Does anyone live in Florida on here?

[PookieB]

I grew up in Jacksonville and loved it! Its becoming more populated each year...but so is most of Florida. I moved to West Palm Beach in 1994 and moved to Port St. Lucie ( 1 hour north of WPB and 1 1/2 hours from WDW ) in May of this year. My husband and I were married in January so we were looking into buying a house as are rent was increasing to almost a morgage payment ($1200 for a 2 bedroom apartment from the 80s). We started looking further north out of Palm Beach County where a decent sized 3 bedroom 2 car gargage house is around $150,000 - $250,000 (depending on what year they are built). We couldnt be happier with our home! We do commute into WPB 2 hours everyday for work, pay scale is slighty better and more jobs are available, but its with it living in a brand home. We love the neighborhood...plenty of schools and stores and everyone is friendly here. Its worth looking into St. Lucie County, its growing very fast. Good Luck with everything!

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

Thanks for that list!! This thread is very helpful! DF and I are moving to the Orlando area in January, right around the wedding! We do not know the area much at all! Thanks again!

Jess

Welcome!

 

[LilyStar]

That's what really upsets me...to know just a few years ago we could have afforded a home in central Florida and now it is most likely impossible!! That's the part that scares us. We don't want to live in an apartment and we don't want to live somewhere paying rent. We're hoping their are condos or townhomes around that are nice and affordable. We haven't been down looking at places to live, so we just don't know!

There are a TON of new Condos and new townhouses going up in all sections of town. As a matter of fact there was just this huge article in the Orlando Sentinel a few weeks ago about the massive construction of condos in downtown Orlando. Condos will on average be cheaper than townhomes, because you usually sacrifice a yard and a garage. Be weary though of those "new" condos that are just remodeled apartment complexes....you want new construction if you go with a condo. We are considering a townhome possibly, but a condo is out because we would really like some sort of yard...even if we have to share it. But ideally we'd like a single family home.

Prices are definitely coming down a bit. Doing a search tonight, a LOT of houses have been recently dropped from $300K range down to $230-250K...it's just a matter of time before they're down to $200K.

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

There are a TON of new Condos and new townhouses going up in all sections of town. As a matter of fact there was just this huge article in the Orlando Sentinel a few weeks ago about the massive construction of condos in downtown Orlando. Condos will on average be cheaper than townhomes, because you usually sacrifice a yard and a garage. Be weary though of those "new" condos that are just remodeled apartment complexes....you want new construction if you go with a condo. We are considering a townhome possibly, but a condo is out because we would really like some sort of yard...even if we have to share it. But ideally we'd like a single family home.

Prices are definitely coming down a bit. Doing a search tonight, a LOT of houses have been recently dropped from $300K range down to $230-250K...it's just a matter of time before they're down to $200K.

That is good news, but I still would like to see them drop to around $175K...haha! We could get a two story story house here with 4 bedrooms, 2 car garage, and a large yard for around that here on the stateline. We'd like a yard too, so a townhome would be better for us than a condo, but we really have to look and go for what we can afford. We'd really like a cute Florida home with atleast 3 bedrooms. I'm hoping my DH gets the job and also hope when we begin our search that we find somewhere we love!! I love Florida and have always wanted to live there, so we will make it work. I know I will be so happy just living in the area and that'll be worth it!!

 

[DisneyHokie]

I live right outside Orlando PM whenever you'd like!

 

[PatriciaH]

When looking be sure to ask about insurance and taxes. It is not so much the price of the home but these things (and electric) that can do you in. There was a thread on the Budget Board the other day about insurance rates. A lot of companies are pulling out of FL and unless you pay for a home outright you must have insurance. Some people can only get the state run insurance and it has gone up a lot. One lady in our town said her insurance jumped from $1,500/yr to $7,500/yr this year! That is crazy. My parents taxes just went up over 40%. They are paying more here that they were in NY city. My dad is planning on moving back north because of this. It is sad.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

I know I will be so happy just living in the area and that'll be worth it!!

Dear Fairy Tale Bride,
Aloha! I've been following this thread and just wanted to wish you much pixiedust as you follow your heart...

