You don’t say much about what you’re looking for. Florida is a huge state. Do you want beach access? If being on the coast isn’t important to you, look into Gainesville area. It’s a great small city, only 1.5 hr drive to the beach (st Augustine) so you can still easily do that but not have the worries and costs associated w living on the coast (hurricanes, higher insurance rates, higher housing costs, etc). You are only 2 hrs drive to Tampa area or Orlando area. There’s a nice college town feel with a lot of smart, well educated people working at or attending the university or coming there for the university and then staying. Low COL compared to areas like Miami or Tampa or Naples.

I loved living in Gainesville and wound up staying there for years after I graduated from UF so I’ve lived there as a student and non student. I think it’s a great place to retire to…if only Florida overall wasn’t such a horrible place (politically). But I guess if you don’t have school age kids you might be able to kind of ignore that.

Sarasota
St. Petersburg
Davis Island (Tampa)
Lakeland

Sarasota is very nice.

It used to be that NE went to Miami, but not the case since covid.

Miami is very, very busy these days. Traffic, grocery stores, restaurant reservations.... everything is really really hard. We lived there for 10 years - best years of our lives! We were on south beach and loved the action. But it's a new level of action now, and there's no control to the development or master plan. We find it very hard to go back, and my friends who are still there are itching to get to quieter places (even though they love miami).

Naples is very stodgy and manicured. Not my favorite vibe.
Treasure coast is kind of randomly fun but not must to walk to. But very chill, old school florida vibe.

Ponte Vedra is a favorite of many friends.

If you're willing to live in land, there are really nice high end communities around orlando. Also, i like the college town (and affordable) vibe around gainesville.

In tampa, you could look around the upscale shopping area Hyde Park. Not sure if it's remotely affordable anymore though.

Finally.... best place in the state where all the newcomers are from the NE.... is Sarasota. You can get a nice upgraded inland home for your budget, not in the absolute nicest neighborhoods close to the water, but pretty close. Lots of shopping, restaurants, etc. Most (but not all) of the wealthier people here are liberal, or at least reasonable on politics. Life is good!

North east goes to east coast of Florida ie palm beach, Miami Midwest goes to west coast ie Naples, Tampa. So if ur originally from the dc region I would stay east coast side.

Jacksonville beach is highly underrated in my opinion. Ponte vedra. Although it’s definitely not as warm as S FL

I’d study the climate change and flood maps very, very closely and stay away from condominiums.

Yuck, be a better person

Anonymous wrote:Thank God I’m not so desperate that I’d move to a hell hole like Florida just for tax reasons.

OP sounds truly desperate, making only 700k+ a year.

Thank God for your well-earned millions

Thank God I’m not so desperate that I’d move to a hell hole like Florida just for tax reasons.

+1

Thank God I’m not so desperate that I’d move to a hell hole like Florida just for tax reasons.

+1 for Delray Beach.

Anonymous wrote:Considering moving from Upper NW to Florida as primary residence for the tax break (this would save us approx 75k per year). Empty nesters, mid-50s, able to work remotely but not sure where to look.

Our budget is $1.5MM - 1.75MM and we'd like to be near amenities like restaurants, shopping, etc. Condo or house. Miami seems fun, but we'd need "livable" neighborhoods. Naples seems ok too - but maybe a bit stodgy.

Any recommendations for neighborhoods in either location?

Don't you have friends or relatives down there to help guide you? It's a massive state...

Most people I know move to South Florida, from West Palm Beach at the top to Miami at bottom. Places like Delray Beach and Boca Raton sound like what you're looking for.

Atlantic Beach, FL. There’s a Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, lots of healthcare support, retirement living, and some change of seasons. There is also the newer area of Nocatee. It is more tucked away, about an hour to the airport and 20 minutes to the beach.

Considering moving from Upper NW to Florida as primary residence for the tax break (this would save us approx 75k per year). Empty nesters, mid-50s, able to work remotely but not sure where to look.

Our budget is $1.5MM - 1.75MM and we'd like to be near amenities like restaurants, shopping, etc. Condo or house. Miami seems fun, but we'd need "livable" neighborhoods. Naples seems ok too - but maybe a bit stodgy.

Any recommendations for neighborhoods in either location?