Buying a house in Florida next week........need advice on where to go. (Jacksonville: fit in, credit)

[firsttimeowner]

I read many of the treads here on Northport and spoke to some realtors as well. I am going to consider that location but also wanted to ask for an unbiased opinion on where I would be happiest.

I am 46 but look 35 and like younger men. I am single but not into the bar scene. I would like to be able to meet men younget than 60..........lol...........I mean younger than 40 honestly who are single or divorced. But my real priority in choosing a location is that it have great schools and a family environment for my son who is 12.

I also want some retirees and activities and good medical care for my mother who is 80.

So I kinda need a place we can all be happy.

lets not forget my puppy who is small and crazy. she needs parks and dogs to play with and she loves to run off the the leash.

so where would my magical spot in florida be?

oh yes I can spend 175k and i am open to the Tampa area as well as the sarasota area.


Please help.......................


Debbie

[grandmallie]

she would be your go to person, a great Gal and a native Floridian, she has helped many a person to find there little piece of paradise
good luck and happy hunting,we own in a 55 park in North Port, are only there infrequently, but LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

[SoFLGal]

Hey Grandmallie! Thank you!!!

Looking at your criteria here's my opinion. If your price range is $175K you could get a newer, bigger home in North Port or you could get a smaller, older home closer toward Sarasota. I guess it depends on how close you want to be to Sarasota, or if it even matters. Generally the farther north you go the less home you'll get for your money.

That being said, I do really like Sarasota myself or possibly the Osprey area but right now I don't have the $500K or so to spend on a home that I would be happy in in Southside Village or Osprey. So, for right now North Port suits us just fine. We have the benefit of the excellent school system and there's plenty to do in North Port for the the kids. My middle one is into North Port Youth Soccer and ym little one goes to gymnastics. The average age here is 38 so I think you would fit in nicely.

As far as meeting men, I would say you'd have to travel to one of the bigger cities like Sarasota or Ft. Myers. There aren't really many "hang out" spots in North Port. I met my husband at the gym so I always suggest that.

One thing you didn't mention is your job situation. Like most of the country, jobs are few and far between. I would not recommend moving until you have a job nailed down.

Oh and one more thing, I see youe user name is firsttimehomeowner, if you haven't owned a home in the last 3 years you could be eligable for a $8K tax credit.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by firsttimeowner

I read many of the treads here on Northport and spoke to some realtors as well. I am going to consider that location but also wanted to ask for an unbiased opinion on where I would be happiest.

I am 46 but look 35 and like younger men. I am single but not into the bar scene. I would like to be able to meet men younget than 60..........lol...........I mean younger than 40 honestly who are single or divorced. But my real priority in choosing a location is that it have great schools and a family environment for my son who is 12.

I also want some retirees and activities and good medical care for my mother who is 80.

So I kinda need a place we can all be happy.

lets not forget my puppy who is small and crazy. she needs parks and dogs to play with and she loves to run off the the leash.

so where would my magical spot in florida be?

oh yes I can spend 175k and i am open to the Tampa area as well as the sarasota area.


Please help.......................


Debbie

Hi Debbie - I answered some questions of your on the other thread, but based on this I think you would like Sarasota. You can get a home in your price range if you don't need a new Mcmansion. We bought a darling little 1950's Florida ranch house two blocks from the bay in Whitfield for under $200,000. There are nice neighborhoods all over Sarasota where you can get a home in this price range if you don't need too big or fancy. This is a great place to live, and downtown has a lot going on - I think you would like the scene here. I don't blame you for liking the younger men - so do I! lol My hubby is younger. Also, if LadywithaFan sees this post she can chime in - I believe she is single and can fill you in on nightlife etc. Plenty of dog friendly restaurants, etc. here - pup will be happy.

We do have some good schools here for the young one and plenty of retirees and retiree activities and great medical care for your mom. The only issue is whether you need employment, that is not so good here right now, but if you have that covered I believe Sarasota will fulfill all that you are seeking.

Best luck to you!

[firsttimeowner]

Well I seem to be torn between the two locations. I love the newer bigger homes with pools in Northport and yet I prefer to be closer to the coast but I guess the location or the house itself will win out in the end. I have to admit its hard for me to buy an older smaller home when I can get a nicer one a little farther away but on the other hand i like the proximity to more options that Sarsota offers.

I am not working. I get disability and we are paying mostly cash so bills wont be too high.


How would you compair the areas near sarasota to those near Tampa? Are all these suburbs somewhat similiar or does each have its own feeling like we have here in san diego. Are there particular ones to avoid. I am choosing homes in the better rated school districts but I dont know if that ensures me a good neighborhood overall.


