Have you heard of halfbacks?

[TheVillageChicken]

So we have snowflakes, snowbirds, and frogs. Have you heard of the halfbacks?

Halfbacks are Northerners who moved to Florida and got fed up with insurance, hurricanes, etc and moved back North, but only as far as North Georgia, Tennessee, or North Carolina.

According to some realtors I talked to up that way, they make up a large segment of those seeking homes in the mountains.

[SantaClaus]

I used to live in N Georgia... Oh yeah, I've heard of halfbacks.

[LndLocked]

more of a NC term ..... seemed to start from in / around the Ashville area .... it is NOT a term of endearment used by the "locals"

[DianeM]

Yes I've heard of halfbacks and may at some point become one

[Carl in Tampa]

So we have snowflakes, snowbirds, and frogs. Have you heard of the halfbacks?

Halfbacks are Northerners who moved to Florida and got fed up with insurance, hurricanes, etc and moved back North, but only as far as North Georgia, Tennessee, or North Carolina.

According to some realtors I talked to up that way, they make up a large segment of those seeking homes in the mountains.

I have no resentment toward the "outsiders" who move here and stay, or towards the ones who come and then move away. Each should find an area where they are happy. I rather appreciate the ones who leave.

After years of travel, foreign and domestic, I decided that I should live in an area which is flat, warm and at sea level. For me that is Florida. Those folks who are growing older and chose to move to mountainous areas may regret their decision as they age. Those hills get steeper and steeper as we get older.

What I find irritating is someone who moves to Florida and then becomes a constant, carping complainer about the area, the weather, the bugs, the wildlife, the government, the neighbors, or anything else that they find objectionable. If it is that much of a chore to live here, move away.

I remember a bumper sticker I used to see years ago, "WE DON'T CARE HOW YOU DID IT UP NORTH."

My personal favorite bumper sticker is "A BAD DAY AT THE BEACH IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK."

Find the place that enhances your life and live there.

I have.

:ho:

[DianeM]

Wow the poster just asked a simple question with a simple answer.

[Carl in Tampa]

Wow the poster just asked a simple question with a simple answer.

Naw, he didn't "just ask a simple question." He invited discussion when he made reference to the Halfbacks' getting "fed up" with some elements of Florida life.

Discussion ensued............

:D

[DianeM]

Guess I just read anything into it. Guess I'll just go away quietly now. LOL.

[gomoho]

When we spent the month of March in Blue Ridge Georgia I did a lot of inquiring and yes, there is resentment towards the folks from Florida buying in the area. Seems to be quite a concentration that buy 2nd homes in the mountains to enjoy their summers and the locals have an issue with "their attitudes". Probably similar to the complaints many have about the renters and snowbirds when they fill up the The Villages. We need to be respectful of local customs and people when we invade someone's space. Common courtesy.

[graciegirl]

I have no resentment toward the "outsiders" who move here and stay, or towards the ones who come and then move away. Each should find an area where they are happy. I rather appreciate the ones who leave.

After years of travel, foreign and domestic, I decided that I should live in an area which is flat, warm and at sea level. For me that is Florida. Those folks who are growing older and chose to move to mountainous areas may regret their decision as they age. Those hills get steeper and steeper as we get older.

What I find irritating is someone who moves to Florida and then becomes a constant, carping complainer about the area, the weather, the bugs, the wildlife, the government, the neighbors, or anything else that they find objectionable. If it is that much of a chore to live here, move away.

I remember a bumper sticker I used to see years ago, "WE DON'T CARE HOW YOU DID IT UP NORTH."

My personal favorite bumper sticker is "A BAD DAY AT THE BEACH IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK."

Find the place that enhances your life and live there.

I have.

:ho:



Carl. I was reading and shaking my head in agreement. I read Diane's post and thought that is how Carl feels and how a lot of people feel. I hadn't heard of the word "halfback" but I like the term someone else came up with for snowbirds in the new areas of Fruitland Park being called "FruitFlies". Many people who post on here enjoy having a little fun with words.

If any of us are defensive of where we live, it is because we have grown to love it. That happens when you become involved and make friends and connections. I hope it happens to everyone.

[CFrance]

Every beautiful place's residents seem to have a resentment toward people who buy second homes in the area, IMO. Especially if they buy in order to rent out. They think it drives the housing prices up. They think people come into the area seasonally and don't necessarily "put in" to the area to make it better.

People in FL resent renters from the north. I have personal knowledge of people in northern MI resenting second home owners from Chicago and Detroit and people on the Maine coast resenting people from Massachusetts.

I'm not surprised that people in the hills of GA and TN resent people from FL.

[patfla06]

I can understand some people from the north not liking Florida summers.
Or they feel they're too far from family.
After 16 years here I still don't like the heat, but wouldn't live anywhere else.

[keithwand]

Come to Northern MI for the summers.
The locals endear the summer residents with names like Cone Suckers, Fudgies, Trolls (under the bridge) etc.
They like our $$ but not the crowds.
Makes Halfbacks sound pretty tame.

[janmcn]

What do you call people that want to go back where they came from? Are they fullbacks? Many of the folks in my neighborhood want to go back to be closer to family, old friends, and better health care, but are finding it very difficult at this time to sell their homes.

[graciegirl]

What do you call people that want to go back where they came from? Are they fullbacks? Many of the folks in my neighborhood want to go back to be closer to family, old friends, and better health care, but are finding it very difficult at this time to sell their homes.


I have had two friends recently sell their homes in days, moving to another here in TV. One in Hadley and one in our neighborhood. They both were listed with the same organization. Guess which?


Wonder why your neighbors are having problems?

[alanmcdonald]

If there is someone who wants to move to the North Georgia/Tennessee border area, we'll be selling our home in September 2015 when we get to TV full time.

[Carl in Tampa]

Carl. I was reading and shaking my head in agreement. I read Diane's post and thought that is how Carl feels and how a lot of people feel. I hadn't heard of the word "halfback" but I like the term someone else came up with for snowbirds in the new areas of Fruitland Park being called "FruitFlies". Many people who post on here enjoy having a little fun with words.

If any of us are defensive of where we live, it is because we have grown to love it. That happens when you become involved and make friends and connections. I hope it happens to everyone.

I spent six years assigned to New Orleans. When a new supervisory agent was transferred in, I took him to meet the Governor in Baton Rouge, the Lt. Governor in New Orleans, the Superintendent of Police in New Orleans, the U.S. Attorney, and other local dignitaries.

Without fail they all asked him how he liked Louisiana. Without fail he told them all that he hated it. He had spent most of his career in Washington, DC, (what we called a "Beltway Bandit) and was not happy about being reassigned. I made a face every time he offended the locals and he laughed at that.

Needless to say, the local officials were not pleased. It was not a good PR move for the Secret Service.

(He also ignored my advice about where to buy a home and it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Mine was untouched.)

Basically, I'm saying that Gracie is right. Locals come to love and appreciate where they live. No need to offend them gratuitously.