Florida folks...help me find my next home!

[snappy]

I know the water in New Orleans is the secret to the French bread there. Known fact

 

[JimMIA]

I'm convinced that either:
The water used to make the sauce is Florida ground water

Depends on where you get the water.

A LOT of Florida water is very good, but Orlando water has a nasty chlorine taste. In Miami, we like the tap water, but when we go up to Orlando we take a case of Zephyrhills bottled spring water.

 

[GreatLakes]

If you like the Tampa area and want to be able to store a trailer check out northern Pinellas county. Palm Harbor has a good mix of newer HOA neighborhoods and older areas with land and more freedom, especially if you stay east of Lake Tarpon.

I wouldn't really worry about the kids. They are at the age where they will likely start their careers and might not want to do that in FL. If you have a room for them to come visit one at at time that is probably enough. I know I wouldn't have followed my parents anywhere if they were relocating for retirement.

 

[mjkacmom]

Where have you lived that you think Florida ha

Really? Lots of good pizza places in Florida. Maybe just not in the area you live.

s good pizza?

Really? Lots of good pizza places in Florida. Maybe just not in the area you live.

Have you lived in the NYC metro area? One of the biggest complaints from those who move away is the pizza.

 

[JimMIA]

Does anyone really think pizza should be uppermost in OP's mind? Let's not hijack their thread.

 

[mjkacmom]

Does anyone really think pizza should be uppermost in OP's mind? Let's not hijack their thread.

Relax. everyone knows that one downfall of moving away is the food situation. It’s a trade off for not having to deal with snow.

 

[saturn5]

You can look around the Melbourne area...south of Cape Canaveral. Lots of good places in Brevard County as well. Not sure what kind of shopping one would be looking for.

 

[dyna]

DH an I settled in Winter Haven...right smack dab in middle of state, same distance to both coasts, 45 mins to disney parks. I even lucked out got a nice home with pool NO HOA fees in quiet neighborhood with many restaurants, grocery stores drug stores, churches, walmart, lowes home depot etc within 5 miles of my house most of them less than a mile. OH an I live on a side street with no traffic either.

Did I mention a mile to Legoland? The traffic out on the main drag does get a bit heavy for me at times but then I come from an area that city driving was the walmart parking lot and even today my hometown still has NO traffic lights flashing lights. Some of the other FL areas mentioned would have been way to busy for DH an I.

It all in what a person wants.

 

[NotUrsula]

Another area that would seem to fit your requirements is NW Manatee County, although as with everywhere in Florida, prices have skyrocketed this year. (If you can wait until after the pandemic passes to buy something, I would; real-estate experts are expecting the housing market to crash somewhat once the foreclosure moratorium is lifted.)

Anyway, that part of Manatee is a bit on the rural side, especially around Palmetto, but the beaches of Anna Maria are close, and St. Pete is just over the Sunshine Bridge, so close enough to take advantage of the USF-affiliated hospitals in the Tampa/St. Pete area. It's fairly easy to find parcels with a bit of acreage in the area north of Bradenton. From there, WDW is about 2 hours up I-75/I-4. Also, the Ellenton outlet mall is just north of there.

 

[floridafam]

Another area that would seem to fit your requirements is NW Manatee County, although as with everywhere in Florida, prices have skyrocketed this year. (If you can wait until after the pandemic passes to buy something, I would; real-estate experts are expecting the housing market to crash somewhat once the foreclosure moratorium is lifted.)

Anyway, that part of Manatee is a bit on the rural side, especially around Palmetto, but the beaches of Anna Maria are close, and St. Pete is just over the Sunshine Bridge, so close enough to take advantage of the USF-affiliated hospitals in the Tampa/St. Pete area. It's fairly easy to find parcels with a bit of acreage in the area north of Bradenton. From there, WDW is about 2 hours up I-75/I-4.

That bridge makes my stomach flip. lol

 

[JimMIA]

That bridge makes my stomach flip. lol

Yep, it's exciting. And even more exciting if you know some bridge history.

 

[floridafam]

Yep, it's exciting. And even more exciting if you know some bridge history.

I do. We used to live in Holiday and would cross that bridge when we drove south for vacation. I’d be fine never going over it again.

 

[NotUrsula]

That bridge makes my stomach flip. lol

LOL, DH doesn't like it, either; he says it is because the horizon disappears as you approach the top of the center span. DS, otoh, crosses it at least 3X a week; he and his GF live on opposite ends of it.

Me, I grew up with the old Huey Long bridge, so the new Sunshine Bridge is wonderful by comparison; doesn't phase me a bit. (As a child I lived on an inland island that was marooned by river changes; the only way in or out was by bridge or tunnel. I used to cross drawbridges on my bike all the time as a kid -- THAT will scare you plenty, because bike tires have almost no traction on a steel-grid bridge deck; not to mention that view straight down to the water between your feet!)

 

[White Cat]

I do. We used to live in Holiday and would cross that bridge when we drove south for vacation. I’d be fine never going over it again.

I really enjoy going over that bridge or even just seeing it from afar. I remember when it opened. Or re opened, however you want to look at it.

 

[Pyotr]

Another area that would seem to fit your requirements is NW Manatee County, although as with everywhere in Florida, prices have skyrocketed this year. (If you can wait until after the pandemic passes to buy something, I would; real-estate experts are expecting the housing market to crash somewhat once the foreclosure moratorium is lifted.)

Anyway, that part of Manatee is a bit on the rural side, especially around Palmetto, but the beaches of Anna Maria are close, and St. Pete is just over the Sunshine Bridge, so close enough to take advantage of the USF-affiliated hospitals in the Tampa/St. Pete area. It's fairly easy to find parcels with a bit of acreage in the area north of Bradenton. From there, WDW is about 2 hours up I-75/I-4. Also, the Ellenton outlet mall is just north of there.

I live in Manatee County and the NW has been built up in the past few years. There are new neighborhoods going up near the Ellenton mall and off the interstate. Lots of people who work in Tampa and St. Pete are buying houses and commuting.

Where I live in East Manatee (Lakewood Ranch) there is almost no inventory. Houses are gone almost instantly. Almost all of the people coming in are from New York.

The Skyway Bridge isn't too bad. It's only 200 feet up. I do get nervous if a cruise ship is going through if I'm on it though.

 

[Travel60]

Just south of Sarasota is Venice. Many years ago the Corps of Engineers cut the intercoastal canal so that the historic part of Venice became an "island" and the newer parts are all on the "mainland". If you live on the island, you can almost go without a car....walking/ biking to shops, restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies AND to the beach. Great library system and great biking trails. It is similar to Naples but a poor man's version of Naples (which is quite affluent). To be honest, like much of Florida, the average age is high. Lots of jobs for your kids in service industries but not a lot of nightlife or professional jobs. But so much calmer than the big cities or even Sarasota.