Amazed at home prices near Kissimmee........

[dyna]

DH an I just retired an moved to FL. Our address is Winter Haven but closer to Eagle Lake. An hour from disney, I'd have liked to have been a little closer but where I'm at is a pretty nice area for us an we don't have to fight the theme park traffic every day either.

We sold our home up in Barely IN my DD bought it so it was a very easy sale. Not selling the house would not have kept us from buying our home here in FL tho as we did not buy the big home with the screened in pool tho we seen many listed for a very fair price that we could have lived in but being on a fixed income we decided a smaller home in a retirement community was more for us. The pool is just a few steps away an we don't have to clean it or worry about the pump going out an having to fix it ourselves.

We have just over 1000 sf inside the home with a nice big sunroom an a nice sized laundry room....carport holds the car, truck an harley. The house it's self has a nice sized kitchen for us an is laid out well, dinning area with room for a table that will sit 6....we took the leaves out of the table an scaled it down to our size yet it doesn't seem to be lost..(to small) for the dining area, huge living room, 2 big bedrooms an 2 fair sized bathrooms. The MB has 2 walk in closets, the 2nd bedroom 1 walk in closet that is a nice size. I was able to get all our riding leathers in there our coats that we brought with us, christmas ornaments an my vacuum cleaner with room left over.

The home even came furnished with furniture that we can live with till we wear it out. We did go buy us a different bed but mostly because we like a Queen an both beds was only full sized.

The carpet in the home was NICE as was the vynil in kit an baths, not exactly what I would have picked out if I'd been the one buying it an having it installed but liveable till it wears out.

Lot rent 350 a month includes water,sewer, pool, clubhouse an activities. The homes in the community are all nicely painted an washed down once or twice a year....there some older homes here from late 60's early 70's but they kept nice.

The ppl are all very nice they are like us hard working who had to work for everything the ever had an made a good modest middle classed income...wanted a FL home without spendin a fortune on it.

Yeah I bought a double wide in a retirement community but the park has been here since 1947. Many homes in here are 40 yrs old along with many old live oak trees which tells me there not been many hurricanes hit this area in recent yrs or tornados which is always possible. (Came from tornado alley I know what tornados can do to nice stick built homes as well.)

What did we pay for this little peice of paradise in FL? Sight unseen 10,000 cash...but when a hurridcane blows it away I can go right down the road an buy another one an won't have lost much....

Insurance same as I was payin in Barely IN no state taxes no property tax since we on a rented lot. We got money left over every month to save some an blow some.....had I bought the big pool home all my money would go to pay for it even with todays market in FL.

 

[Liberty Belle]

DH an I just retired an moved to FL. Our address is Winter Haven but closer to Eagle Lake. An hour from disney, I'd have liked to have been a little closer but where I'm at is a pretty nice area for us an we don't have to fight the theme park traffic every day either.

We sold our home up in Barely IN my DD bought it so it was a very easy sale. Not selling the house would not have kept us from buying our home here in FL tho as we did not buy the big home with the screened in pool tho we seen many listed for a very fair price that we could have lived in but being on a fixed income we decided a smaller home in a retirement community was more for us. The pool is just a few steps away an we don't have to clean it or worry about the pump going out an having to fix it ourselves.

We have just over 1000 sf inside the home with a nice big sunroom an a nice sized laundry room....carport holds the car, truck an harley. The house it's self has a nice sized kitchen for us an is laid out well, dinning area with room for a table that will sit 6....we took the leaves out of the table an scaled it down to our size yet it doesn't seem to be lost..(to small) for the dining area, huge living room, 2 big bedrooms an 2 fair sized bathrooms. The MB has 2 walk in closets, the 2nd bedroom 1 walk in closet that is a nice size. I was able to get all our riding leathers in there our coats that we brought with us, christmas ornaments an my vacuum cleaner with room left over.

