Best location to live in Florida

[jackieapple]

I'm thinking about moving to Florida and have no idea where to start so I figure I put this on the forum and hopefully get some help from other mustachians. I like the idea of Florida because I love the beach but want something affordable.
 I'll list some things I desire to have from most important to least important:
-Some where that I can have a large plot of land for growing my own fruits and veggies. Ideally 1 arch or more for less than 300k.
-Some where that is bike friendly, closer to a beach.
-Ideally close enough to a metropolitan city to easily get international flights.
-Good public schools.
Any suggestions would help. Thanks in advance

[swashbucklinstache]

Lots of places depending on how bike heavy and what you think climate change will do to the state. Tampa and surrounding is one option.

[reeshau]

Biking to the beach and 1 acre for under $300k are probably mutually exclusive.  Do you mean you want to bike from your house to the beach?  Or could you drive with a bike rack, and just want to be able to bike at a beach?  (Say, 1 hour or less drive)

[jackieapple]

Biking to the beach and 1 acre for under $300k are probably mutually exclusive.  Do you mean you want to bike from your house to the beach?  Or could you drive with a bike rack, and just want to be able to bike at a beach?  (Say, 1 hour or less drive)

I understand what you are saying. I'm leaning towards driving to a beach less than 1 hour away and bike around the beach area.

[jackieapple]

Lots of places depending on how bike heavy and what you think climate change will do to the state. Tampa and surrounding is one option.

You brought up a valid point. Climate change does make me hesitate to move there. I'm not using bike as my only mode of transportation. I'm looking for more like take the bike with me to the beach and ride around there. Ideally with a cute downtown area. 

[swashbucklinstache]

Biking to the beach and 1 acre for under $300k are probably mutually exclusive.  Do you mean you want to bike from your house to the beach?  Or could you drive with a bike rack, and just want to be able to bike at a beach?  (Say, 1 hour or less drive)

I understand what you are saying. I'm leaning towards driving to a beach less than 1 hour away and bike around the beach area.

Tons of public beaches have walkways that many people will bike or run on.

Also, do you need 1 acre or might something like this work at 0.39?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9479-Heckscher-Dr-Jacksonville-FL-32226/44611791_zpid/

Jacksonville is a fine city. There's pros and cons. I'd say much less to do than greater Tampa, but if you're raising kids that might not matter much. That's reflected in the relative price difference, and the airport is smaller and lower volume.

I think if you don't need bikeable you can probably find something decent in the panhandle, e.g.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9479-Heckscher-Dr-Jacksonville-FL-32226/44611791_zpid/?

The panhandle is probably not the idyllic beach you're envisioning but the capital is a nice enough little college town. Lots of acreage this way, but a lot is not bikeable in the traditional sense. Something on the southern outskirts of Tally might fit the bill. Not a large airport but not the worst jump to Atlanta, TPA, or Miami either.

North of Miami has some good and some very bad. Might be hard to find acreage.

You mention public schools. Florida has a ton of private schools and not for no reason, just if you weren't aware. But they do have some good schools, e.g. the second link above's elementary.

Half-serious suggestion is to watch Beachfront Bargain Hunt for episodes in Florida.

[jackieapple]

Biking to the beach and 1 acre for under $300k are probably mutually exclusive.  Do you mean you want to bike from your house to the beach?  Or could you drive with a bike rack, and just want to be able to bike at a beach?  (Say, 1 hour or less drive)

I understand what you are saying. I'm leaning towards driving to a beach less than 1 hour away and bike around the beach area.

Tons of public beaches have walkways that many people will bike or run on.

Also, do you need 1 acre or might something like this work at 0.39?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9479-Heckscher-Dr-Jacksonville-FL-32226/44611791_zpid/

Jacksonville is a fine city. There's pros and cons. I'd say much less to do than greater Tampa, but if you're raising kids that might not matter much. That's reflected in the relative price difference, and the airport is smaller and lower volume.

I think if you don't need bikeable you can probably find something decent in the panhandle, e.g.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9479-Heckscher-Dr-Jacksonville-FL-32226/44611791_zpid/?

The panhandle is probably not the idyllic beach you're envisioning but the capital is a nice enough little college town. Lots of acreage this way, but a lot is not bikeable in the traditional sense. Something on the southern outskirts of Tally might fit the bill. Not a large airport but not the worst jump to Atlanta, TPA, or Miami either.

North of Miami has some good and some very bad. Might be hard to find acreage.

You mention public schools. Florida has a ton of private schools and not for no reason, just if you weren't aware. But they do have some good schools, e.g. the second link above's elementary.

Half-serious suggestion is to watch Beachfront Bargain Hunt for episodes in Florida.

I didn't know public schools in Florida are that bad. That's sad to hear.
From what I gathered during my research, Tampa sounds attractive because they have a large diversity of people there but seems like the houses there are pretty pricey.
And yes I will watch Beachfront bargain hunt! That's a great suggestion.

