Thinking of moving to Florida in the next year

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What do you and your family like to do for recreation in southern Oregon? What are you planning to replace that with in central Florida?
Are your assets part of a home owners association now? What is your tolerance for such governance?
 
What do you and your family like to do for recreation in southern Oregon? What are you planning to replace that with in central Florida?
Are your assets part of a home owners association now? What is your tolerance for such governance?
Stay out of HOA’s if possible!
 
I own Property in North Central Marion County, Orange Springs, Fl. I like the Town not much there but Ocala is not far.
My folks live there and other family members. My wife and I may move there one day. We like it here around Dawsonville, Ga. Though!
 
What do you and your family like to do for recreation in southern Oregon? What are you planning to replace that with in central Florida?
Are your assets part of a home owners association now? What is your tolerance for such governance?

We are still pretty young 39 and 38 with two boys 10 & 8. So our weeks are.busunwith work, sports and school activities.

In our free time/weekends, we like to camp and do water sports, lakes, go to the coast and biking. From what we looked at, the only thing you'd lose from Oregon to Florida is snow sports.

Our assets are not HOA now, I'm not even sure we have an HOA around here. Truthfully, I wouldn't care about an HOA, where we live now is an acre on a county road, we just got two street lights and sidewalks on our side. We are kinda of yearning for a neighborhood for the boys to play. Our current neighborhood leaves a lot to be desired for a young family. But on the other hand, if you like space and keeping to yourself, it's perfect. I would say our priorities in life have changed.
 
We are looking around areas of Jacksonville and Tampa.

I just saw a job in Jacksonville for a parts manager at a GM dealer. My wife said slow down! Haha
 
I have heard, but never investigated myself, that it is getting challenging to find nice areas in Jacksonville.

A Navy family recently got orders to move there. They have been exploring areas to find a nice place for the family.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses so far. My wife really hates the cold. She said if we are going to make a big move, she wanted somewhere warm. I suggested AZ, but I am not sure my son can handle that kind of heat, but I don't know since I have never been.
You should make sure to visit Florida first during the hottest time of the year. If you can handle that and the humidity then you'll enjoy the weather for the rest of the year for sure! :thumbsup:
 
Our family owns multiple properties in Bradenton, Sarasota, and on Anna Marie Island. For me there is no place like the west coast of Florida. I hate the dirty water and brown sand on the east coast. Moving from Southern Oregon to Florida is going to be a major change in weather. Hot and Sticky unless you live near the coast and have the ocean breezes. Panhandle or west coast would be my choice if I were to live in Florida year round. That white sand and blue water makes all the difference to me.

Tom
We spend a couple of months in Destin every year during snowbird season, January 1st to mid March and it's hard to go home! But from what I hear first hand is the heat and humidity are pretty bad half the year and traffic is horrendous three quarters of the year. Lol
 
We spend a couple of months in Destin every year during snowbird season, January 1st to mid March and it's hard to go home! But from what I hear first hand is the heat and humidity are pretty bad half the year and traffic is horrendous three quarters of the year. Lol

Being here a short time, I can tell you it’s easy to see the snow bird traffic differences.

Now going on what you hear, is partially true. I say location dependent. Let us know when you actually experience your area all year round. It’ll be interesting to new guys like me.

You should make sure to visit Florida first during the hottest time of the year. If you can handle that and the humidity then you'll enjoy the weather for the rest of the year for sure! :thumbsup:

Bad advice IMO.

But true about handling the heat. But that should be a short burst of time in the heat. Not hanging out in the sun walking around like it’s no big thing.

I was talking with the OP and stated a serious warning about the outdoor time and water. Sometimes, you simply can not consume enough water. The need to be able to keep cool for me is a pool and A/C in the house. Even when the pool isn’t enough, the A/C is it. That takes care of everything.

I don’t blame anyone for snow birding. Not one bit.
 
I'm another Florida newbie but have been coming here for a week at a time for many years. Those weeks have been at all times of the year hence why we knew we would love it! We closed on our new house in Sep 2023.

We live in Citrus County, about 90 min north of Tampa. 8 miles inland from the Gulf and Crystal River (self-proclaimed manatee capital of the world). NO traffic jams, no rush hour, and very hilly around here. Our 1.2 acre lot is 88' above sea level so no worries of hurricane storm surge. In fact, hurricanes generally don't traverse through here - it's been yada yada years since one did (the natives claim many decades). The past several, like Ida that tore up Fort Myers and Naples a couple years ago, dropped something like 3-4 inches of rain here. Not much considering we can get a thunderstorm on any given day that will drop 3" - generally followed by about a week of sunshine! Our "subdivision" is quite large - about 8 miles x 4 miles - with POA dues of $96 per YEAR (and cannot go up). Not bad considering the minimum lot size is 1 acre with some going up to 5 or more. It's an equestrian community so many people have horses.

This past winter, although much colder than normal according to the natives, was glorious to us (we moved from the Detroit area.) The coldest days had me in a sweatshirt in the afternoons. We only have solar heat for our pool and the water has been 85+ since later in March. It's now hitting the set-point of 91 close to every day. Perfection!

