What's the appeal of Florida?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One major concern re owning a home in FL is maintaining homeowner's insurance. Several of the insurance companies elected to declare bankruptcy rather than pay out to the condo owners who lost their condos in that collapse. Several insurance companies have done this and homeowners have been left with no recourse.

Homeowners insurance is becoming more and more expensive in Fl and more elusive. The reality is, lots of homeowners are going to have their policies cancelled just because the insurance companies can. Everyone thinks it's just the "poors" who can't afford the rising rates. The reality is everyone is going to have a hard time finding and/or keeping home insurance.

This was the hard reality for us. There was only one insurance company left in our gulf coast community. Our insurance went from $15k/year to $40k and we still felt lucky to be able to get insurance.

I'm not anti-Fl. We had a really nice life while we lived there. Glad we left while our kids are in HS with all of DeSantis' nonsense. but sure will miss the $6k per year in-state college tuition (and/or the potential for a completely free ride through the Bright Futures scholarship).

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised I like it. Came for husbands job 6 years ago and yes, it’s growing very fast. Steady influx of people. I am very liberal and I’m not gonna lie, that’s a challenge. But Im here, I’m staying, and I’m voting. I really hope DeSantis slithers back into his hole. But otherwise, turns out I really like heat and humidity. I enjoy my pool (watch football from my pool or spa) and just like the leisure feel even though I work full time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could never live in Florida.

I visited there a few years back & it was only in March yet you could cut the humidity in the air w/a knife!

I visited Disneyworld + a week after I left, it was in the news that a little boy had been killed by an alligator 🐊 at the same hotel resort I had visited.
So now I am deathly afraid of alligators and would never ever approach any body of water there.

Plus the political climate in that state is so far removed from my own state (CA.)
I could never exist in a state run by someone so stupid whose thinking is so far backward.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Between the governor, the sticky heat, and the volatile weather, what's the appeal? Enlighten me.

Within a 10 minute drive, we have beautiful beaches, great kayaking and fishing, hiking and mountain biking trails, and 25 public clay tennis courts.

We have a pool and glorious gardens in our backyard if I don’t feel like driving anywhere.

We spend huge amounts of time outside and in/on the water. Far more than when we lived in DC.

I can’t remember the last time I wore long pants or closed toe shoes.

The biggest problem: which Gulfside restaurant should we choose for fish tacos tomorrow night?

DeSantis can f*ck right off, but I enjoy this place.

I mean almost any coastal area has those same amenities, though only the wealthiest have clay tennis courts.

You can pretend you can swim year round, but from May-Oct, the heat, humidity is relentless and afternoon thunderstorms every day. The ocean in Miami is 100F! There is no outdoor relief.

There are really two Floridas — walkable to the beach and the scrub. Most of Florida is the scrub, but if you can isolate yourself from it and it’s residents, you can build a nice life. That means gated community (25 clay courts, that’s a giveaway), private school, probably having someone do your shopping and errands

PP here. Not a gated community. The tennis courts are public!

One kid in private, the other in a diverse public magnet.

July-August heat is unpleasant, but still play tennis and swim almost every night.

While I believe that one can make a good life anywhere, FL makes it easier than most places.

Public clay courts are far from the norm. Are you in Naples near Ashe? Clay courts are crazy expensive to maintain.

In general public facilities and services in Florida are terrible. That’s part why you are in private id you don’t make a magnet.

You just be part lizard to think July- August is only unpleasant heat. That just doesn’t make any sense — I grew up there and last months of school were torture.

The bugs, the snakes, the humidity, there’s a reason it was empty until AC was invented. Don’t fool people. With humidity it doesn’t really cool off at night, so your night tennis is still in the 80s with 90% humidity.

I live in St Pete and it really does cool off at night. Our public parks and facilities are wonderful here, too. The politics of the state is infuriating - our local politics much less so.

Summers are rough. Hurricanes are rough. Nov-May are wonderful. Basically we trade terrible winters for terrible (long) summers - but you guys get awful summers in DC, too. It's part of why I decided I could live with summer in Florida - it's honestly not much worse than what we lived through in DC, and it generally does cool off more here at night, at least where we live.

I'd never try to convince someone to give Florida a shot if they don't want to. Plenty of reason not to come here, that's for sure. But we've found a place where we really feel at home, have lots to do, great access to a lot of natural beauty, the whole thing. It's gotten very expensive since we moved here - secret's out, I guess - but when we got here, housing was very affordable, still, and so we were able to buy a house in a neighborhood we love, for a very manageable amount of money. Like I said, it's gotten a lot more expensive since, so I suppose that reason for coming here is off the table.

