Central Florida vs Coastal regions

[JourneyOfLife]

Why did you choose to be in Central Florida instead of a Coastal Region.

When I began considering going to Florida seasonally during retirement, I was influenced by my past visits to Florida during vacations. Since we always vacationed on the coast, that was my idea of Florida. Now I am broadening my definition to include central Florida.

I thought it would be nice to hear why you chose Central Florida. If your reason is because it is where TV is located, please note it. IOW, if TV were in Fort Myers you would be there. It may seem like a meaningless distinction... but you may have chosen a the community for other reasons... regardless of geographic location.

[Polar Bear]

Both for me actually. I'm moving to live in TV, but I've never been tied to the coast. I like the few more hills, the more north-Fla feel, and accessibility (reasonability proximity) to lots of areas...both coasts, Orlando, Tampa Bay, et. Al.

[justjim]

Why did you choose to be in Central Florida instead of a Coastal Region.

When I began considering going to Florida seasonally during retirement, I was influenced by my past visits to Florida during vacations. Since we always vacationed on the coast, that was my idea of Florida. Now I am broadening my definition to include central Florida.

I thought it would be nice to hear why you chose Central Florida. If your reason is because it is where TV is located, please note it. IOW, if TV were in Fort Myers you would be there. It may seem like a meaningless distinction... but you may have chosen a the community for other reasons... regardless of geographic location.

We rented a condo in Ft Myers just prior to retirement to see how we might like it. Bottom line----it was too congested for us. We drove over to Central Florida to see what was available. As they say, the rest is history. Oh, one other thing, we spent some time looking over Arizona too---didn't care for all the "brown tones." :ho:

[KayakerNC]

I love the West Coast, from Port Richey down to Naples....but Hwys 19 and 41 are really a big PITA. Then again, Florida traffic is always fun.

[memason]

I chose central Florida because the Morse family did....Simple as that.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

I chose central Florida because the Morse family did....Simple as that.

Because that's where TV is.

[Barefoot]

I chose central Florida because the Morse family did....Simple as that.

We originally really wanted to be close to the ocean. But we also chose central Florida because the Morse family did!

[KayakerNC]

I chose central Florida because the Morse family did....Simple as that.

However, moving next door to the Morse's may be out.:highfive:

[Golf-Tinker]

Coastal property insurance rates are extremely high because of hurricane storm damage in recent years.

Many owners of coastal property have been forced to self insure because they either cannot find an insurer or they cannot afford the cost of property insurance.

TV property rates are much less ... So far.

[senior citizen]

Why did you choose to be in Central Florida instead of a Coastal Region.

When I began considering going to Florida seasonally during retirement, I was influenced by my past visits to Florida during vacations. Since we always vacationed on the coast, that was my idea of Florida. Now I am broadening my definition to include central Florida.

I thought it would be nice to hear why you chose Central Florida. If your reason is because it is where TV is located, please note it. IOW, if TV were in Fort Myers you would be there. It may seem like a meaningless distinction... but you may have chosen a the community for other reasons... regardless of geographic location.

For the past 48 years we have vacationed each year on both coasts of Florida; the east coast up and down.........as well as the gulf coast, ditto. We explored it all.

The only time we went to central Florida was every April school vacation to take the kids to Disney World for a week.......for about 15 years; saw it grow from the very beginning to basically what it is today.

Each time we moved to Florida, we moved to both the east coast and the gulf coast.

However, we were very very pleasantly surprised by the rolling hills and the "green" of north central Florida where The Villages is located.

We hadn't seen that part of central Florida since 1965 when we were on the Florida Turnpike heading to Miami Beach and to us, the terrain seemed to look like Africa. It has changed, for sure.

Central Florida is a well kept little secret...........a jewel of a place.

We've lived on the beach. A bit scary when a big black storm is approaching and they tell you not to go near the windows......amazing to watch it come in from either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.......

However, as far as beaches go.........Sanibel Island and Captiva Island over the causeway from Fort Myers (where the airport is) is still a fave.
Unspoiled the last we saw it...........great seashells. The condos there are now untouchable in price.

[RedChariot]

We are here in Central Fl because this is where TV is. Like you said if this community was in Fort Meyers we would be there. I am disappointed in Central Fl weather. Sorry it is so cold for so long. Would prefer the ocean type weather. Didn't want the hurricanes. We checked out coastal North Carolina. 50% less hurricanes than FL?? Maybe. TV community was better.

