Moving to Florida Soon?

[Uncle Paul]

Just looked at the weather report. Not the best time to be moving to Florida.

 

[winfield100]

Just looked at the weather report. Not the best time to be moving to Florida.

Actually from update 028, from 2hours ago, the Georgia/South Carolina border is landfall as Dorian curves north. So most likely Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, Chesapeake bay, Norfolk, Tangier Island (elevation 3ft), Washington DC. Over the last 25-30 years, hurricanes are averaging appx 125 miles further north landfall or so. (But a lot bigger, Gilbert filled the entire Caribbean, Sandy and Irma 700-1,000 miles wide. Andrew in 1992 was ~1/4 that size
HURRICANE DORIAN

 

[XLR82XS]

I'm prepared as I can be for Dorian. I'm a few miles inland but who knows what will happen until it happens. I appreciate the work and predictions but at the end of the day what matters to me most is not loosing power for an extended time period. (A/C!)

 

[Lchamp]

Any kayakers? I'd be looking for a spot where the kayaking is fun. Maybe I need to go ahead and move to PA so I can do it now, then spend some time looking at FL and see where I might end up.

On the income tax. If you move in the middle of the year, does the state pro-rate the tax you owe? Many states do, but some don't. You can end up owing the full income tax in one or both states.

We've been kayaking in the Indian River Lagoon for many years. We get up close and personal with manatees and dolphins. Wild alligators are harmless unless fed by humans. My wife and I have worked with alligators for years in animal shows and in the wild.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Florida has no state income tax and property tax around 1% which is a lot lower that the north east. Many people live and are moving to Florida because of the lower tax and cost of living.

Also there are plenty of houses for sale and thousands more being built ever day. I live in Sarasota FL for 40 years. It went from a little quiet gulf side town to the 13th largest county in Florida. Cost of living is great and plenty of jobs in Tech, Healthcare and services.

Hi Tommy,

We've been in Sarasota for 17 years and love it despite the growth.

Our statewide Florida Tesla club is headquartered in Sarasota. If you are interested in joining, please click on the link in my signature.

Larry

 

[Ciaopec]

Moved from Ohio. Car registration more expensive here. Groceries more expensive here. Car insurance more expensive here.Property taxes higher here but no income tax so for me it is a wash. Hotter, more humid, and more insects here. Last year we had two to three nights when it was comfortable to open windows; this year we have had about 6 or 7. The river ways on the east coast would seem to be ideal for kayaking.

 

[XLR82XS]

Moved from Ohio. Car registration more expensive here. Groceries more expensive here. Car insurance more expensive here.Property taxes higher here but no income tax so for me it is a wash. Hotter, more humid, and more insects here. Last year we had two to three nights when it was comfortable to open windows; this year we have had about 6 or 7. The river ways on the east coast would seem to be ideal for kayaking.

Really?! My car registration and insurance are way cheaper in SWFL than in the suburban Detroit area (Oakland County). Yes, grocery cost is higher but the lack of income tax helps.

 

[Ciaopec]

Really?! My car registration and insurance are way cheaper in SWFL than in the suburban Detroit area (Oakland County). Yes, grocery cost is higher but the lack of income tax helps.

Well, that's good for you! But remember, NW Ohio is only CLOSE to Detroit so in my case registration, transferring title, etc. was a big expense and my insurance was less in OH.

 

[TMThree]

Don’t forget to add home owner’s nsurance cost, if you own. Much more expensive from hurricanes. When I first moved here in 2000, it was nearly the same as up north. Now it’s almost 3 times more expensive.

I'm about 23 miles from the coast. My hurricane portion of my house insurance is $800/year, total cost of the insurance is $2300 or so. This is on a $400k home with garage in a gated community.

If your house is near the coast, then yeah, you'll pay for it. But don't cast a wide net and assume the cost of insurance in any way comes close to negating the cost decreases you get everywhere else.

 

[Lindamon]

I'm about 23 miles from the coast. My hurricane portion of my house insurance is $800/year, total cost of the insurance is $2300 or so. This is on a $400k home with garage in a gated community.

If your house is near the coast, then yeah, you'll pay for it. But don't cast a wide net and assume the cost of insurance in any way comes close to negating the cost decreases you get everywhere else.

How long have you lived here? Do you live in southern Florida? Have you had hurricanes directly in your area? I have had two, a cat 2 and a cat 3 pass right over our neighborhood, 3 weeks apart.

