Moving to Florida. Looking for advice.

[silentg]

We looked at that community, went back three times, finally decided to move further south.

We used to live about an hour south, love it up here.

 

[easyrider]

Highest point is 300 ft.

How wide is it ? If that 300 ft was a mile wide it would seem kind of flat to me.

Bill

 

[Brett]

Highest point is 300 ft.

So Florida actually has 300 ft "mini-mountains"

 

[silentg]

So Florida actually has 300 ft "mini-mountains"

Beautiful area

 

[Luanne]

So Florida actually has 300 ft "mini-mountains"

I'd call them "bumps".

 

[DrQ]

I'd call them "bumps".

Those are armadillos in Texas. See em' on the highway all the time.

 

[chriskre]

So Florida actually has 300 ft "mini-mountains"

We have mountains but they're made of trash. Mount trashmores we call them.

 

[WinniWoman]

Honestly, I've never been to most of areas of Florida. We did drive across Florida from the Gulf to the Atlantic and that area is flat. The lower part of the hill I'm living on is about 1100 ft above sea level with about another 3000 ft of elevation behind us. We are surrounded by hills and mountains. Its what I'm use to seeing. I like to see something break up the horizon. Its what feels like home to me so I get why you like where you live.

Does Florida have hills ? I thought Florida has some areas of Knolls or Humps maybe a few hundred ft above sea level at best.

Bill

That’s me as well. Unfortunately the downside is it’s very hard to find a lot of flat areas to take walks. My hiking days are over and I do think these steep hills everywhere are what did my back in.

 

[chriskre]

Yes, certainly something important to consider. It’s turning out not such an easy decision after all. A little scary…

Any big decision is scary but since you are just renting your not really making a huge commitment to Florida.
If you don't like it just pack up again and leave.
Yeah it's a pain to move but at least you don't have to sell and move.
I think you will like it.
Your in South Carolina now and the summers are similar so you already know heat.
You'll just have to get used to it year round instead of seasonally.

Don't let the rents scare you, there are pockets of affordable living everywhere.
Stick to 55 and over communities and you'll find something affordable.
Just don't expect to be right next to the beach.

And don't worry about the gators and reptiles.
I've been living in FL since 1970 and used to swim in the canals when
I was a kid and never got eaten by a gator. Just don't walk your dog next to the lakes and your fine.
You probably won't be living in a community on the water in your price range.
Most of those lakes are rock pits anyway so your not missing much by not living on a lake.
They just put lakes in those communities to build the communities and take the fill for the houses.
The money you save by not living lakefront you can use to pay to park at the beach.
Come on down, the water is fine.

 

[Luanne]

These are mountains.

 

[easyrider]

That’s me as well. Unfortunately the downside is it’s very hard to find a lot of flat areas to take walks. My hiking days are over and I do think these steep hills everywhere are what did my back in.

We have 60 stairs to get to the mail box from our main floor. Another 14 to get to the main bedroom. My wife is in pretty good shape because she gets the mail, lol.

Bill

 

[Luanne]

We have 60 stairs to get to the mail box from our main floor. Another 14 to get to the main bedroom. My wife is in pretty good shape because she gets the mail, lol.

Bill

When we retired and moved one of our biggest must haves was a house all on one level with no stairs. We do have 3 steps from the garage into the house. That's about all we can handle, lol.

 

[WinniWoman]

We have 60 stairs to get to the mail box from our main floor. Another 14 to get to the main bedroom. My wife is in pretty good shape because she gets the mail, lol.

Bill

I can do stairs ok. Except sometimes knees hurt doing them, but I carry on. But rarely need to as our home is one floor except for to the basement.

 

[WinniWoman]

When we retired and moved one of our biggest must haves was a house all on one level with no stairs. We do have 3 steps from the garage into the house. That's about all we can handle, lol.

Same with us.

 

[easyrider]

When we retired and moved one of our biggest must haves was a house all on one level with no stairs. We do have 3 steps from the garage into the house. That's about all we can handle, lol.

We can drive to the main floor and once parked there are a couple of steps to get into the house.

Bill

 

[dioxide45]

Another thing to consider when looking for a place, like an apartment or condo, is that most every place that has three floors or less won't have an elevator. So if you can't do stairs you would need a ground floor (possible potential for more critters) or you want a place that has four or more floors or elevators. Many developers, until more recently, would limit builds to three floors or less to prevent the requirement to put in expensive elevators.

 

[Luanne]

We can drive to the main floor and once parked there are a couple of steps to get into the house.

Bill

But when you get to the point where you can't drive.............................

 

[easyrider]

But when you get to the point where you can't drive.............................

It won't be my problem by then is what I think, lol.

Bill

 

[Luanne]

It won't be my problem by then is what I think, lol.

Bill

You'd better hope not.

 

[silentg]

I'd call them "bumps".

I didn’t say we were in the mountains. Just that we have many hills, some are steep. We can see Disney fireworks in parts of the community. Many people are snowbirds, so summer has fewer people. We usually try to take trips during the hotter months.

 

[Luanne]

I didn’t say we were in the mountains. Just that we have many hills, some are steep. We can see Disney fireworks in parts of the community. Many people are snowbirds, so summer has fewer people. We usually try to take trips during the hotter months.

I must have visited the wrong parts of Florida. I never saw any hills. The highest elevation point I probably saw was Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World.

 

[easyrider]

You'd better hope not.

I believe everything will be just fine. I have faith everything will be alright.

Bill

 

[billymach4]

These are mountains.

View attachment 124847

View attachment 124848

 

[chriskre]

I must have visited the wrong parts of Florida. I never saw any hills. The highest elevation point I probably saw was Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World.

Central Florida has lots of rolling hills if you get away from the theme parks.
The theme parks were built around the swamps.

 

[topmom101]

Have you spent much time in Florida? During all seasons of the year? My best friend move to Florida a few years ago. Her older daughter and her family (husband and sons) live there. Before that bff lived in California her entire life. She moved to Florida to be closer to her older daughter because first her husband passed away, then maybe a year or two later she lost everything in the Paradise Camp fire. It made sense for her to move closer to her older daughter. She is settling in, there are things she likes (the weather during the months of the year when it's good) and many more she doesn't. Just do a lot of thinking before you make the move.

Hi Luanne, my daughter lived in Miami for 3 years and I visited her often. Summer months were brutal. I have been to Orlando a bunch of times, Sarasota, Palm beach, Daytona area, Jacksonville, Naples, Fort Lauderdale, the Keys. My favorite beaches were in Sarasota, Naples, and Miami. A nice beach with blue water would make me very happy but the more I think about it, and the comments about snakes, frogs, lizards and huge flying bugs are giving me pause. I probably would feel “safe” in a high rise, 4th floor or higher as recommended. Maybe I’ll rent a furnished apartment for a couple of months and spend time looking around before deciding.