[billethkid]

I chose central Florida because the Morse family did....Simple as that.

Me too!!

I don't think there is anything else that would have drawn us here if TV were not in existence.

btk

[duffysmom]

I've lived directly on the ocean on a barriar island as well as Key Biscayne. The living was good but we became disillusioned after we were hit with 3 major hurricanes and lost a great deal of the beach and access for our home for a period of time. Also we were becoming bored with the lack of activities; you can only walk/watch the ocean for so long. We NEVER considered living in central Florida until we visited TV; we've never looked back. We feel priviledged to be living the good life in CF with some of the best people on the planet. :MOJE_whot:

PS As you ride along the coasts of Florida you don't see open spaces, just high rise buildings, tons of concrete and few green spaces.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

We bought in TV for one reason and one reason only: Because it's TV. Whether/when we move there permanently or not is another set of circumstances altogether........ :D

Bill :)

[Cantwaittoarrive]

I love costal Florida but moved to TV for the lifestyle. However, that doesn't mean giving up the coasts. I now live within 1 and 1/2 hours of some of the best beaches in Florida on either coast. I'm also 3 hours away from Jupiter and watching my beloved Cardinals during the month of March which I do several different times. So for me this is the best of both worlds.

[logdog]

We lived 12 years near the Florida coast. 3 major hurricanes (cat 4 & 5) plus very high insurance premiums drove us away.

[gomoho]

We always vacationed in coastal Florida and were sure one day we would retire there. Believe it or not, my husbands last job transfer was to Jacksonville Florida. We couldn't believe how lucky we were to be transferred to were we wanted to retire. Well we had a wonderful home directly across the street from the ocean and learned as a previous poster mentioned - you can only walk the beach so many times. The ocean goes in and the ocean goes out and while it is wonderful on vacation, just didn't offer enough for us as a retired lifestyle. Took us almost 10 years of travelling, but we finally ended up in TV and are very happy with our decision. Don't miss the ocean, but I do miss the desert and mountains out west, but that is a whole nother story!

[ssmith]

I NEVER, NEVER thought we would want to live in Florida ever!!!! My in-laws moved to Florida near a cost about 30years ago and we hated coming to visit them.

Went to the TV to check it out on a day trip due to a storm on the beach....and we were hooked. You see I get bored in just 3 days on the Beach...I do love it but my husband just chills there. He never wants to do anything. While we are in TV he has much more energy and becomes a different person just driving a golf cart to get around!!!

So for us it is because the Villages is in Central Florida but we have since learned of the advantages of lesser insurance costs etc.

[njbchbum]

bought in the villages because the seller accepted an offer we never thought she would! :)

seriously, because of the lifestyle that the villages offers. i figured since tv has its own polo club/fields - this is the kind of community i could grow accustomed to! ;) however, if the villages was coastal rather than central, polo club or not, we probably would not have bought a house here.

my permanent residence is but one mile from the ocean at the jersey shore, so we have all of the ocean, coastline, tourists, and change of seasons that anyone could want. but we also have hurricanes - irene and sandy of late. central florida also maintains the change of seasons that we grew up with and are used to and enjoy - and it has all of that without snow and without the likelihood of severe damage from hurricanes.

although we are snowflakes now, if the opportunity ever presents itself, i will not hesitate to become a permanent florida/villages resident.

[simpkinp]

I lived on the coast for 17 years because I worked at Kennedy Space Center. In 2004 I was evacuated every three weeks for 3 months, suffered $14000 in damages to my home, and many more than insurance would pay, plus downed trees and hotel costs in safer areas . Bless you Hilton for taking such good care of us, without price gouging. In fact, they had a special "evacuee" rate of only $59 per night, can you believe that? Plus they ignored the no pets policy, provided a special area for walking dogs, ignored my wailing cat, and had a special security guard patrolling the parking lot all day and night. That is why I am a loyal Hilton customer. Sorry for digressing, but the decision was made there and then, get inland. I will never live coastal again.

