[goodman3]

Looking at moving from Michigan to FL. Prefer middle of State either Atlantic or Gulf side within 30 minutes or closer to ocean along the latitude of Tampa and Daytona. Based on initial online searches properties on Atlantic side appear cheaper. We are in our 60s and don't require a big house but would like to be in a relatively safe area. Looking at Zillow there are many properties in foreclosure. Depending on cost of house willing to tear house down and rebuild.

Concerns:

*Finding a place in safe area.
*Good health care system.
*what is a mandatory evacuation area? When does that apply?

[Sunshine Rules]

If you live within a mandatory hurricane evacuation zone, the residents must evacuate the area of danger when a hurricane or large tropical storm is expected to hit your area within a specific period of time. It is illegal to stay in a home under a mandatory evacuation order. Hurricane shelters (usually school buildings) will be open for evacuees of those mandatory evacuation zones, so you will find yourselves camping in the shelter until after the storm has passed AND authorities allow residents back into the evacuated area. That may take a day or more after the storm, depending on how much damage was done.

Do you have pets? Some hurricane shelters allow you to bring pets under specific restrictions, others do not so you will have to make other arrangements for your 4 legged family members.

These zones are typically along the immediate coastlines, where homes can be impacted by storm force winds and/or storm surges.

Personally, I live on the west coast of FL because we are much less likely to get the brunt of a hurricane. Many head for the east coast of FL or, if they get into the Gulf, they had for the panhandle.

[Sunshine Rules]

PS: If you are looking at properties located within hurricane evacuation zones, you'll also want to see if the properties are located within flood zones as well. If they are in flood zones, be sure to check out the flood insurance rates with a local insurance company as the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) of the property can have a huge impact on the flood insurance rates.

[goodman3]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

If you live within a mandatory hurricane evacuation zone, the residents must evacuate the area of danger when a hurricane or large tropical storm is expected to hit your area within a specific period of time. It is illegal to stay in a home under a mandatory evacuation order. Hurricane shelters (usually school buildings) will be open for evacuees of those mandatory evacuation zones, so you will find yourselves camping in the shelter until after the storm has passed AND authorities allow residents back into the evacuated area. That may take a day or more after the storm, depending on how much damage was done.

Do you have pets? Some hurricane shelters allow you to bring pets under specific restrictions, others do not so you will have to make other arrangements for your 4 legged family members.

These zones are typically along the immediate coastlines, where homes can be impacted by storm force winds and/or storm surges.

Personally, I live on the west coast of FL because we are much less likely to get the brunt of a hurricane. Many head for the east coast of FL or, if they get into the Gulf, they had for the panhandle.

All good advise. I may have to reconsider which coast to look in to.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

Personally, I live on the west coast of FL because we are much less likely to get the brunt of a hurricane. Many head for the east coast of FL or, if they get into the Gulf, they had for the panhandle.

Actually that's false. The Tampa Bay area sits at a one in 25 probability which is better than SE Florida on the Atlantic side, but well below the least likely for landfall which is the Daytona to Jacksonville coast which is one in 50 all the way up to one in 100. The Gulfstream current offshore of that section of Florida swerves out to the east dramatically in that area which pulls storms off the shoreline and on up the coast toward the Carolinas and points northward. Florida Hurricane Info - Florida Weather Watch - Gulf of Mexico Storm Forecast

[kyle19125]

OP, you might look at Palm Coast. You'll find some well-priced homes in safe areas out of mandatory evacuation sections (west of I-95) that are still well within 30 minutes to the beach. The area is also served by highly rated Adventist Health and it's fairly new hospital in close proximity. Bear in mind on the Gulf side to be out of mandatory evacuation areas and within 30 minutes of the beach is fairly rare, plus given the amount of congestion/traffic thirty minutes inland isn't very far.

