7. Hurricane Insurance Premiums are basically a scam
As we mentioned below, hurricanes are quite frequent in this state. So, it’s absolutely necessary to get hurricane insurance in order to get covered in the worst-case scenario. But the thing is, in the end, it may not even cover much. And here’s why.
When retirees move to Florida, they are shocked to discover that the deductibles for hurricane insurance range from 2% to 5%. If you’re lucky you can get up to 10% of the policy coverage.
It would be terrible if you would have your house or car destroyed and you wouldn’t be able to cover not even 10% of the damage.
107 thoughts on “9 Reasons You Shouldn’t Retire In Florida”
No thank you. I have problems where I live now in Tennessee, but those sound much worse.
I have another reason not to move there and his name is Ron De Santis
I’m sure Gov DeSantis would also prefer you stay where you are!
Imagine a governor who signs law that protects YOUR kindergartners to 3rd graders “behinds” from the devious progressives? Oh the insanity of such a law!
Best governor FL’s had in a long time. Keeping the crazies at bay.
why is that?
And, I’m sure he’s happy you aren’t moving there!
we love Ron Desatis and everything he has done for Florida so it makes us hppy when people like you go elsewhere.
He does keep law and order, so there is that.
So you hate Governors that actually take of the legal citizens? Got it. By all means, stay away, far away.
Florida — > DeSantistan!!!
Ron De Santis is the very best Governor we’ve ever had. He would make a great President, but we’re not ready to let him go quite yet. You must be a liberal.
I sure he is broken over you not being there!
Because of Ron DeSantis, you live in the safest state in the US. Now with the deportations, the illegal criminals and terrorists will run to the blue states. You should be thankful for him!
Absolutely.
Yes, It depends on were you live in the State. I been here in North Palm Beach living on a canal. No bugs, rates. Snakes. Yes Iguana and birds. If you don’t have a mortgage you don’t need Homeowners insurance. Yes you have to rebuild on your own. If you live in a place built in 1965 and been thru all the hurricane with only roof damage it will be here another 50 years. Yes auto insurance is high which the article did not mention. Health insurance is so so its better up North. We love the heat and hate the cold. Many good reasons to still move to Florida.
I love it.
Been to FL three times in Motorhome in the Winter. Bugs were terrible. Very expensive.
I lived in Florida for 60 years & finally escaped to North Carolina after retirement. Everything mentioned in article is absolutely true. The primary reason for my departure was the unbearable heat & humidity which seemed to bother me more as I aged.
So very glad I don’t live there anymore.
Property Taxes are way too high also and for a state that prides being Red,Cost of everything is
more than a typical Blue State.
I have lived in Florida my whole life (66-1/2 years) and this story is over the top. Every state has issues that can be written about in this biased fashion to make them seem bad. Florida is a wonderful state to live in, that’s why tens of thousands of people are rushing here to live every month. The main problem the author missed is that because so many people are coming here, housing prices are shooting up. I am contacted daily by realtors who have buyers who want to buy my house. I don’t want to sell. I am planning on retiring here and loving it.
Your guesstimates of costs of a pool aren’t even close they are nowhere near those figures way too high as far as your other statements a little over board but keep on with your fantasy’s and discourage those snow birds from coming down and clogging our roads and filling our favorite restaurants during happy hour also wanting to do everything like you do up north if you like how the do it there stay there!
Well, I do appreciate the article as perhaps and hopefully it will deter people from moving to Florida, which of late has reached mecca status. I still snowbird it, but the influx, especially from areas of opposing political interest, has me concerned. I did find it amusing to see that the photos used as examples of storm damage did nor appear to be taken in Florida. My permanent residence is in Connecticut and I have had more severe and damaging storms there from hurricanes that bypassed me in Florida without incident. I had over 100k in damage from tropical storm Sandy, who as a hurricane left me unscathed in Florida. Although you would probably like to know where in Florida I am, I resist for fear of encouraging further influx. As for the bacon incident….come on…that was a real stretch. Weirdos are everywhere. I will agree, however, the bugs are pretty bad.