[Lbmb24101]

What Barefoot and Golf Tinker say, ditto for us.
Plus
We chose TV because of the golf cart way of transportation provided by The Morses

We almost retired to Isle Of Palms ( near Charleston, SC) because we love the ocean
We have dear friends there too
But they pay 8,000 a yr in flood insurance and then , besides the beach, what else does one do?

[villagerjack]

For the past 48 years we have vacationed each year on both coasts of Florida; the east coast up and down.........as well as the gulf coast, ditto. We explored it all.

The only time we went to central Florida was every April school vacation to take the kids to Disney World for a week.......for about 15 years; saw it grow from the very beginning to basically what it is today.

Each time we moved to Florida, we moved to both the east coast and the gulf coast.

However, we were very very pleasantly surprised by the rolling hills and the "green" of north central Florida where The Villages is located.

We hadn't seen that part of central Florida since 1965 when we were on the Florida Turnpike heading to Miami Beach and to us, the terrain seemed to look like Africa. It has changed, for sure.

Central Florida is a well kept little secret...........a jewel of a place.

We've lived on the beach. A bit scary when a big black storm is approaching and they tell you not to go near the windows......amazing to watch it come in from either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.......

However, as far as beaches go.........Sanibel Island and Captiva Island over the causeway from Fort Myers (where the airport is) is still a fave.
Unspoiled the last we saw it...........great seashells. The condos there are now untouchable in price.


Love Sanibel Captive but not RED TIDE.

[NotGolfer]

I chose central Florida because the Morse family did....Simple as that.

That would be us as well! Thank you Morse family! B/4 we knew what T.V. was about we thought the Sarasota area was a nice place---that was b/4 the 3 hurricanes came through and desimated a lot of that coast. When we first visited here, spoke with a sales-person we found out that while there are hurricanes the central part of the state is "relatively" safer. We haven't really experienced a hurricane in the nearly 4 years we've lived here...just the resulting winds of one on the east side of the state last year, which weren't all that bad for us. We love it here being full-time residents!

[senior citizen]

Love Sanibel Captive but not RED TIDE.

We never experienced the Red Tide bacteria on Sanibel or Captiva.
But, we would just rent a condo on the beach for a week or two at the most.

When we bought our Venice, Florida beachfront condo......we wondered why the realtor , an elderly gentleman (we were only 49 at the time) was wearing a surgical mask all the time (he said he had bronchitis)........well, we soon developed a feeling like "pepper in our throats" and began coughing all the time.........found out from other residents and tourists that VENICE has always had the RED TIDE..........after we returned to Vermont , I read up on the problem.........the funny thing is we would visit there for years before we bought.......and only once did we experience a bad case of that bacteria. My husband thought he picked something up on the airplane.......he felt like he was strangling with phlegm in his throat.........I won't describe it as I don't want to gross people out.

[jblum315]

I have lived in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. Didn't like either one and went through one terrifying hurricane. And central Florida is now the only part of Florida that is affordable on a fixed income.

[coconutmama]

We had been boaters for 35+ years in Massachusetts and my husband really wanted to move to one of the coasts of FL for retirement. We were looking at condos in Deerfield Beach/Ft Lauderdale, North Fort Myers (where many friends have chosen homes) & the Keys for years (before and after the real estate bubble). Finally bought in TV after visiting a friend who lives in the village of St Charles, & we never looked back.

Why? So we don't have to worry about hurricanes much, can experience a change of seasons (even though it is a bit colder than we thought it would be), can save on insurance & also have so much more to do. A golf cart community is great fun too! We can visit the coast anytime we get withdrawals, but have ultimately decided that the ocean communities are a "nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there". Plus, as mentioned by others, TV is overall a better bang for the buck on a retirees income.

We only bought a year ago, but it was a great decision for us.

[DougB]

We have a house on the east coast in Melbourne because of the ocean and the Indian River and one here in Central Florida because that is where The Villages is.

[graciegirl]

We here in The Villages are "all that and a bag of chips". Now people who used to live in the "ritzy" parts of Florida like Boca and West Palm are moving here.

But...they can't be "ritzy" here. We Villagers love the mixture of all kinds of folks. We have a little something for everyone if you ask me. We live like millionaries but don't act like millionaires. Most of us anyway.

[coconutmama]

We here in The Villages are "all that and a bag of chips". Now people who used to live in the "ritzy" parts of Florida like Boca and West Palm are moving here.