[dandarc]

I'm biased, but Tallahassee is pretty nice. And $300K with acreage totally available around here. Crawfordville is known for good schools. If there is such a thing as a suburb here, that is one. About 45 minute drive (closer to the water if you're in Crawfordville) to some decent beaches - maybe 1.5 hours to St. George Island which features a more 'resorty beach', 2 hours to Panama City for actual resort beaches. I haven't been to St. George since Michael hit though - we were in California for 18 months when that happened, and just haven't made it back since returning - pandemic has us all discombobulated.

But Tallahassee is not going to be mistaken for a big city - you can fly or bus to a larger city if you don't want to drive. Roughly 4.5 hours to any of Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa. Jacksonville is closer, but that's not actually a huge airport. Cheap parking there - great for domestic flights.

There is actually a ton to do with 2 universities and the state government, but it can take some effort to find whatever your thing is sometimes.

[jackieapple]

I'm biased, but Tallahassee is pretty nice. And $300K with acreage totally available around here. Crawfordville is known for good schools. If there is such a thing as a suburb here, that is one. About 45 minute drive (closer to the water if you're in Crawfordville) to some decent beaches - maybe 1.5 hours to St. George Island which features a more 'resorty beach', 2 hours to Panama City for actual resort beaches. I haven't been to St. George since Michael hit though - we were in California for 18 months when that happened, and just haven't made it back since returning - pandemic has us all discombobulated.

But Tallahassee is not going to be mistaken for a big city - you can fly or bus to a larger city if you don't want to drive. Roughly 4.5 hours to any of Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa. Jacksonville is closer, but that's not actually a huge airport. Cheap parking there - great for domestic flights.

There is actually a ton to do with 2 universities and the state government, but it can take some effort to find whatever your thing is sometimes.

Thanks for your reply. Now that you mentioned it, are hurricanes something you guys worry about a lot in Florida?

[mozar]

St Augustine

[dandarc]

I'm biased, but Tallahassee is pretty nice. And $300K with acreage totally available around here. Crawfordville is known for good schools. If there is such a thing as a suburb here, that is one. About 45 minute drive (closer to the water if you're in Crawfordville) to some decent beaches - maybe 1.5 hours to St. George Island which features a more 'resorty beach', 2 hours to Panama City for actual resort beaches. I haven't been to St. George since Michael hit though - we were in California for 18 months when that happened, and just haven't made it back since returning - pandemic has us all discombobulated.

But Tallahassee is not going to be mistaken for a big city - you can fly or bus to a larger city if you don't want to drive. Roughly 4.5 hours to any of Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa. Jacksonville is closer, but that's not actually a huge airport. Cheap parking there - great for domestic flights.

There is actually a ton to do with 2 universities and the state government, but it can take some effort to find whatever your thing is sometimes.

Thanks for your reply. Now that you mentioned it, are hurricanes something you guys worry about a lot in Florida?

I mean, no not really. You generally know it is coming. Tallahassee is more a place they evacuate to than from. Hermine was the first hurricane to hit Tallahassee since 1989. I was pretty scared during the storm, my wife (having grown up in South Carolina and dealt with this sort of thing more than me) slept through it but really hated the week-long power outage that followed. We have a big-ass generator now and keep enough gas on hand that I need to remember to put it in the car at some point in the near future.

[clarkfan1979]

For SW Florida (Fort Myers & Naples), you can get a house on at least one acre, once you are on the east side of I-75. It will be a 30 minute drive to the beach if you are on a main artery that goes directly to the beach. I'm not aware of the school qualify that far east.

[mrsnamemustache]

Gainesville FL is great for biking, strong public schools, reasonable housing costs (depending on specific area), but is not near beach (about 90 minute drive). 90 minutes to Jacksonville for flights (also 2 hrs to Tampa and 2 hours to Orlando).  Most notably downside is bad traffic in certain areas but if you live in right part of town and bike regularly this isn’t a big deal.

I also follow the blog “young house love” and they recently moved to panhandle beach town that looks dreamy (Seaside maybe)?

[norajean]

How about 4 beds and two acres in lovely Naples?


https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1961-19th-St-SW-Naples-FL-34117/43764153_zpid/   

[JustK]

I'm in the Tampa Bay area and agree that it has a lot of what you are looking for. Your desired acreage and price point might be a little harder to come by right now, but may still be possible (maybe the rural Bradenton area?).

Schools here are kinda meh, but not terrible. There are some great (by Florida standards) magnets to choose from, and both of my kids are products of the Pinellas County public school system. Schools offer all the usual options for Gifted, Honors, AP classes, IB, etc., so I wouldn't write them off completely. I have found that teachers and administrators are very willing to work with the kids and parents who want to succeed.  Both of my kids have had some amazing teachers over the years!  Florida also has the Bright Futures scholarship program (although it is currently being debated in Tallahassee) for high-achieving students. My oldest kid is currently attending UCF on a full scholarship, thanks to that program. That's huge!

For biking, we have the Pinellas Trail (and several others), a rail-to-trail project that goes from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs, and other projects/plans for possible extensions. You can access beaches, breweries, awesome downtown areas (Dunedin, St. Pete, etc.) and other cool stuff from the trail. A couple parts of the Trail are a little sketchy, traffic- and neighborhood-wise, but overall it's a great, safe, and well-used biking option. Beyond the bike trails, some parts of Tampa Bay are relatively bike friendly, but most aren't. Florida drivers fully deserve their reputation around here!

