Please fill out my questionnaire (Sarasota: rent, house, buying)

[gardenpearl]

I know several people who decided to visit Florida in August to see if they could handle the heat before relocating. One was okay with it and moved to Sarasota, the other came back from a scheduled one-week trip in only 5 days and decided against it. The latter also mentioned they had an unfortunate experience with palmettos in the enclosed outdoor porch of their rental.

I've traveled to many parts of Florida and found that I go by the feel of a place also. If I stay a couple of weeks and do a lot of exploring in the area, I can usually rule it in or out by then. Some places I could decide within a few days.

One thing I noticed about many areas is that things are very spread out. Florida is a bigger state than I'm used to, so if I relocate, I'll try to move near the things I like doing, and also near some good medical care and other professional services.

[coastal chic]

Originally Posted by k9coach

Only if you live in Florida.

Questionnaire:

Please indicate your general location. Englewood.

How long have you lived in Florida? 40 YRS (Native!)

How many motor vehicle accidents have you been in (within the state of FL)? 2? A long time ago.

Do you believe FL home prices will continue to rise over the next year? (elaboration welcome). Yes.

What is the earliest year built home you would consider owning? (elaboration welcome). I love old homes, but own a construction company. I live in a 70's ranch that I will eventually tear down and build new. I wouldn't hesitate to buy an older home if I confirmed the elevation and insurance rates before purchasing and all major systems had been updated.

Do you seek out organic food options and if so, has it been a challenge to find organic items? No, n/a

Is there a Hooters restaurant or a strip club or a sex / pornography store or a billboard for any of these that you have to drive past on a regular basis? (I know people LOVE to make jokes about this stuff, but please respect that it is not funny to me at all.) No.

Have you had fire ants on your property? Have you been bitten by a fire ant? Yes, and yes.

How many people do you personally know that have contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite in Florida? None.

How many dogs do you personally know of that contracted heart worm from a mosquito bite in Florida? None.

Do you currently have a bug bite? (tell what bit you if you know.). Not that I know of.

Approximately when was the last time you saw a widow or recluse spider in your home or on your property? (are you 100% certain it was a widow or recluse?). 5 years ago- black widow.

Approximately when was the last time you saw a large spider inside your home? How frequently does this happen? A year ago maybe? I like big spiders; they kill big roaches.

When was the last time you encountered noseeums and where? Last night, Manasota beach club- so I guess I do have bug bites lol.

When was the last time you encountered a rattle snake, copperhead, cottonmouth, or coral snake on your property or in your neighborhood? 20 years ago- Pygmy rattler.

Have you personally been hurt by a jelly fish or sting ray in the gulf? Yes, jelly fish, when I was in high school. Once. It was a small one- they don't hurt much.

Please describe the last time a FL weather event has caused concern for your safety or damage to your property. 2004- hurricane charley.

Please give a word, a phrase, or a sentence that first comes to mind when you think of each of the following areas (the reputation, housing, people, and/or general atmosphere there):

-- Parrish
-- Eastern side of Bradenton
-- Western side of Bradenton- my brother lives here. I love it and think it has character.
-- Fruitville area of Sarasota
-- Sarasota Springs
-- Lake Sarasota
-- Myakka City
-- South Venice- good location but too much nice next to not so nice for my taste.
-- Warm Mineral Springs section of North Port (if not familiar with that section feel free to alternatively give a comment about N.P.). Does nothing for me; too much sprawl. Too far from beaches.
-- Englewood- I live here, so I like it! Small town, great beaches.
-- Rotonda- affordable country club feel, a little too far out, reasonable deed restrictions, roomy lots
-- Port Charlotte- no comment.

If you have dogs:

When was the last time you found a tick on one of your dogs? How frequently do you find ticks? A couple weeks ago, I check regularly. I have had more issues with ticks than fleas.

Have fleas been an issue for your dogs? No.

Has your dog been stung by a fire ant? Probably!

What types of wildlife have caused problems for your dog? They chase armadillos at night. I do believe our cat was killed by a coyote recently though.


Believe it or not I have more questions than this but I'll stop now. Thank you to anyone that answers!

About the bug thing, when we visit North Carolina every summer, I find there are more bugs there.

[k9coach]

Do the dogs seem to be getting ticks in their own yard or is it happening when they go for walks?