But...they can't be "ritzy" here. We Villagers love the mixture of all kinds of folks. We have a little something for everyone if you ask me. We live like millionaries but don't act like millionaires. Most of us anyway.

Good point about the mix of people here. I also forgot to mention that the crime rate is a lot lower here than in many parts of FL.

[jerseyvillager]

Lived on the beach for nine years. Destroyed by the hurricanes of 2004. Rebuilt and loved everything about our home and the area - Melbourne Beach.
Incidentally, the beaches from Melbourne down to Vero Beach are, IMO, the nicest in all of Florida.

So why are we here? Lifestyle.

[duffysmom]

If I'm not mistaken I've read that the most transplants to TV are from FLORIDA. Does anyone have the statistics on this?

[rubicon]

I like the thought of the coast but not actually living there. I hated the Keys. We choose TV because of the various zoning /deed compliance and rules. However Central Florida is too cold and Central Florida is going to continue to get very very congested which to me is a real turn off because I moved here to get away from the rat race but just when you want to quit they pull you back in.:duck:

One of my favorite places in the US is Laguana Niguel especially around Dana Point.

[Bay Kid]

My parents have been renting in TV for 4 years. This year I came to help Dad w/Mom. I love the water, but I never have that safe feeling for parents anywhere in Florida except in TV. Dad loves TV sooooo now I do also! We will be new owners in a little over a month. We will stay in VA on the great Chesapeake Bay for a least 6 months a year. This will be the 1st year I can remember that I will be looking forward to cold weather because we will be heading to TV!!!

[buzzy]

We have just spent 19 years in an east coast waterfront condo, but only retired four years ago. The condo people were so angry and miserable that it was spoiling our retirement. When we got to The Villages, there were so many nice people enjoying themselves, that we got hooked. Although we can't sell the condo right now, we won't be using it any more.

[Barefoot]

This will be the 1st year I can remember that I will be looking forward to cold weather because we will be heading to TV!!!

We feel exactly the same way. We love it when the leaves change color ... that means we'll soon be on our way back to The Reservation!

[senior citizen]

We have just spent 19 years in an east coast waterfront condo, but only retired four years ago. The condo people were so angry and miserable that it was spoiling our retirement. When we got to The Villages, there were so many nice people enjoying themselves, that we got hooked. Although we can't sell the condo right now, we won't be using it any more.

We can relate to your experience of condo living, but you really stuck it out for 19 years which is a long time.

After owning a solitary home and raising our family to adulthood, college graduation, marriage..........we thought that selling their childhood home and downsizing to a beachfront condo would be "ideal"....so that we did back in 1994. Sold all of our furniture; replaced it down there with Florida furniture......

Just stayed end of December of 1994 to April 1st , 1995 and flew back to Vermont to buy a home in our old neighborhood again, where we've been for the past 18 years.

What you said about the condo owners , which I assume you also meant the Homeowners Association, was also true of the ones in Venice Florida. First of all we were not retired and were younger at age 49. They were all silver haired elderly folks..........like we are now at 68/67. Time flies.

Crotchety beyond belief........the HO meetings were a laugh.
We are still "young at heart" as all our young friends tell us.....

I finally realized what the car rental gal in Sarasota meant when she asked, "Why do you want to live on Venice Beach with such old people".

It sounds funny now, but I didn't have a clue...........but then it didn't take long.............the condo turned out gorgeous, the beach was fantastic.....we had a balcony gulf front looking down on the pool and the sand and Gulf of Mexico..........plus a balcony in the rear looking down on the Esplanade............it was a "Main Street Community" and laid out in a beautiful fashion..........a planned community of its time. Very pretty.
It had jetties for fishing, etc...........great shopping on the "avenue"....

But beach front condo living was not for us.........and I was never so happy as to get back to another home in Vermont...........with my own *laundry room, etc. and no Homeowners Association..........so, it's been 18 years back here, but now the winters are definitely getting to us........and Florida is calling us back again.

Third time might be the charm. We did live in Florida for one year when our children were 18 mos. and 5 years old, in Satellite Beach, Florida......near Cape Kennedy.

