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Old 04-05-2019, 06:24 AM   #41
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I appreciate that the service road issue seems to be unique to that development. I think my point was nothing is perfect...
And what/where is? Gated communities almost all give up some state/county services, or have work arounds for them. I wonder how safe your friends would feel if the service road were closed, limiting access for fire trucks and ambulances but blocking more "bad dudes".

Gated communities can give a false sense of security. Criminals don't all drive cars, or give up because some minimum-wage guard sits in a box at the front.

And none of this is unique to Florida, or any other state.
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Old 04-05-2019, 06:28 AM   #42
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My wife and I made two trips to Florida this winter: The Keys and Orlando. We stayed a week in/around each location and did the typical touristy stuff, saw some night life, did all the highlights. Keys were in late November, Orlando in late January. Each trip FIRMLY set in stone that we will not be snowbirding, vacationing, retiring, and possibly not visiting Florida again at any point. While there, we just weren't sure what was so captivating about a place that has bugs 12 months a year, where you must run your A/C almost 11 months a year, and the cost of living (like the OP noted) if you want to feel "safe" is extremely high. The safety issues you speak about do not surprise me at all, as there were several times that we felt unsafe while we were there. I suppose if you had a TON of money each location would be entirely different from what we experienced, but for the common middle-American who is retiring...PASS.
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Old 04-05-2019, 06:41 AM   #43
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What insurance company will cover a 3200 sf home near the beach including wind coverage for 1400 and have a low deductible?
Usually the named storm deductible is atleast 2% or more and 1400 is really cheap regardless.
Tower Hill.
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Old 04-05-2019, 06:44 AM   #44
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The West Coast gets hit a lot harder than the East... typically. Naples up to Punta Gorda. Whenever we drive through Naples there always seem to have tarps on the roofs. But then we do not go there that often. The last time was 3 months after Irma and it was a mess. Not to mention the traffic which is what REALLY put us off buying there.
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Old 04-05-2019, 06:46 AM   #45
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For us, the home insurance is $861 yearly for a 2,886 sf home which includes a $8.2k hurricane deductible.
We are 1 hour from the beaches.
Our deductible is $2k It cost us an extra $65 or so to bring it down from the $9k. I thought it was worth it.
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Old 04-05-2019, 06:55 AM   #46
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We have never felt unsafe in our area. We are a gated Country Club community. Upscale according to realtors, but I would debate that.

Orlando and the surrounding areas are not a measurement on Florida lifestyles, in fact Orlando is an example of where NOT to live. Visit OK. Live... No.

The Keys are Great, getting there though all the South Miami Burros is a different story.
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Florida a Paradise with the usual flaws.
Old 04-05-2019, 06:56 AM   #47
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Florida a Paradise with the usual flaws.

strobot “While there, we just weren't sure what was so captivating about a place that has bugs 12 months a year, where you must run your A/C almost 11 months a year, and the cost of living (like the OP noted) if you want to feel "safe" is extremely high. The safety issues you speak about do not surprise me at all, as there were several times that we felt unsafe while we were there.”


Simple the lure to me is sunshine.. my Pennsylvania home doesn’t have the harshest climate in the states by far. There are however a good 3-4 months of what I call ‘the cold gray’. No issue if you are going to work for 8-10 hours a day but if you are retired.... for others think winter in North or South Dakota, Minnesota, Chicago.
Bugs yep plenty but, the screens keep them at bay.

Me the issue is more the growing congestion. We have seen vast tracks of land being developed... 10,000 boomers in the US turn 65 each day. Plenty of buyers.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:03 AM   #48
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Me the issue is more the growing congestion.
This is a growing problem, especially on the West coast which is just about unbearable in season for us.

Out on the east coast it is getting worse but I would say it is about 1/5th of the West coast in season.

Living near the beach helps with the bugs and the heat. The breezes are pretty much constant year round. We have not used our AC at all this year..... YET.

Remember anywhere inland in Florida is going to be brutal from a heat perspective.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:19 AM   #49
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Our deductible is $2k It cost us an extra $65 or so to bring it down from the $9k. I thought it was worth it.
Agree.
A friend has something similar. I am fairly sure that I can do something similar after a year, but not right away. (Just got the insurance).
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:21 AM   #50
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I have lived in gated and guard gated and they are completely different. A gated community just slows a criminal down although a good number you just bunch in *1234 or 1234* and you get in or #. Try it on yours and see! Guard gated takes a little effort generally. Although as the OP points out they had a security flaw. I also know of one guard gated where you just say you are going to the country club to golf and they let you right in without even calling the starter to check. So as the op says nothing is perfect. I am sure it's stupid but I am more concerned about alligators and bugs in FL as I do not think I want to live with an abundance of either.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:22 AM   #51
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Me the issue is more the growing congestion. We have seen vast tracks of land being developed... 10,000 boomers in the US turn 65 each day. Plenty of buyers.

We actually didn't mind the traffic at all, or really notice it. That being said, we are from the DC/MD area where 30 miles can take 2 hours depending on time of day/week.


