any advice apprciated about relo to Ocala or surrounding areas

[MyHomeIsInOcala]

We are ready to leave the Ocala area... Just had our property visited by a sticky fingered POS again, this time the pukes got away with our brand new Toro.

We do NOT live in a bad neighborhood and have two houses here... The local PD just laid-off 5 officers due to their lack of budgeting and 50%+ decrease in Tax Revenues.

I would rather deal with cold over extreme humidity any day... Sad, but I truly do miss having four season and stunning fall colors. I find this area to be pretty ugly compared to the lush hills and mountains of North GA and upward.

Employment ops here are limited and are not growing. I am a partner in a boutique that caters to many older women and many are packing up and going back north out of FL with their husbands. This is certainly not the place it was decades past. Crime is high and the economy is weak at best.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by MyHomeIsInOcala

We are ready to leave the Ocala area... Just had our property visited by a sticky fingered POS again, this time the pukes got away with our brand new Toro.

The crime rate in FL cities was another turn off. The criminals prey especially on those who only live there for the winter. And the Ins Co's know this so the rates are sky high. That nixed us buying a winter home down there.

We do NOT live in a bad neighborhood and have two houses here... The local PD just laid-off 5 officers due to their lack of budgeting and 50%+ decrease in Tax Revenues.

50% decrease? Was that a typo? How are businesses staying afloat?

I would rather deal with cold over extreme humidity any day... Sad, but I truly do miss having four season and stunning fall colors. I find this area to be pretty ugly compared to the lush hills and mountains of North GA and upward.

Some areas around Ocala are pretty. Some of the land just looks like brushy wasteland. Pine and scrub barrens. I know I would miss the seasons also. We'll stay here until the holidays, then head for the RV resort near The Villages.

Employment ops here are limited and are not growing. I am a partner in a boutique that caters to many older women and many are packing up and going back north out of FL with their husbands. This is certainly not the place it was decades past. Crime is high and the economy is weak at best.

Why are these older retired people leaving FL? The cost of living? Crime?

[dontaskwhy]

Originally Posted by MyHomeIsInOcala

This is certainly not the place it was decades past. Crime is high and the economy is weak at best.

As population increases so does crime, they are directly linked. The more the population, the more opportunities to take advantage of unsuspecting citizens. Sad but true. I certainly don't like such trends but it is reality.

[MyHomeIsInOcala]

Originally Posted by dontaskwhy

As population increases so does crime, they are directly linked. The more the population, the more opportunities to take advantage of unsuspecting citizens. Sad but true. I certainly don't like such trends but it is reality.

It is the economy, not the population... that is shrinking here. I, over the past 40 yrs have learned one thing about property crimes, and that is most are committed by those who have no job and or on drugs. These are both very large issues in this area. Sad

[MyHomeIsInOcala]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

The crime rate in FL cities was another turn off. The criminals prey especially on those who only live there for the winter. And the Ins Co's know this so the rates are sky high. That nixed us buying a winter home down there.



50% decrease? Was that a typo? How are businesses staying afloat?




Some areas around Ocala are pretty. Some of the land just looks like brushy wasteland. Pine and scrub barrens. I know I would miss the seasons also. We'll stay here until the holidays, then head for the RV resort near The Villages.



Why are these older retired people leaving FL? The cost of living? Crime?

~We are not... we cannot pay employees (I cannot even take home any income) and we are unable to pay our bills in full or on time each month. I probably should have worded this to show property values are LESS than 50% off what they where, hence tax revenues are decreasing in such a manner that our Police, Sherriff and Fire Fighters are being cut. When you have one on-duty officer for an town of roughly 4500 ppl, you know there is a problem.

Both of our homes are just a few miles from the Villages in Belleview City.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by MyHomeIsInOcala

~We are not... we cannot pay employees (I cannot even take home any income) and we are unable to pay our bills in full or on time each month. I probably should have worded this to show property values are LESS than 50% off what they where, hence tax revenues are decreasing in such a manner that our Police, Sherriff and Fire Fighters are being cut. When you have one on-duty officer for an town of roughly 4500 ppl, you know there is a problem.

Both of our homes are just a few miles from the Villages in Belleview City.

I'm sure glad we'll be staying in a safe RV resort. Crime in it is unknown. It's all over 55 people. I guess too old to get themselves into trouble. I didn't realize that area was so bad off financially.

[barbarawalker]

anybody out there know anything about zephyrhills, i am planning to move out there, how are the schools, we have 9yrs,11yrs & 14 yrs old kids, we just wanna get away from the snow and cold for a while.by the way we are planning to move next fall