Florida Real Estate is off the hook

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a theory that the millions of little boys and girls who went on family vacations to Florida as children in the 1960s-1990s have all grown up dreaming of moving to Florida. They have to find out the hard way what a cesspool the place really is.

That's me! My mom used to take us every year to visit her brother's family in Jacksonville. I loved Florida and tried to talk her into moving here. She wouldn't but when I was an adult I started visiting other parts of Florida and loved it even more. I've lived on the east coast of Florida and now live on the gulf coast and I absolutely love living here. I grew up in the DMV and lived there a lot of my adult life and I'll take Florida any day. Cesspool, lol. Hardly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today I was talking to colleagues and we all plan to move to Florida. Just saying.

Living in Florida is so different than vacationing.

The unbearable heat, humidity, and daily thunderstorms of the summer, coupled with icy A/C run in a desperate attempt to drive down humidity indoors.

The bugs. Most of you haven’t seen cockroaches the size of butterflies, or the depth of mosquitos that they used to helicopter spray to control.

Living on the beach — probably worth it if you can swing the $M and afford private school. Anywhere else (looking at your Orlando), WTF.

This is so ridiculous, I've lived in different parts of FL and I've never seen these huge cockroaches you speak of. Mosquitoes are no worse than in NoVa. I did have some little tiny ants in my kitchen last year but I put out Terro ant traps and they were gone in days and haven't come back. Occasionally a little lizard will find a way into my home but they don't do any damage and eventually find their way out.

I do not find the heat to be unbearable, even in the summer, although I do find mid-Atlantic winters to be unbearable. It's a fine trade off for me and plenty of others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from rural Florida, a little backwater with not much going on and at least 1 hr drive to the nearest mall, no Starbucks in our entire county, etc. but we do have a Publix!

Anyways, I sold my parents 3 bed room ranch in 2014 when they died for $45k. Today Zillow says it’s worth $240k.

A home in my county, zoned for same schools as my parents house, but nicer and 4x the lot size just sold for $650k.

These numbers completely baffle me. We are not near the beach (at all; the coast line near us is all marsh, at least 1hr drive to any sand), there are no jobs there, biggest employers are the hospitals (Gods waiting room, natch) and the school system. No professional jobs other than Doctor or Teacher more or less.

I guess a doctor can spend $600k easy, and rural doctors do make more, and maybe a LOT of people moved for WFH (though schools are bad and there are no private schools, at all, I mean who could afford them until now?).

It’s just wild. I am just despairing we didn’t keep parents house, rent it out, and sell now — it best the NASDAQ!

45K sounds really really cheap for a home in Florida. Even 9 years ago. Even if it was practically falling apart. Even if it was next door to the sewage treatment facility, Even if it was right by the railroad tracks. Even if it was a 12 foot wide by 40 foot long mobile home built in 1964.

How large was the plot of land? Was it on a paved road?
OP do you think it sold for a reasonable price at the time?

Quarter acre lot. Ranch. Pool. Liveable but basically original to 70s.

Comps were valid. Florida is HUGE. There is a LOT of buildable land in the interior of the state, and housing developments for old people were like locusts; they would build a community, a generation of retirees would move in, die off in 15 years, and the housing all sells for cheap section 8 housing. That was the pattern until the Villages kind became self sustaining, probably because of the wealth and size of the boomers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a theory that the millions of little boys and girls who went on family vacations to Florida as children in the 1960s-1990s have all grown up dreaming of moving to Florida. They have to find out the hard way what a cesspool the place really is.

That's me! My mom used to take us every year to visit her brother's family in Jacksonville. I loved Florida and tried to talk her into moving here. She wouldn't but when I was an adult I started visiting other parts of Florida and loved it even more. I've lived on the east coast of Florida and now live on the gulf coast and I absolutely love living here. I grew up in the DMV and lived there a lot of my adult life and I'll take Florida any day. Cesspool, lol. Hardly!

