Moving From Ohio to Florida POSSBILY

[jack_m_roun]

Originally Posted by wrightflyer

I've heard the same from my grandparents who have been full-time residents of either Cape Coral or Ft. Myers via DC and Prince George's County since 1994. It was always a pain to visit in snowbird season when we would visit as kids. And now it seems to be a pain anytime of year as an adult that wants to simply visit family.

But now, whether it is my grandmother's outlook in her 80's or just the sheer number of people permanently moving to SWFL (Lee and Collier Counties in particular), all I hear are the same complaints from her every time I talk. "The 'snowbirds' don't go home. The traffic doesn't seasonally adjust anymore. The roads are crowded. I don't feel safe driving or going out to shop with the large number of people who are rude or inconsiderate." Paraphrasing there, but you get the gist.

As my grandparents are also staunch conservatives and play Fox News on repeat (for good or bad), they also complain about the people from liberal cities (looking at you NYC/NJ/CT, Chicago, and CA people ) fleeing their high taxes and cost burdens, but that they shouldn't expect those "liberal regulations" down here. Whatever that means...

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Point being, to the OP, don't move. Not worth it with prices the way they are. If you really want to move in the future, which would be my only recommendation for going to SWFL - do it later to see if things plateau - I would consider buying land and determine when you want to move down on your schedule and budget. That way, you are not saddled with an overpriced home (new-build or resale), dealing with inflated construction costs, and not knowing if QoL and CoL will really balance out. Taxes will have to go up, likely property and sales tax since FL has no income taxes, to cover all the new residents and new infrastructure needed for supporting that population jump.

Worst that could happen is the land goes bust, but at least you won't be saddled with a house that you cannot sell outside a loss because the market dives. Doubt it will be like 2008, but I think people who bought between 2019 and today are going to be stuck for 3-5 years beginning the end of 2022 / beginning of 2023. Not a problem, unless you need to move inside that dip and can't cover the mortgage payoff. Of course, if you pay cash, not as big a problem if there is a market dip.

And if the market doesn't bust or plateau and you realize you don't want to live here, you can always sell the land at an appreciated price.

It seems that your grandparents are astute and lucid, and understand markets here. It is quickly becoming unbearable, and approaching being filled with obnoxious transplants who will soon affect the quality of life, social mores, social structure, tax rates/base, attitudes, and of course safety and mobility. No one can make this stuff up, it's real and unfolding before your eyes in practically every county, whether Lee, Collier, Sarasota, Manatee and others.


Sometimes change is good and inevitable, some "change" should be avoided. That's life.


It's a bit odd that short-timers and new comers/arrivals bristle about anyone pointing out this negative change - as if they don't want to hear or acknowledge the truth - worst yet, many actually champion and promote the march towards that negativity and transformation of obvious over-population.


Nay, your grandparents are awake and observant. It's out of hand.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by JustinC91

So My wife and I were talking about possibly moving to florida from ohio but seeing the pricing of the housing and the condition of the existing housing... Doesn't seem worth moving into a 800 sqft home for 180k...

My question is.. Is it worth doing that and would it be the cheaper option to buy land, Buy a double wide that would be big enough for my wife and I, 4 pets total, and possibly a child in the future. What else would i need to consider and think of price wise? Is there any hidden costs that people over think? I've never ventured into this sort of thing and we just purchased our first home 2 almost 3 years ago in ohio and honestly we don't like living up here anymore. The snow is terrible, the cold is terrible, its dark and grey out. No greenery or anything.

Moral of the story.

Cheaper to buy land + double wide and run electric/water/sewage? (depending on where in florida thats zoned for this)

or Buy a pre existing house/modular home?

Better get some insurance quotes on your double wide/modular home idea. You might find the cost of the insurance cancels out your savings on the actual home.

Oh, please watch my favorite video on Flariduh:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad5paRXNWVg

[jack_m_roun]

True lol^

[skrenek71]

Hi. I do not know if thread is still active? Last thing I want to do is **** anyone off with my post after reading above. Please know I despise sh*#%y driving- I deal with it every day in Dallas and it sucks to hear it won’t be better. I am not aggressive necessarily, yet have zero tolerance for ignorance and aholes and have taught my 16 year old son how to really drive. I was both an 18 wheeler driver and a flight attendant. I have visited parts of Florida yet never Fort Myers. I have/was an elementary school teacher for many many years but had to stop due mainly to a totally unexpected heart condition. I am moving to Fort Myers out of financial need. My partner is a landscape architect and he has a huge opportunity here. I am not a snowbird. Never planned to move to Florida but hoping to make the best of it and a new chapter! Kind of scary- most of my life has been here in Texas. I also hear Floridians hate Texans. Great….
Okay, hopefully with that out of the way I won’t be too criticized. I am just wanting advice about where to live and where not to live. Honestly. I need to stay near Fort Myers Collegiate High School (same as college for my son). So can you rate MacGregor, Lehigh, San Carlos, SW Cape Coral..? And any others? It seems obvious Iona is very nice and parts of Cypress? ALSO- where to avoid?

Remember I need to stay close to the college. My don is not happening about this move but likes this school. I want him avoid the crap traffic as much as possible!

Thank you for any advice.

[Dino1]

I am really tired of people moving here to Florida expecting cheap land, no taxes, no traffic, great weather, and people kneeling at their feet for getting off the plane. It is what it is. There is a reason why almost 1000 people a day relocate here. It is not heaven on earth, nobody said it was.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Dino1

I am really tired of people moving here to Florida expecting cheap land, no taxes, no traffic, great weather, and people kneeling at their feet for getting off the plane. It is what it is. There is a reason why almost 1000 people a day relocate here. It is not heaven on earth, nobody said it was.

And why about 900 of the 1000 who move here wind up leaving the state or pushing natives out. They always miss mentioning the NET relocation numbers somehow.