I fell in love with Disney World in 1972. I've dreamed for 34 years of finding a way to live and work there. But life (& love) is what happens while you're busy making other plans (as John Lennon said), so now I'm counting the days til I can retire there...

My point is...don't give up! I truly believe if you follow your heart, good things will come to you. Belated congrats on your marriage and may all of your DISNEY dreams come true!

~rose~

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

Dear Fairy Tale Bride,
Aloha! I've been following this thread and just wanted to wish you much pixiedust as you follow your heart...

I fell in love with Disney World in 1972. I've dreamed for 34 years of finding a way to live and work there. But life (& love) is what happens while you're busy making other plans (as John Lennon said), so now I'm counting the days til I can retire there...

My point is...don't give up! I truly believe if you follow your heart, good things will come to you. Belated congrats on your marriage and may all of your DISNEY dreams come true!

~rose~

Awwww....thank you so much!! That's so sweet of you to send those wonderful wishes to me! It has also been my dream, since I was a small child and my DH keeps telling me...it's going to happen! We are working hard to make my dream a reality and I've had so many dreams come true so far! Thank you once again and the best to you as well!

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

EXCITIING NEWS!!!!

I just got off the phone with my DH! He got the job promotion!!!!!!

We're moving to Orlando!!!!!

I am so happy and jumping up and down right now!!!!

We've got a lot of work to do now with moving and we're thinking he'll have to be there by the beginning of the new year. He's got a lot of work to finish up here in Charlotte and he'll have to work both jobs, until they can find someone to take his place here.

It's time to go home hunting!

I'm already thinking about WDW and having an AP!!! That's right where my brain went!!

Well, I'll need all my girls on here to help me, once it gets to crunch time with locations in central Florida.

I'll keep everyone updated! I gotta go buy my DH a cake now, so I can surprise him when he gets home!!

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Dear Fairy Tale Bride,
Aloha! I've been following this thread and just wanted to wish you much pixiedust as you follow your heart...

My point is...don't give up! I truly believe if you follow your heart, good things will come to you. Belated congrats on your marriage and may all of your DISNEY dreams come true!

~rose~

I TOLD YA SO !!!!!!

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

I TOLD YA SO !!!!!!

Thank you Rose! No, we didn't give up and my DH has been working really hard! Our Disney dreams have all come true! I couldn't ask for much more! I am very lucky and blessed.

 

[JandJ]

That's great!! I'm very happy and excited for both of you Good luck on the house hunting. Prices are falling! They actually have put up billboards on the highways near me (about 1.5 hours west of Orlando) of new homes marked down 40% off original builders prices. And my friend in Gainesville (about 2.5 hours north of Orlando) just had to reduce the price of her house (they were lucky to find a larger house for cheap too, though, so it will all work out for her). So, hopefully you'll be able to get in while it's a buyer's market. Good luck!!

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

That's great!! I'm very happy and excited for both of you Good luck on the house hunting. Prices are falling! They actually have put up billboards on the highways near me (about 1.5 hours west of Orlando) of new homes marked down 40% off original builders prices. And my friend in Gainesville (about 2.5 hours north of Orlando) just had to reduce the price of her house (they were lucky to find a larger house for cheap too, though, so it will all work out for her). So, hopefully you'll be able to get in while it's a buyer's market. Good luck!!

Thank you!

My DH found out we'll be moving in February or March, but he'll have more details next week. I'm glad we have a bit more time to plan and find a place to live. We've been doing what we can by internet for now! We can't wait!

 

[LilyStar]

Congrats to you and your hubby! Please don't hesitate to call on me should you need any advice, info etc. Or even if you want to ask me to go make a drive by at an address/apt./area whatever....and I'll scope out the area!

Seriously, if you do need help, please email me....as I don't get on the boards as much as I'd like to these days.

Take care!
Jackie

jakeflake@aol.com

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

I'm calling on my central Florida brides to help me out! We are looking for a Townhome in the Orlando area...nice area...as close to WDW as possible...haha! I know there are many new neighborhoods popping up, etc. We want to be near the theme parks and the airport as well. My goal is to be no more than 30mins aways from WDW. Anyone know of anything? We'll be doing some looking in October in a couple weeks, but we won't have but a couple hours to drive around.