This article is so biased I can’t believe a word. My pool costs me about $20 a month and is a bargain. No bugs, fewer wierdos than any other state, cleaner, spacier, and hot; yes, but certainly bearable. Better value, better governance, and I carry no house insurance. I self insure, and after 10 years, am far ahead. I may get caught, but can afford it. Tennis, golf year round. What’s not to like. Leo Pfeiffer leopfeiffer@aol.com
probability written for the Governor of Calif. — gov. “Newsense”
Maybe the article was written by someone who does NOT wish to share the state with interlopers. We were in Florida three times and were amazed at the rural feel while driving through the state. It is so diverse. From the panhandle to Naples and Key West. Gorgeous and so beautiful. The seafood alone would be worth retiring there! Of course, we were there in December which is the best time to visit. Less bugs and humidity.
Exactly! Best state I have lived in.
Good answer. I live here too, for most of my life. This sounds like a person that never lived in Florida, or has some agenda. I made my living doing concrete construction. I can say that the heat of summer is bearable if you don’t have to work in it.
Hi Leo, I am not familiar with being self insured. Can you tell me about it please?
Thanks so much, Rita
Too many far right crazies, MAGA nutcases in Florida. Plus they have De Santis.
I’ve lived in Florida for the last thirty years , and I wouldn’t live anywhere else . I’m originally from Buffalo NY and would never go back to live there .
Yes I lived in the cold moved and worked in Florida moved back to Ohio the cold After eight more years of cold snow I moved back to Florida now here 30 years and very happy
Everything is good would not want to be anywhere else. And I have good neighbor’s and friends.
In spite of DeSantis, in spite of the heat, in spite of the weird people, in spite of the wildlife, I would still choose Florida to retire. I moved here from New York 10 years ago and it is the best retirement that I am enjoying every single day including volunteering, entertainment, wildlife, ocean, beach, sun, air conditioner, my pool, my house and my neighbors etc. etc. etc.
I understand that! Lived in Buffalo one year as a kid. Thankfully. my parents moved us elswhere after that one year.
My parents and 4 siblings say the same thing as you. They were also from Buffalo. They all love Florida!
I hope all non residents believe this biased BS because the only problem I have is too many people are moving here. Yes it’s hot and humid in the summer but not as miserable as 30 below with snow all around. Otherwise the reasons are really off.
I’d say whomever wrote this article is a democrat! There are issues no matter where you live. If it’s so bad in Florida why are people flocking there in droves. I know people who have moved from New York and are loving it and their businesses are thriving!!
Who can afford to live in New York anymore!?! Furthermore, our vote means nothing because it’s a democratic state. We might as well all go and live in Russia because this country is being taken over by socialists like you!!! The left has destroyed one of the most beautiful countries on the face of the earth and millions of our youth gave their lives so we could do this.
If you can walk and talk get out and get a job and don’t leach off the rest of us!!!!
Ron Desantis is dong an excellent job of running the state!
Most of these reasons are gross exaggerations. I’ve lived in Florida for 60+ years and I’ve had a pool for 25+ years. The cost of pool maintenance and upkeep was way over the top. Alligators don’t roam the streets and I live on a lake. I plan to stay in Florida for my retirement. If this article discourages some people from retiring here, I guess that’s not a bad thing. Florida is too crowded already.
We have found that it is all true what you write about why you would not want to move to Florida, however we made the move anyway and have found that we are enjoying ourselves, especially the strange humans we have come in contact with, in spite of that we have found friends. The government does amazing things that we can observe with wonder. We love our home and the beauty of the waterways and the old Florida of the state’s interior. It is a good place to depart to the Bahamas and South America and the dining is quite good. You can always leave for the hottest months and go up North for a reality check of the contrasting environments. Plus. the fishing is amazing!
Considering moving to Florida, even after all these reasons not to. None were really surprising or anything we didn’t already consider. Though I am not a fan of humidity, I couldn’t live in the dessert, and less a fan of the cold weather that I’ve had enough for a lifetime in Indiana. The sad news would be if the governor was no longer governor. His sensible governing is a plus and love the no state income tax!