As far as bugs are concerned, the beach is where we got bit the most! I'm not sure if they were sand fleas or what but it was miserable.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:33 AM   #52
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I have lived in gated and guard gated and they are completely different. A gated community just slows a criminal down although a good number you just bunch in *1234 or 1234* and you get in or #. Try it on yours and see! Guard gated takes a little effort generally. Although as the OP points out they had a security flaw. I also know of one guard gated where you just say you are going to the country club to golf and they let you right in without even calling the starter to check. So as the op says nothing is perfect. I am sure it's stupid but I am more concerned about alligators and bugs in FL as I do not think I want to live with an abundance of either.
Only have to worry about alligators if you live on a pond/lake. We face a conservatory, so no worries. Okay one can't swim in the lakes either.
As far as bugs go, it is not an issue all year round, much more so in the 6 month summer. Even then, if one has a screened in lanai, one can sit out at night.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:33 AM   #53
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I have family in FL that have been going since the 1970's. Yes it is super hot--visit in July or August some time before moving. It is brutal--115 and dry in Palm Springs is much nicer than 90/90 humidity in Florida.


The crowds are becoming worse - very much like California. That said, it is a nice place to spend the winter.


The doctors are money machines--multiple medical frauds (unnecessary tests, etc. )committed with my family. And watch out for the new protective laws for people who are in nursing homes-could make out of state family have issues directing your care. Enough said on that.


If security worries you consider a condo. I find the older people with a lot of time on their hands tend to get a "get off my lawn" syndrome when someone trespasses in their gated community. This is a time of life when they have a great fear of loss and trespassers trigger that.


No offense to your relatives, but I would worry more about the ugly people in the new developments than anyone trying to get in. Many who come down have profound sense of cultural entitlement.


Older real estate is cheaper than the newer homes, but anything built after Hurricane Andrew has better construction codes and will survive a hurricane better. My relatives are all in 1970 or 1960 homes and they just survived 100 MPH winds with nary a scratch, but the party starts when you get to 130 MPH winds. If you are inland (Orlando area for example) you will likely not experience that no matter what hits you.


Every place has its issues, it's just good to know before you move. Good luck to you.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:36 AM   #54
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I would be more concerned about increasing hurricane intensity. The heat was a show stopper for us.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:42 AM   #55
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Personally, none of the above bothers us. It did take a year or so of getting used to, but when we left SoCAL we were in the Caribbean for 3 years, that environment was a lot worse than Florida from a bug perspective.

Honestly, if you believe all the hearsay and negative feedback about Fla, then you should not come. It will actually do us a favor as it is getting crowded in some areas.

However, if one carefully reviews Fla Counties, their Quality of Life and Healthcare availability (as opposed to only COL), you will find some actually spend money in the right ways. Some parts of Florida are less like Louisiana, Mississippi, and North & South Carolina than one thinks. If you are just looking for LCOL, then you are asking for trouble IMHO.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:43 AM   #56
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I would be more concerned about increasing hurricane intensity. The heat was a show stopper for us.
I agree that the heat is the key issue.
My DGF loves the heat. Had on a little heater last week, as the overnight low was in the low 50's outside.
For me, I will still go outside and play sports in 90 degree heat, but we would stay inside in 25 degrees in winter in the North. So would rather have major heat than major cold but of course YMMV.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:55 AM   #57
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Personally, none of the above bothers us. It did take a year or so of getting used to, but when we left SoCAL we were in the Caribbean for 3 years, that environment was a lot worse than Florida from a bug perspective.

Honestly, if you believe all the hearsay and negative feedback about Fla, then you should not come. It will actually do us a favor as it is getting crowded in some areas.

However, if one carefully reviews Fla Counties, their Quality of Life and Healthcare availability (as opposed to only COL), you will find some actually spend money in the right ways. Some parts of Florida are less like Louisiana, Mississippi, and North & South Carolina than one thinks. If you are just looking for LCOL, then you are asking for trouble IMHO.
100%.
The healthcare costs and quality of service in excellent in SWR's area and mine too.
Florida is state with many different cultured and COL experiences.
Living where we live in the St. Augustine and Tampa areas is very different than living in most parts of Northern FLA. Of course, that type of more rural/LCOL area seems to work for some folks on this site and all the power to them.
We also purposely didn't wish in a snowbird area due to extra winter congestion, but yes it is slowly getting more crowded almost everywhere in FLA.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:56 AM   #58
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Forty years ago, I lived with my parents on the east coast (Palm Beach County). The consensus, then, was that only the perimeters of Florida had a climate fit for humanity, and that no one would ever want to live in inland Florida. How times and people's notions change


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This is a growing problem, especially on the West coast which is just about unbearable in season for us.

Out on the east coast it is getting worse but I would say it is about 1/5th of the West coast in season.

Living near the beach helps with the bugs and the heat. The breezes are pretty much constant year round. We have not used our AC at all this year..... YET.

Remember anywhere inland in Florida is going to be brutal from a heat perspective.
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Old 04-05-2019, 07:58 AM   #59
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DB has lived in FL for approx. 30 years. First 10 yrs. in Boca Raton, last 20 yrs. in Ft. Lauderdale. He moved b/c (this was his preference, no judgement here) Boca was primarily wealthy, slow paced, well manicured, high end stores, restaurants etc.

Ft. Lauderdale offered excitement, diversity, an awesome downtown area as well as beautiful beach. Traffic is terrible but he's nestled in a comfortable community (not gated) within walking distance to grocery stores, restaurants. There's easily accessible transportation. I always liked the South Beach scene, the artsy and diverse community. But I'm only a visitor. I appreciate "messy" creative living. Not one for groomed perfection where everything is orderly and manicured. Seems unnatural.
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Old 04-05-2019, 08:05 AM   #60
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Today it will hit the low 80s with the humidity matching - the a/c is on.
You could have led with this. It is only a couple days into spring for Pete's sake!
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