[allenk893]

Originally Posted by ferret111

Yeah, tell me about it. I can't wait until the "snout house" (houses where the garage dominates the front of the house) design craze blows over.

Keep dreaming.

[jarvisp73]

Originally Posted by desert_scene

Are there any others like me that were either born in Florida or spent the bulk of their lives here, and are just totally sick of this place? And what really gives you a feeling of frustration and loneliness is watching those around you just rave about what an unbelievable paradise this is, like it's a surreal dream for them. They get to wear flip-flops in December they say! Look, I've been dressing like a bum here for nearly 40 years now. It would be nice to dress up in some grown up clothes now and then. I've got my fill of seeing rednecks wearing tank tops and sandals. People here are in honeymoon phase and I'm well passed that. My neighbor says to me yesterday, "isn't this just unbelievable weather?". Yeah lady, that's why that big window AC you see up there is running. Sorry but a 68 degree dewpoint isn't what I'd call perfect. And what's with the obsession with water? Their solution to beating the heat is always to submerge in water. Yeah I'll just put my client on hold so I can go in the pool. Only problem is once you get out of the water you're sweating again. Maybe we'll just conduct business in the pool with waterproof tablets. I've had enough water to last me a lifetime. My parents bought a house in St. Petersburg in the 70's and our recreation was based around the pool, boating, and fishing. Then we moved to Boca Raton in the late 80's. My grandmother had a top floor condo right on A1A overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. We just kept a copy of the keys and used the place anytime we wanted. Those are great memories but I'm beyond all that now. Now I know you also have the natives that love it here and wouldn't live any place else. I honestly don't know how somebody could look at a swamp their entire lives and be in awe. I think they just stick around so that they can boast that they were born here. I'm so ready for a change, I think I'm going to book a flight to Arizona in the next couple of days. Any other long time Floridian's that feel like me?

Born and raised in FL. Looking at relocating in may(Minneapolis).

[totsuka]

[quote=TXRyan23;22327319]Without going political (not my intent)..

Florida needs to allow off-shore drilling. Florida needs to grant fortune 500 companies tax breaks and land price breaks to relocate their companies to make it attractive. Florida is already not attractive from a logistics standpoint as it costs more to ship and takes more time to ship to the West Coast. Having insane prices for land doesn't help.

I agree but the left has too many lawyers ready to pounce on Florida if it even tries to develop Natural Gas fields in the Gulf. Going forward, Florida is won't be able to pay it's bills with the current job/economic base. We are not a high wage state and depending on real estate taxes to support everything is starting to fall apart. Medicaid is soaking up too much of the budget and with Obama-care coming on line that bill will grow even larger. Will retired people keep moving to Florida in the future? Maybe, but the next generation of retired people won't have the nice pensions and medical insurance that the previous generation brought with them.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by SassySpice

Whoop there it is................thing 2

I see, as usual, you have nothing of substance to add.
Why don't you stay on the sidelines and just watch.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by Jo48

Those are really UGLY looking places. The second one looks like the place I own in Florida. Ugly.

Your opinion of the looks really means nothing when discussing home prices in different areas.
Different individuals like different looks and homes come in many different styles.
Do you have 2 daughters, do they like different things?

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by Ken E

What makes it so unique? Only one in the country?

My house is unique also since I drew up the plans.
They may be somewhat similar homes but it is by definition unique.
There are many homes outside of subdivisions that are.

If we want to talk truly unique though we need to look at homes like the mushroom home, or some of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes.

[sware2cod]

The FL State Legislature is going to be looking at various gambling items this term, which starts in a few days. This could bring lots more revenue (potentially billions per year) into the state. Expect it to be in the news for the next couple months as the legislature votes on it.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Ken E

What makes it so unique? Only one in the country?

Because it started out as a simple 2/1 cottage in the 1940s... subsequent owners have built a porch here, enclosed a porch there, added a custom second story addition with spiral staircase, completely changed the roofline, added balconies and a back deck, a pool went in, and by the time we got it, it had been neglected on the inside, necessitating some ongoing remodeling projects that are ALMOST done. There is no other house like it in the neighborhood, and I like it that way.

Don't get me wrong. It's not architecturally important. It is not "custom built," and is not going to make Architectural Digest ever, but it's definitely not a production house in a community where the only way you know which house is yours is the number above the three car garage! In fact, I don't even HAVE a garage at all! And every morning, unlike "disgruntled native," I get up and appreciate what's in my own backyard.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

The FL State Legislature is going to be looking at various gambling items this term, which starts in a few days. This could bring lots more revenue (potentially billions per year) into the state. Expect it to be in the news for the next couple months as the legislature votes on it.

BAD REASONING HERE!

Gambling is a Zero Sum Game, nothing is created and the money just changes hands. No factory producing goods, providing jobs but rather people losing their rent money in the hopes of hitting it big. Casinos do provide jobs but they are low wage service jobs usually heavily dependent on tips.

Florida has its share of problems and gambing is not something it needs to solve them. Ironically one of the biggest opponents to FL Gaming is Disney (they are dumping millions into anti gaming lobbying). Mr. and Mrs. Small Town USA go to Florida for vacation with the kids annually....do they blow 3K at Disney or 3K at the casino resort?

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Because it started out as a simple 2/1 cottage in the 1940s... subsequent owners have built a porch here, enclosed a porch there, added a custom second story addition with spiral staircase, completely changed the roofline, added balconies and a back deck, a pool went in, and by the time we got it, it had been neglected on the inside, necessitating some ongoing remodeling projects that are ALMOST done. There is no other house like it in the neighborhood, and I like it that way.

Don't get me wrong. It's not architecturally important. It is not "custom built," and is not going to make Architectural Digest ever, but it's definitely not a production house in a community where the only way you know which house is yours is the number above the three car garage! In fact, I don't even HAVE a garage at all! And every morning, unlike "disgruntled native," I get up and appreciate what's in my own backyard.

Something else to appreciate: You don't have a runway's worth of concrete around the pool. Why do people need acres of concrete around their pool anyway?

Minimal decking is called "picture frame decking" with one side (usually the shallow end of the pool) with a decent size pad for entertaining/grilling etc.