The gators, rats, hurricanes are enough to discouraged me from wanting to move to Florida
I am terrified of all of the above and then the sun is too hot in Florida! Love to visit but not to retire
This is a very elementary evaluation of the state. I live in California and it has its negative features too. But this review sounds like a sixth grade Democrat with an agenda wrote it…. 90% of the people who read this will agree with me.
I am already here and love it.
who is the numb nuts that wrote this and some zunzy people will believe it California is much better right brush fires and landsides, mudslides, earthquakes and being on the mexican border with illegals dont go to florida because of reptiles and that someone made a fuss about bacon. the writer is basically numb in the cranium.
I love Florida. I have met wonderful people and the pluses outweigh the minuses.
Reason number 8 ” Are you familiar with the hundreds of cases where Florida residents DID HAVE DONE the weirdest things.
Actual words.
If they couldn’t bother to proof read their own script, why would anyone believe the content of their story ?
Interesting. Give me ten reasons why I shouldn’t move to Delaware.
I have lived in Florida (Fort Lauderdale) for 18 years. I have yet to see my first gator. I’ve lived through several hurricanes and my condo has never been damaged. You get used to the heat. Bugs don’t bother me. Iguanas are a nuisance only when they crawl up onto your porch…which has happened to me only once in 18 years. Humidity? Again, you get used to it; your body acclimates itself. No snow. Boating, beaches and not to mention close proximity to cruise ports to easily cruise to the Caribbean.
Sounds pretty biased to me. Why? Living in CA, the bad things in Florida don’t sound that bad
I wouldn’t move to Florida on A bet . Don’t like the heat . And there state bird should be the mosquito . When I visited there that’s all I did was swat mosquitoes. And the snakes and alligators fort get it there all over the place. Could ent get into tho pool because a gator mode his home in it .Florida no thank you.
I don’t know who posted these comments, but you have Florida confused with California, New York, Chicago and of course Washington DC, plus many other democratic states. I think the American people wised up from the results we are seeing from this bone head administration that we have now. Sounds to me it’s the dictator that runs California (in the ground) is behind this bogus commentary
Having a GREAT day in Florida
Kiss My Ass
I say these 9 things are all bullshit they have or over exaggerated reasons to not move here
They should list the nine reasons to move here obviously The person that wrote this article does not live in Florida he should move here for a few years and he would write a different story
Been living in Florida for 35 years! Your reasons are ridiculous and false!! Never seen an alligator, except at alligator zoos, and haven’t had a hurricane in years and when we did my insurance covered everything!! I agree it gets hot but the actual temperature never gets above 100 like it does in so many other states!! And swimming pools do not cost what you said!! The restaurant scene over bacon was lame!! That could happen anywhere! If Florida was so terrible why are we seeing every other license plate here from another state????? Also, we have the best governor EVER!!!
I believe you just do not want people moving here, yes it has changed over the 50+ years that I have been here, but that is progress, every where and every thing has gotten more expensive, you have to have an open mind in today’s world and accept change wherever that may be. I have the ability to go north in the summer to a little town that has not changed in the last 50+ years and trust me its beautiful in the summer, it is like going back in time, the big event is sitting at a bar and watching wheel of fortune and then jeporady, or a sports event, trust me the locals are pretty good at game shows, they watch alot of tv, no hustle no bustle, you have your hot and humid days just like down here in the south though in the north you are limited on HVAC. You can keep the cold, gloomy long winter days, I will take the sunshine, the traffic and the crows, by the way in the north the medical help is far and few and very inadequate. The choice is yours, there are give and takes no matter where you will be.
So quit complaining and make the best of where ever you paradise will be.
Thanks so much for writing this very informative piece. Let’s hope everyone gets your wise advice and stays away. We’d really like our beaches back…
Thanks for this informative article. Let’s hope everyone who reads it, heeds you’re wise advice. We would like our beaches back, and no lines in restaurants.
I lived in Florida for over thirty years; ten in Palm Beach and twenty in Clearwater . Now been in Atlanta which is a hell hole-hate everything about it. Looking forward to moving back to Florida. The so called facts are not all true and don’t affect all of Floirda and residents.
I live here and I love it. Not from here, but I retired here.
