Questions for Floridians

lagarto

lagarto

Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
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Hey all, there is a chance I may be moving to Florida in the near future and I need some advice. Specifically I'm wondering if anyone can give me details about the cost of living in the Gainesville area. I'm currently living in NC and trying to get a feel for whether or not Florida is going to be more or less expensive. Also, does anyone know if there are any good, SAFE and CLEAN campgrounds or state parks in the area. One last thing, is it true that you don't have a state income tax? That seems totally wild to me. Thanks in advance.

Lagarto
 
There is no state income tax in Florida, but expect to pay it in some other way (fees, etc).

I live on the east coast, and I know a lot of people from here are leaving for NC/SC/TN where land and housing prices are affordable for middle income families. I'm pretty sure that the housing prices in Gainesville are more reasonable than they are here. Check out some online real estate for the area and you should get a pretty good idea.

www.myflorida.com has links to just about everything.
 
Another East coaster, Gainsville is a college town so there are probably some good deals to be had. As far as State parks, the Ocala National forest is just South of there and is great.Welcome to Florida. Dave:)
 
There are some pretty good housing and land deals around the Gainsville area. The prices there have taken a pretty good beating the last 6 months or so.

Ocala national forest is awesome and huge.
 
be careful! Housing is not cheap here. property taxes are getting higher every day, and homeowners insurance is astronomical. Gainesville is a little town with a huge party school. Ocala is great horse country, though. I'd do a serious analysis of what it costs to live here. It's between 2 and 3 times more expensive here than it was for me in New orleans
 
Florida boasts a huge number of parks but their idea of a park and yours might be a little different. A lot of their "parks" and a patch of gravel and picnic table..
 
One very important thing I forgot earlier. We moved in early January, 2004. Had we moved late in December of 2003, we would have been able to apply for the homestead exemption on our property taxes for 2004. The homstead exemption takes $25K off the taxable value of your house, so by moving a few days into the new year, we ate property taxes on an extra $25K.

As for parks, all of them here are fee for use. Usually only a few bucks, but it's part of the bone the state gives you for no income tax.

Oh, and plan on buying a water filtration system if you want to drink your tap water.
 
Unobtainable home insurance, crappy tap water, dessicated lizards in the kitchen exhaust vents -- STILL my favorite place to live! :)
 
jsmatos said:
Ocala is BEAUTIFUL! One day, when I become very rich, I will buy a ranch for myself over there and tend to the livestock all by myself. LOL :D
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I played baseball down in Ocala back in high school when my HS travelled down there to play for a week... I loved it! Havent been back since but I wouldnt mind living in the "country florida" at al. its like it is in alabama and tennessee... ANOTHER great place in Florida is north panhandle!!!! washington county florida!!! great area!!! very rural... not too far from destin, fl (my favorite vacation spot) or panama shitty. Great location!!!!
 
Cripes...

Dont do it!!!:eek:
One word "Citizens":mad: as in Insurance company which is state run. Do a search for news stories on this to find out more.

I moved to the Tampa, Clearwater area 3yrs ago, just before home prices went up, if I were to have to do the same at this time...I couldnt afford it.

Pick almost any neighborhood and do a drive through, you will see 1-3 homes for sale on each street.

Just when people down here are ready to buy a home they then find out what the tax and insurance will be and it moves the price beyond their range.

As I mentioned...Check the web, try Tampa news sites then look for Citizens Ins. That will scare you away, its really unbelievable down here.

If I had to do it all over again...I would have stayed in Cincinnati, we are currently thinking of moving to TN, but we ourselves are stuck until the housing market turns around and we are able to sell.

Keith
 
Unobtainable home insurance, crappy tap water, dessicated lizards in the kitchen exhaust vents -- STILL my favorite place to live!
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The list goes on and on: 120mph winds once or twice a year, sharks, poisonous toads, some really weird bugs...

I'll never move north of the 27th parallel :D
 
Geraldo said:
The list goes on and on: 120mph winds once or twice a year, sharks, poisonous toads, some really weird bugs...

I'll never move north of the 27th parallel :D
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Thirty-minute wait for the left-turn arrow at traffic lights, thousands of horseshoe crabs rotting on the beach after mating season, and somnambulent Seniors driving Cadillacs at 15mph up the centre lane of Alternate 19.

Life is good! :D
 
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