Florida has more of them. Another reason so many people end up moving back north is because they decide the weather just isn’t for them. This living in Florida pros and cons list sure made it clear to me. Rent and housing costs are slightly higher in Sarasota primarily due to its small size, making it a more expensive place to live than many other parts of Florida. I hate going to the beach. We love beaches. I got stung trying to clean them up. Lehigh Acres to be exact. You can avoid tourist in FL if you live in the middle of nowhere with a 2+ hour round trip to a real grocery store (not the local run down filthy dollar store) and where the only thing to do for entertainment is sit outside and sweat while getting attacked by swarms of the state bird, the mosquito. “I really can’t think of a single negative. A lot of rich people with stay at home moms are moving down here every week and it’s getting annoying to not even be able to make it on two incomes with college degrees. Sign up for a Florida driver’s license or identification card. If your dream is to move to Florida and buy a boat, you’ll learn that the two best days in a boat owners life is the day they buy their boat, and the day they sell it. My response: Respectfully, what happens if/when the pandemic worsens in Florida, where there are a lot of older residents? Home is reasonably priced. Andreevska advises saving up a minimum down payment of 20%. You moved to Lehigh Acres because it was cheaper to buy or rent. When a hurricane or tropical storm is heading toward your new Florida home, you’ll envy the people back home who don’t even know it’s happening because they’re at a picnic. I'm trying to move to Florida from Michigan for a job and I'm on probation for misdemeanor OWI. Make sure your home has the proper insurance to cover you against flood and wind damage. I moved to Florida to get away, I should of not done that. Here are some things that Florida has going for it. Notice we included moving out in that figure. Your Only In Michigan correspondent is not originally from the Mitten State. Install a WiFi connected thermostat to both properties so you can check in on the temperature of your home when you’re away. Younger adults typically live in shared housing well into their thirties, and you will not see many of them out shopping or up and about, enjoying the scene, seeing as every penny in their pocket goes toward rent, car payments and groceries. Add taxes, Insurance,Thats $26,000 a year for living in an apt with a community pool not including a mortgage. Can you handle the following? don’t move here. So many “want something for nothings” out there – Central Florida – even realtors who are more interested in their almighty commission instead of actually representing their client or doing what their client has instructed them to. Traffic is worse than anywhere (Chicago, New York, Boston, etc.) When you visit the DMV, you’ll need your current driver’s license and one other form of identification, like a passport or birth certificate. For as many people that move into the state, a wide range of them opt to move back to where they came once they realize the decision to relocate was a mistake. Oh, did I mention too hot? If we compare only the pros of Florida, to only the negatives of another place, Florida will always win but that’s true for any state. This city embraces yacht life. Though points like this may seem inconsequential, details like weather affect quality of life more than you’d think. I’m so sick of eating the oranges in my yard.The ones that fall on the ground attract lots of bees and other insects. My husband and I live and own a modest home (in our mid-late 60’s) in Connecticut and despite the fiscal crisis I love it here dearly. Trying to do anything outdoors in Florida most of the year involves sweating profusely and may also involve fighting off swarms of mosquitoes, biting flies, biting fire ants, etc. You can grow oranges and grapefruit in your own yard. Life without snow is our first criteria. I’m not originally from Ohio, I’m from DaBronx, NYC, but knowing the high cost of living is out of reach and my arthritic body is no longer tolerant of the cold weather, moving back to NYC was out of the question. You’ll also enjoy a vast array of locally owned restaurants and a ton of festivals. Enjoy world class beaches and outdoor entertainment. Then some DWD (drink while driving). We lived in Bay Head for a short while for his job, about 20 years ago so I am familiar with Brick. After the winter “season” and the snowbirds leave Florida, the price of a round of golf drops considerably. Miami is a large metro area and as such, can get bad rap for the touristy and nightlife aspects. Took a trip north a couple of months ago – took 90 minutes from CT/RI border to Boston; here (central Florida) it takes 90 minutes for 20 miles. I can now have a life i could only dream of in Florida. Supply vs demand = lower rent prices. We can no longer do the work our home requires. All the used homes are dated and need work! If you are thinking of moving here do allot of research! Learn more about moving to Jacksonville if what you’re looking for includes bustling and culturally robust city life paired with a cost of living lower than Florida’s average. Here are some pros and cons if you should decide to move to the Wolverine State. HOA’s generally have considerable restrictions (height of grass, color of house, brown spots in lawn, cracks in driveway) and if it’s a gated community the county generally will not pick up debris left from a hurricane. Non-HOA communities can be found. I hate have to drag things in and out because of storms and cleaning up the house and yard after them.. – can take 2 hours (sometimes to drive 10 miles); everything is expensive – so nothing to do – every place charges a hefty admission + parking + expensive food unlike the northeast and elsewhere in the U.S. Schools are not the best and certainly not the safest by any means. Get this process done within ten days of your move. There are so many inland waterways that the area has been referred to as the Venice of America. We are aging and having to make changes too. There are more tourists and part-time residents than other states. Here’s one of the headlines in the Orlando newspaper on 10/25/20, the same day you wrote your comment, Florida is on the verge of a resurgence. I am researching possible places looking at cost, crime, medical facilities. While on the face it may seem like a good move one would be wise to research further The general rule of thumb is you must become a resident of Florida in order to benefit from these so called breaks – meaning you would probably have to live here at least 6 months+ a few days to be a resident. Reply Sat, 12/22/2018 - 13:34 Permalink Less money to pay and one less tax return to file. I am curious of the following… Are these issues on this post and comments still current? Located on the West Coast of Florida, Clearwater is one of the top destinations for retirees in the country. As the most populated city in Florida and one of the largest in the country, the city limits here include more residents than other metropolitan areas. Almost everyone loves living in Florida the first few months or years. Florida residents are often offered “Florida resident only” special discounts on theme park admission. Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”. I have been living here ( Tampa area) for four years. Next time I move, it’s to foreign lands! Florida is known for its beaches and attractions, but it also has a lot of hidden perks that longtime residents enjoy all year round. You don’t have to worry about having your car inspected for every year and Florida did away with emissions inspections and testing years ago. You can go to the beach for a day from just about anywhere you live in Florida. Nothing affordable about Florida – like you say: Rents way too high (even in crime ridden areas), employers do not appreciate someone who worked hard for a college degree – they suck the life out of employees – FLORIDA “IS NOT” an employee friendly state and if you don’t speak Spanish you’ll have a tough time getting any job. I may be biased in that I have never liked it here, but on account of my family squandering their money like so many other types of people who are attracted to FL, I have been stuck here living paycheck-to-paycheck my entire adult life. 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