Most of the things listed in this article exist or can happen in just about any state in which you live.
A very slanted point of view by the author, in my opinion.
I was born and raised in Florida and live here currently. I retired last year and cannot see me living anywhere else. I love this state and our great Governor!
I suspect this was written by someone living in Florida that’s trying to deter people from moving to Florida. Those are terrible reasons, as if every state doesn’t have a thousand little things you can nitpick. Florida is an outstanding state to retire, hence the reason why so many people actually do so.
Latest poll, funded by the Democrat Party….
Where would a good place be to retire
I would not like to live in Florida. I had a cousin who moved there and lived on a boat, which was their dream. After three years they came back. One of the reasons was it was always summer, and he grew up here in New England. They missed the change of seasons. and if they are all old people moving, who is going to take care of the elderly? 😀😃😄
Yep. Not the ideal place in many ways. Living on one’s boat can be okay, but does not allow avoiding many of the reasons stated above.
Obviously, this hit piece was commissioned by the corrupt Biden Administration.
Part we don’t like is condo mafia price gouging seniors stealing HOA fees with management company?? Every time we land they request thousands of dollars? $10,000 this year 28 units ?They still using or waiting for storm to cover money. Excuses for putting 3 windows in and charging $9,000 some owners paid as high as $12,000?? We call them the gray hair gangsters AKA board members stealing entering units when snow birds head North! Buy a detached house retire any where but Florida
well every state has it’s issues
snow, ice, freezing rain, hail, below zero temperatures, winds, power outages, and snakes, spiders, rodents,
so it depends on you where you go you’ll have something for everything is NOT PERFECT
I lived in Maine 40 years, and although the weather there is an obvious reason to leave for Florida, so is the political change in Maine (and many other blue leftist states) into liberal lunatic mismanaged cesspools reason enough to move to “The Free State of Florida”.
Pools are cheap to run by yourself with a little self education, there is such a thing as air conditioning at low electrical rates from NUCLEAR REACTORS and FOSSIL FUELS with pipelines, and the people are from many backgrounds making it interesting. More conservatives are moving in than socialists , and the state , governed by an adult named DeSantis, will remain solid Trump in November.
So there , I hope I just turned off all the commie socialists from considering Florida.
BTW, we have, mostly, a law abiding 2nd Amendment respecting general populace here and good law enforcement appreciated by them. The alligators also leave you alone if you do likewise.
But the snakes, of God, please stay away!
I lived in Maine 40 years, and although the weather there is an obvious reason to leave for Florida, so is the political change in Maine (and many other blue leftist states) into liberal lunatic mismanaged cesspools reason enough to move to “The Free State of Florida”.
Pools are cheap to run by yourself with a little self education, there is such a thing as air conditioning at low electrical rates from NUCLEAR REACTORS and FOSSIL FUELS with pipelines, and the people are from many backgrounds making it interesting. More conservatives are moving in than socialists , and the state , governed by an adult named DeSantis, will remain solid Trump in November.
So there , I hope I just turned off all the commie socialists from considering Florida.
BTW, we have, mostly, a law abiding 2nd Amendment respecting general populace here and good law enforcement appreciated by them. The alligators also leave you alone if you do likewise.
But the snakes, oh God, please stay away!
this is so exaggerated it funny but if it keeps the some people away its fine by me. welove Florida gators and all .
I’ve lived in several areas of Florida over the years and find this article totally slanted against Florida, one of the most popular states in the nation. No, it is not always hot here. Right now it is 50 degrees. Later it will warm to 77 degrees. Not bad for March! Does it get hot in summer? Of course, doesn’t everywhere? Florida is well stocked with air conditioning everywhere you go. Yes, you will want air conditioning in your car! As far as gators and bugs – its a non-issue in the cities. Of course if you move to the everglades or more rural areas – you will probably have more bugs. That’s why most of use have our house treated once a year. The result? No bugs. Way easier than clearing the driveway of repeated snow storms, eh? – I spend way more time outside in Florida than any other state I have lived in (5 total) – even in summer when it is hottest: I go to our community pool and also frequently visit the vast beaches located on both sides of our coast. Morning and evening walks are the best! I ride my bicycle more, go hiking more, sit outside more, dine outside as much as possible. Can’t do that year round up north! – Hurricanes? I hear about them and prepare but in 25 years have not experienced one, so I don’t worry about them. Car insurance is $147 month. My home insurance is not excessive at $134 month, however, I have owned my house over 15 years with the same insurance company – so that maybe why my rate is low.
