Question for the FL, GA and Carolina coast retirees

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsHaloFIRE I grew up in sandhills/golf country if NC. Never terrified if hurricanes. They hit occasionally. Rain and power outages but not a major deal.

Same here living in the middle of NC but on the other hand the coast of NC is a different matter. For example I love to visit the Outer Banks but I would not like to own a home there--too many hurricanes and only one road off the island and it floods frequently.

[ProGolferWannabe]

We spent about 4 years in coastal Carolina....in between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington....about a mile to the coast as the crow flies. We moved this past year, and one of the primary reasons was the incidence of hurricanes. In the three years we were there, we had to bug out twice for nearby Category 2+ storms, and we stayed for a Category 1 storm that was a direct hit. No major property damage for us, but plenty of people did not fare so well. Frankly, most people seemed perfect ok living there...just a fact of life that had to be dealt with. We couldn’t stand it, and moved inland.

[Dtail]

We are about 50 minutes from the beach. Works for us with no flood insurance and have our own pool.

[Out of Steam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poopycat Probably because you haven’t met anybody who has a phobia about lightning. I know several people whose homes were struck by lightning. It just terrifies me.

It's one of the more logical phobias. We had a tree about 30 feet from our last house struck and killed by lighting while we were home.

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poopycat I have been giving serious thought to the coastal areas of the southeast because they offer two things that are very important to me: beaches and lots of tennis options. But I keep going back to hurricanes, terrible storms, and flooding. I am petrified of lightning, but I could install a lightning protection system for peace of mind. I can’t control hurricanes. And so much of the land in these areas is prone to flooding.

I'm not a beach guy so maybe I'm clueless on the topic, but does the beach have to be on the ocean? Why not lake property?

[Leo1277]

About dem hurricanes, dat's where Florida Man comes in handy - just shoot dem dammed 'canes! https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-a7937546.html

This was actually an earlier featured story on one of the various "Florida Man" sites, for example here: https://floridaman.com/# A nice overview of Florida Man misdeeds can also be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/u...-internet.html

Overall there may be more danger from Florida Man than from hurricanes, I wonder...

[CSdot]

I have lived on the coast most of my life. Hurricanes can be a big deal, but unlike tornados, earthquakes, etc., you get a week's notice. I personally find hurricane season exciting. Just make sure to buy the proper insurance. Flooding can be an issue, but not everywhere is bad. If it is a pick concern to you, check the flood maps before you buy.

[Athermos4u]

The curve of coastal Georgia which includes Savannah and Tybee hardly ever gets hurricane weather because of the geography and ocean currents. Have a look at a map of historical hurricane paths and you'll see what I mean. The area of northeastern florida, is Jacksonville is worth a look too if no state income tax appeals to you.

[Markola]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Athermos4u The curve of coastal Georgia which includes Savannah and Tybee hardly ever gets hurricane weather because of the geography and ocean currents. Have a look at a map of historical hurricane paths and you'll see what I mean. The area of northeastern florida, is Jacksonville is worth a look too if no state income tax appeals to you.

Yes, this is true. Geographers call that shape the Georgia Bite. My mother has lived in the middle of it her whole life and I can’t count the times when the media is hysterical, Weather Channel reporters are gripping the rails in a wet gale somewhere in Florida, the Carolinas are sand bagging and boarding up but when I call to check on my mother, she says, “Oh, it’s sprinkling.” As you note, the coastal indentation and the Gulf Stream tend to keep storms at sea. Nevertheless, hurricanes have hit Georgia directly in history and if one does so at high tide, all that mounded up water will be pushed inland and it won’t be pretty.

[2tswhite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack So Boone, Asheville or thereabouts. You’ll definitely have full on seasonal changes, snow and all though less than northern states.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NateW I lived in New Orleans for a few years when I was a little kid. We lived in a rental house a mile or so south of Lake Pontchartrain. I was almost 5 years old when Hurricane Betsy hit (category 3 or 4 when it hit). We rode out the storm. I think a 100 plus people in New Orleans were killed. At least one levee failed (the levees were built higher after Betsy, only to be breached by Catrina!). This was one my earliest vivid memories of something big happening and was enough for me to say "No" to living in hurricane prone areas. Later I asked my mother why we did not evacuate. She said that we were told not to, that the hurricane would miss us, but it unexpectedly turned towards New Orleans and gave it a direct hit. 2tswhite, were you in New Orleans when Betsy hit?