The bonus we did not expect was the insane car culture around here. This place is nuts with people and their MULTIPLE cars! I have 3 and am on the bottom for sure. And I'm talking these folks have REALLY nice stuff. No rust buckets here for sure. And a car show or cruise in a 30 mile radius literally 5 nights (or more!) per week if you want to partake.

Car insurance is considerably higher here, perhaps about 30%. No income tax and property taxes are about what you'd expect. Since our house is new, insurance for it was reasonable (I thought) given we have the house, the pool/screened cage, and my 1700 ft2 detached garage/shop.

One other unexpected bonus: we have NO mosquitos! My wife is allergic to them so this was a great surprise. I can be out in the shop at night with the door open, lights on, and no attack of those pesky critters. Nice!!

Looking at what I wrote, it sounds like I'm selling. I'm not, just stating the facts as we see it, and loving being here.
 
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I have family that live in Inverness, Crystal River and Homosassa Springs and they love it. I usually go down and stay on clearwater beach for vacation. Wish I could afford the move down there.
 
The older I get, the more I like to socialize. It didn't used to be that way. Lol. It would be fun to get together sometime to talk cars and railroad!

You got it!!!


I'm another Florida newbie but have been coming here for a week at a time for many years. Those weeks have been at all times of the year hence why we knew we would love it! We closed on our new house in Sep 2023.

We live in Citrus County, about 90 min north of Tampa. 8 miles inland from the Gulf and Crystal River (self-proclaimed manatee capital of the world). NO traffic jams, no rush hour, and very hilly around here. Our 1.2 acre lot is 88' above sea level so no worries of hurricane storm surge. In fact, hurricanes generally don't traverse through here - it's been yada yada years since one did (the natives claim many decades). The past several, like Ida that tore up Fort Myers and Naples a couple years ago, dropped something like 3-4 inches of rain here. Not much considering we can get a thunderstorm on any given day that will drop 3" - generally followed by about a week of sunshine! Our "subdivision" is quite large - about 8 miles x 4 miles - with POA dues of $96 per YEAR (and cannot go up). Not bad considering the minimum lot size is 1 acre with some going up to 5 or more. It's an equestrian community so many people have horses.

This past winter, although much colder than normal according to the natives, was glorious to us (we moved from the Detroit area.) The coldest days had me in a sweatshirt in the afternoons. We only have solar heat for our pool and the water has been 85+ since later in March. It's now hitting the set-point of 91 close to every day. Perfection!

The bonus we did not expect was the insane car culture around here. This place is nuts with people and their MULTIPLE cars! I have 3 and am on the bottom for sure. And I'm talking these folks have REALLY nice stuff. No rust buckets here for sure. And a car show or cruise in a 30 mile radius literally 5 nights (or more!) per week if you want to partake.

Car insurance is considerably higher here, perhaps about 30%. No income tax and property taxes are about what you'd expect. Since our house is new, insurance for it was reasonable (I thought) given we have the house, the pool/screened cage, and my 1700 ft2 detached garage/shop.

One other unexpected bonus: we have NO mosquitos! My wife is allergic to them so this was a great surprise. I can be out in the shop at night with the door open, lights on, and no attack of those pesky critters. Nice!!

Looking at what I wrote, it sounds like I'm selling. I'm not, just stating the facts as we see it, and loving being here.

Congratulations!!!!! It sounds like you have found an awesome spot.
 
Thx - I get over to Viera near you where my son lives several times a year. Another beautiful area!!
 
I have been in Tampa Bay area for many months now. I have been many other places and this is what is known by all. Leaving soon

It's very expensive living in FL, Period, everything even beer
Check car insurance and homeowners rates, you will be shocked
Choices for food, lowes, home depot etc may be limited, unlike where i am from.
Lot's of very ugly folks - both looks and behaivior
Lot's of guns some in the wrong hands
Most populated areas have major traffic so it's necessary to run waze or google maps even going 3 miles to the store.
Traffic noise 24/7 unless you choose to live in the sticks, very huge passive aggressive driving, if you ride a motorcycle i suggest you sell it.
Your car needs interactive cruise control for the traffic
Lot's of bad workmanship in the houses and lot's of 2nd rate contractors/pool people etc
You do most everything before 2 pm every day to avoid the traffic and the heat
In the hottest months you will live indoors
There are a million real estate agents
Much more house maintenance than same size house up north
When it rains it rains and stuff happens
Beware of HOA, look online if you think it isn't so bad with an HOA...
Check the neighborhood you think you want to move to very carefully
Don't be naive
 
Buy a house on tall stilts, not sure how to get your cars above the water, and be sure to take your snorkels. I was in Florida a few years ago and thought it would be cool to go to the highest point in the state, which turned out to be in a flat plot of woods next to a rural road side picnic area...
I had heard Fort Myers was built on land fill it was marsh/swamp at one point...
 
I had heard Fort Myers was built on land fill it was marsh/swamp at one point...
Most of Florida was swamp land. That's were the old term " if you believe that , I've got some swamp land I'll sell you " came from.
 
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