*We had put in a request to add a stackable washer / dryer while doing our kitchen remodeling........and they put the kabosh on that....although the plumber said the plumbing was adequate.......I had my elderly mom with early stage Alzheimers with us as she was recently widowed and we could not leave her behind.............I had to take her every day up or down the elevator as our floor did NOT have a laundry room on it.......hoping she wouldn't wander away, me with the heavy laundry basket...first to put it in the wash......then back...then to take her again to put it in the dryer........then to pick it up. A pain.

One old codger confronted us and said we didn't belong on his floor in his laundry room..........(our floor didn't have one; it was every other floor); my dear old mom nicely put him in his place and he didn't know how to respond........she simply explained that if that were the case then where is my daughter to go with the laundry??????

The realtors also did not disclose that the RED TIDE was prevalent to the point of causing illness and we are NOT hypochondriacs. Our realtor always wore a surgical mask and even when re selling our condo would come into our unit wearing his mask...........really weird.........to say the least.............he was about 80 and it didn't take us long to realize he had no customers to show our condo to..........we'd see him stop strangers walking on the beach........and then he'd bring them upstairs to our third floor unit.......still sandy, damp or wet, etc........and take them through the rooms............an experience for sure.

We moved back to Vermont, bought a home in our old neighborhood.........and luckily sold the condo to a woman from Hawaii..........she loved it and it did turn out beautifully; the workmen had been great and really got it remodeled in about two months time while we moved around during "winter high season" with mom in tow.........our Vermont house had sold in October and they wanted us out by December 15........long story............but I can relate to your angry condo people. They were all grumpy.

We got my mom back to her support system up here and that was important at the time.........a learning experience re buying in Florida. We had always rented condos on vacation, in various beach resort, but owning one is a totally different thing. Nothing like a single home. A man's home is his castle.

As I've said on other posts, during our 48 years of marriage, we always vacationed primarily up and down both coasts of Florida.........explored it all.
Never thought at all of living "inland"..........only time we went inland was every April school vacation to take the kids to Disney World for a week.....for 15 years.
Central Florida is "different" than the coasts..........and we would feel safe from crime in the "bubble" of THE VILLAGES.........compared to either seacoast of Florida.

[tucson]

Coastal property insurance rates are extremely high because of hurricane storm damage in recent years.

Many owners of coastal property have been forced to self insure because they either cannot find an insurer or they cannot afford the cost of property insurance.

TV property rates are much less ... So far.

No, that is not true. My condo in S.Fl.is a walking distance to the Intracoastal and I pay 800.a yr. (that's without a Homestead Exemption). My house in TV was just under 4000. ( WITH a Homestead Exemption)

[graciegirl]

No, that is not true. My condo in S.Fl.is a walking distance to the Intracoastal and I pay 800.a yr. (that's without a Homestead Exemption). My house in TV was just under 4000. ( WITH a Homestead Exemption)

Are you quoting taxes or insurance? Seems high for insurance.

[tucson]

OOPS! Yes, I did. (haven't had my coffee yet.:-) My condo insurance is 350 a yr. TV was 900. yrly.

[Cedwards38]

TV lifestyle.

[2 Oldcrabs]

Spent 5 years traveling to differnt area of FL. Found insurance rates to be high near the water. Did not like the damage that "salt air" does to metal. TV may not be perfect, but it is safe & comfortable. If I want to vacation to the beach, it is a short drive.

[JourneyOfLife]

Those comments about the red tide were good to know.

It reinforces the wisdom of the advice... "when relocating to a new area... rent for a year or so before you buy" so you can be sure you want to live/own in that location and in that community (town, neighborhood, association).

[EastCoastDawg]

Why did you choose to be in Central Florida instead of a Coastal Region.

When Central Florida is an island, around 2050, I'll still have my real estate

[senior citizen]

We have a house on the east coast in Melbourne because of the ocean and the Indian River and one here in Central Florida because that is where The Villages is.

You most definitely have the "best of both worlds" in having a home on the seacoast in Melbourne as well as the one in THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA.

We were just double checking real estate in Indialantic and Indialantic by the Sea , Melbourne Beach, etc.

Not necessarily "second guessing" ourselves, but just "revisiting" as we lived in Satellite Beach for one year many moons ago. We do not recall any type of winter "snow bird congestion" back then on A1A or Patrick Drive (?) the alternate road.....my husband had a business connection in Indialantic.