Sorry, I feel like I am writing a brochure for the Chamber of Commerce.  :) I've been here for 25 years (I'm a Yankee), and the area has really come into its own in that time. Climate change is a concern, of course, but if you're not buying a multi-million-dollar home on the beach, you're probably good for a while.  And, as someone else said, you know when the hurricanes are coming, and you evacuate when in doubt. I used to be more comfortable riding out the storms (block construction, non-flood zone), but now we err on the side of caution. Hurricane Irma was a wake-up call.

[reeshau]

Thanks for your reply. Now that you mentioned it, are hurricanes something you guys worry about a lot in Florida?

Every place has its weather, and my wife (from Houston) has similar thoughts:  tornadoes don't give you days of warning.

But, having said that, do some homework on insuring your house in Florida.  The impact of repeated big storms has hammered the insurance market, and a number of insurers have left.  So make sure your budget has a realistic amount for it.

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/florida-regulator-approves-nearly-100-insurance-rate-increases-246358.aspx

[flyingaway]

I am also looking at the Tampa area. Can anyone provide more specific information about areas in Tampa that are safe and with large lots as the OP said?

In Las Vegas, everyone will recommend Summerlin and Henderson areas with specific zip codes. I don't like the downtown Tampa area, but where are the surrounding areas that are good for retirees? 30 minute or an hour driving to the beaches is fine.

[erutio]

Just some food for thought, pun intended.
Do you think you really need a whole acre to grow your own fruits and veggies? 

That may be closer to true if you are thinking of a homestead-type set up where you will growing almost everything you eat.  Are you going to include chickens or source of protein in this scenario?

Or are you planning to supplement your groceries with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and other seasonal vegetables?  If it's the latter, you probably don't need a acreage.

[FLBiker]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

Gardening is tricky -- the sun is good, but the soil is terrible.  You can build it, but building soil for a whole acre will take some doing.  That said, I did have some success gardening both at home and in a community garden.  Grow katuk, it's awesome. :)

I wouldn't say we worried about hurricanes a lot, but I'm definitely in the "they're getting worse" school of thought, and we lost power for 4 or 5 days a couple of times during my 10 years there.

I like St. Augustine (but only visited) and Gainesville (same).  Tampa has some good aspects, but personally I found the ambient culture a bit too much to take -- the gun shows, the strip clubs, the confederate flag bumper stickers, etc.  There is a lot of cool stuff happening there at the same time, though.  And I wouldn't describe it as bikable, but I did it -- we chose our house very intentionally in relationship to our jobs.

[JustK]

I am also looking at the Tampa area. Can anyone provide more specific information about areas in Tampa that are safe and with large lots as the OP said?

In Las Vegas, everyone will recommend Summerlin and Henderson areas with specific zip codes. I don't like the downtown Tampa area, but where are the surrounding areas that are good for retirees? 30 minute or an hour driving to the beaches is fine.

It has been many years since I lived in Tampa (there is a local joke about moving "across the bridge" and never wanting to return to Tampa unless absolutely necessary. It's pretty accurate in my experience! @FLBiker, We're a lot less into guns & strip clubs on the other side of the Bay!) I've lived in the Carrollwood, South Tampa, and University (USF) areas of Tampa. South Tampa is lovely but crazy expensive. Carrollwood has some nice neighborhoods for retirees, but it's mostly strip malls and urban sprawl.  The University area is hit or miss; some nice areas and some sketchy areas. (This is true of most parts of Florida. You can go from million dollar homes to "lock all the doors" pretty quickly.)   

Also, Tampa really doesn't have any actual beach, so there's that.

[jackieapple]

For SW Florida (Fort Myers & Naples), you can get a house on at least one acre, once you are on the east side of I-75. It will be a 30 minute drive to the beach if you are on a main artery that goes directly to the beach. I'm not aware of the school qualify that far east.

thanks for your reply I will check out those areas.

[jackieapple]

Gainesville FL is great for biking, strong public schools, reasonable housing costs (depending on specific area), but is not near beach (about 90 minute drive). 90 minutes to Jacksonville for flights (also 2 hrs to Tampa and 2 hours to Orlando).  Most notably downside is bad traffic in certain areas but if you live in right part of town and bike regularly this isn’t a big deal.

I also follow the blog “young house love” and they recently moved to panhandle beach town that looks dreamy (Seaside maybe)?

I will check out that blog. Thanks for the suggestion!

[jackieapple]

Just some food for thought, pun intended.
Do you think you really need a whole acre to grow your own fruits and veggies? 

That may be closer to true if you are thinking of a homestead-type set up where you will growing almost everything you eat.  Are you going to include chickens or source of protein in this scenario?

Or are you planning to supplement your groceries with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and other seasonal vegetables?  If it's the latter, you probably don't need a acreage.

Something homestead type. I had set out one acre because if I would to have chickens and other small animals I would like them to have more room to run around. I'm definitely flexible on the size of the lot but just wanted to throw it out there in case that is a possibility with everything else I'm putting on my wish list.

[jackieapple]

I'm in the Tampa Bay area and agree that it has a lot of what you are looking for. Your desired acreage and price point might be a little harder to come by right now, but may still be possible (maybe the rural Bradenton area?).

