# Questions for Floridians (and Ex-Floridians)



## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

Hubby and I are leaning towards buying a home in Florida - it will initially be a second home and our primary residence when we return to the states in a few years. Although I'm from NY, I've never been to Florida.  I have been searching properties and areas but that doesn't help in making any decisions.

We are going to Florida in September to take a look around to get an idea of locations. We are open as to where to live. In that regard, can I get some recommendations as to where best to look. We thought we would try to make a purchase on the upcoming trip, but clearly mortgage rates are going to go up with the AA+ rating that has been given to the US and projections show that the housing market will stay the same for a while, with the possibility of it taking a hit. We are now thinking to wait another 9-12 months and pay cash for the purchase of a home and save on mortgage interest. Budget around $250,000.

From my research I thought Mount Dora was lovely. It seems to be a bit like the Hamptons out on Long Island. Very community-oriented with a small town village. But it's on the other end of Florida, no beach. Does anyone have any input on Mount Dora??

We are open to a condo beach front property to a gated community (with detached properties!!!). Not looking for a "family" community, a mix would be nice but not something overrun by little ones.

When we travel in September I thought we should stay in the middle of Florida, giving us access in both directions to explore areas. 

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


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## WilsonP (Jun 22, 2011)

Sunset said:


> Hubby and I are leaning towards buying a home in Florida - it will initially be a second home and our primary residence when we return to...


I think you've got the right idea to travel down here and check things out. Mt. Dora is beautiful but there are a ton of neat little towns that you've never heard of. Very wise idea to spend a few weeks driving around.

I live in Daytona on the east coast. One thing to bear in mind about central Florida is that you've almost got to go through Orlando to get anywhere. That can be a major hassle.

A warning about beachfront condos. After the disasterous Hurricane season several years ago it became very difficult, if not impossible to find insurance for a beachfront condo. When you could find coverage the rates were extortionary.

Another caveat about the condo market, it is popular to turn an ageing hotel into a condo. A quick coat of plaster and some frills and it looks like heaven. The problem is that the underlying structure can have serious issues that the owners then get hit with an assesment for. It isn't uncommon in my area for owners to get a $10,000 assesment for new roof, balocnies, etc.

If I may, I'd offer this suggestion. Come down, rent a car, and drive around for a bit. My experience is mostly with central and eastern Florida and I'd suggest you drive A1A south from Jacksonville to the New Smyrna area. Lots of neat little towns along the ocean. St. Augustine and New Smyrna may appeal to you. For the other side of the coin, head over to the Saint Johns river and follow in north back up to Jacksonville. That's a beautiful area also.

I'm happy to offer any help if you have any questions.


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## expatdiane (Aug 9, 2011)

I love Naples!


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

WilsonP said:


> I think you've got the right idea to travel down here and check things out. Mt. Dora is beautiful but there are a ton of neat little towns that you've never heard of. Very wise idea to spend a few weeks driving around.
> 
> I live in Daytona on the east coast. One thing to bear in mind about central Florida is that you've almost got to go through Orlando to get anywhere. That can be a major hassle.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for responding and your input. Could you recommend some areas that have the neat little towns? Should we stay in Miami as a starting point and work our way up? Spend a couple of days in one area. Or stay somewhere in the middle where we can go in either direction/across? Plan is to be there for 3 weeks. Also plan to hit the outlet malls and get my shopping fix!!!! 

Took a look at New Smyrna - which appears to be a new development with cooler temps. St Augustine seems to have higher temps.. Are these areas on the ocean or a bit back? The hurricanes are a consideration hence I hesitate on property close to the ocean and rather something further in.

I will look further and get more info on New Smyrna and St Augustine.

Thanks for the leads!!! If I have further questions can I send you a message?

Again, thanks.


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

expatdiane said:


> I love Naples!


Great!!!! Can you tell me why???


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## WilsonP (Jun 22, 2011)

Sunset said:


> Thank you so much for responding and your input. Could you recommend some areas that have the neat little towns? Should we stay in Miami as a starting point and work our way up? Spend a couple of days in one area. Or stay somewhere in the middle where we can go in either direction/across? Plan is to be there for 3 weeks. Also plan to hit the outlet malls and get my shopping fix!!!!
> 
> Took a look at New Smyrna - which appears to be a new development with cooler temps. St Augustine seems to have higher temps.. Are these areas on the ocean or a bit back? The hurricanes are a consideration hence I hesitate on property close to the ocean and rather something further in.
> 
> ...


New Smyrna is an old beach town, there is a very recent and very large housing community to the west side. Part of the town is on a peninsula that has the beach vibe, and part is the old downtown area on the mainland that has the small town americana feel.

Saint Augustine has a similar layout, it's a bit more touristy, but that also means better choice of dining, events, etc.

I see that you are in the UAE so I'll assume you know about heat. Not to sound like a cliche, but 97 degrees doesn't tell the whole story, it might drop down to the high 70's at night but the humidity is still 85% and that just sucks the energy out of you.

I'd recommend staying north of Cocoa. Miami is great, but the whole southern third of the state on the east coast is crazy crowded and expensive.

