+1 DP here and this is so true. They're livid that someone eschews liberal areas in favor of living in a red state. It's so important to their political identity to believe that red states can't be good places to live. So alligators and daily access to late-term abortions become "concerns" along with making up lies about the COL. |
| I’m all for OP moving to Florida if they want to live there for any reason including politics, but there are some important factors that make Florida an expensive place to live so you can’t look at just the income tax part of the equation. |
I’m thrilled for people to move to Florida, I’ve just never liked it there. It’s okay for warmth in the winter. I don’t like the vibe. But why would I care if other people go? All I want is for them to not make it so nutso that I can’t move there when I’m old if it is suddenly appealing. Old people have cold bones. |
Recent CCMD transplant. We relocated to south Florida and there is a lot of truth to how expensive PP is suggesting. I’m 2 miles from the beach and near downtown. My taxes are 25k, my house insurance is 9k (with a 50k hurricane deductible), my car insurance is double. I don’t see difference in health care costs but groceries are more money. Gas is not. At the end of the day, it’s not cheap to live here or in the desirable places across the state. You may get “more” for your money (different way of living), but I would never say it’s a LCOL. |
For people familiar with the JAX / Amelia Island area...any thoughts on Southern, GA beach areas that literally border Amelia Island? Wondering if homeowners' insurance rates are any different, property tax rate comparison, etc.? Are the areas comparable in terms of quaint towns (e.g., is there a Fernandina Beach equivalent?)? |
Screw you. |
Incorrect. I moved there and moved right back within 8 months. High crime rate, crazy drivers/unsafe roads (witnessed a lot of accidents), prevalent fraud, lazy people - felt like a different country. |
You moved to the wrong part of the state. Parts of Florida that attract transplants can be really transient and not very nice. You have to know where to look. |
You just described DC. |
Yes, part of DC is like that. On the other hand, most of Florida is like this. |
If I ever moved back to south Florida, I’d buy a cheap-ish condo and have one car. Having nice things down there is expensive. You want to save, go country in TN. |
As a part time resident of Ponte Vedra Beach I agree with this although we lost a lot of dunes in the 2nd hurricane last Fall. |
It’s just always been a pretty cheesy place. Beautiful beaches and some nice pockets but the “Florida man” game didn’t come about by coincidence. The weather and country club life are appealing and I wish I liked the state, but I just don’t. If I had $8 million, I’d buy on 30A but the rest of it is pretty unappealing. And Desantis is a crazy fascist - that doesn’t help at all. |
| I’m surprised no one has recommended Del Boca Vista. |
PP. I don’t have a strange fear of Florida, I live here and like it. But OP has no clue about the hidden costs. Who knows what her health insurance will, ours is expensive and we get very, very little for it with high deductibles. I can guarantee her though, that her RE taxes will be 1.8% of the purchase price, and her insurance will be excruciatingly high, even if no flood zone. Two cars, high insurance and high gas consumption due to long distances (for most people, but that’s individual). Investment interest? Certainly not, that ship sailed 2 years ago. |