Schools here are kinda meh, but not terrible. There are some great (by Florida standards) magnets to choose from, and both of my kids are products of the Pinellas County public school system. Schools offer all the usual options for Gifted, Honors, AP classes, IB, etc., so I wouldn't write them off completely. I have found that teachers and administrators are very willing to work with the kids and parents who want to succeed.  Both of my kids have had some amazing teachers over the years!  Florida also has the Bright Futures scholarship program (although it is currently being debated in Tallahassee) for high-achieving students. My oldest kid is currently attending UCF on a full scholarship, thanks to that program. That's huge!

For biking, we have the Pinellas Trail (and several others), a rail-to-trail project that goes from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs, and other projects/plans for possible extensions. You can access beaches, breweries, awesome downtown areas (Dunedin, St. Pete, etc.) and other cool stuff from the trail. A couple parts of the Trail are a little sketchy, traffic- and neighborhood-wise, but overall it's a great, safe, and well-used biking option. Beyond the bike trails, some parts of Tampa Bay are relatively bike friendly, but most aren't. Florida drivers fully deserve their reputation around here!

Sorry, I feel like I am writing a brochure for the Chamber of Commerce.  :) I've been here for 25 years (I'm a Yankee), and the area has really come into its own in that time. Climate change is a concern, of course, but if you're not buying a multi-million-dollar home on the beach, you're probably good for a while.  And, as someone else said, you know when the hurricanes are coming, and you evacuate when in doubt. I used to be more comfortable riding out the storms (block construction, non-flood zone), but now we err on the side of caution. Hurricane Irma was a wake-up call.

Thanks so much for your detailed comment. The more information I can gather the better! I was surprised to hear public schools there aren't the greatest because I have gone to schools with some Florians that had a full ride to the program I was attended. I also learned from my coworker from Florida that good students usually get full ride like you mentioned.
I mentioned this in another comment but I'm flexible with the size of the lot. I put a whole arce because I would like to have chickens and other animals eventually so I want them to have rooms to run around and also not disturbing my neighbors too much.
I'm glad you brought up the hurricane issue. When you mentioned "non flood zone" does that mean you can look for houses in these particular zones?

[jackieapple]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

Gardening is tricky -- the sun is good, but the soil is terrible.  You can build it, but building soil for a whole acre will take some doing.  That said, I did have some success gardening both at home and in a community garden.  Grow katuk, it's awesome. :)

I wouldn't say we worried about hurricanes a lot, but I'm definitely in the "they're getting worse" school of thought, and we lost power for 4 or 5 days a couple of times during my 10 years there.

I like St. Augustine (but only visited) and Gainesville (same).  Tampa has some good aspects, but personally I found the ambient culture a bit too much to take -- the gun shows, the strip clubs, the confederate flag bumper stickers, etc.  There is a lot of cool stuff happening there at the same time, though.  And I wouldn't describe it as bikable, but I did it -- we chose our house very intentionally in relationship to our jobs.

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

[FLBiker]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

Gardening is tricky -- the sun is good, but the soil is terrible.  You can build it, but building soil for a whole acre will take some doing.  That said, I did have some success gardening both at home and in a community garden.  Grow katuk, it's awesome. :)

I wouldn't say we worried about hurricanes a lot, but I'm definitely in the "they're getting worse" school of thought, and we lost power for 4 or 5 days a couple of times during my 10 years there.

I like St. Augustine (but only visited) and Gainesville (same).  Tampa has some good aspects, but personally I found the ambient culture a bit too much to take -- the gun shows, the strip clubs, the confederate flag bumper stickers, etc.  There is a lot of cool stuff happening there at the same time, though.  And I wouldn't describe it as bikable, but I did it -- we chose our house very intentionally in relationship to our jobs.

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

It's a long process -- we went through the Express Entry, Skilled Worker program to become permanent residents (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html).  And to say "express" is a bit misleading, it took like 2 years, all told.  The Canadian government website is clear, though, and the process is doable.  Supposedly, it'll be easier over the next year or so to get in, too, because they'll be taking more people in to boost the economy post-COVID.

[JustK]

Thanks so much for your detailed comment. The more information I can gather the better! I was surprised to hear public schools there aren't the greatest because I have gone to schools with some Florians that had a full ride to the program I was attended. I also learned from my coworker from Florida that good students usually get full ride like you mentioned.
I mentioned this in another comment but I'm flexible with the size of the lot. I put a whole arce because I would like to have chickens and other animals eventually so I want them to have rooms to run around and also not disturbing my neighbors too much.
I'm glad you brought up the hurricane issue. When you mentioned "non flood zone" does that mean you can look for houses in these particular zones?

Each county will have Evacuation Maps on their websites (called something like "Know Your Zone") to determine what level you'd be in a mandatory evacuation (A through E, plus non-evac). So, technically it's not flood/non-flood, but that's essentially what you'd be evacuating from, so it's a good thing to be aware of.

And speaking of flooding, I will say that we do have some areas where the streets flood in any heavy rainstorm (so, like every afternoon in the summer...), due to bad drainage/the below-sea-level thing/I don't know why. You'd want to do your due diligence on that (Google searches, ask the neighbors, that kind of thing). It's more an annoyance than a major threat, as the water recedes pretty quickly when the rain stops, but I wouldn't want to deal with it.