Yep cesspool. Look at a satellite photo…they have paved every inch from homestead up to Jupiter. Not a single natural area left. Florida used to be beautiful. Now it’s just strip malls churches and golf courses. They everglades have been completely destroyed. Invasive species everywhere. Corrupt cops that use steroids and plant guns. Racial segregation in every town large or small. Rednecks everywhere even in the city.

[Anonymous]

If Florida isn’t a cesspool then why would there need to be so many gated communities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today I was talking to colleagues and we all plan to move to Florida. Just saying.

Florida's not last on my list of states in which to retire, but it sur isn't at the top. Bottom 25 for sure, perhaps bottom 15. It's probably not so low for my spouse, but still not at the top. Is we really needed to retire to a low tax state, we'd choose Delaware.

I'd choose Washington state for an income tax free state. No question.

PP here, and I like Washington a lot, but we're East Coasters, and likely want to stay here. I'd still do it before Florida, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in florida. I moved for neither the taxes nor politics.

But i like living here; today, all the windows in my house are open, there's not a cloud in the sky, and it's 79'. a/c hasn't been on since probably late October. My kid goes to a nationally ranked public school. The people around us are nice, and everyone is happy.

Yeah, desantis sucks and the politics can suck. But i felt the same way living in DC for years, and i've always hated US politics (i'm an immigrant).

I live in Florida and also moved here for reasons other than taxes or politics. I love it here! Isn't it funny people in the DMV saying politics in Florida suck and that's a reason not to live here? Makes me laugh!

I am very hopeful that DeSantis does not become president but I wonder where all these folks are going to move when/if he's running the whole country.

same place where a bunch of Obama haters moved to when he won twice... nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Florida isn’t a cesspool then why would there need to be so many gated communities?

LOL. Checkmate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from rural Florida, a little backwater with not much going on and at least 1 hr drive to the nearest mall, no Starbucks in our entire county, etc. but we do have a Publix!

Anyways, I sold my parents 3 bed room ranch in 2014 when they died for $45k. Today Zillow says it’s worth $240k.

A home in my county, zoned for same schools as my parents house, but nicer and 4x the lot size just sold for $650k.

These numbers completely baffle me. We are not near the beach (at all; the coast line near us is all marsh, at least 1hr drive to any sand), there are no jobs there, biggest employers are the hospitals (Gods waiting room, natch) and the school system. No professional jobs other than Doctor or Teacher more or less.

I guess a doctor can spend $600k easy, and rural doctors do make more, and maybe a LOT of people moved for WFH (though schools are bad and there are no private schools, at all, I mean who could afford them until now?).

It’s just wild. I am just despairing we didn’t keep parents house, rent it out, and sell now — it best the NASDAQ!

45K sounds really really cheap for a home in Florida. Even 9 years ago. Even if it was practically falling apart. Even if it was next door to the sewage treatment facility, Even if it was right by the railroad tracks. Even if it was a 12 foot wide by 40 foot long mobile home built in 1964.

How large was the plot of land? Was it on a paved road?
OP do you think it sold for a reasonable price at the time?

https://www.redfin.com/FL/Tallahassee/13547-Ulm-Rd-32309/home/139774467

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in florida. I moved for neither the taxes nor politics.

But i like living here; today, all the windows in my house are open, there's not a cloud in the sky, and it's 79'. a/c hasn't been on since probably late October. My kid goes to a nationally ranked public school. The people around us are nice, and everyone is happy.

Yeah, desantis sucks and the politics can suck. But i felt the same way living in DC for years, and i've always hated US politics (i'm an immigrant).

I live in Florida and also moved here for reasons other than taxes or politics. I love it here! Isn't it funny people in the DMV saying politics in Florida suck and that's a reason not to live here? Makes me laugh!

I am very hopeful that DeSantis does not become president but I wonder where all these folks are going to move when/if he's running the whole country.