I’ve lived in several areas of Florida over the years and find this article totally slanted against Florida, one of the most popular states in the nation. No, it is not always hot here. Right now it is 50 degrees. Later it will warm to 77 degrees. Not bad for March! Does it get hot in summer? Of course, doesn’t everywhere? Florida is well stocked with air conditioning everywhere you go. Yes, you will want air conditioning in your car! As far as gators and bugs – its a non-issue in the cities. Of course if you move to the everglades or more rural areas – you will probably have more bugs. That’s why most of use have our house treated once a year. The result? No bugs. Way easier than clearing the driveway of repeated snow storms, eh? – I spend way more time outside in Florida than any other state I have lived in (5 total) – even in summer when it is hottest: I go to our community pool and also frequently visit the vast beaches located on both sides of our coast. Morning and evening walks are the best! I ride my bicycle more, go hiking more, sit outside more, dine outside as much as possible. Can’t do that year round up north! – Hurricanes? I hear about them and prepare but in 25 years have not experienced one, so I don’t worry about them. My home insurance is not excessive, however, I have owned my house over 15 years with the same insurance company – so that maybe why my rate is low.
There are going to be problems anywhere you live. You just have to decide which set of problems you want to live with. I live in Florida and have never lived my adult life anywhere else so am used to the perks and pits of living down here. But at least I know I am relatively safe from crime. 6% sales tax is not imposed on groceries and yes there is no state income tax, like in so many other states. It’s a trade-off. And you can have pests anywhere you live.
I moved to Florida in the 70’s. I have lived and worked through hurricanes, I even chose to live on a boat for 4 years. The sun and fishing and boating and swimming are my jam. I lived in Colorado 3 years and California for 5. But I retired back in Florida. I have lived all over the state. The only thing I hate in Florida is the Republicans that have ruined our reputation.
Use common sense while living here! It is great !
I live in florida all my life I left because of hurricane in 2004 they do not have hurricane in every city in florida I was in hurricane Donna in the 60’s and was not another one until 2004
lived there and will go back talk about taxes how about all the personal taxes in all these states talk about how much taxes you pay when you buy a car 6% One time not taxed every year than how about taxes on food not in Florida here we pay 11.5% taxes on everything plus food
It’s a great place to live. You’ve overblown everything to scare people. It’s no less than I expect from Lawyers.
Sounds like a hit piece on Florida. I have lived here over 50 years the state is a great place lot’s to do and see we definitely do not need residents that hate it or our great governor I for one will never leave and I will be buried by my brothers in Bushnell national cemetery !!!
I wouldn’t want to be any where else give me the sunny any day you people that hate it are the one we call snow birds about only time you guys sweat is when go to the bath room lol give me the south any day you guy that love shoveling snow stay there its to scary here in the south for snow birds.
We used to spend winters in Florida. You forgot to mention the insane traffic, the constant road construction, the sticky “Love bugs” that appear every spring in hordes and and stick all over your vehicle and house, the humidity and mold growing on everything in your home, but I digress…..
This is a GREAT article, hopefully it will keep all of the whiney little snowflake leftists out of the wonderful, beautiful state of Florida! Thank you! 😊
This is the dumbest article I’ve read in a long time. The only accuracy is the heat. By all means, DON’T RETIRE THERE! Especially if you’re bringing your liberal bs that made your state a cesspool that you wanted to escape.
My parents and siblings left Buffalo, NY over 30 years ago and they all love Florida!!! They sometimes visit back here but they rather live in Fl. Weather here is mostly always overcast. Overall, the minuses of living in Fl. compared to here in western NY are nil.
Don’t forget about the spiders. They are the size of your hand and will come in groups to drag off your children.