The home even came furnished with furniture that we can live with till we wear it out. We did go buy us a different bed but mostly because we like a Queen an both beds was only full sized.

The carpet in the home was NICE as was the vynil in kit an baths, not exactly what I would have picked out if I'd been the one buying it an having it installed but liveable till it wears out.

Lot rent 350 a month includes water,sewer, pool, clubhouse an activities. The homes in the community are all nicely painted an washed down once or twice a year....there some older homes here from late 60's early 70's but they kept nice.

The ppl are all very nice they are like us hard working who had to work for everything the ever had an made a good modest middle classed income...wanted a FL home without spendin a fortune on it.

Yeah I bought a double wide in a retirement community but the park has been here since 1947. Many homes in here are 40 yrs old along with many old live oak trees which tells me there not been many hurricanes hit this area in recent yrs or tornados which is always possible. (Came from tornado alley I know what tornados can do to nice stick built homes as well.)

What did we pay for this little peice of paradise in FL? Sight unseen 10,000 cash...but when a hurridcane blows it away I can go right down the road an buy another one an won't have lost much....

Insurance same as I was payin in Barely IN no state taxes no property tax since we on a rented lot. We got money left over every month to save some an blow some.....had I bought the big pool home all my money would go to pay for it even with todays market in FL.

It sounds perfect. Enjoy your paradise.

 

[disneyjunkie]

We've decided to head down to Orlando for a few days during spring break. BF has said we are only going down to get a feel for the area. We not there to do Disney. Yeah right. There's no way I am going to get that close to WDW and not hit a park or two or three...

 

[korzmom]

last time we were at disney we saw the ads for homes in the area and couldnt believe how cheep the prices were. we'd love to move there too and dh could even have a job there(his current job has offices there) but the money situation isnt right just yet..i hope they stay low for a few more years,then maybe we can start looking. love pittsburgh but this cold is getting the best of us.

 

[Disnydad]

This is why we purchased a home in Poinciana this past fall. For $90,000 we got a 2 bed/2 bath 6 year old home on water. It is in a gated retirement community and the community is really kept up nicely. It sold back in 2004 for $124000 new. It was a few years earlier than our plan but we could not pass it up.

We live here part time now: http://www.solivita.com/

 

[Dax]

This is why we purchased a home in Poinciana this past fall. For $90,000 we got a 2 bed/2 bath 6 year old home on water. It is in a gated retirement community and the community is really kept up nicely. It sold back in 2004 for $124000 new. It was a few years earlier than our plan but we could not pass it up.

We live here part time now: http://www.solivita.com/

The only nice part about Poinciana...You live right near me..

 

[daughtersrus]

http://www.homes.com/listing/123142590/1427_Silver_Cove_Dr_CLERMONT_FL_34714#stay

Love this one as a vacation home! Too bad I can't talk my family into all pitching in.

I was thinking the same thing about this one but it has a few extra zeros on the end.

http://www.homes.com/listing/128320983/610_N_River_Rd_VENICE_FL_34293#stay

 

[loveysbydesign]

This crazy winter weather here in PA has me wishing we could move to FL sooner rather than later!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

This crazy winter weather here in PA has me wishing we could move to FL sooner rather than later!

No kidding!

 

[Disneypirate85]

We are looking at a home in Davenport and I am going to start school, Le Cordon Bleu....VERY interesting thread. Shawn

 

[loveysbydesign]

just got this lovely news today!
"EMMAUS, Pa. -- WEB EXCLUSIVE -- Residents in the East Penn School District may see their taxes rise above the state-allowed index for the second straight year."
http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/26602918/detail.html
So wishes we could move now!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I'm ready to drop PA like a bad habit!

 

[loveysbydesign]

I'm ready to drop PA like a bad habit!