Orlando, as much as I dislike it, is a good base camp just because of its location in the center of the state. For that matter, you could choose Daytona Beach, my town. It's a good jump off point to explore the east coast area that I'm talking about.

You might spend part of the time on the west coast in Ft. Myers, Naples, Venice to see that side of things.

If you are at all concerned about the heat you'll want to stay north. There are some neat areas in the "panhandle" in the very north west section of the state.

I think as long as you are three miles from the ocean you don't fall under the strict insurance zone with outrageous principals.

Feel free to pm me if there's anything specific.


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## outoflv (Apr 14, 2011)

I lived in Florida 10 years, and I explored much of it while deciding where to live. The west coast and panhandle areas have the most serene, beautiful beaches. However, I found them to be a bit slow...boring is what I mean. If you head toward the panhandle, you must own a boat just for the fun of it. It seems everyone has access to one there (Destin area).

I noticed a large retired population in Sarasota. The beaches are nice there also, with lots of shopping and restaurants on the beach. 

Ft. Lauderdale is one of my favorite places in FL, though it is crowded and expensive. Traffic is a nightmare, and I believe most of South Florida is like this. 

You might really like St. Augustine. I've never been, but I've heard much about its unique architecture and art scene. And as for the higher temperatures, there is no escaping it in Florida. At least there you will have a sea breeze. Anywhere you could possibly go will be air conditioned, though.

I spent my 10 years in Orlando and loved every minute of it. If you go there, stay north. Mt. Dora is a good place to start, as is Winter Garden. I lived near the downtown area most of my stay there and loved it, but if you have to go anywhere, traffic on I-4 can be nervewracking-especially with all the construction. I liked Orlando because of its affordability and it's close to the beach (45 mins to Cocoa Beach on the Beachline Highway) but not ON the beach. (I've lived on the beach in SC and I didn't really like the mustiness, the crowded summers, and the threat of hurricanes...but that's just me.) If you stick to the newer areas, you can probably build a house with your specifications for less than $200k. Property in the more developed areas is still fairly expensive, even with the downturn in the housing market. 

Oh, and there is plenty of outlet shopping in Orlando. Check out the Lake Buena Vista area for that.

Florida is paradise. I miss it, but that is where we will be returning to when our visa here expires. 
Good luck and enjoy your trip there!


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## WilsonP (Jun 22, 2011)

I can agree with everything that outoflv said. With maybe the exception of Ft. Lauderdale (way too hectic for me).

I forgot to mention, there's a huge outlet mall in St. Augustine.

The Sarasota area is hit or miss, some really sketchy areas.


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks to both of you. Will definitely use your recommendations.

The hurricane insurance has convinced me that we really, really don't need beach. I had to stop and think as to how often we would use it, or hubby at least. He's the beach person, I'm the pool person. And we hardly go to the beach or to the pool in Dubai!!!!

I guess going inland will also help - less humidity. It's hot as all get out right now in Dubai, but the humidity will be upon us soon making it feel like a drizzle in h.e.l.l. For sport we watch the water drip down the windows and bet on whose drip will reach the bottom first. 

Again thank you for taking the time to respond. It is greatly appreciated. Maybe you can help me with my next thread.


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## expatdiane (Aug 9, 2011)

Sunset said:


> Great!!!! Can you tell me why???



It is so beautiful there. They have lots of things to do. Great Beach and they have a Naples preserve which is really cool to see. Great golf center and shopping! I mostly love it because of the nature side to it. Hope this helps.


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## Yukichon (Mar 16, 2011)

It may be no good as it is a beach location, but St Armands Circle near Sarasota at the bottom of Longboat Key is heaven on earth, a great little town with a great relaxed upmarket vibe, in my opinion of course


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## duckhead (Aug 15, 2011)

Started out in the WPB area (Delray Bch) 20 yrs ago. After 10 yrs we started the search for the "perfect" place ... driving all over FL by taking long weekends. The perfect place doesn't exist of course but you can come close.
St Augustine is beautiful but very hot/humid in summer and they can get winter too ... temps in the teens Fahrenheit.
Mt Dora is cute but inland too far for us and they get those pesky winter teen temps sometimes. Orlando? inland, hot, steamy... absolutely not, it's just an airport for people to go to Disney.
West coast is very crowded as is S. FL and the Keys on the weekends.
We fell in love with a quiet little place on the water with affordable home prices on the east coast, Sebastian. Because the jobless rate is so high, home prices are severely depressed in this area. You can go to the beach for a bargain priced condo or the mainland and steal one! 
This seems to mark the spot where the cold temps halt in winter - not saying we don't get a touch of cold but when you can keep Coconut trees alive it's not too bad.

goodluck


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks duckhead. One more to add to my list!!! 

I wouldn't mind a few chilly days and a sense of "seasons". Been in the sandpit for 14 years and I so look forward to my trip back to NYC every year, if not just for the rain alone!! 

Again, thanks to everyone for their input. I'm really looking forward to exploring Florida (and shopping).


