Rich_in_Tampa said:
Huh? It's hot, alright, but heck - we eat outside year round including August. Shorts and t-shirts, get the fan gpong in the lanai (covered patio for you foreigners). Take a dip in the pool if you work up a sweat. I jog in the early evening. Go inside mostly to sleep or do chores. Watch my bamboo grow about 6" a day, plumeria flowers between the hibiscus bushes. No stay-in month for me.
As a Wisconsin to Tucson survivor, I can tell you that it takes about 2 weeks to adjust to the heat and you have to dress and plan accordingly. But mostly it just becomes invisible and the entire outside is part of your daily life all year long.
We pretty much feel the same about St. Auggie. Took me an hour or so to get used to the heat and I am/was used to SoCAL for 15 Years and Toronto for 6. 2 extremes. I do not wear a shirt at all most days (unless I have to go out in public and then it is a "T" or "Golf" style) and in all honesty I cannot remember when I wore long pants last. I think it was when I visited Toronto last.
Housing seems to be coming down in the (what I like to refer to as) the NorthEast MicroClimate Corridor. From Pointe Vedra to Titusville. We are still renting, just waiting for the right buying opportunity, seems all homes are reduced lately and there are 2500 available on any given day. Even the realtors around here have finally conceded and are promoting a buyer's market, took em' a while, but they are getting the message.
Rich, how are Tampa home prices lately? I looked a few months ago and they seemed quite stable. Although one seems to get a lot more for the money on that coast (North West) or is it simply my perception and not really knowing the market?
I say NE uCimate corridor because it seems that we are a few degrees lower than everyone else in the summer, and we certaily seem to get less rain. The big whirly winds main fury seem to bypass us, we get outer band stuff but not the main brute force. (I looked at the historical weather patterns before we moved here) Most modern homes are concrete block and certified to 140 odd mph winds.
When it is just storming down in JAX, we are all sunny and bright. White puffy Caribbean style clouds etc. Please do not get me wrong, we get our fair share of rain in the season, (July - November) but it all seems to come in the afternoons for about an hour. Then all is fine and dandy and fresh again. We have only been here a year though, so we may be experiencing a somewhat unique environment, but it is most tollerable.
The best part is the traffic and concentration of people is very managable. Very rarely does one spend time stopped in traffic. We like to drive around looking at potential home sites and do so mosly at the weekends, driving from Pointe Vedra to Palm Coast and sometimes Daytona Beach. The only time there was a serious traffic issue was during the last Bike week. Then we stayed at home. So the NH folks stay at home during -21 degrees of cold, we stay at home during bike week. Regardless of the traffic, there are so many idiots out there trying to kill themselves during bike week, it is far more satisfying to stay at home and watch the mess on TV. I am certainly not implying that all bikers are idiots, but there are some in every demographic. Bike week brings out their fair share too. So we all have a similar time of year to deal with in one way or another. Never too hot here to go out though.
In addition we are about 40 - 50 minuted from JAX and a very easy no traffic drive till you hit the south side. I do it occasionally to go to the Airport and Costco.
SWR