An excellent point. The people in DMV complain about florida because:

1) Politics. Which are essentially no different than nationally politics. And few people in DC are fleeing the country to avoid US national politics.
2) No taxes. Why is this a problem?
3) Heat. More than half the state is cooler than DC during the summer. I get that not everyone likes that heat lasting so long (6 months instead of just 3 months), but on the flip side, is it so hard for you to understand that other people don't like the 4 months of cold, grey and wet you have in DC?
4) Alligators and mosquitos and cockroaches. When people start citing that, you know they are just reaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in florida. I moved for neither the taxes nor politics.

But i like living here; today, all the windows in my house are open, there's not a cloud in the sky, and it's 79'. a/c hasn't been on since probably late October. My kid goes to a nationally ranked public school. The people around us are nice, and everyone is happy.

Yeah, desantis sucks and the politics can suck. But i felt the same way living in DC for years, and i've always hated US politics (i'm an immigrant).

I live in Florida and also moved here for reasons other than taxes or politics. I love it here! Isn't it funny people in the DMV saying politics in Florida suck and that's a reason not to live here? Makes me laugh!

I am very hopeful that DeSantis does not become president but I wonder where all these folks are going to move when/if he's running the whole country.

An excellent point. The people in DMV complain about florida because:

1) Politics. Which are essentially no different than nationally politics. And few people in DC are fleeing the country to avoid US national politics.
2) No taxes. Why is this a problem?
3) Heat. More than half the state is cooler than DC during the summer. I get that not everyone likes that heat lasting so long (6 months instead of just 3 months), but on the flip side, is it so hard for you to understand that other people don't like the 4 months of cold, grey and wet you have in DC?
4) Alligators and mosquitos and cockroaches. When people start citing that, you know they are just reaching.

With respect to weather, yes it's hot and humid longer, but half the year is pretty nice, so much of the state has more good weather days than DC annually.

[Anonymous]

The “Florida Man” game really sums up why so many of us don’t like the place. It’s a shame that such a beautiful part of our country is such a trashy place. Outside of 30A and a few other pockets, it’s a mess.

[Anonymous]

Florida is mostly built on swamp land. It is literally a swamp.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/08/hurricane-irma-florida-215586/

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/10/13/much-florida-is-swamp-we-should-take-advantage-that-feature-we-rebuild-column/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The “Florida Man” game really sums up why so many of us don’t like the place. It’s a shame that such a beautiful part of our country is such a trashy place. Outside of 30A and a few other pockets, it’s a mess.

I always feel like people who say things like this just aren’t familiar with much of America. How much of the country have you seen or driven through? Florida has many beautiful parts and the ugly parts are pretty normal for America IME.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from rural Florida, a little backwater with not much going on and at least 1 hr drive to the nearest mall, no Starbucks in our entire county, etc. but we do have a Publix!

Anyways, I sold my parents 3 bed room ranch in 2014 when they died for $45k. Today Zillow says it’s worth $240k.

A home in my county, zoned for same schools as my parents house, but nicer and 4x the lot size just sold for $650k.

These numbers completely baffle me. We are not near the beach (at all; the coast line near us is all marsh, at least 1hr drive to any sand), there are no jobs there, biggest employers are the hospitals (Gods waiting room, natch) and the school system. No professional jobs other than Doctor or Teacher more or less.

I guess a doctor can spend $600k easy, and rural doctors do make more, and maybe a LOT of people moved for WFH (though schools are bad and there are no private schools, at all, I mean who could afford them until now?).

It’s just wild. I am just despairing we didn’t keep parents house, rent it out, and sell now — it best the NASDAQ!

45K sounds really really cheap for a home in Florida. Even 9 years ago. Even if it was practically falling apart. Even if it was next door to the sewage treatment facility, Even if it was right by the railroad tracks. Even if it was a 12 foot wide by 40 foot long mobile home built in 1964.

How large was the plot of land? Was it on a paved road?
OP do you think it sold for a reasonable price at the time?

https://www.redfin.com/FL/Tallahassee/13547-Ulm-Rd-32309/home/139774467

Haha, our house was WAY nicer than that!