarpon Springs and Dunedin both, but I also really like Ocala.