Back from a quick real estate search in Florida

[YeOldeStonecat]

Spent the past 4 days down in Florida with various real estate agents looking in different areas.
Started up in Dunedin to meet an old friend...and then drove down to Sarasota...south end, by where Siesta Key has its southern connection. Looked in Ft Myers...scratched that. Looked in Marco Island..way down south towards bottom of Florida. LOVED IT...but the beach was "so-so". Very upscale area. Looked in areas in Bradenton...by Cortez and Manatee, mostly west of 43 street. And then...looked at a little apartment in Bradenton Beach, on Anna Maria Island...just north of Coquina Beach. This old quaint little beach town. Fell in Love!
The apartment we looked at is a hair over our budget, but at least we have found the area we love.
Gorgeous beach!

..and I saw a manatee..in the wild! I'm out in the water on Bradenton Beach, like...stomach depth in water...just standing out there admiring the view. I turn around to walk out farther...and I see this long dark shape under water. Immediate thoughts...."Huh..I don't remember seeing that rock or sea grass bed there.." And then I detect it's moving..and I get a quick shot of adrenaline pumping me up.."shark"...but then I think to myself..."Nope..not a shark..moving way too slow. Big school of fish? Nope...too solid. Oh crap...one of those huge goliath groupers..."..and that scared me more than the shark! So I just stand still..and it slowly comes a little towards me...and then passes in front of me, about 4 feet out. Comes up to the surface...nostrils break up for air..and I'm relieved..."Phew....a sea cow!" (a manatee).
Never expected to see one there...usually see them in the glades/canals/coves/inlets. Not the ocean front beaches. But an intercoastal connects just up the shore, and there's a big barge down the end of the beach doing rebuilding of some sea wall/jetties (breakwaters). A few hours later I'm talking to some people on the beach, one of the guys was deep brown tan..obviously a local, we were talking about the beach, I had pointed how I was just out there wading around and I saw a manatee. He cracked up...said he works down the beach on that barge on the jetty rebuild project. and that manatee basically lives under that barge...and goes for a cruise up the beach every day...and he sees people get alarmed by it and freak out all the time.

Anyways...what a fun time in FL...very busy couple of days...driving..driving..driving. Eating. Drinking. Some rest..then back on the road.
Traffic...yeah, not the best time to travel (being a holiday weekend).

Car we rented was a Dodge Charger R/T...with a HEMI engine (same as my truck). Wow..fun!
That trip down Rt 75...towards the southern end past Port Charlotte...to Marco...out in the sticks...really got to stretch her legs (in the midst of watching for panther crossings).

As a northern "Yankee"....I know many Floridians despise us moving down there, and I had read in various places how "unfriendly" people were down there. We found quite the opposite...we talked to a lot of people and had great times yacking with them. Found so many of them were themselves transplants, as well as many with deep family history in the area.

I can't wait to transition down there.

 

[1on1 Computer Services]

Another "Damn Yankee" moving to Florida

I spent 24 years in Florida, although it was in the Northeastern part(Jax/St Augustine area, which is really just South Georiga). About two years ago I got so sick of the place. We finally just said "shove it" and packed up and moved to New Mexico two months ago.

New Mexico has so much more to offer than Floriduh! Every week is a new adventure here with the mountains, deserts, old indian ruins...

Hope you enjoy

 

[TAPtech]

A client of mine just moved down to Jupiter a few months ago. Every time it rains or the weather here is shitty I send her a picture with the subject "screw you!" Haha, I think I'm meant for warmer weather and am envious of you. Glad to hear you found a place to fall in love with!

 

[mraikes]

Another "Damn Yankee" moving to Florida

I spent 24 years in Florida, although it was in the Northeastern part(Jax/St Augustine area, which is really just South Georiga). About two years ago I got so sick of the place. We finally just said "shove it" and packed up and moved to New Mexico two months ago.

New Mexico has so much more to offer than Floriduh! Every week is a new adventure here with the mountains, deserts, old indian ruins...

Hope you enjoy

That's a big jump, Florida to New Mexico! You're going to love Balloon Fiesta in the fall.