Living in Jupiter, Florida for the past thirty years and it is paradise here on earth. Never bothered by bugs, insects, snakes or alligators. I honestly believe living here adds many years to your life. Have many friends and believe me, they are wonderful people. Yes, we do have hurricanes and some hot, humid days which provide some risks, but the benefits outweigh the risks by far. And the state government looks out for the residents. All may not be perfect, but I can’t think of a better place to retire. For me, the only better place I can think of, is heaven. Perhaps the author of this article may be a bit of a pessimist.
days
I moved to Florida after 51 years in Pa. & NJ. Both states have terrible Governors who could care less about we “LITTLE PEOPLE”! They continuously raise TAXES ON Counties, FUEL, Road tolls, all the while they flourish in their mansions. They don’t care about their STATES. I’ll make the best of it in Florida, and enjoy the remainder of my good years.
The snowbirds have it just right. Go down to Florida in December & leave in May.
we moved to florida in 2021. we wanted to get away from the cold weather. i will admit that most of what you said is true. i have a pool (didn’t want one. it came with the house). i can’t get in it during the day because of the sun beating down on us. i have had at least 4 snakes on my lanai. and yes there are alligators in my 55+ community. but you listen and learn. last summer was the hottest one on record and i was miserable. we have talked about moving, but where, we have yet to discover. i love the water, palm trees, blue skies and the beauty of it all. we live in central florida so the threat of a hurricane hitting us is reduced a little. you have to weigh the good with the bad and decide if it will work for you.
Betty
The Sunny State? Nice research. Grammar and Syntax? Not great.
Was a waste of my time!!!!
Hi, I’m 71 and moved from Michigan to Florida in Nov.01,1979 Yeah. 45 yRs. ago. All those things are true. It was different then. The most I ever Pd. rent was $475 /Mo. rent on a 3-Bdrm 2 bath house. Became a homeowner at 34. Anyways,you can’t rent a room for that now. Taxes and insurance are making Florida not a viable option for many nowdays. I won’t even go into Condo or Association fees. I was thinking of selling and going somewhere safer from storms. Like North Carolina. Hmmm Right. So here I sit in a free and clear house self-insured for wind and flood damage. The Insurance company I was with went insolvent and wouldnt have paid a claim if I had the coverage. My advice:Rent from November to May for a few years. Vacation in August for a couple of weeks. If after that you still have the bug to buy here at least you know what you are getting into. Good Luck
Car insurance is incredibly expensive. People either are too old to be driving or have poor driving habits of horn honking “mostly original New Yorkers” that relocated to Florida. Many from N.Y.C. appear to have little driving experience, often times not getting their drivers’ license until late in life and that lack of experience make driving less intuitive and makes them more dangerous than people that have driven since they were teenagers.
I agree with everything you said. I have been here two years and love it. I came from New York and the problems there are much worse…state taxes, crazy government, snow, a lot more weirdos and a higher cost of living.
Abd the biggest reason is this idiot named De Santis.
Born in FL in 1956. Been other places and lived in Europe for 3 years. I love living in FL. Everything you said is true. The worse thing in FL lately is to many people moving down here.
Texas is ten times worse, DO NOT MOVE TO TEXAS !!!!
I absolutely abhor Florida and I am just a snow bird. In all fairness, I have to say where I live now, isn’t a dream come true either. My Fl taxes doubled and I now pay over $5000 a year for a 1600 s.f. home, the samw size home I live in here in NH. My insurance is FOUR times more expensive in Fl! I am paying way more money to live in a retirement state, where I shouldn’t have to break the bank each month! Let’s talk about traffic.. Never mind, I am alreaddy aggravated! Not to mention that one has to sit at a traffic light every 1000 ft and wait 5 minutes. It takes forever to get anywhere! I could really go on with so much more, but AI am getting very annoyed. You ask why I bother with Fl? Neither my husband nor I can shovel any longer… It is a compromise. I live with him for a while and he lives with me for a while. He LOVES the heat. I hate it! Give me N.E. any day! Fl is agreat place to visit. Just make sure you go home when you’ve had enough!
You left out all the weird far-right nuts, MAGA nuts. And they have De Santis as governor. I don’t get it. THere are a lot of retirees. They should be out there defending their Social Security, Medicare, in fact, they should be fighting for Medicare for All. Stupid pple.