Also, I think you can find a decent sized lot for gardening and chickens (lots of people have chickens in my neighborhood) if you look in some of the older neighborhoods. New stuff is being crammed two houses to a lot right now, but many of the older, established neighborhoods do have space.

Feel free to message me if you have questions about the specific area I'm in or anything else I might be able to help with.  I don't plan to stay here forever (climate change, I miss the mountains, I don't love Florida's politics... although we're fairly purple here) but there is a lot that I do love and it will be a while before I am ready to find someplace new.

[jackieapple]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

Gardening is tricky -- the sun is good, but the soil is terrible.  You can build it, but building soil for a whole acre will take some doing.  That said, I did have some success gardening both at home and in a community garden.  Grow katuk, it's awesome. :)

I wouldn't say we worried about hurricanes a lot, but I'm definitely in the "they're getting worse" school of thought, and we lost power for 4 or 5 days a couple of times during my 10 years there.

I like St. Augustine (but only visited) and Gainesville (same).  Tampa has some good aspects, but personally I found the ambient culture a bit too much to take -- the gun shows, the strip clubs, the confederate flag bumper stickers, etc.  There is a lot of cool stuff happening there at the same time, though.  And I wouldn't describe it as bikable, but I did it -- we chose our house very intentionally in relationship to our jobs.

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

It's a long process -- we went through the Express Entry, Skilled Worker program to become permanent residents (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html).  And to say "express" is a bit misleading, it took like 2 years, all told.  The Canadian government website is clear, though, and the process is doable.  Supposedly, it'll be easier over the next year or so to get in, too, because they'll be taking more people in to boost the economy post-COVID.

That's super interesting to know. Two years really isn't that bad in my opinion for a residency in another country. Thanks for the info. Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind answering, why go all the way to Canada for schools? There are pretty decent public schools in the northern US.

[jackieapple]

Thanks so much for your detailed comment. The more information I can gather the better! I was surprised to hear public schools there aren't the greatest because I have gone to schools with some Florians that had a full ride to the program I was attended. I also learned from my coworker from Florida that good students usually get full ride like you mentioned.
I mentioned this in another comment but I'm flexible with the size of the lot. I put a whole arce because I would like to have chickens and other animals eventually so I want them to have rooms to run around and also not disturbing my neighbors too much.
I'm glad you brought up the hurricane issue. When you mentioned "non flood zone" does that mean you can look for houses in these particular zones?

Each county will have Evacuation Maps on their websites (called something like "Know Your Zone") to determine what level you'd be in a mandatory evacuation (A through E, plus non-evac). So, technically it's not flood/non-flood, but that's essentially what you'd be evacuating from, so it's a good thing to be aware of.

And speaking of flooding, I will say that we do have some areas where the streets flood in any heavy rainstorm (so, like every afternoon in the summer...), due to bad drainage/the below-sea-level thing/I don't know why. You'd want to do your due diligence on that (Google searches, ask the neighbors, that kind of thing). It's more an annoyance than a major threat, as the water recedes pretty quickly when the rain stops, but I wouldn't want to deal with it.

Also, I think you can find a decent sized lot for gardening and chickens (lots of people have chickens in my neighborhood) if you look in some of the older neighborhoods. New stuff is being crammed two houses to a lot right now, but many of the older, established neighborhoods do have space.

Feel free to message me if you have questions about the specific area I'm in or anything else I might be able to help with.  I don't plan to stay here forever (climate change, I miss the mountains, I don't love Florida's politics... although we're fairly purple here) but there is a lot that I do love and it will be a while before I am ready to find someplace new.

Great information to know. I will definitely keep in mind to look out for flood areas.
I would prefer a bluer state. I live in Cali right now but I can't fire here and live close enough to a beach for it to be worth it.
I see on the news all the time about "interesting" things going on Florida but I'd like to think people are just a little more "unique" which would make it more interesting to live. I just really love the sun and ocean that I think the pros outweigh the cons.

[dandarc]

Florida Man is mostly a product of our broad public records laws. Weird stuff happens elsewhere as well, but the government agencies aren't obligated to release the data quite so easily, quickly and thoroughly in most other states.

[FLBiker]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

...

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

It's a long process -- we went through the Express Entry, Skilled Worker program to become permanent residents (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html).  And to say "express" is a bit misleading, it took like 2 years, all told.  The Canadian government website is clear, though, and the process is doable.  Supposedly, it'll be easier over the next year or so to get in, too, because they'll be taking more people in to boost the economy post-COVID.

That's super interesting to know. Two years really isn't that bad in my opinion for a residency in another country. Thanks for the info. Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind answering, why go all the way to Canada for schools? There are pretty decent public schools in the northern US.

I'm sure that's true.  Once we decided we wanted to move, we were originally thinking about New England or PNW.  However, one of the school issues that we wanted to alleviate is the presence of active shooter drills, and I don't know that there's anywhere in the US that doesn't have those (at public schools, at least).  Plus, here in Canada our daughter was able to start kindergarten doing early French immersion (for free at a public school) which is a pretty cool benefit.  As a good reader, I think it has made kindergarten much more interesting than it otherwise would have been.  And, finally, we hoped that the consumerism  and media consumption would be more moderate in her peer group here (small town Nova Scotia).  There are probably places in the US that would be similar, though.