I wish I looked in Northport 6 weeks ago when I was there. I think I had Naples on my mind but since came to realize its not what I want.

Thanks
Debbie

[Peter the Brit]

More life and younger people in Tampa. North Port will take more time to rebound than Sarsota and does not have the infrastructure Sarasota has
Look at St Augustine and Jacksonville on the NE coast as an alternative

[Big House]

You'll need to come for a visit and check it out! That would be the best bet! Most of the areas are easily reachable in a half hour drive - or so. Maybe 20 minutes if SoFLGal drives you!

[firsttimeowner]

well I was all set to come but I am now concerned about this chinese drywall issue. On the cape coral forum there is a long thread about this issue. With so many of the homes I like being built in the last 7 years esp. 2005-2008 how do I know I wont be getting one with problems. Do you think the great price of newer homes down there has anything to do with people not buying and prices dropping due to this issue. Even if its not a factor effecting price, it certainly is effecting my comfort level with buying a house that it may not be detected in at first and then it turns out to contain this dangerous substance. How can I pretect myself financially and physically?

Please help.

Debbie

[Big House]

Originally Posted by firsttimeowner

well I was all set to come but I am now concerned about this chinese drywall issue. On the cape coral forum there is a long thread about this issue. With so many of the homes I like being built in the last 7 years esp. 2005-2008 how do I know I wont be getting one with problems. Do you think the great price of newer homes down there has anything to do with people not buying and prices dropping due to this issue. Even if its not a factor effecting price, it certainly is effecting my comfort level with buying a house that it may not be detected in at first and then it turns out to contain this dangerous substance. How can I pretect myself financially and physically?

Please help.

Debbie

Debbie,
Chinese drywall is a concern if it is in your house, but by the numbers it is relatively few. And, as I have posted elsewhere if you are buying a newer home, it is going to have almost all of the drywall being chinese - or not, because the drywall is stocked in the house all at once. A good inspection, and if necessary a couple sample tests will show if the house contains chinese drywall - its not rocket science. A good inspection will reveal if this is a problem or not, and you can be confident about that.

Most of the horror stories you read, were because people were totally unaware of the presense of chinese drywall before they purchased, and no one was looking for it. Everyone is aware of it, and what to look for now.

If it is discovered though, I would not buy a house that has it. It has a lot of corrosive properties, and those properties display themselves pretty quickly, homes that were built using it already show the symptoms, and they really cant mask them, so they will show up during an inspection.

As people have already posted, you can smell it, you can see the corrosive effects on metal, drywall, metal doors / frames / hardware, corner bead, plumbing fixtures, hvac coils, hvac grills, light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and other things. Where you can see unpainted drywall, like on the back of it, you can see the names of the manufactures and do a little research.

You need to be prudent, but don't let it influence your decision (one way or the other) if you want to move here. You need to be careful anywhere, because it is not only in Florida, it is in every state. Good inspector's know what to look for, and will find it.

Good Luck

[kbuild]

Originally Posted by Big House

Debbie,
Chinese drywall is a concern if it is in your house, but by the numbers it is relatively few. And, as I have posted elsewhere if you are buying a newer home, it is going to have almost all of the drywall being chinese - or not, because the drywall is stocked in the house all at once. A good inspection, and if necessary a couple sample tests will show if the house contains chinese drywall - its not rocket science. A good inspection will reveal if this is a problem or not, and you can be confident about that.

Most of the horror stories you read, were because people were totally unaware of the presense of chinese drywall before they purchased, and no one was looking for it. Everyone is aware of it, and what to look for now.

If it is discovered though, I would not buy a house that has it. It has a lot of corrosive properties, and those properties display themselves pretty quickly, homes that were built using it already show the symptoms, and they really cant mask them, so they will show up during an inspection.

As people have already posted, you can smell it, you can see the corrosive effects on metal, drywall, metal doors / frames / hardware, corner bead, plumbing fixtures, hvac coils, hvac grills, light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and other things. Where you can see unpainted drywall, like on the back of it, you can see the names of the manufactures and do a little research.

You need to be prudent, but don't let it influence your decision (one way or the other) if you want to move here. You need to be careful anywhere, because it is not only in Florida, it is in every state. Good inspector's know what to look for, and will find it.

Good Luck

Big House is absolutely correct on this issue. For Once LOL...... The Chinese drywall was being shipped to the ports when we had our drywall shortage. I think a good Home Inspector would see the the signs that this drywall can bring. The drywall was being gobbled up by some builders who had the cash. Smaller guys like myself had to deal with no drywall (which is a good thing now).