[Psychoma]

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC, based in Miami, FL) has a climatology page showing the average return period for hurricanes, number of landfalls (center/eye crosses land) by coastal counties, etc here: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/

If you live near the coast / waterways that feed into the bays/ocean then you'll want to view the storm surge (rise in water levels above normal tide levels from a storm) maps by NHC here (considered accurate down at the neighborhood zoom level & change storm category for water heights as they're typically higher the higher the storm category number, should an actual storm be approaching then surge maps specific for that storm come out about 90minutes after the first Watch/Warnings are issued, winds and surge are typically highest near the center/eye and less further from that area you are): http://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Map...935fad&entry=1

Mandatory evacuations, depending on the county/region, are typically primarily driven by storm surge threat near the coat / waterways as that is the greatest danger to life/property accounting on average half of all hurricane related deaths in the US. There may be other factors or areas asked to leave such as for winds or rain flooding. You do not have to leave in a mandatory evacuation as nobody will force you out of your homes in the US. But if you leave your house even just to drive/walk down the street you may not be allowed back to your home until after the storm. 9-1-1 typically does not respond to areas under a mandatory evacuation once the storm rolls in for their own & equipment safety. Some don't leave because it may be a day or two after the storm until allowed back in their area or afraid of looters who know most people are gone. As was mentioned shelters typically open when an evacuation is called for, some in the evacuation zones (if higher up out of waters reach, etc), some outside of evacuation zones as well you could go to. Or drive to a hotel, friends/family members place.

Edit: adding: The age of the house and what, if any, Hurricane related improvements have been applied, will factor into insurance cost. After Cat5 Andrew in 1992 lot of building codes have been changing over the years to better withstand future storms. And mandatory evacs are typically called for 1-3 days ahead of an expected storm.

[BabyBoomers2]

We lived in south Jacksonville for 10 1/2 years in a nice apartment. Funny, but we were told that hurricanes really don't hit Jacksonville, BUT, the outter bands of Matthew (2016) went over us and Irma (2018) went right over us. We were in a "no-evac" zone, so we stayed in our apartment during both of them. Matthew did very little damage inland, but Irma sure did. The St John's River look like a junk yard of floating stuff. IOW, hurricane season in Florida is nothing to mess with...…..be prepared!

Another thing for the OP to think about, northern Florida can get much colder, during Florida winters than any other part of Florida. We seen daytime highs of 45 and a morning (7AM) low of 25. In fact, on Christmas morning 2010, it was snowing...…..and I got this sight on video. It didn't stick, but it was snowing!

Heavy rain and lightning can definitely be a factor in Florida. We sure seen our share in Jacksonville. Talking about a "light show"!

Florida is a great place to live for many, but we should have never left Colorado and moved there. And, btw, OP, we are in our early 70's now. Spent all of our 60's there.

Good Luck.

[mollybygolly]

I am originally from Illinois and my husband is from Michigan.
We have lived in Florida for the past 30 years and have never had any regrets about moving down here.

We have lived all over the state....Ft Myers, Pensacola, Gainesville, Tallahassee and Ft Lauderdale.
Currently we are back in the Tallahassee area and will probably remain here. We like the slower pace and the change of seasons that North Florida has.

However, my mom recently moved to the New Smyrna Beach/Port Orange/Deland area, and I love it there.

So, if I had to recommend a place for you to check out, that area would be my first choice.

Florida is not perfect, and many people move down from the north and absolutely hate it. Myself, I am truly grateful every day to be living here, even after 30 years

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by mollybygolly

I am originally from Illinois and my husband is from Michigan.
We have lived in Florida for the past 30 years and have never had any regrets about moving down here.

We have lived all over the state....Ft Myers, Pensacola, Gainesville, Tallahassee and Ft Lauderdale.
Currently we are back in the Tallahassee area and will probably remain here. We like the slower pace and the change of seasons that North Florida has.

However, my mom recently moved to the New Smyrna Beach/Port Orange/Deland area, and I love it there.

So, if I had to recommend a place for you to check out, that area would be my first choice.

Florida is not perfect, and many people move down from the north and absolutely hate it. Myself, I am truly grateful every day to be living here, even after 30 years

I lived in Michigan AND Illinois, and this is my 3rd time to be living in Florida...again. I too am grateful to be living in Florida, and I'm never going to make the mistake of leaving ever again.

Michigan and Illinois were horrible by comparison, but that is just my personal opinion. To each his own.