We didn't move just for schools, though.  We wanted to live in a place where taking care of each other is more part of the ambient culture (rather than "every person for themselves").  We also love nature and hiking, and it's great for that.  And it's also a nice place to retire early, as health insurance is taken care of. :)

[Cranky]

AFAIK (retired teacher) - active shooter drills are state law, like fire drills and tornado drills.

[Roots&Wings]

Florida Man is mostly a product of our broad public records laws. Weird stuff happens elsewhere as well, but the government agencies aren't obligated to release the data quite so easily, quickly and thoroughly in most other states.

Yes if personal privacy is at all a concern for you, coming from CA it might be a rude awakening having basically every single piece of info about you publicly available to anyone (except SSN) via quick internet search, including your voting details. Only public officials and victims of select crimes are exempt from FL's extensive public records disclosure laws.

We wanted to live in a place where taking care of each other is more part of the ambient culture (rather than "every person for themselves").  We also love nature and hiking, and it's great for that.  And it's also a nice place to retire early, as health insurance is taken care of. :)

This came into sharp focus during the pandemic. It seems every US state (and some Canadian cities) have their share of the "me first", anti-science, anti-mask crowd. Atlantic Canada has mostly avoided this and gone insular with a lot of fear of outsiders. In FL, you have to stick to the big cities for a better shot at avoiding this crowd, but it's still present.

[dandarc]

I think the whole "it is all public information" deal is mentally freeing in a way. No reason to try and play games to protect privacy, which is a bit of a fools errand anyway. Save that bit of mental energy for stuff that matters, like figuring out a way to buy bulk quantities of bug spray cheaper.

[bloodaxe]

I'm thinking about moving to Florida and have no idea where to start so I figure I put this on the forum and hopefully get some help from other mustachians. I like the idea of Florida because I love the beach but want something affordable.
 I'll list some things I desire to have from most important to least important:
-Some where that I can have a large plot of land for growing my own fruits and veggies. Ideally 1 arch or more for less than 300k.
-Some where that is bike friendly, closer to a beach.
-Ideally close enough to a metropolitan city to easily get international flights.
-Good public schools.
Any suggestions would help. Thanks in advance

Pensacola hits 3 of those 4 checkboxes (can get large plot of land cheaply, bike friendly for FL, close to beach, and good public schools). It has an airport but you are going to have to change planes at Orlando or Atlanta for all your flights.

[The 585]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

Gardening is tricky -- the sun is good, but the soil is terrible.  You can build it, but building soil for a whole acre will take some doing.  That said, I did have some success gardening both at home and in a community garden.  Grow katuk, it's awesome. :)

I wouldn't say we worried about hurricanes a lot, but I'm definitely in the "they're getting worse" school of thought, and we lost power for 4 or 5 days a couple of times during my 10 years there.

I like St. Augustine (but only visited) and Gainesville (same).  Tampa has some good aspects, but personally I found the ambient culture a bit too much to take -- the gun shows, the strip clubs, the confederate flag bumper stickers, etc.  There is a lot of cool stuff happening there at the same time, though.  And I wouldn't describe it as bikable, but I did it -- we chose our house very intentionally in relationship to our jobs.

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

It's a long process -- we went through the Express Entry, Skilled Worker program to become permanent residents (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html).  And to say "express" is a bit misleading, it took like 2 years, all told.  The Canadian government website is clear, though, and the process is doable.  Supposedly, it'll be easier over the next year or so to get in, too, because they'll be taking more people in to boost the economy post-COVID.

I think Australia has something like this too I'm interested in looking into!

Anyways, this summer I'm coming back to the US and want to "move" to Florida and establish residency there. Thinking Tampa / St. Pete area because I have good friends there.. and then I can open a Traveling Mailbox account to keep a Florida address when I go back abroad. 🍻

[Laserjet3051]

Imokalee, FL is SUPER cheap, large lots avialable, 45 min from the beach and close to Tampa, plus no crowds being outside the city. Only misses on the good public schools checkbox.

[chasesfish]

To me the best value is on the Space Coast.   Anywhere between Mims and Palm Bay.

You're one hour from Orlando for flights, Melbourne has it's own smaller airport, it's far enough South to enjoy 70 degree days for the entire winter, and the housing is still relatively affordable.   There's also a lot of different demographics/price points to look at.

The distance to the beach all depends on your distance from the four bridges in the area.  You aren't going to get your 1 acre plot on the beach stretch next to A1A.

The downside?  It's still Florida so late May to late October is very hot.  You'll also need a 4/3 wetsuit to enjoy the water from December to March.  I about froze trying to surf Cocoa beach last week.

We have friends who have a studio house/apartment in their driveway and so far are spending 3-4 weeks a year down there. 

[Roots&Wings]

I think the whole "it is all public information" deal is mentally freeing in a way. No reason to try and play games to protect privacy, which is a bit of a fools errand anyway. Save that bit of mental energy for stuff that matters, like figuring out a way to buy bulk quantities of bug spray cheaper.

