It seems like a good time for me to think about buying a home in Florida..so..

[beau13]

I wondered where to start looking for one? For those who live in Florida, do you know of any websites that list homes for sale.
I was told home sales are down, and now might be a great time for Canadians to purchase that winter getaway home down south. I think I''d rent it out to friends when we aren''t there vacationing. Does anyone know how I''d find out about homes in the Orlando aread, Kissimee, or even near Daytona? Thanks

 

[beau13]

Since I''ve only been to a couple of areas of Florida, I am open to suggestions, maybe you can tell me some great areas around Florida, where my kids would love to play or hang out, that''s central to great shopping, activities, etc.?? Thanks

 

[fieryred33143]

My mom lives in the Kissimmee area. I absolutely love it and if the job market was better there, I would move back.

The difference between Kissimmee and Orlando though is land. You don''t get much land when you purchase a home in Kissimmee. Everything is community based. There are places where you can get a nice big yard but its usually far from everything. Orlando there are more options so it depends on what you are looking for.

As for where to look...I really don''t know. You can try the Orlando Sentinel, I know they have house listings on their website.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I would just google "real estate" in those areas and maybe make contact with some agents. They''re usually quite helpful with newcomer questions because it''s often a bridge to getting more business. One thing to consider is the geography of FL. Are you looking at Orlando/Kissimee because of the parks or another reason? If you''re looking for water fun this might not be the best place for you as it''s in Central FL and not really near the ocean (though there are lakes and the ocean isn''t too too far). If you''re looking at a coastal location, be sure to look into where the hurricanes hit the most. They really hit both sides of FL so it might be a crap shoot in the end. I would also DEFINITELY price out homeowners insurance in the regions your looking in before you make an offer anywhere as additional insurance because of hurricanes, etc might be higher than you think and could offset the cost savings in the market. My step-grandparents literally had their house wiped off the map a few years ago.

 

[Clairitek]

I really like realtor.com and zillow.com for home sales information. I know those are very general but they are a good start to gather information.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Hire a real estate agent...fly down, and visit some properties.

 

[monarch64]

Destin, Seaside, St. Joe areas are all very nice and family-oriented.

 

[beau13]

Thanks Ladies, great advice Hudson, never thought of the hurricanes, something to definitely consider. I do want to be near the ocean for sure. I think that would increase the chance of renting it out to others as well. I basically just want something that the kids and I (and sometimes hubby), can live in for about 3-4 weeks out of the year. Friends will likely rent it out for a total of another 6 weeks out of the year. So...golf courses nearby would be great, water access, and some shopping to make mommy happy !

. I just had a friend come back from Orlando not long ago, and said that stores had discounts of 60-80% off, and she got things for a fraction of what they would cost here! I guess housing is MUCH cheaper than it is here as well...so seems logical to buy now. I feel bad that the employment rate is soooo low there, and people are really struggling (some living on the streets, that had 6 figure incomes only months ago), but I guess that is the case in all areas of the US right now. Watched Dateline last night, and that''s what really got us thinking we should act now!! I will search online, I think most of it can be done from a distance, until I really need to hop on the plane to finalize the deal!

 

[Mandarine]

I live in South FL and would agree that this may be a good time to buy!

I second zillow and realtor.com.

One thing to consider is which airports are close by and whether you can fly direct. I live in Palm beach County, which may still be on the higher prices (specially for beach properties) but if you got a bit North, the prices start dropping.

Good luck!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 6/29/2009 2:52:22 PM
Author: beau13
Thanks Ladies, great advice Hudson, never thought of the hurricanes, something to definitely consider. I do want to be near the ocean for sure. I think that would increase the chance of renting it out to others as well. I basically just want something that the kids and I (and sometimes hubby), can live in for about 3-4 weeks out of the year. Friends will likely rent it out for a total of another 6 weeks out of the year. So...golf courses nearby would be great, water access, and some shopping to make mommy happy !

. I just had a friend come back from Orlando not long ago, and said that stores had discounts of 60-80% off, and she got things for a fraction of what they would cost here! I guess housing is MUCH cheaper than it is here as well...so seems logical to buy now. I feel bad that the employment rate is soooo low there, and people are really struggling (some living on the streets, that had 6 figure incomes only months ago), but I guess that is the case in all areas of the US right now. Watched Dateline last night, and that''s what really got us thinking we should act now!! I will search online, I think most of it can be done from a distance, until I really need to hop on the plane to finalize the deal!

Just a reminder, the US is a really big place. Yes, there are some places that are worse than others and yes, some people are suffering; but it''s not like a scene from grapes of wrath where everyone is living out of cars and eating out of tin cans! Yes our economy is suffering, but many of us are doing just fine, even while juggling bad mortgages and unemployment. Americans are just choosing to spend their money in hometown communities, supporting their neighbors and small businesses and not buying vacation properties right now.

Beau, I think it''s really great that you think enough of the US to want to buy vacation property here, but I caution you, approaching this with a superior attitude will ruin the experience and your reputation in the community you decide to settle in. Look at this as an opportunity to experience something different. One area of FL is different than the next. In the North you have "Southern" influences from SC, AL, and Missippi, while in the South you have influences from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Caribbean. Culturally it''s a great example of what makes America unique and illustrates why people, every day over the past 230 years or so, have decided to emigrate here.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/29/2009 2:52:22 PM
Author: beau13
Thanks Ladies, great advice Hudson, never thought of the hurricanes, something to definitely consider. I do want to be near the ocean for sure. I think that would increase the chance of renting it out to others as well. I basically just want something that the kids and I (and sometimes hubby), can live in for about 3-4 weeks out of the year. Friends will likely rent it out for a total of another 6 weeks out of the year. So...golf courses nearby would be great, water access, and some shopping to make mommy happy !

