2 more questions about the Tampa area (Lakeland, Spring Hill: real estate, rental homes, insurance)

[PalmTreeLover99]

Hello again! I have 2 more questions for everyone. First my husband and I are trying to figure out exactly why there are so many rental homes available...it seems (and this is purely from what we can tell from internet research) that there is a mass exodus out of Florida. Why is that? Here in TN it seems everyone new I meet is from FL...typically south FL though, only met one family from the Tampa area and they only moved due to company moving. Are there as many new people moving in as there are moving out? I get the high taxes, but the way I look at it is you have no state tax (like TN) so they have to get taxes from somewhere so we're ok with that. Just curious...

Next question is sort of trivial. I am wondering about the palm tree situation in FL. I have seen pics and see that they're all around the bay area and St. Pete, but do they have them more inland?? Am wondering how if it's like CA where they extend into the desert area, do the palm trees in FL go into areas like Spring Hill/Brooksville, LOL, Lutz, etc?? I know the question might be silly, but I LOVE palm trees and want to make sure wherever we pick I have some to look at every day. Something calming about those palms... Frankly I am tired of being surrounded by hills and trees that look like twig hades as soon as those leaves fall.

Thanks in advance for any answers

[daniellefort]

Homes are not selling but people are moving anyways and just trying to rent the homes out to pay the mortgage.

Just yesterday on the news i heard the number of people moving to FL each day is down to 400 compared to what was normally 1000 people per day a few years ago. I bought some land myself in TN last year (along with all the other Floridians) and I will be moving there eventually too but not for a few more years.

Yes, i live in Inverness just north of Brooksville and we have palm trees in our yard. Not as many as you would see down south but we have them. You can even buy them at the garden centers and plant them in your yard if your that desparerate to have them. There's different types of palm trees too. Most of the cities/towns will buy them and have them planted around town as well.

[JSnFla]

tons of people leaving florida. they came for paradise, many found hell and are getting out.

[PalmTreeLover99]

I realize people are leaving FL, but why? What hell did they find?

[TampaKaren]

Hey PalmTree,

During the real estate boom years, many bought homes in Florida...some for investment, some for holiday homes, some for greed, and some just over extended their credit. Because of the demand, the prices rose a lot. Now, those homeowners who spent more than they could afford are trying to sell and investors who hoped to get rich quick are stuck holding properties they overpaid for. This correction, painful as it is for many, was needed.

There are some people leaving Florida, and some I wish that would (ha!). But people still want to move and live here for the weather. I moved to Tampa from upper east Tennessee in 1985 and I won't ever live in TN again. Maybe I'll get myself a holiday home, but Tampa is home and where my heart is.

To echo danielleforte, palm trees grow in tropical weather and are found everywhere in the state. There are about 900 different species of palm trees.

[si33]

first off..i totally agree about not wanting to be surrounded by hills..especially hills which are brown from may till january,as they are here in ca.
as for your question about palms...im also an avid palm nut...and cant wait to work with all the species you can obtain down in central fla...
in all my past visits to the tampa/sarasota/lakeland area,ive seen several types growing,some being the more commonly planted date palms..while others like spindle palms being more unique...grown throughout the area...
when deciding which palm species/variety to buy,keep in mind that there are several which require frequent fertilization...or they pout and turn "yellow"...of them, majesty palms are the pickiest...
also keep in mind how tall they will grow...id recomend starting out with some of the easier species like areca palms..which will stay below 20' or so and form nice clumps if properly maintained...and are fairly fast growers as well...
some others ive seen frequently offered in central fla. include king palms..
which are another nice feather type palm...christmas or adonidia palms..
triangle,and/or buccaneer palms..all of which are also feather type palms...fan-type plams include calif./mex.fan palms,palmetto species and the massive bismarck palm..
....i could go on about other types which are offered but there is only so much room...
my best advise is to do some reaserch online...in so. cal, there is a nursery which specializes in palms and has TONS..of excellent info..jungle music palms and cycads..is where to start...
and because most of central fla. is frost free most of the time...unlike most of ca.,you can obtain species we could'nt even try here...
there are also fla. based sites which discuss the frost tolerance of many species tested in the state..these sites also offer info about leathal yellowing..a devestating disease which has spread over the state..of which coconut palms(esp.) and a few others are suseptable to...
lastly, along with palms, plumeria can also be grown sucessfully in those areas...and there are plenty of places specializing in them down there..and
let me tell you, ther are'nt many other trees which can compete with a large plumeria in full bloom.....what a treat!!!..

[TXRyan23]

I left Florida for Tennessee too..

I wonder why so many Floridians leave for Tennessee ?

Personally I had family here and the jobs pay better. I think the " hell " JSnFla was talking about, atleast as I see it is that rent is in most places in the thousands per month while the average job still pays minnimum wage. Insurance is so damn high you can hardly afford it and if you can't afford it, atleast auto insurance, they'll suspend your drivers license.

My family had a LONG discussion tonight about moving back and of course the nostalgia set in because we lived in Tampa for so long. Reading alot of the posts in this forum, however, has changed my mind once again.

IMO, I guess, If I want the warm weather only with cheap houses, insurances, and beaches, I'll continue my quest for Texas.

[gypsychic]

Not much to add here, but we used to live in Dade City, 30 mi. NE of Tampa, and very few palms will grow there - the landscape looks more like North Carolina. However, we now live a little further south and inland in Lakeland, and the landscape is "tropical paradise meets old south"! I absolutely love it, it is incredibly lush here, I just can't believe the variety of everything that grows so well here. We have a great climate, and very rich soil because Lakeland is part of the "uplands" of Florida, and is much higher ground than most of the peninsula or coastal towns.

We have palm trees of all kinds, and combined with the neat vintage architecture, you could almost think you were in some beautiful California town. A nice bonus about this area is that that it is incredibly affordable - unbelievable "bang for your buck" here - come check it out!

Good luck to you!

[nitokenshi]

People leave because they want a change. Me for example I was born and raised in fl and I didn't see snow or mountains untill I was 18! So yea once I am done with a school I will go where there is snow.

[berkshirelassie]

Hi,
My best advice to you is do your research! Unless you have jobs lined up don't consider the move just yet. Wages here a pretty bad and cost of living is very high. I'm from Massachusetts and thought the cost of living was bad there! After living in the general area you are speaking of for five years, MA looks like a bargain. There are many reasons people are leaving, property taxes are very high and home owner insurance is crazy, especially the closer you live to the coast. Another thing you have to consider is sink hole insurance. Palm trees, well, they are just about everywhere here but should be the least of your concern if you are making such a big move.
Now on the positive, going to the beach on Christmas day, never having to wear boots, gloves, hats or heavy winter coats is a joy! There is always something going on, concerts, plays, fairs, flea markets, etc.. I sold a new home to a good friend in Brooksville and she loves living up there. But, it is always the coldest spot on the weather during our cold snaps.
Take care