It's not getting any better, that's for sure!
Have you seen this in regards to public schooling in PA?
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/BillInfo.cfm?syear=2009&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1405

Link to what i added below-------http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114302545302156&index=1#!/topic.php?uid=154969181204620&topic=578

Williams-Piccola School Choice Plan

Sens. Anthony H. Williams and Jeffrey E. Piccola: Williams and Piccola unveil school choice plan. Text of Jan. 11 press release.

HARRISBURG-Calling school choice "the civil rights movement of this century," state Sens. Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia) and Jeffrey E. Piccola (R-Dauphin and York) announced the details of a highly anticipated "opportunity scholarship" plan today targeting the Commonwealth's worst schools and most impoverished families.

The plan would allow the parents of a needy child to take the state subsidy that would have been directed to their home school district and apply it to the public, private or parochial school of their choice. For the Harrisburg School District, for example, that amount would equal approximately $9,000, based upon information from the state Department of Education website (2008-09 year).
"We are blessed with many outstanding public schools and teachers in this Commonwealth," said Piccola, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. "We also know that we have a group of schools that have been persistently failing, unsafe and falling short in meeting the needs of our kids and families who cannot afford to move to a better school district. Our plan targets these schools and those students who are trapped."

"Standing in the way of school choice for needy kids in failing urban schools is like Gov. George Wallace standing in the doorway of a classroom to continue the segregation of the '60s," Williams said. "Why would we block access to great schools for children in need? All kids deserve access to a great education -regardless of race, income or zip code. Let's open the doors to freedom and opportunity."

"Our education system is the last public monopoly in America. Taxpayers can no longer subsidize, support or ignore failure," said Williams. "Too many children are trapped by their zip code in schools that are not making the grade. We are robbing our kids of a fundamental right."

The Williams-Piccola plan would give scholarships to families meeting certain income limits for either public or private schools. The bill--Senate Bill 1 to reflect its priority status--- also includes an increase of $25 million in the popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, bringing the total tax credits available under EITC to $100 million.

The plan calls for a three-year phase-in. In the first year, only low-income students currently attending persistently failing schools would be eligible for a grant. In the second year, low-income students residing within the attendance boundary of those schools, but currently attending private schools, would be eligible; and in the third year, all low-income students regardless of school district would be eligible.

"Low-income" is defined as families whose income is at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level - a family of four would qualify at $28,665.

Piccola and Williams likened this phase-in to a rescue plan for a three-story burning building. The plan would rescue the most at-risk children first, then move to the lower two floors. And to those choice opponents who question what students should be saved, or what happens to those left behind, Williams responded, "This is an emergency. Why wouldn't you save as many as you can?"
"Let's give parents who are trapped an exit strategy," Piccola said.
The Senate Education Committee held a 10-hour hearing on school choice in October, featuring testimony from proponents such as the REACH Alliance, the Philadelphia Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia, and from opponents, such as the teachers' unions and the Southeastern Pennsylvania School Districts Education Coalition. Another hearing is slated for mid-February.

Piccola and Williams said that by phasing in the plan, the financial impact can be spread out over time, allowing state revenues to rebound as the recession fades and the deficit is addressed.

"In the end, school choice has the power to save taxpayers money because it has traditionally cost less to educate children in a nonpublic setting," Piccola said.

School choice was debated during the Ridge Administration in the late '90s in the form of bills known as "KIDS I" and "KIDS II."

"This effort would not have been possible without Governor-elect Tom Corbett and his embrace of this concept," Piccola said. "We are eager to work with the new Administration and the House to bring transformative change and competition to our schools. I am also excited to work with my friend Anthony Williams, who has been a visionary in rescuing kids from substandard schools and who elevated the importance of school choice in the Democratic primary for governor."

"Providing access to a quality education for every child is the most important issue facing our state and our nation today," said Williams. "The broad-based support for this bill transcends party and regional lines. The parents and taxpayers of this Commonwealth are speaking to us loudly and clearly. They cannot wait one more year or even one more day. They want school choice now. There can be no compromise on that. We must make school choice a reality with all deliberate speed."

