[bullies]

Hi all, first post. I’m still 3 years away from retirement but know for sure we want to retire to Florida. Have been coming down for over 30 years now and feel it’s about time to start investigating an escape from the Pennsylvania winters. My wife and I really have only one preference, which is to avoid south Florida at all costs. We like the Ormond Beach area down to Vero beach on the east coast and Homosassa down to Clearwater on the Gulf. Our long term (5yr.) goal is to purchase a brick and mortar home in Fla. and sell our home in Pa. (a total relocation) In the short term though our plan is to have a second residence somewhere in the areas of Florida I mentioned above. This plan has 2 main goals, first to give us a place to stay while on vacation, Second, after I retire this will be my "home base" in searching out the area I want to permantly retire to.

Since the place will be vacant for at least 9 months out of the year I need something that needs absolutely no outside maintenance on my part. That narrows my choices down to a condo or a mobile home, in a park that charges a monthly fee for things such as grass cutting. With the real estate market in flux the last thing I want to do is purchase a condo and five years from now find out it’s worth 10 % less than I bought it for. OUCH! That leaves me one choice…. a mobile home.

Does anyone know of a park where I can purchase just the trailer and pay a monthly lease / maint fee for the land. Looking for a park in a safe, decent area that is not run down with “white trash” as the norm but also not looking to spend a zillion dollars in a high class “gated community”. As I stated we’ve visited both coasts many times and location is secondary, my primary concern is the trailer park itself. Since the property will be vacant for such long stretches my major concern would be preservation of my trailer. Does such a place exist while doing it on a middle class working mans budget? Would love to get some solid leads to investigate on our next trip down.

Thanks

[cookie52758]

I'm from Tampa and am moving to Sebring, Fl. I have heard very good things about this small town and it is located 2 hrs. from the east or west coast in central Fl. It might be worth checking...good luck.

[Lilybeans]

Actually, a townhome or patio home with a homeowners association will also work for you. Most of those type places also do the outside maintenance.

[Mike1306]

We have a few condos in Hernando County, Weeki Wachee area, that are in the low $100,000's some even less.
They are on a small golf course and they are a little older but in a nice area.
Of course no one can predict where the prices will be 5 years from now but at around $100,000 I think it would be pretty stable.

If you went the mobile home route you counld find one in a park here for $50,000-$90,000 unless you wanted new. Then you could be looking around $110,000 or more.

[Andrea Mills]

I live in Avon Park and work in Sebring. I find Highlands County to be a great place to raise a family AND a great place to retire. I meet a lot of retired folks through my work and there are just so many very nice communities for about every lifestyle. Gated, not gated, mobiles, villas, SFH's, condos, lake front, golf course frontage, active lifestyle, assited living. You name it! I always pictured myself living up north after I retired but the sunny weather and all the activities start looking pretty good! If you need some more info, I'll be glad to help...