Nytro,
First,I have a LOT of friends from "up north" that have retired with huge pensions and moved here to live well
.
Most tell me it's because where they are from the cost of living is so high. Subsequently, the salaries (and subsequent pensions) are comparitively higher.
Since I've never lived in any of these places as you have, I really can't address the issue intelligently.
I have however, been in Florida all my life and can say that I wouldn't want to live anywhere I have to store my Vette for the winter.
I constantly read on other forums how guys are planning mods for the 6 months(+/-) that the can't drive thier cars
No disrespect intended, but if more of the retiree's, etc. felt like you,
*maybe I could still buy a small piece of beach or waterfront property for less than a million $$
Supply and demand my brother. Simple as that. We have the supply and the snowbirds have created the demand.
*Maybe our roads wouldn't be so damed congested, every time I call the police, fire, or other gov't agency, I wouldn't feel like I had teleported to the Bronx! and
*maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't be constantly bombarded with "Up Nawth we do it blah blah blah!..."
Although you're right that the state taxes us to death, there are others that are equally as bad or worse and have less to offer. If we didn't have so much to offer, so many northerner's wouldn't be moving down here by the busloads.
I'm
NOT defending the State; however, they have to pay for the infrastructure somehow? What would you suggest they do? How should they/we pay for the entitlements you enjoy?
People sometimes say, "if we (northern retiree's, etc) didn't move here, you'd still be living in the woods."
Fact is, I grew up here and recall most of the places you drive (Valrico/Brandon, etc) as small, 2 laned (one each way), semi improved roads, dirt and gravel roads.
I remember the Courtney Campbell Causeway as a 2 lane black top road. The area of Bruce B. Downs (fka: 30th street) and a street racing location on friday and saturday nights. It ended at the county line and there was nothing there but pasture and woods.
I recall Dale Mabry as a small road with little more than a convenience store north of waters avenue and nothing opened after midnight except Foxes corner in Odessa.
I remember when most of the subdivisions you live in and now make 130k+ on resale, to be cattle and
SWAMP land (ever wonder why the drainage sucks in some parts of the county and is hardly ever a problem in others?) *Hint*: Ever see an orange grove flood?
The Brandon Town(e) Center...was a cow pasture!
Personally, I was just as pleased with that lifestyle, maybe moreso than I am with the current state of affairs.
See, if everyone that retired from some cold assed part of the country, didn't automatically relocate to "sunny" Florida, then we wouldn't have the need (or maybe the inclination) to widen and improve our roads, build more shopping centers, restaurants and subdivisions.
Less shopping centers and restaurants means less traffic and sewage. Less sewage and traffic requires less enforcement and repair, less waste disposal and water treatment.
Fewer subdivisions equates to fewer people a resulting decrease in crime stats, the lessened need for more water and sewage use and disposal needs and traffic.
Less public service requires less $$ to maitain. Less $$ needed equates to less taxes needed. Get it?
So, the bottom line is, it's your fault for our higher taxes! Just kidding sorry, just had to throw that in there.
Ya know, I've never had the desire, unlike the bumper sticker says, to retire, move north, buy a big car and drive real slow in the left hand lane ...NEVER!
If I moved anywhere, I'd either head to Tn,, N.C., Ky. or Arizona (I know, radical extremes, but hey!)
Very little in the way of long term foul weather patterns, beautiful scenery, multiple identifyable seasons and decent infrastructure.
Funny part is, if you watch the boob tube and study the patterns of people, you'll see that Ga. and Tenn. were the hot spots until land got so rediculously high (again, because mainly of the retiree relocations-over half of my former S.O. squad now live in Tenn and North Ga.), that people couldn't afford them. I just came back from a road trip covering all of those states and part of Alabama. In some places in the mountains, land is starting to get as rediculous as it is here
. It's just a matter of time.
Spoke to a guy that lived "on the mountain" all of his 50+ years. says he pays less than $500.00 year for property taxes, no state income tax, and the Sheriff's dept. is "on call" after midnight.
Give it about 5-10 years...that'll change...just like it did here...buy now
.
I'm guessing, that if we (Southerners) suddenly went mad and started moving to Mass...en mass...you'd see the same thing happen there as here.
As for my northern friends, all but a couple really enjoy the Florida lifestyle. Less hustle and bustle (since they're retired), and since the majority of them are from either NY or NJ, most seem to sense less crime and better environmental control (cleaner). Most like the ability to drive thier cars year round, have sold thier snowblowers and broken thier shovels. Some maintain a dual residency but most are here to stay. The heat gets to some, but from what they tell me, in NY(City) it gets pretty damned nasty in the summertime as well.
The hurricanes are a problem here, but every place has it's weather issues. The insurance industry is the chief "problem" with hurricane season here. They want your $$ but don't want to pay. WTF is wrong with that picture?
Besides, didn't you know we had them when you moved here? You'd have to have been living UNDER a rock no to know.
Finally, last I heard, 75 was still open in both directions
...hows the fire suit holing out?
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