Governors in Florida, Nevada, Indiana and Wisconsin are also advocating plans to give private school grants to families. Today, 12 states and the District of Columbia have vouchers or tax-credit programs that provide scholarships to mainly low-income students to attend private schools, according to the Commonwealth Foundation.

A complete summary of the bill is below.
KEY FEATURES OF PROPOSED SENATE BILL 1 - "OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDIT ACT"
I. Overview
• Includes scholarships for both public-to-public and public-to-private school choice • Includes an EITC funding increase bringing the program to $100 million and moves the EITC provisions back into the School Code • An increase of $25 million over the $75 million that will be in effect in fiscal year 2011-2012 • Program will be administered by an Educational Choice Board (an independent board inside the Pennsylvania Department of Education) • Pennsylvania Supreme Court will have exclusive jurisdiction over challenges, with the ability to render a declaratory judgment on the law's constitutionality • Funding for the scholarship program will be subject to annual appropriation, with funds distributed on a pro rata basis if the program is underfunded II. Scope of Scholarship Program • Eligibility: All low-income children, phased in as follows:

• Year 1 - low-income students currently attending persistently lowest-achieving schools only • Year 2 - all low-income students residing within the attendance boundary of a persistently lowest-achieving school • Year 3 - all low-income students regardless of school • Definition of "persistently lowest-achieving school": A public elementary or secondary school in Pennsylvania achieving within the lowest measured group of 5% on the most recent assessment for which data is posted on PDE's website.

• 144 schools fall within this category • Definition of "low-income child": 1.30% of federal poverty level (see chart below) The 2010 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia Persons in family/Poverty guideline• 1/$10,830 2/14,570 (1.3% = $18,941) 3/18,310 (1.3% = $23,803) 4/22,050 (1.3% = $28,665) 5/25,790 (1.3% = $33,527) 6/29,530 (1.3% = $38,389) 7/33,270 (1.3% = $43,251) 8/37,010 (1.3% = $48,113) • For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each additional person.

III. Amount of Opportunity Scholarship
• Amount of opportunity scholarship:
• Base amount of 100% of the state's per-pupil subsidy to the child's resident school district • Not to exceed the student's actual tuition at the school district or private school attended • Excess scholarship fund for existing private school students:
• During year 1, any amount awarded to a student over and above the student's actual tuition charge will be placed into a dedicated fund that will be used to help fund the scholarship program for existing private school students beginning in year 2 IV. Implementation • For public-to-public enrollment:
o In addition to the state-funded opportunity scholarship, a student's resident school district may create a locally-funded scholarship equal to at least 35% of local per-pupil spending § Locally-funded scholarship serves as an additional incentive for a district to receive nonresident students o Student applies directly for admission to other public school districts o School districts will not be required to accept scholarship students, but instead will develop their own admissions policies requiring that, if any students are accepted, they are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis § School districts may give priority to students whose resident school districts award a locally-funded scholarship • Enrollment applications: Students apply directly to the school district or private school desired, which notifies the Educational Choice Board of the student's enrollment • Scholarship applications: Students apply directly to the Educational Choice Board, which determines the scholarship amounts and distributes the awards o For students attending private school:
§ Priority in granting awards to elementary students will be given to students whose private schools will "match" the opportunity scholarship award up to the amount of tuition § Payment made by check to the parents, payable only to the private school the student attends o For students attending public school: Payment made by transfer from the Commonwealth directly to the public school the student attends • Education Choice Board:
o 3 members appointed by the governor with Senate confirmation o 4-year terms o Develops guidelines for implementation of the program and administers the program o Board may hire an executive director and staff o PA Dept. of Education provides office space, funding and equipment V. EITC • Increases EITC funding level to $100 million • An increase of $25 million over the $75 million that will be in effect in fiscal year 2011-2012 • Ratio of credit amount made available to scholarship organizations vs. educational improvement organizations will be changed from 2:1 to 3:1 • Other proposed changes to program:
• Applications for tax credits will be accepted in the following priority:
--Tax credits for the second year of a two-year commitment AND tax credits for an educational improvement organization that is also school foundation --Tax credits for the renewal of a two-year commitment --Applications by pass-through entities o Credits may be claimed on joint returns • Automatic increase mechanism:
o Beginning in the 2014-2015 fiscal year (the fourth year of implementation of the opportunity scholarship program), the available EITC credit would automatically increase by 5% if, in any fiscal year, the amount of credit approved equals or exceeds 90% of the amount of credit available o Increased available credit amount would be the base amount available going forward


