Getting to know Weston and looking to buy home-- need help (insurance, homes)

[ruski]

Originally Posted by formerfire

May i ask how you narrowed your search down to Weston? Going through the same process.

was easy. Take a Weston exit off I-75 and you see drastic positive difference in Weston's favor over any other town. Everything is well landscaped and well taken care of.

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

Agreed. I have a few close friends who live in Savanna all of whom have been there over 8 years and complain of the isolation as a non-hispanic/non-spanish speaker (both language and social).

No such thing for us and we have been in Savanna for almost 10 years.

[formerfire]

Ruski does Weston differ alot from Pembroke Pines, Davie, Cooper City and Miramar? If so, how?

Thanks heaps

[acegolfer]

Originally Posted by formerfire

Ruski does Weston differ alot from Pembroke Pines, Davie, Cooper City and Miramar? If so, how?

Thanks heaps

I'll try to answer.

Most of Weston was developed by one company, Arvida. I heard that this company was involved in Walt Disney World. Correct me, if I was wrong.

They had a master plan for the entire city. Just look at the satellite view of Weston. You may see the difference from from other cities.

The roads and landscaping are the two things that I noticed that were different from other cities when I first visited Weston 2 years ago. There are no straight roads in Weston. All roads are winding, even though the terrain is flat. The communities are surrounded by big trees and lakes so it's not exposed from the public roads. Most homes are at least hundreds of feet away from the major roads. It's hard to explain but Google map street view might help.

[fauve]

I'm not sure curved streets is the best way to describe it as most new communities have curving streets and cul de sacs. Perhaps that all of the communities, even though it is a city of almost 50,000, share a connection with one another as they were all developed within the same time-frame and by the same builder with schools, waterways and shopping areas carefully laid out. There is also gorgeous landscaping through-out. And yes, it definitely has a Disney feel. I only wish they had used the 1930's-1940's architecture they had used in Celebration. That would have really given it an even more different feel from everywhere else in west Broward. Plus, the charm would be infinitely greater.

[TW2009]

Are there some areas or communities in Weston that I should avoid if I want to be able to buy hurricane/wind insurance ? I don't live in Florida and I am having a hard time trying to understand the hurricane insurance problem in So Fl. Thanks in advance.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by formerfire

Ruski does Weston differ alot from Pembroke Pines, Davie, Cooper City and Miramar? If so, how?

Thanks heaps

I'd say there is major difference. Most Pembroke Pines roads are straight, wide, commercially developed thoroughfares with off-shoots into various gated developments. I don't feel cozy there.

Weston doesn't have much in terms of commercial development, so you won't be seeing shopping plazas left and right on every block like you do in PPines.

And whatever commercial development is available in Weston, the businesses have to follow very strict signage rules, so there are no big glowing/spinning signs.

It is very easy on the eye in Weston.

Don't get me wrong, there are a number of good size businesses in Weston, and there are all the essentials stores too (we have FIVE Publix stores, a few CVSes and a couple of Walgreens, a number of restaurants, etc).

[fauve]

Originally Posted by TW2009

Are there some areas or communities in Weston that I should avoid if I want to be able to buy hurricane/wind insurance ? I don't live in Florida and I am having a hard time trying to understand the hurricane insurance problem in So Fl. Thanks in advance.

Insurance would run you the same for a comparable house anywhere in Weston. There's no location in Weston that's more hurricane-proof than another, although there are specific roof styles and building methods that can get you a discount with a wind mitigation inspection.

[TW2009]

Fauve, thanks.

[ruski]

also you can get a good feel for Weston based on these photos:

Weston, FL. Daily Photo

[acegolfer]

Originally Posted by TW2009

Are there some areas or communities in Weston that I should avoid if I want to be able to buy hurricane/wind insurance ? I don't live in Florida and I am having a hard time trying to understand the hurricane insurance problem in So Fl. Thanks in advance.

AFAIK, there's no hurricane insurance per se. It's part of your home owners insurance (HOI). In addition to HOI, you need to purchase flood insurance.

You can buy insurance with no problem in Weston. The difference is insurance premium.

Newer homes that comply with the new building codes will have smaller premiums. This doesn't mean older homes always have higher premiums. It depends whether a house has certain features such as hip roof, hurricane shutters. There's also discount for guard gated communities.

In my case, my HOI premium is $1400/yr for a 4/2 SFH built in 2002.