I agree that DC weather is miserable- humid summer with no beach nearby; fall time is decent and spring time. I don't like cold and am dreaming of warmer climate like Florida. I couldn't live anywhere more north of Washington DC. But Florida has gotten so expensive. I'm dreaming to have a small house somewhere in Florida to escape winter months when I retire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Between the governor, the sticky heat, and the volatile weather, what's the appeal? Enlighten me.

Being far from ignorant haters like, hmmm, you.

Not to speak of the natural beauty, the safety, the working government, the learning-oriented schools, the low(er) prices, the super nice people, the religious tolerance, the diversity at all levels.

Oh, yes, and the zero income taxes.

[Anonymous]

i have a house in Siesta Key and love the outdoor lifestyle, the happy people, the greenerie, and the fat that there is so much to do and such good food!

also huge bonus that it’s super easy to get down there frequently. DCA-TPA is cheap.

The vibe in DC is only tolerable enough to earn an income. Very sad to be flying back to DC this evening. People in DC are so angry and depressed all the time. gigantic bummer.

[Anonymous]

Florida is the place criminals go to from other places.

It's an easy transition Tennessee is the same.

Florida hurricanes will get worse fun times.

Florida schools are crumbling under DeSantis and the Dem party is basically dead there so next round will be again run by more RW idiots.

Florida is no longer cheap even with the no state income tax. Housing is becoming unaffordable, HO insurance insane, Homesteading costing more, and new homes are built like garbage. Oversite of these buildings is basically nothing.

Oh and you get the extra treat of antivax morons running around in droves and dumbasses trumpies.

[Anonymous]

I went kayaking with manatees yesterday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between the governor, the sticky heat, and the volatile weather, what's the appeal? Enlighten me.

Within a 10 minute drive, we have beautiful beaches, great kayaking and fishing, hiking and mountain biking trails, and 25 public clay tennis courts.

We have a pool and glorious gardens in our backyard if I don’t feel like driving anywhere.

We spend huge amounts of time outside and in/on the water. Far more than when we lived in DC.

I can’t remember the last time I wore long pants or closed toe shoes.

The biggest problem: which Gulfside restaurant should we choose for fish tacos tomorrow night?

DeSantis can f*ck right off, but I enjoy this place.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Florida is the place criminals go to from other places.

It's an easy transition Tennessee is the same.

Florida hurricanes will get worse fun times.

Florida schools are crumbling under DeSantis and the Dem party is basically dead there so next round will be again run by more RW idiots.

Florida is no longer cheap even with the no state income tax. Housing is becoming unaffordable, HO insurance insane, Homesteading costing more, and new homes are built like garbage. Oversite of these buildings is basically nothing.

Oh and you get the extra treat of antivax morons running around in droves and dumbasses trumpies.

I’m in Fla now. Been here a week. Have seen all of one trump hat. Haven’t heard anyone mention trump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Florida is the place criminals go to from other places.

It's an easy transition Tennessee is the same.

Florida hurricanes will get worse fun times.

Florida schools are crumbling under DeSantis and the Dem party is basically dead there so next round will be again run by more RW idiots.

Florida is no longer cheap even with the no state income tax. Housing is becoming unaffordable, HO insurance insane, Homesteading costing more, and new homes are built like garbage. Oversite of these buildings is basically nothing.

Oh and you get the extra treat of antivax morons running around in droves and dumbasses trumpies.

I’m in Fla now. Been here a week. Have seen all of one trump hat. Haven’t heard anyone mention trump.

Where is Fla are you?

[Anonymous]

Sunshine. Orange juice. Other older people who are acting like they are in high school.

[Anonymous]

All year round my yard is blooming with stunning flowers most people only ever see pics of, I get 100+ fresh delicious mangoes every year, too many species of birds to count. I can walk in nature most days of the year, go to the beach any time I want. Where I live is pristine and quiet and has very little crime. My kids go to a school that's very diverse in every way, is public and good, without being a pressure cooker. If I want to go shopping or eating out I have some of the nicest malls in the world and every type of food nearby at all price points. People don't hate each other for their politics because it's so incredibly mixed it'd mean hating every other neighbor. I have my issues with Florida (mostly hurricane season and summer heat which is tough for me) but all this will make it hard to leave.

[Anonymous]

Being near the water.

[Anonymous]

Grew up in South Florida and will say that it has gotten even nicer in the last 10 years. People want to believe that all of Florida is MAGA land to make themselves feel better. We plan on snowbirding in SoFL during retirement for 6 months and a day each year, become tax residents and lead active lifestyles in nice winter weather. We are libs who don't need to live in a lib bubble to enjoy life.