Summer time In Florida

Hi All,

I graduated from HS in Tampa in 1968. I loved my time in Florida back then but like all teenagers we were so active and doing so many things. Fishing being a big part of my time then. Well I left right after high school and never returned although I always looked fondly back at those times. Well now I am thinking about returning to Florida. Not the Tampa Bay area but somewhere near Sebastian Inlet on the Atlantic side. I don't have any family left in Florida and don't have any preference of one place over another but I have a Building lot in Sebastian Highland and I know fishing is close by. The only thing that is stopping me is the fear that I might move down and cant handle the summer time heat. When I was younger I wasnt bothered but now that I am older I am not sure I can totally rely on those polished memories. Other concerns regard statement I have heard from one place or another about the cost of home owners insurance, property taxes, and high electrical expenses. Is it exaggerated or real. Well you folk are living their so I though why not ask you. Any comments are welcome based on your personnel experience. I know its not the Florida of the 60's but what place hasn't changed, even me... Thanks

Man Sebastian inlet is as close to fishing heaven as you can get. Premier inshore fishery, close enough to Jupiter inlet for the short run to gulfstream, and Stickmarsh in your backyard.

Summer heat, well its uncomfortable but not painfull like sub freezing temps. Id rather sit inside during a summer thunderstorm than be trapped inside for a week by blizzard and deep snow. Summertime we are cooling a house on averabe 12-15 degrees not trying to heat 30-50 degrees

You said you have a builder lot so when you build get the highest seer A/C system you can as well as a proper size system not thr Florida minimum a lot of builders want to sell you and upgrade the insulation package and your electric bills will not be bad. Hopefully your lot is not on sewer, if so forego fancy landscaping unless you get a sewer meter or shallow well for irragation. The water companies charge you once to get it and 3-4 times to take it back.

Insurance should not be terrible with all the new wind codes they are following now. A website called challengemyrate is a great resource for shopping homeowners insurance in Florida.

If you have any construction related questions feel free to shoot me a pm and I will answer or try and get you an answer from the many homebuilders I deal with daily.

Hope this helps ya, and good luck to ya.

Thanks Huntin for your quick Reply, Well Tennessee does get a little bit of snow but not that much and no shoving is required. lol

My lot is with city Water and Sewer on a paved street. Its also a canal lot which I think is mostly used for drainage.The water in the canal is brackish I think and I don't know if they allowed individuals to take water from it or not. I bought it years ago its 85X125 as I remember. Now I wish I had a bigger lot so I could put a large Garage/Storage Work shop on it for the toys.

Yes everyone needs to be cautious dealing with builder/contractors. Florida seems to have had its fair share of bad ones. It seems harder everywhere these day to find someone who will give you what they say they will. I will be looking for fair value for the money. Far to many try to make profit on short cuts, cheap labor, materials or other such practices that they feel suddenly are not important. I heard about some China Dry wall nightmare that Florida found itself in. That's scary.

If or when I decide to build I will be looking for a good General Contractor and any references would be welcomed. I'm not looking for gold fixtures or Hurst Castle amenities just the quality of material or the lowest price. I will also look for someone who hires or uses skilled people to do the work. I think skilled people are sound products that are proven and last the test of time. I'm not talking shiny here but solid, sound and proven building practices.

My next house will most likely be the last house I own. I don't like moving that much and want the next to be my last so I am in no rush to decide. I don't even need to use the lot I now have and if better options show themselves great. I also haven't ruled out staying and living in TN but Florida is always on my mind... Guess its good to have choices.