Florida’s justice system is messed up also…they have so much “good ole boy” corruption that trying to get justice for wrongful crime is based on if your judge got up on the “right side of the bed” or having them favor one attorney over the other…judges do not put their time into reading documents– florida judges like to ASSUME THEIR WAY through their daily court cases. The Florida judges just show up to get their paychecks. I know- I am a victim of DOMESTIC ABUSE that has been laughed at by multiple judges and ignored by the state attorney’s office—my ABUSER has been allowed to be actually protected by the Florida justice system.
Pretty weak reasons…just saying….
Rj
Reading all this, it’s a wonder anyone can live there. Like my relatives who’ve been there for the past 20 years. Lived in Jacksonville, moved to Miami, moved to Melbourne, moved from there to Harmony. They love it.
I can find a lot of good reasons NOT to live in Colrado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, or California too but there’s more to appreciate than to find fault with.
I would consider living in Florida. The Emerald Coast is fantastic. Visited several times over 12 years. Only 2 cases of red tide. No alligators. Couple snakes. White sand and no rocks. Beautiful. Food is great. Many restaurants are reasonable. It my family would move then I would move full time.
I am 62. I have been living in Florida for 32 years. I own my home. I’ve never seen a alligator nor any rodent, besides squirrels, in my yard. It’s hot, but I hate the cold (Grew up in Maryland). My car is old, but paid for.
I’ve lived in central florida for 6 years and I’m from NY/Pa. Hurricanes- tail ends (wind and rain), alligators and animals- yes but get your yard fenced and be vigilant. Heat/humidity same as where I’m from just the hot season lasts longer. Everywhere is airconditioned. I learned quickly to behave like the locals- get errands done in the mornings, don’t engage in activities that have you outside too long during the day and relax on screened lanai (to eliminate insects) or air conditioned area in the afternoon/evening!!!!! COME ON DOWN
I use to enjoy going to Florida for the winter months. Then coming back after six months to the cooler Pennsylvania. I purchased a cement block villa in central Florida, to be away from the water and hopefully safer from the hurricanes.
I am from Long Island New York and we moved to florida only cause my father in law had died and left my husband a 2 bedroom condo in Naples…we have been here since 2007 and had only 2 hurricanes were we lost our power one time 12 days on cause the electric company put the power on too fast and blew the transformer which it cost us from 4 days no power to 12 days no power..plus I eneded up with the flu for the 12 days no power..I thought I was going to die it was so hot and horrible with no power..then the second hurricane only lost the power for 2 days..so not bad in Naples..it is the east coast which is the worse to move to here in florida..the east side gets more hurricanes than Naples does..I love that it is a republician state..crime is very low..New York is a dump ,now with all the illegals and the sanutary states are nuts..Thank God President Trump won and will get rid of these assanine sanutary states..I tell everyone you want to have a good life DONT VOTE FOR THESE CORRUPT CROOKED DEMOCROOKS..THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE CROOKS..JUST LOOK AT CALIFORNIA, CHICAGO, NEW YORK CITY..ANY DEMOCROOKS RUN STATE ARE WITH HIGH CRIME.. These corrupt democrooks protect the crooks and NOT the legal American people.. Vote republician always..VOTE EARLY ALSO…
We retired and moved to Florida approximately 15yrs ago from New England… We definitely won’t move back there. Florida can be great , but people don’t do their home work on what’s their needs and places to live . People come here and buy homes that are only 5′ above sea level ,and oh how nice ,we can set here and watch the sunset every night. Wrong, buy a house that inland and on a higher elevation…Also be aware of deed restrictions and HOA. People buy and then move in ,and bring their boat or Rv. . Then they tell you , you can’t park that outside here… Don’t buy in low areas around swamps and small lakes… We have lived in Florida now for 15yrs, and we have never had any storm damage. I find a lot of what was written in this article to be false.. It all depends on where you choose to live. And I don’t know who is taking care of their pool, but they are getting ripped off bad…plus we have boats, and there’s some great areas for boating, fishing and swimming in the springs..