In just checking their real estate , there are many nice pool homes on larger properties and just a few blocks to the beach.........the crime rate is below the national average and the population is around 2,000.

We do remember the two causeways to the mainland.......and Tropical Trail which had hills and reminded us of Vermont (a little bit) ......when we were nostalgic for home.

Indialantic has the fishing pier and a nice park for the grandkids.......
with the Indian River on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other side, lots of boating opportunities.........should my hubby ever decide to re purchase a smaller boat than the one he just sold.

Guess I still have "beach" and "seashore" on my mind having just enjoyed the five grandchildren (with more to come) ; their enthusiasm for all that the coastal area offered was contagious.

The Space Coast is also extremely close to where the cruise ships go out at Port Canaveral and not too far from the Disney Beach Resort in Vero Beach , a place we also enjoyed very much.

When you "map it".....that part of the Atlantic Ocean beaches are still nice and empty......not honky tonk like in the more southern areas of the east coast of Florida.........nor the Gulf Coast of Florida beaches....

A friend has been researching the west coast up by Homosassa Springs but I think that big open swamp land would mean too many mosquitos......which I really do not recall when we lived on the east coast..........nor was there red tide like on the Gulf Coast where we bought a condo on the beach.



Again, you most definitely have the best of both worlds in having two homes, one on the coast and one in The Villages...



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Retire in Indialantic, Florida?



Overview: Clean, pretty Indialantic sits on a barrier island along the southern tip of Florida's Space Coast. The town's name, as might be guessed, comes from its location between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the mainland via a causeway.

The rambling stretch of beach is often uncrowded, and parking is plentiful. The 5 block long boardwalk has shops and restaurants, and busy 5th Avenue, which dead ends at the ocean, is lined with palm trees and eclectic retailers in attractive, modern buildings. Indialantic is also home to the Jungle, the county's only organic eatery. Nance Sea Turtle Park, which now covers the land where the well known Indialantic Casino and Hotel once flourished, has fishing stations, showers and a pavilion. Nance Park is also home to Indialantic's annual Art Festival. There are two recording studios in town, and live music is always a possibility. The Indialantic Chamber Singers, a group of 40 auditioned voices, present three to four concerts per year. Neighborhoods are neatly laid out and are well kempt, with everything from modest, inland manufactured homes to expensive waterfront residences along the river or a canal. x
Population: 2,700 (city proper)

Percentage of Population Age 45 or Better: 51%


Cost of Living: 13% above the national average

Median Home Price: $230,000

Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 60s and 70s. On average, the area receives 52 inches of rain per year.

At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Holmes Regional Medical Center is 3 miles away in Melbourne and accepts Medicare patients.

At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but Holmes Regional Medical Center is 3 miles away in Melbourne and is accredited.



Public Transit: No
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Wal-Mart? No, but one is three miles away in Indian Harbour Beach.
Public Library? No, but Melbourne, 3 miles away, has one
Political Leanings: Conservative

Is Florida Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes


Cons: The town is losing population, 2% in the last decade.




Notes: Indialantic is a quiet place.


Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes





























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[dotti105]

Both my husband and I grew up on Clearwater Beach.

It was beautiful living there "back in the day". My mom still lives in the same water front house, my sister's family lives next door. Beautiful views of the Marina, fun to watch the boats come and go.

As a kid the population of Clearwater beach was about 8,000. Today it is over 100,000. Concrete and high rises everywhere, that is except for the T-shirt shops etc. I hate going back.

We swore that we would never move back to Fla.

Unless you LIVE on the water, it is just like Ga or Kansas for that matter. If you do not have a water view, there are only disadvantages to living near the coast.

The traffic during the season is terrible! You can't get to or from the grocery store, in less than an hour. Seriously! If you are water front you have lots of crowding and lots of commercial. Part of the package!

We visited TV and now we can't wait to get into our Fla home. TV is unique and with the abundant recreation, everyone a transplant, it is very friendly and it is beautiful.
If we had a time machine and could go back to "old " Clearwater, it might be a different story, but even the beauty of being waterfront does not make up for the disadvantages of crowds, commercial and storms.

We evacuated every year, often several times.