I think Florida would be a good decision. We snowbirded for several years
and have been full time 7 years.
We are from Ky. The temperature last year in Lexington was more than Tavares Fl for a good part of June and July. I figure I can stay in the
AC as well here as Ky on those hot days. Mostly not a problem.
We are on a canal and irrigate from it.
I fish (fresh Water) from Oct thru mid to late April, and do other things in summer. We do some traveling as well.
One suggestion, if you have not decided would be to spend some time
Rving or rent a place for a few months. This is what we did and it helped to decide where to locate.
Joe

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Originally Posted by Knot2Bad

Thanks Huntin for your quick Reply, Well Tennessee does get a little bit of snow but not that much and no shoving is required. lol

My lot is with city Water and Sewer on a paved street. Its also a canal lot which I think is mostly used for drainage.The water in the canal is brackish I think and I don't know if they allowed individuals to take water from it or not. I bought it years ago its 85X125 as I remember. Now I wish I had a bigger lot so I could put a large Garage/Storage Work shop on it for the toys.

Yes everyone needs to be cautious dealing with builder/contractors. Florida seems to have had its fair share of bad ones. It seems harder everywhere these day to find someone who will give you what they say they will. I will be looking for fair value for the money. Far to many try to make profit on short cuts, cheap labor, materials or other such practices that they feel suddenly are not important. I heard about some China Dry wall nightmare that Florida found itself in. That's scary.

If or when I decide to build I will be looking for a good General Contractor and any references would be welcomed. I'm not looking for gold fixtures or Hurst Castle amenities just the quality of material or the lowest price. I will also look for someone who hires or uses skilled people to do the work. I think skilled people are sound products that are proven and last the test of time. I'm not talking shiny here but solid, sound and proven building practices.

My next house will most likely be the last house I own. I don't like moving that much and want the next to be my last so I am in no rush to decide. I don't even need to use the lot I now have and if better options show themselves great. I also haven't ruled out staying and living in TN but Florida is always on my mind... Guess its good to have choices.

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Let me ask you this. If you are happy in Tn have you ever thought about asking a reputable realtor what the current market value of the lot is. Dont know but ya might be able to retire very comfortably on the sale of the lot. Especially if it is a deep canal with easy acces to the ICW.

NO UNFORTUNATELY Its not accessible to the ICW. Wish it was but its only a storm drain canal but I don't think it goes dry. Years ago my neighbor on the adjacent lot told me people catch fish out of it. The lot as best as I can tell might be worth a little more than I paid for it back in 1990. Say maybe 15,000 to 17,000. Nothing to get excited about. At one time when things were crazy I was being told $70,000 by mail from Realtors and the property taxes went from $300 yr to $1,400. I Should have sold it then right. Well hind sight is always 20/20. I am seeing people on City Data saying Electric Bills in the hot months run $200-300. That's having the temp set at 78 F and half that in the winter. Whats home owners running. I have seen some say 1,400 yr. with a large amount of that being Hurricane insurance. Well who would live in Florida with out that. All these seem High to me but what do I know. I know that over a year the monthly cost are not show stoppers but I don't like giving it way and what I keep I can use where I see fit.

I would guess those numbers on the high side of average. Of course depending on size of home and size and type of a/c equipment and insulation. The insurance is really affected by the wind codes and building a new home would help with that. I have a buddy in Jupiter and will see if he knows of a good realtor in the area that could answer those questions better. Might could check with your current bank to see if they could pull you some data on it as well.

You are probably aware of this but after the first year you can homestead your residence and save a bunch on your property taxes. You can probably look at the tax collector's website in the area you're looking at and find some properties like yours and get an idea what your taxes may be.

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Originally Posted by specklater

You are probably aware of this but after the first year you can homestead your residence and save a bunch on your property taxes. You can probably look at the tax collector's website in the area you're looking at and find some properties like yours and get an idea what your taxes may be.

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Yes Speck many states allow homeowners to file a homestead. I think Florida also only allows a small percentage increase on owner occupied homes per year. New owners have a different start point. So you don't always get fair comparisons. On my lot I owned I was paying a higher tax than the lot with a house on it next door because vacant lots have no such protection in Florida.

Thanks to all for your comments.

Been in Florida all my life, born north fl. now reside in south fl. I've always thought of where I would like to retire and the Sebastian area keeps coming to mind. Best of all fishing surroundings, cant go wrong.