But one thing the greater Albuquerque area has in common with Florida is that it seems (almost) everyone is from somewhere else. This part of the country is an undiscovered jewel for people that prefer to live without ocean beaches, high humidity and storms of all kinds.

 

[1on1 Computer Services]

That's a big jump, Florida to New Mexico! You're going to love Balloon Fiesta in the fall.

But one thing the greater Albuquerque area has in common with Florida is that it seems (almost) everyone is from somewhere else. This part of the country is an undiscovered jewel for people that prefer to live without ocean beaches, high humidity and storms of all kinds.

We're loving it so far! So many things to do and see here. All you have in Florida is beaches and damn Yankees . OH, and bugs, don't for the bugs !!!

We're in Corrales for now, gotta love the view from the back porch here

 

[Rayspcsolutions]

Anna Maria Island...just north of Coquina Beach. This old quaint little beach town. Fell in Love!

Anna Maria is a very nice. My brother's wife's family owns a home on the island near the Rod and Reel, and they use for a get away on long weekends and such. They were just up there this weekend actually had a big crawfish boil.

My brother owns a General Contracting firm in Fort Myers that I also work at as my full time job and we are actually doing a remodel on a home on Anna Maria at the moment as well, our first on the Island.

But yea I can understand why you fell in love with the place. One drawback I can think of is the traffic on and off the island.

 

[FremontPC]

Stonecat, are you looking to buy or rent? If the former, watch out for the cost of insurance. I have a friend that moved down to the Tampa area and I recall that insurance added a chunk of change to his budget.

 

[NETWizz]

I have got a great Agent for you in Florida... She sold me my home in South Carolina.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Anna Maria is a very nice. My brother's wife's family owns a home on the island near the Rod and Reel, and they use for a get away on long weekends and such. They were just up there this weekend actually had a big crawfish boil.

My brother owns a General Contracting firm in Fort Myers that I also work at as my full time job and we are actually doing a remodel on a home on Anna Maria at the moment as well, our first on the Island.

But yea I can understand why you fell in love with the place. One drawback I can think of is the traffic on and off the island.

We looked at a "condo hotel" in Ft Myers Beach...called "Pink Shell"...on Estero or something like that. Up towards the north tip. I've stayed in Ft Myers Beach a couple of years ago....fun place.

Traffic on, and off, of AMI...yeah, Manatee and Cortez...well, we saw them at their worst over the weekend. But then again...ANYthing beach, this past weekend, even up here in CT...was horrible traffic wise.
Once on the isle of AMI...not much of a need to go off island.

However, the "less traffic" is what I enjoyed more of Marco Island. The approach from Rt 75 was much nicer...less dense, a more pleasant drive towards the shore (not as many stoplights 'n stuff).

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Stonecat, are you looking to buy or rent? If the former, watch out for the cost of insurance. I have a friend that moved down to the Tampa area and I recall that insurance added a chunk of change to his budget.

Buying a small condo or house to rent out.....and also use ourselves for 3 or 4 trips a year. Rent it out enough to have it get close to covering it's costs. if we actually make a few thou a year, that will be gravy.
But we love the tropical beaches and weather, and laid back life of things down there in the islands.

Yeah we're familiar with "flood zones"....being on the water up here where I am. Cost of housing down in FL is much cheaper than up here. Taxes for one. My prior house, which was ON the water, I paid almost 10 grand a year in taxes and another 3 in flood insurance. Current house....not on the water, but near it, we pay almost 8 grand a year in taxes.

 

[FremontPC]

Yeah, flood and hurricanes, big insurance costs. Then with condos you've got the HOA fees too. Renting it out sounds like a good strategy. I remember a friend of the family had a condo on the panhandle. Had an arrangement whereby a crew would move his stuff out when he was away and deck it out with rental grade furniture, etc, then rent it out for him. He just had to pick up the phone and let them know when he was going to be back in town and they would switch it back and have it ready for him.

 

[Larry Sabo]

AMI - we still have an AMI sticker on our car. Prior to getting our current Lab Retriever five years ago, we went there every year in February or March. Absolutely heavenly place (except for the traffic in March). We especially loved Bang-Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Grill, burgers and cold beer at Duffy's Tavern, and lunch at Sweetberries. Lots of great eating.