[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

WRONG! What do YOU know about Lakeland, have you ever lived there??? We love Lakeland so much we are relocating there from this overblown place called Sarasota. Lakeland is SPECTACULARLY beautiful, we were just there house hunting yesterday. Even though it has long been known as "conservative' it is basically a live-and-let-live place where people co-exist and seem to be very happy there. I know because I lived there 10 years ago and it's even better now. I am kicking myself for leaving! Lakeland even has started having PrideFest now with no incidents. And it has the nickname of "Swan City" because of all the swans there. And by the way, there is a beautiful Hindu Temple there.

Lakeland is strangely underrated on this forum, but it has actually been named the "hottest" real estate market in the country, by Realtor.com. And I can vouch for that because everything that comes up is sold before we can get to it.

I have found over the years that people just "parrot" what they have heard, or make a decision on a place by what they can see driving on the interstate. Anyway, OP, feel free to ask me questions about Sarasota or Lakeland.

I agree, Lakeland has been quietly "emerging" and has a surprisingly vibrant downtown area with a lot to do. Here's a cool little promo video the city put out...[vimeo]309975715[/vimeo]
https://vimeo.com/309975715

[HarryWhom]

Vero Beach / Sebastian area. Laid back, no "in your face" politics, beautiful, and uncrowded..

[FIREin2016]

hopefully not ultra conservative/ religious

Try California?

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by HarryWhom

Vero Beach / Sebastian area. Laid back, no "in your face" politics, beautiful, and uncrowded..

I agree. We almost bought out on the Island in Vero Beach, but just North of the City limits. That Island is beautiful and uncrowded....but also filled up with 80+ 'ers which is why we balked...and the 32 trains a day that will be roaring through Downtown each day.

Downtown Vero and the barrier Island are quite far from I-95, and that is what has protected them so well from humans. The prices out on the Island is the 2nd layer of protection.

32963 zip code (Vero barrier island) will likely be our last stop after Southern Sarasota County gets too crowded...and when we're nearing our 80's.

[HarryWhom]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

I agree. We almost bought out on the Island in Vero Beach, but just North of the City limits. That Island is beautiful and uncrowded....but also filled up with 80+ 'ers which is why we balked...and the 32 trains a day that will be roaring through Downtown each day.

Downtown Vero and the barrier Island are quite far from I-95, and that is what has protected them so well from humans. The prices out on the Island is the 2nd layer of protection.

32963 zip code (Vero barrier island) will likely be our last stop after Southern Sarasota County gets too crowded...and when we're nearing our 80's.

The area below South Beach has a better variety of ages as far as the island goes. Most of the mainland neighborhoods that aren't 55 plus also trend younger.