We will enjoy visiting the beautiful coasts, but No I would not want to live on the coast. The Villages is the only thing that made us change our minds about moving back to Fla. (And I'm still not sure about the late summer humidity.....and the love bugs..)

[senior citizen]

Both my husband and I grew up on Clearwater Beach.

It was beautiful living there "back in the day". My mom still lives in the same water front house, my sister's family lives next door. Beautiful views of the Marina, fun to watch the boats come and go.

As a kid the population of Clearwater beach was about 8,000. Today it is over 100,000. Concrete and high rises everywhere, that is except for the T-shirt shops etc. I hate going back.

We swore that we would never move back to Fla.

Unless you LIVE on the water, it is just like Ga or Kansas for that matter. If you do not have a water view, there are only disadvantages to living near the coast.

The traffic during the season is terrible! You can't get to or from the grocery store, in less than an hour. Seriously! If you are water front you have lots of crowding and lots of commercial. Part of the package!

We visited TV and now we can't wait to get into our Fla home. TV is unique and with the abundant recreation, everyone a transplant, it is very friendly and it is beautiful.
If we had a time machine and could go back to "old " Clearwater, it might be a different story, but even the beauty of being waterfront does not make up for the disadvantages of crowds, commercial and storms.

We evacuated every year, often several times.

We will enjoy visiting the beautiful coasts, but No I would not want to live on the coast. The Villages is the only thing that made us change our minds about moving back to Fla. (And I'm still not sure about the late summer humidity.....)

I "hear you" re the hurricanes. We were researching coastal areas with friends today and Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area seem to have had a property price decline since Hurricane Charlie hit........a lot of Punta Gorda had to be rebuilt?????

A great area for boating. Great canal homes, many with birdcaged pools in the backyard and then a dock and boat lift right in your own backyard with access out to the Gulf.........but if it's hard to get hurricane insurance??????? What does a homeowner do? No wonder the prices are low.

Ditto for some east coast beach areas that had severe damage during another recent hurricane.........pretty low prices at present.

The towns we were researching all had low population, similar to what we live in. We left "the city" at age 20 and don't care to return in our old age.

Punta Gorda is on Gulf coast below Sarasota and above Sanibel Island.
A couple that I would buy nautical maps from ....relocated from Lake Champlain region of Vermont down to Punta Gorda. I think it's ranked number 15 out of 50 as far as yachting......or boating.
Punta Gorda has a population of 16,000 souls.....just like our town here.
They lost 8% of their pop. after Hurricane Charlie. I can only imagine how traumatized one would be.........to have to evacuate, to have their homes damaged, etc.

Thanks for sharing.................

[Lbmb24101]

We chose central Fl bc it s where TV is
And we chose TV due to the accessibility of golf cart transportation.
That was the main thing for us
Golf, tennis, clubs, pools, chain restaurants, nice homes etc, all of that could be found anywhere else.

[Tracy1581]

I love visiting the beach but don't think I could live there. Many more activities to do here in the villages.

[Bonnevie]

live 3 miles from the beach and never go there. am moving to TV for the activities and lifestyle. I will be saving $1100 a year on property insurance. I pay over $1600 a year with all possible discounts. Always have the threat of Citizens raising rates or forcing me to underfunded start up insurer hanging over my head. I look forward to taking vacations to the beach where I can stay in a beach front resort when I want to be on the beach the same way I take ski vacations when I want to see snow. But day to day living, I want the least drama as possible.

[redwitch]

When I was forced to move from California, my new home had to have several criteria. Florida fit most of them. Strangely, earthquakes don't scare me. Never have. The idea of hurricane winds terrifies me, so coastal Florida was out of the question. When I visited a friend here while looking for my new home, things fit. I liked that the people looked happy and busy. I liked that I hadn't aged out of the job market (of course, I didn't realize that salaries were at starvation levels). I liked that TV had very little litter. I liked the convenience of stores. So, it was partly Florida laws, the location of TV and TV itself.

[asianthree]

i love the beach other half loves TV, so TV it is

[Duvalboomer]

Because they decided to build TV in central Florida

[Bruiser1]

I have to agree Sanibel Island is one of the greatest places to visit. Shhhhh lets keep it quiet . Oops too late. Naples also is very nice but pricey.

I moved here to live a life of retirement that I couldn't imagine before I visited THE Villages.
20 people move here every day.