It's fortunate you've never had cause to be concerned about your personal privacy. The amount of information FL makes publicly available can be an unwelcome surprise, and is something I wish I'd know before moving here.

And that's a good point about the bug spray. Not only the usual mosquitos, but ticks and fleas among others. If you have dogs or garden, be prepared for every manner of noxious weed that'll stick to you like glue pretty much every time you go outside.

And pollen season if off the charts if you have any allergies.

[dandarc]

That is a good point - we have led a bit of a charmed life for sure. I really don't have a reason to care that just anyone can look up our address, find out how much we paid for the house, whether our taxes have been paid on time or not. Businesses we've started, maybe non-profit boards we've served on. All that stuff is on state-government websites where there is essentially no barrier at all to see it.

I used to read the daily booking report when I first moved here - it was so odd to see that as almost a column in the newspaper that it peaked my curiosity. But looking back it is just gross that anyone arrested for any reason - whether or not found guilty - was having their name and picture published in the local paper & news outlets to fill space. No context at all, just a grid of photos and names and maybe what the charges were? Really fucks with your world view to see that, and I was obviously never featured in anything like that, though I do know a guy who was arrested and later shown to be "wrong person" for something like, if I'm remembering correctly, robbing a church who's name did immediately the papers because of the Sunshine law. Hard to imagine being in his shoes, or for that matter any of the other folks featured in this light.

And of course the stated reason doesn't really have that much merit "shields the government from liability over privacy claims because almost everything is defined as public information". I mean, I guess, but that's really just saying we're too cheap to invest in development of proper procedures and training to protect information more than anything. And being in the US and particularly the south the unstated reason is of course "this is a tool to further the racist agenda of many who are in power".



And +1 on the pollen - it pretty much coats everything for a month or two every year. Interestingly my allergies are pretty bad in Florida, but were fine in California. My wife was the exact opposite. Maybe I'm literally allergic to humidity?

[jackieapple]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

...

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

It's a long process -- we went through the Express Entry, Skilled Worker program to become permanent residents (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html).  And to say "express" is a bit misleading, it took like 2 years, all told.  The Canadian government website is clear, though, and the process is doable.  Supposedly, it'll be easier over the next year or so to get in, too, because they'll be taking more people in to boost the economy post-COVID.

That's super interesting to know. Two years really isn't that bad in my opinion for a residency in another country. Thanks for the info. Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind answering, why go all the way to Canada for schools? There are pretty decent public schools in the northern US.

I'm sure that's true.  Once we decided we wanted to move, we were originally thinking about New England or PNW.  However, one of the school issues that we wanted to alleviate is the presence of active shooter drills, and I don't know that there's anywhere in the US that doesn't have those (at public schools, at least).  Plus, here in Canada our daughter was able to start kindergarten doing early French immersion (for free at a public school) which is a pretty cool benefit.  As a good reader, I think it has made kindergarten much more interesting than it otherwise would have been.  And, finally, we hoped that the consumerism  and media consumption would be more moderate in her peer group here (small town Nova Scotia).  There are probably places in the US that would be similar, though.

We didn't move just for schools, though.  We wanted to live in a place where taking care of each other is more part of the ambient culture (rather than "every person for themselves").  We also love nature and hiking, and it's great for that.  And it's also a nice place to retire early, as health insurance is taken care of. :)

The philosophy of life you are describing is what I am searching. I want to be in a more unified culture and not so divided as we are right now. I'm considered minority in the US and did not grow up here so I have to be cautious about where I want to live, not just a safety issue but also certain things I can't live without such as food. I used to live in a the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin and man that was hard not having the food from my home country. Hence, I want to live somewhere remote enough but not too remote.
Where you guys are living now sounds align with what I thrive for in life, philosophically, but I have a hard living some where that's too cold.
I am also not a citizen in the US and some times I find certain things are harder to do by just being a resident. Do you find that being similar to your situation?   

[jackieapple]

I recently left the Tampa area for Canada, so take my comments in that context.

Schools are pretty lousy, but there are decent ones.  We were in Temple Terrace (just outside Tampa) and there were some decent IB schools.  Fundamentally, we moved because we wanted our daughter to start school somewhere else, though.

Gardening is tricky -- the sun is good, but the soil is terrible.  You can build it, but building soil for a whole acre will take some doing.  That said, I did have some success gardening both at home and in a community garden.  Grow katuk, it's awesome. :)

I wouldn't say we worried about hurricanes a lot, but I'm definitely in the "they're getting worse" school of thought, and we lost power for 4 or 5 days a couple of times during my 10 years there.

I like St. Augustine (but only visited) and Gainesville (same).  Tampa has some good aspects, but personally I found the ambient culture a bit too much to take -- the gun shows, the strip clubs, the confederate flag bumper stickers, etc.  There is a lot of cool stuff happening there at the same time, though.  And I wouldn't describe it as bikable, but I did it -- we chose our house very intentionally in relationship to our jobs.