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## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

Sunset said:


> We thought we would try to make a purchase on the upcoming trip, but clearly mortgage rates are going to go up with the AA+ rating that has been given to the US and projections show that the housing market will stay the same for a while, with the possibility of it taking a hit. We are now thinking to wait another 9-12 months and pay cash for the purchase of a home and save on mortgage interest. Budget around $250,000.


You are making a wrong assumption. Mortgage interest rates have dropped substantially since the S&P downgrade to AA+. You can now get a 30 year conventional fixed rate mortgage at 4.0% or lower with 0 points. Just 3 weeks ago it was 4.625%. I expect that rates will be considerably higher in 9-12 months. Home prices probably aren't going to change much in the foreseeable future.

We lived 8 years in the Fort Lauderdale area and then moved back to California. We do not care very much for Florida at all but you may like it.


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## jonathn3 (Aug 16, 2011)

*assistance*

I live in Orlando. moved here in 2002 with the idea of being here for a year or 2 just to help daughter with college. We will leave this year and hopefully take a position in Abu Dhabi, so perhaps we could meet and chat when your here. 
But to your question. Mt Dora is nice. Its also centralized for the area. You have shopping malls, gulf coast and Atlantic coast all within driving distance. Theaters in several locations for the ARTS. Golf every where, not that I care, but my brother does. 
Weather in this part is good and comfortable all but maybe 3 months. From about september on it gets comfortable. Even now I can go out on the porch at night and be comfortable, unless it rained and the sun came out. December to March you might need a coat on cold nights, which makes hot coffee and a snuggle really nice. But then april to June its very nice with cool evenings and warm days. june is wet and it goes into July. But once the rain hits and the sun comes out you get the humidity. Like it is said it can be hot and humid even at night. But still you get used to it. 
There are many small towns and communities around the Mt Dora area. If you just drive thru the towns and see what they look like and get a feel for it. Stop down town and look in a few windows or have a cup of coffee at a local diner. Some are worth a look and others will be run down and uncared for. 
Coast depends on your taste. Gulf is calmer and the beaches whiter and longer. Its not too deep for long stretches too. The Atlantic is much rougher with many more waves. The beach is more like coral on the upper side of Daytona, which is my favorite and they bring in sand for some of the lower areas. The wind coming off the Atlantic side will cool you down if you live close. But between Daytona and Jacksonville you can get very nice houses just off the beach. Theres also LOTS! currently for sale over there.


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks Jonathn3. I like the idea of having "seasons". 

Abu Dhabi you say? Have you been to the region? What would you be doing there? 

There seems to be so much to explore in Florida - I'm wondering if we will have enough time to do it. The plan is to be there for about 10 days. If we can't manage to cover the suggestions it would mean another trip back (I can do that!!!). Seems with the downrating of the US to AA+ housing is still taking a dive!! 

Can you explain as to why the abundance of homes on the market? It seems as if there are so, so many all over Florida, including foreclosures, which is self-explanatory. Are people leaving and relocating, downsizing, job loss?

If you have any questions about AD please don't hesitate to contact me. Although in Dubai, there are some things similar, but some things quite different - lifestyle for one.


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## jonathn3 (Aug 16, 2011)

*answered*

Yes we would hope for a position at the Ferrari World theme park. Never been there so we have lots of questions. 
No you will only scratch the surface in 10 days. I have been here several years and still seeing and learning new things. My wife and I will just take the motorcycle and go sometimes. Amazing the towns around the area. And the difference in landscape. Rolling hills or flat as a pancake,lol.
Our personal suggestion to you is grab a car. Then hit the road at dawn and start traveling. Then when it goes down you find a place and sleep. We did that for Ireland and Scotland. We saw most of the country side in 2 weeks and had a good idea of things.
The farther south you go from Orlando the less likely you are to get seasonal weather. We lived in Pompano Beach for 4 years, which is near Ft. Lauderdale. Its different there than here in Orlando. Snow did brush us here once.
Several years back there was a mad rush on the housing here in florida. Many out of state companies bought up huge tracts and lots of homes. Combine that with the fact we are mostly a retirement destination for people who used to have 2 houses and you have alot of homes with no one in it year around. So as the market and living conditions changed the last couple years people cant afford 2 places and companies are dumping them. So if you can afford a place with retirement then you have a great option on what and where you can move to. 
We live in a community that was once all retirement homes. But when most of these people moved on they had to open it to families. Its still a quiet neighborhood but it has changed.
I personally havnt seen the job loss in the state. I see new industry in and around orlando. New theme parks opening, new look to the space center and more homes being constructed. With new people coming in all the time.
Because it was so easy to get loans back then everyone got one. But insurance is high and the upkeep was more than some could maintain. So we are constantly seeing foreclosures. If you can find a short sale you get a great deal.

Hope this helps.


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## jonathn3 (Aug 16, 2011)

*Curious*

Just checking to see if you knew anything about the area near al markaziyah and how the apartments are in this area?
The planning going OK for your Florida trip going well I hope. let me know if I can help at all? Jonathon


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