I was and it was the last hurricane we stayed at home. Blew out windows in our house and completely uprooted a huge china ball tree in our backyard. Thankfully the tree missed our house. At the time we lived south of Lake Ponchartrain between Williams Blvd. and Roosevelt Blvd. Great place to grow up! I left when I got married in 1989. Still miss the food

[Charlotte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProGolferWannabe We spent about 4 years in coastal Carolina....in between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington....about a mile to the coast as the crow flies. We moved this past year, and one of the primary reasons was the incidence of hurricanes. In the three years we were there, we had to bug out twice for nearby Category 2+ storms, and we stayed for a Category 1 storm that was a direct hit. No major property damage for us, but plenty of people did not fare so well. Frankly, most people seemed perfect ok living there...just a fact of life that had to be dealt with. We couldn’t stand it, and moved inland.

We have a second home / beach house on one of the islands in this same area, and I can confirm that about once a year we have to run down to close the hurricane shutters, secure all the porch furniture, and close up. Then make a second trip down to undo all that and fix whatever was damaged. It just comes with the territory, I’m afraid.

[NateW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2tswhite I was and it was the last hurricane we stayed at home. Blew out windows in our house and completely uprooted a huge china ball tree in our backyard. Thankfully the tree missed our house. At the time we lived south of Lake Ponchartrain between Williams Blvd. and Roosevelt Blvd. Great place to grow up! I left when I got married in 1989. Still miss the food

The house my parents rented was on Catina (sp?) street, I believe. In the mid 1990s I went by the place when I was on a business trip in New Orleans. Then after Catrina hit there was nothing but a vacant lot there per Google Maps Satellite View.

[indiajust]

Having seen it all, new england winters are at least as destructive as hurricanes. And they come every year.
There are lightning intensity maps. Orlando is a peak, as is the high mountains in AZ, NM.

[msanniee]

I moved from the SF Bay Area to South Carolina when I retired. I was tired of drought, wild fires, and earthquakes.

South Carolina had weather, property values, tax bases, etc that worked well for me.

However, I overlooked one issue - politics. I propose living where your political views are compatible with others in the area is a must ch bigger issue than most realize.

Just food for thought.

[JJpop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poopycat I have been giving serious thought to the coastal areas of the southeast because they offer two things that are very important to me: beaches and lots of tennis options. But I keep going back to hurricanes, terrible storms, and flooding. I am petrified of lightning, but I could install a lightning protection system for peace of mind. I can’t control hurricanes. And so much of the land in these areas is prone to flooding. How worried are you about hurricanes where you live? Are hurricanes and/or flooding something you took into consideration before moving there? I’m trying to convince myself that hurricane risk isn’t all that bad but the articles I have read indicate otherwise.

So you buy your dream place by the water. Move your entire life there. Three months later you get hit by a big one with a lot of damage to the community. Your house is damaged and you are trying to find a contractor while you live, where?
Sounds great, especially worrying about when it will happen. No thanks.

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJpop So you buy your dream place by the water. Move your entire life there. Three months later you get hit by a big one with a lot of damage to the community. Your house is damaged and you are trying to find a contractor while you live, where? Sounds great, especially worrying about when it will happen. No thanks.

Move to a lake area. They have beaches too and many of them don't get hit by hurricanes.

[gooddog]

I for a place right on the beach about 12 miles south of NASA in Florida and I'm not concerned at all. Got a place right on the beach in California - more worried about that one (tidal waves & earthquakes). If you pick the right spot in Florida, you cut your risk a lot. There are condos that feel like houses because they are so large, and garages and everything else you wold expect of a house. This type of setup means a storm isn't your problem (for the most part). The metal shutters, and concrete got you covered.

[JJpop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poopycat I have been giving serious thought to the coastal areas of the southeast because they offer two things that are very important to me: beaches and lots of tennis options. But I keep going back to hurricanes, terrible storms, and flooding. I am petrified of lightning, but I could install a lightning protection system for peace of mind. I can’t control hurricanes. And so much of the land in these areas is prone to flooding. How worried are you about hurricanes where you live? Are hurricanes and/or flooding something you took into consideration before moving there? I’m trying to convince myself that hurricane risk isn’t all that bad but the articles I have read indicate otherwise.

You could move to California at 5 times the cost, but don’t read about earthquakes

[2retireearly]

I know you aren't asking about Virginia...But I grew up on the ocean in Virginia Beach. Hurricanes are scary, and getting insurance if you live within 2 miles of ocean is tricky..but doable. But, my reason for piping in, is I've been in Richmond for years and years...My parents, living in VaBeach, many times, evacuated to Richmond, with a threat of hurricane, and each time, the hurricane hit Richmond much worst than on the coast! Richmond is 109 miles from coast...but the hurricanes have traveled right through to us. So, just being on the ocean, is not the only risk. But the extreme southern states, like Florida, really do get hit terribly with the hurricanes, on or off the shores.

[Dtail]

Hurricanes can hit anywhere in FLA, but as one example there has not been a direct hit to Tampa of a Category 1 hurricane since the 1920's.