As it pertains to my local school district-Please check out the above press release on the proposed Williams-Piccola School Choice Plan This plan isn't completely thought through. Transportation is not mentioned; at this time public school districts are responsible for transportation to charter schools within 10 miles of the district. The third year would mean non-failing school districts such as EPSD could be affected because any low income family, as deemed by the plan guidelines, could get a voucher for school choice regardless of their district; failing or not; that would approx. $8000 per student in EPSD.

This plan is not ill-conceived, and could be the death nail in public schooling in PA. Let's not begin to consider the cost of children coming in from outside the district with needs the per student cost does not cover; needs the state is supposed to cover, but does not.

Let your representatives know your thoughts on this issue, loud and clear, Invested Citizens. Whatever they are!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Ohhh what a joke. Why aren't they just putting this "scholarship" money into these "persistently failing, unsafe and falling short" schools?? So the answer to everything is to just come in and swoop up a few kids and move them to another school? Awesome. So then the already failing school will probably lose more money because a.) it's failing, and b.) it's enrollment is down because they're swooping in and saving the day and bringing children somewhere "better." So where does that leave all the other children that aren't being rescued? Ugh. Gotta love it.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Ohhh what a joke. Why aren't they just putting this "scholarship" money into these "persistently failing, unsafe and falling short" schools?? So the answer to everything is to just come in and swoop up a few kids and move them to another school? Awesome. So then the already failing school will probably lose more money because a.) it's failing, and b.) it's enrollment is down because they're swooping in and saving the day and bringing children somewhere "better." So where does that leave all the other children that aren't being rescued? Ugh. Gotta love it.

Hopefully it will not pass...I am trying to spread the word to others in PA.
Florida is looking better and better every day!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Hopefully it will not pass...I am trying to spread the word to others in PA.
Florida is looking better and better every day!

I'll spread the word, too. That's just SAD. I'm ready to move into a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere, lol!

 

[kinntj]

I would love to retire in FL and that's been my dream. DH on the other hand doesn't want anything to do with it. I told him I would love to retire in the south and he said, "How about Indiana?". Huh? Indiana? Ok, I'll give him that it is south of us, but not quite as far south as I was thinking.

I may have to go midway to get him to agree. We have some time to decide.

Those are some nice prices, but I would research more and make sure that it's a safe neighborhood.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Joining the party.....

I gave hubby 3-5 years before I start whining to return. 1 year down, 2-4 to go.

There is the whole issue of finding a job since his specialty is more geared for the district....but a girl can dream.

He doesn't want to work for a particular company...but we will see. I need my humidity back. *sigh*

 

[punkin]

Joining the party.....

I gave hubby 3-5 years before I start whining to return. 1 year down, 2-4 to go.

There is the whole issue of finding a job since his specialty is more geared for the district....but a girl can dream.

He doesn't want to work for a particular company...but we will see. I need my humidity back. *sigh*

DH can get a job in NY, DC, and to a lesser extent, California. That's it. My dream of Florida will have to wait until he retires (or wins megamillions).

 

[disneyjunkie]

Ok, what am I missing? When did school choice become a bad thing? I wonder how many in PA fighting/spreading the word against the plan, have kids stuck in failing schools.