Retirement home in Spring Hill, FL (Jacksonville, Tampa: HOA, insurance, chapel)

[dm1970]

I have read many posts on this forum and I'm looking for some additional insight.

My situation is that I currently own a home in Raleigh, NC and I'm looking to retire to the Pasco/ Hernando area Spring of 2019. I currently live in a 3100 sq ft home and want to downsize to about 1800-2000 SF. From 2002-2005 we lived in Port Richey and I have always wanted to return to the area. We also have good friends that still live in NPR.

So I am only 46, but retired from the military a few years ago and make about 48k per year in retirement. My motto is "life is short". I want to get up everyday and have the option to do whatever I want. After years of deployments and time away from my wife, I want to maximize my time with her.

Anyway, housing costs is probably the biggest benefit to moving to the area. Homes here in Raleigh are very expensive and continue to climb every day. I love Florida and the hot weather. I love how everything is close by and convenient. I want to be able to play golf year around and don't care to see another snowflake.

My question is does my situation sound like it would be suitable for the Spring Hill area? We want a new home in the low 200's (250k max). I won't need to commute. We are pretty boring people. As long as there are grocery stores, Kohls, Home Depot, Walmart etc close by, we would be content. We would drive to the Wesley Chapel area for any real shopping. And to Tampa/ Clearwater for entertainment and beaches. My wife is Filipino, are there many Filipinos in the area? I would like to live in south eastern part of Spring Hill close to the expressway. Is this a good area? What are the areas I should absolutely avoid as far as buying a home.

Thanks in advance for any info that you can provide.

PS Springhillian, I love your positivity! Keep up the good work

[BucFan]

Retired from military as well. Late 40's. Your pension will go far here. Just be careful about the location of your home as insurance rates can be high, especially if you're in a flood zone or flood prone area.

I golfed 30 yrs and just got tired of it. Now I bike, kayak, run. I'm in better physical condition now than during most of my military time ....lost 20 lbs from just putting fitness first. Want to make sure Uncle Sam pays for long long time.

MacDill AFB is about 45 mins away from me. I bike, used to golf, and sometimes stop in the commissary. No need for medical. I have a nearby clinic that takes Tricare no problem.

I have the same philosophy about work. Did our share through deployments and working for the man and being at his beckon call 24/7/365. No other real expenses other than travel (RV trailer), Bucs, Rays tickets, home owners association expenses, maintenence of house and car.

Good luck with these chapters of your life.

[BucFan]

P.S. this city data forum has a lot of other subforums for you to visit w/ knowledgeable posters that might help the transition to retirement go smoother.....the Personal Finance, Retirement subforums come to mind.

[dm1970]

Bucfan,

Awesome! I'm a huge sports fan as well. Will officially become a Bucs fan when I move. I'm from St Louis but lost my Rams to greedy owners. Die hard Cardinal and Blues fan.

I also want my health to be my primary focus. Lots of outdoor activities and home cooked meals. Of course if I just get too bored I guess I could get a job. I would rather just live within my means and maybe do some sort of home based business.

[HWTechGuy]

Hi there.

I'm also 46 and live in Spring Hill. Coming up on five years here and overall my wife and I are very happy here. There are lots of retired military folks in the area, as you can imagine.

You'll easily find plenty of nice homes here within your budget. There's lots of new construction, older/original established neighborhoods, and everything in between. Of course, it's pretty economical to live here.

I live in the more NW part of Spring Hill. I don't golf, but live in a golf course development (I just liked the house). It's a big plus that I'm close to pretty much any type of store I'd need. I'm not retired and drive a heck of a lot for my job, so it's nice having everything close. Last thing I want to do is drive far when I don't have to.

In terms of places to avoid, you mentioned you are looking at the SE corner of Spring Hill near the Suncoast. There's some nice neighborhoods there and some shopping as far as a Kohl's, Target, and some grocery stores. The majority of major retail is over my way on US19 or as well as on Highway 50.

As long as you are east of US19, flood insurance really isn't an issue. During Irma, only folks east of US19 had any kind of evacuation in place (other than mobile home residents).

One thing to look for in terms of cost - some areas have no HOA. Some have a very laid-back low-cost HOA (like where I am). Others have a more stringent HOA, as well as higher costs/fees. Newer construction may have mandatory HOA and CDD fees, so that's something to keep in mind as you poke around.

Best of luck, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

[dm1970]

Excellent information. I really appreciate your prompt reply!

I definitely want to be within 5-10 minutes of retail preferably able to walk to a grocery store if possible.

My wife will only live in new construction (long story) so I know that limits me. Any new construction up your way? I would love to live on a golf course or gated community, but overall amenities are not very important to us. Just looking for a clean and safe area.

Are there newer areas as far as retail or are most of the businesses older. Last time I was in the area Hudson along US 19 looked horrible. Most of the shopping centers were vacant, the place kind of creeped me out lol I love the newer look of Wesley Chapel but can't afford the area and here it is quite congested. Not a huge deal but I think I remember Springhillian mention about a year ago that some newer businesses were being built.

Thanks again!

[HWTechGuy]

US19 in Hudson has improved (still a dump IMO), but realistically US19 in Spring Hill is a whole different thing.

Most of new retail going in is up on Highway 50 (Cortez Boulevard). There's a brand new Aldi. Apparently we're getting a Lucky's (supermarket similar to Trader Joes or Whole Foods). We have the usual Publix and Winn Dixie stores, and multiple Walmarts and Targets. There's of course Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy, Sears, JC Penney, etc. Between what's on 50 and 19, we've pretty much got it all covered.

As far as new construction, there's no shortage of homebuilders here with sample homes around town, etc. I see some single homes being built here and there but in my immediate area, no new developments per-se. There is some new construction on the edge of Brooksville. I have a friend who lives in Trillium.

I can't think of anywhere you'd be able to get new construction and walk to a grocery store. Most of the grocery stores are pretty much in well-established areas. Unless you can find a lot somewhere and have a home built, that's a tough one.

[dm1970]

Yeah not a huge deal, just a "nice to have" as far as walkable stores. Sounds like the town is coming along nicely! I will have to check out Trillium. I plan to come down next summer to try to nail down exactly where we want to live.

[BucFan]

Curious why Spring Hill? Maybe other parts of the TB area? Or what about Jacksonville. I visit there 1-2 times a year (Mayport NAS, Jax NAS).....Mayport has a huge Filipino population. JAX NAS has a great golf complex (27 holes). Mayports' course is nice as well (18 holes). Lots to do in JAX including NFL. I may talk myself into moving there someday.

[HWTechGuy]

Originally Posted by dm1970

Yeah not a huge deal, just a "nice to have" as far as walkable stores. Sounds like the town is coming along nicely! I will have to check out Trillium. I plan to come down next summer to try to nail down exactly where we want to live.

Good luck.