Half-joking half serious, how can one manage to become resident in Canada :)

It's a long process -- we went through the Express Entry, Skilled Worker program to become permanent residents (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html).  And to say "express" is a bit misleading, it took like 2 years, all told.  The Canadian government website is clear, though, and the process is doable.  Supposedly, it'll be easier over the next year or so to get in, too, because they'll be taking more people in to boost the economy post-COVID.

I think Australia has something like this too I'm interested in looking into!

Anyways, this summer I'm coming back to the US and want to "move" to Florida and establish residency there. Thinking Tampa / St. Pete area because I have good friends there.. and then I can open a Traveling Mailbox account to keep a Florida address when I go back abroad. 🍻

Agree, Australia does sound nice!
What is a Traveling mailbox?

[jackieapple]

Imokalee, FL is SUPER cheap, large lots avialable, 45 min from the beach and close to Tampa, plus no crowds being outside the city. Only misses on the good public schools checkbox.

I'll check it out thanks for the info!

[jackieapple]

I'm thinking about moving to Florida and have no idea where to start so I figure I put this on the forum and hopefully get some help from other mustachians. I like the idea of Florida because I love the beach but want something affordable.
 I'll list some things I desire to have from most important to least important:
-Some where that I can have a large plot of land for growing my own fruits and veggies. Ideally 1 arch or more for less than 300k.
-Some where that is bike friendly, closer to a beach.
-Ideally close enough to a metropolitan city to easily get international flights.
-Good public schools.
Any suggestions would help. Thanks in advance

Pensacola hits 3 of those 4 checkboxes (can get large plot of land cheaply, bike friendly for FL, close to beach, and good public schools). It has an airport but you are going to have to change planes at Orlando or Atlanta for all your flights.

Will have to check it out! thanks for the info!

[jackieapple]

That is a good point - we have led a bit of a charmed life for sure. I really don't have a reason to care that just anyone can look up our address, find out how much we paid for the house, whether our taxes have been paid on time or not. Businesses we've started, maybe non-profit boards we've served on. All that stuff is on state-government websites where there is essentially no barrier at all to see it.

I used to read the daily booking report when I first moved here - it was so odd to see that as almost a column in the newspaper that it peaked my curiosity. But looking back it is just gross that anyone arrested for any reason - whether or not found guilty - was having their name and picture published in the local paper & news outlets to fill space. No context at all, just a grid of photos and names and maybe what the charges were? Really fucks with your world view to see that, and I was obviously never featured in anything like that, though I do know a guy who was arrested and later shown to be "wrong person" for something like, if I'm remembering correctly, robbing a church who's name did immediately the papers because of the Sunshine law. Hard to imagine being in his shoes, or for that matter any of the other folks featured in this light.

And of course the stated reason doesn't really have that much merit "shields the government from liability over privacy claims because almost everything is defined as public information". I mean, I guess, but that's really just saying we're too cheap to invest in development of proper procedures and training to protect information more than anything. And being in the US and particularly the south the unstated reason is of course "this is a tool to further the racist agenda of many who are in power".



And +1 on the pollen - it pretty much coats everything for a month or two every year. Interestingly my allergies are pretty bad in Florida, but were fine in California. My wife was the exact opposite. Maybe I'm literally allergic to humidity?

I did not know public information would be that easily accessible. I don't have things to hide but that's still a little disturbing

[Roots&Wings]

What is a Traveling mailbox?

Mail services for FL residency while traveling, e.g. St Brendan's Isle or similar: https://www.sbimailservice.com/

And this family moved from 5 acres in FL to 1/10 acre in CA and are mostly self sufficient on their "urban homestead" (growing food, chickens, goats, solar, rainwater, biodiesel, etc): https://urbanhomestead.org/project/.

There's a lot that can be done on a normal yard plot, though having more land is an appealing thought.

[Rdy2Fire]

I didn't notice how old you were and if this was for retirement or just a move? I think that could be a factor but also think you received some good answers. I think about FLA a lot because of taxes and it makes sense once retired.

Overall I am not a huge fan of FLA but if I was going there I think the Tampa/Clearwater area is nice and seems to have gotten a lot of press above. I also agree on space coast which I tend to like the east/ocean side better then the west/gulf side until you get further south like Sarasota. Some of the places in FLA that are 'nicer' and 'better' are getting tougher and tougher with your budget IMO.

[jackieapple]

What is a Traveling mailbox?

Mail services for FL residency while traveling, e.g. St Brendan's Isle or similar: https://www.sbimailservice.com/

And this family moved from 5 acres in FL to 1/10 acre in CA and are mostly self sufficient on their "urban homestead" (growing food, chickens, goats, solar, rainwater, biodiesel, etc): https://urbanhomestead.org/project/.

There's a lot that can be done on a normal yard plot, though having more land is an appealing thought.

Part of the reason I want to leave CA is the tax and also living through those fire seasons are no joke. I will take a look at the blog, thanks for the recommendation!

[Roots&Wings]

^ Understood, I can't imagine the stress and pollution from the fires. Hurricanes can also be a bit stressful, but that's why I'm about as far inland as possible in FL.

And that family is actually the main inspiration for my 1/3 acre "homestead" and food forest, it's quite impressive what they did, here's a short video overview of their urban homestead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJAnBGHhjAc&t=12s