I want to know how noseeum bites compare with mosquito and red ant bites. Which one is most painful as it's happening and which aftermath is most bothersome? Are red ant bites and noseeum bites pretty comparable in terms of pain and itch and both are considerably worse than a mosquito bite?

[dcp528]

k9coach, sounds like you have a phobia to bugs. You are not going to die if you get bit unless you have a life threatening allergic reaction. Is that the medical condition you have?

[beninfl]

This bugs stuff just cracks me up.

There are 170 million insects for every human on Earth! Hide the kids! Hide the wife! Lock the doors! Seal up everything! Move to Mars!

[coastal chic]

We live in a very wooded area, and they occasionally pick up ticks while on walks. If you brush your dogs regularly they are easy to find. Some of our pets sleep in bed with us too. I do not treat my dogs with topical pesticides and have never had fleas.

Your body chemistry can make you more appealing to some bugs than others. Mosquitos, for example, rarely bite me. But noseeums love me! They don't hurt really, but they're annoying. They come out at dusk mainly, so they're easy enough to avoid. Red ant bites hurt the most, and hurt for days.

I think one of the best things about Florida is the nature. Nature includes alligators, armadillos, possum, snakes, turtles, birds, frogs, manatees, dolphins, fish, bobcats, and yes, even bugs. These are things I commonly see. If I see a snake (and i see black racers multiple times a week), I stop and watch it. If I see a spider, I let it be; they eat insects. They were here before us, and they deserve to be respected.

If your MAIN focus is a place without bugs, I don't think that place exists. And to clarify- brown recluse are rarely found in our area- they are extremely easy to misidentify. You can use pest control in your home, pesticides on your dogs, spray your yard, and you'll keep them at bay. But at what expense?

To minimize bugs, you would want to live in a suburban neighborhood that is fairly well built up, with few trees, and stay in at dusk and dawn. The more remote you are, the more nature you will have.

[gardenpearl]

I read that in the old days in Florida, before A/C and pesticides were prevalent, Floridians used spiders to control other bugs. Each room had a large spider hanging out on the ceiling someplace.

I often see one small black spider hiding above each of my doorways in the summer; I just ignore them and let them do their thing.

[k9coach]

Originally Posted by coastal chic

I think one of the best things about Florida is the nature. Nature includes alligators, armadillos, possum, snakes, turtles, birds, manatees, dolphins, fish, bobcats, and yes, even bugs. These are things I commonly see. If I see a snake, I stop and watch it. If I see a spider, I let it be. They were here before us, and they deserve to be respected.

I completely agree with the bolded above.

Originally Posted by dcp528

k9coach, sounds like you have a phobia to bugs. You are not going to die if you get bit unless you have a life threatening allergic reaction. Is that the medical condition you have?

I was actually thinking earlier today.... maybe I need to get some therapy to overcome my "issues".

I am not phobic about all insects and arachnids. Today I found a jumping spider in my mud room and got him to jump onto my hand and I carried him outside. I adore jumping spiders, they're harmless and interesting and cute. When I'm in Florida I see various types of bugs and spiders outside and it doesn't bother me at all because they're harmless. My phobias are very specific - widow and recluse spiders that can cause excruciating pain, disfigurement, and death, snakes that can kill me or my dogs, and ticks that can cause horrible diseases.

My spider phobia is the most pronounced and it is species specific. For example tarantulas don't bother me at all. I've held them, fed them, they are not even spiders to me, they're like mammals! But I have to admit there are certain types of spiders like huntsman and wolf spiders that scare me even though they really aren't a threat to humans. I should probably work on that because it is irrational. And I actually feel guilty for being so afraid of widow and recluse spiders. They are sweet and shy and mean no harm to people. They only bite when they feel forced to, like when someone steps on them by accident or rolls on top of them while sleeping.

The mosquitoes, noseeums, and fire ants are a quality of life issue for me. If I'm itchy all the time I'll just be perpetually agitated and I will feel ugly if I'm covered in swollen red bumps. I'll also feel like a crappy pet owner if I move my dogs someplace where they are constantly getting chewed on by bugs.

[coastal chic]

Everyone should read this.

EENY299/IN576: Brown Recluse Spider, Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch and Mulaik (Arachnida: Araneae: Sicariidae)

[k9coach]

Originally Posted by coastal chic

Everyone should read this.

EENY299/IN576: Brown Recluse Spider, Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch and Mulaik (Arachnida: Araneae: Sicariidae)

I have it memorized.