[getouttany]

My wife and I recently returned from Orlando with our 2 young children. We were almost enticed in buying a $25000 time share with Disney because we loved the idea of visiting the parks while escaping the NY winters. But then we thought why not just buy a place in Florida. After all of the dues on the timeshare, it would end up costing around 75K over 50 years. We would be looking for a place with almost guaranteed warm weather in the winter so we assume North Florida is out. Then it comes down to the East coast or West coast. We live on Long Island and have access to both calm North Shore beaches or Atlantic Beaches. I have always been partial to Atlantic. My wife likes the calm water. Co-workers have told me Jupiter and West Palm are really nice but I also know people with places just south of Tampa that love it as well. We would want to have it as an eventual place to live 1/2 the year so we would want some things to do. We would want to be close to a major airport. We would want to be close to the water. We wouldn't be sending our kids to school there so that isn't a factor. Any ideas?

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

Originally Posted by getouttany

My wife and I recently returned from Orlando with our 2 young children. We were almost enticed in buying a $25000 time share with Disney because we loved the idea of visiting the parks while escaping the NY winters. But then we thought why not just buy a place in Florida. After all of the dues on the timeshare, it would end up costing around 75K over 50 years. We would be looking for a place with almost guaranteed warm weather in the winter so we assume North Florida is out. Then it comes down to the East coast or West coast. We live on Long Island and have access to both calm North Shore beaches or Atlantic Beaches. I have always been partial to Atlantic. My wife likes the calm water. Co-workers have told me Jupiter and West Palm are really nice but I also know people with places just south of Tampa that love it as well. We would want to have it as an eventual place to live 1/2 the year so we would want some things to do. We would want to be close to a major airport. We would want to be close to the water. We wouldn't be sending our kids to school there so that isn't a factor. Any ideas?

Well it depends. I personally don't like the West Coast. I find it too conservative, and rural, but it is much cheaper. They also have a problem with high unemployment.

To find something affordable in the East coast you probably need to look for properties north of Palm Beach or in Homestead.(South of Miami) Just be careful as some neighborhoods are ok but others are trashy. The advantage the Miami area has is that it has MIA and the Ft Lauderdale airport close, and there are plenty of flights to choose from. But like I said properties are more expensive, and you get less space too.

[skylinet]

I think the best seasonal area in Palm Beach County would be Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens. Great beaches, easy freeway access if you want to take a weekend in Orlando/Miami/Ft Laud. Lots of good restaurants and shopping.
It's also not overly crowded. During season it's fairly busy, but there really isn't too much traffic.
Guess it would depend on what price range and what amenities you were looking for. There's a few other areas that are very nice as well.

[getouttany]

Originally Posted by skylinet

I think the best seasonal area in Palm Beach County would be Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens. Great beaches, easy freeway access if you want to take a weekend in Orlando/Miami/Ft Laud. Lots of good restaurants and shopping.
It's also not overly crowded. During season it's fairly busy, but there really isn't too much traffic.
Guess it would depend on what price range and what amenities you were looking for. There's a few other areas that are very nice as well.

Thank you. What other areas would you suggest? We would be looking for a condo/townhouse that would be probably no more than $200k. Based on some sites I checked it seems like there are a ton but I don't know if that price gets you a decent area or if that is still kind of trash. Obviously we would want a development/town where the people aren't fleeing out. I would say a family friendly town with not a lot of crime, family driven things to do like restaurants, bars, amusements, close to if not on the beach.

[JohnVosilla]

Originally Posted by getouttany

Thank you. What other areas would you suggest? We would be looking for a condo/townhouse that would be probably no more than $200k. Based on some sites I checked it seems like there are a ton but I don't know if that price gets you a decent area or if that is still kind of trash. Obviously we would want a development/town where the people aren't fleeing out. I would say a family friendly town with not a lot of crime, family driven things to do like restaurants, bars, amusements, close to if not on the beach.

Delray Beach, Jupiter, Sarasota, Clearwater

[FertilityDoc]

This sounds like a similar story to us. My family had been Disneyaholics for a number of years while my children were growing up. We came close to signing up for the Disney Vacation Club on a number of occasions. Ultimately I decided to look further into the future and buy a condo with an eye on retirement.

I have been all over Florida including the West Coast, SE Florida, Keys and Panhandle. I liked each area for different reasons. After a long process, we settled on Cocoa Beach. Why? First the cost in Cocoa Beach was more moderate than other beachfront property. Once you walk into an oceanfront condo, it is hard to want anything else. I remember the first time out on the balcony. The only thing I could muster to say to the real estate agent was "Wow"

Cocoa Beach is the closest beach to Orlando. There are a million flights in and out of Orlando daily. You have access to the theme parks if you so desire. I tend to spend most of our time at the beach these days. Cocoa Beach is still old time Florida with a charming downtown area. It is a thrill to watch rocket launches from the balcony. The beach is very uncrowded especially in South Cocoa Beach. Cape Canaveral Seashore, Thousand Islands and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge are all nice benefits to the area. If you are looking for a sophisticated urban experience, Cocoa Beach is not the place. It is however a great sleepy little beach town.

Understand that carrying a condo is an expensive proposition. Between taxes. insurance, HOA fees and repairs the numbers add up. It is much more expensive than a timeshare.

There are so many great areas in Florida. You have to decide what kind of a lifestyle you are looking for. I personally am not crazy about SE florida including Palm Beach given the population density. You don't even feel like you are at the beach with all the buildings. If you still have an interest in Orlando and the mouse, Cocoa Beach might be worth investigating.