What are your deductibles? How much extra stuff to you have insured besides your house? How much land do you own? What is the roof deductible? Do you have large outbuildings?

There are far too many variables to directly compare costs.

I’m not casting a wide net at all, I am relating directly my personal experience on how insurance costs have shot up in the time I’ve been in Florida in my area, and that folks moving here should check it out. I’m 17 miles from the Atlantic shore. My insurance company tried to leave the state after the hurricanes in ‘04, and when the state wouldn’t let them, they raised the rates. I shopped around. My rates have quadrupled since I first moved here.

Your experience and mine are different. I’m glad you have not had my experience. Other people moving here may fare differently.

 

[TMThree]

How long have you lived here? Do you live in southern Florida? Have you had hurricanes directly in your area? I have had two, a cat 2 and a cat 3 pass right over our neighborhood, 3 weeks apart.

What are your deductibles? How much extra stuff to you have insured besides your house? How much land do you own? What is the roof deductible? Do you have large outbuildings?

There are far too many variables to directly compare costs.

I’m not casting a wide net at all, I am relating directly my personal experience on how insurance costs have shot up in the time I’ve been in Florida in my area, and that folks moving here should check it out. I’m 17 miles from the Atlantic shore. My insurance company tried to leave the state after the hurricanes in ‘04, and when the state wouldn’t let them, they raised the rates. I shopped around. My rates have quadrupled since I first moved here.

Your experience and mine are different. I’m glad you have not had my experience. Other people moving here may fare differently.

You made my point. your experience doesn't mean anyone else will see the same. Obviously your personal choices led you to paying a lot of premiums. You could easily rectify that by not being located near areas that have severe risk. You got to pay to play.

I've been in FL since 1998, in 4 different cities. So I have a pretty good idea what it's like. Currently own two homes here.

 

[winfield100]

You made my point. your experience doesn't mean anyone else will see the same. Obviously your personal choices led you to paying a lot of premiums. You could easily rectify that by not being located near areas that have severe risk. You got to pay to play.

I've been in FL since 1998, in 4 different cities. So I have a pretty good idea what it's like. Currently own two homes here.

Just be sure you have plenty of insurance. The cage for the Lanai cost about $25,000 and we had a $10,000 cap, the roof needed replacement, another $20,000 and we got scammed by the roofers who immediately moved away they did a “yankee clipper” but I tracked them down 500-600 miles away, they left nails everywhere on the yard which I found by stepping on and bleeding (blood thinners). We are at 8ft mean sea level on gulf coast near Captiva. We lucked out as Irma jogged eastward and spared us, unlikeCharlie (Punta Gorda). Andrew 1982 was cat 5 and probably 1/4 the size of present day ones from satellite photos

 

[Lindamon]

You made my point. your experience doesn't mean anyone else will see the same. Obviously your personal choices led you to paying a lot of premiums. You could easily rectify that by not being located near areas that have severe risk. You got to pay to play.

I've been in FL since 1998, in 4 different cities. So I have a pretty good idea what it's like. Currently own two homes here.

Cool. Glad it’s worked great for you. I really didn’t want to move after the hurricanes, though perhaps I could find less expensive insurance costs elsewhere, I like it where I am. So you are right, my choice of staying here led me to have much higher insurance rates than you.

This article is for everyone else considering moving to Florida, I believe it makes some excellent points, Florida is not nearly as affordable as it used to be, especially how insurance costs rose tremendously after the hurricane season for many of us in the affected areas. And if a bad enough storm hits, with Cat 5 type damage, there is a risk the insurance may not be able to pay.

Pay to play indeed.

Glad you were not one of them.

Cost Of Living in Florida - Moving To Florida

 

[TMThree]

Just be sure you have plenty of insurance. The cage for the Lanai cost about $25,000 and we had a $10,000 cap, the roof needed replacement, another $20,000 and we got scammed by the roofers who immediately moved away they did a “yankee clipper” but I tracked them down 500-600 miles away, they left nails everywhere on the yard which I found by stepping on and bleeding (blood thinners). We are at 8ft mean sea level on gulf coast near Captiva. We lucked out as Irma jogged eastward and spared us, unlikeCharlie (Punta Gorda). Andrew 1982 was cat 5 and probably 1/4 the size of present day ones from satellite photos

I have replacement value at 475k for the house. Pool cage and everything is covered. I'm not in a flood zone either. But where I'm at does have sinkholes.