. I just had a friend come back from Orlando not long ago, and said that stores had discounts of 60-80% off, and she got things for a fraction of what they would cost here! I guess housing is MUCH cheaper than it is here as well...so seems logical to buy now. I feel bad that the employment rate is soooo low there, and people are really struggling (some living on the streets, that had 6 figure incomes only months ago), but I guess that is the case in all areas of the US right now. Watched Dateline last night, and that''s what really got us thinking we should act now!! I will search online, I think most of it can be done from a distance, until I really need to hop on the plane to finalize the deal!

For some reason this statement reminds me of buzzards circling overhead.

And Beau, I know you are really cautious about your skin and aging and take care of yourself, are you SURE you want to live in the Sunshine State? It''s tough to find a lot of activities there that don''t take place outdoors. Even many of the shopping malls are open air/courtyard type setups.

 

[beau13]

Monarch, I don't want to LIVE there, just vacation there for 3 weeks of the year. I tan VERY well..I'm not too worried about the Florida sun, for such a short amount of time!! I'm not worried about aging (I think I got that taken care of

, I don't want my skin cancer to come back.) We only get 2 months of HOT weather here, and I live outdoors at the lake all summer! I want to be able to escape the minus 35 celcius winters, so we'd be there in the winter (Feb/March)...so I know it won't be HOT!
I wish it was hotter at that time in Florida..but I'll settle for NO snow, and some outdoor market shopping!!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/29/2009 4:38:57 PM
Author: beau13
Monarch, I don''t want to LIVE there, just vacation there for 3 weeks of the year. I tan VERY well..I''m not too worried about the Florida sun, for such a short amount of time!! We''d be there in the winter too...so I know it won''t be HOT!

Oh, sorry Beau, when you said winter getaway in the original post I just assumed you meant you wanted to live there for a few months.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Beau...I would really caution you not to do your shopping online. It''s just a bad idea. I own a few properties, and although I don''t live in any of them, I have always used the same descretion with them as I would when buying my own personal home. Pictures and second-hand accounts can only tell you show much about the house, the area, the neighbors. These are things that you should see for yourself. Esspecially since you''re not totally sure as to where in Florida you want to buy. Like others have said, FL has many different areas, attitudes, pro''s and con''s...these are things you need to see for yourself. You have the mainland, the keys, the sandy beaches, the rocky beaches, the tourist traps, the beach-side towns.

If I were you, I would take a portion of your "budget" for this venture and use it for the purpose of getting to know Florida. Take an extended vacation to aquaint yourself with the various areas of interest. I mean, if you can afford this home then you should be able to afford some time to put in the leg-work in finding it. Think of everything Neatfreak did when buying her CA house...back and forth coupled with online research. While this is just a "vacation home" it is still an investment that needs a fact-gathering mission...esspecially if you want to rent it out.

Good luck, and be wise.

 

[littlelysser]

Date: 6/29/2009 2:52:22 PM
Author: beau13
I just had a friend come back from Orlando not long ago, and said that stores had discounts of 60-80% off, and she got things for a fraction of what they would cost here! I guess housing is MUCH cheaper than it is here as well...so seems logical to buy now. I feel bad that the employment rate is soooo low there, and people are really struggling (some living on the streets, that had 6 figure incomes only months ago), but I guess that is the case in all areas of the US right now.

Just as an FYI, their are many places in the U.S. that are still doing quite well - only three or four areas have taken significant hits in the housing market.

Good luck finding a vacation home, but if you are imagining homeless beggars in armani suits trying to sell you their rolexes so they can eat, well, it just isn''t like that.

As for unemployment, well the employment rate in my area is 93%. Hardly "soooo low." Would you believe that all of my friends still have their jobs? And are paying their mortgages? AND saving for retirement?

Frankly, your pity is kind of offensive and quite misdirected.

 

[whitby_2773]

hi beau

the media can sometimes be misleading, and it''s good to be informed when it comes to real estate.

the canadian national unemployment rate for may 2009 was 8.4%, only slightly better than the US rate of 9.4%. the orlando/kissimmee region was slightly higher than the national average in april (stats for may not yet available), coming in at 9.7% but showing a downwards trend.

so i guess i''m saying that i wouldn''t get too committed to the concept of a bargain based on high unemployment levels (one of the major drivers for the real estate market), as it''s very similar to canada. at 5.6%, unemployment where i live is considerably lower - both than canada and than the US generally, and i live in a typical ''financial adviser/wall street broker'' area which you would expect to be hit hard, yet i''m not seeing anyone camped out on the street in front of my house....

re areas, i dont know florida, so have nothing to contribute from that angle, but i can tell you for nuthin'' - i''d swap you your floridian holiday home for a house around Thousand Islands/Cornwall AND day! that area is GORGEOUS! won''t help you in winter, of course, but boy is that place to die for in the summer!

good luck with your holiday house purchase - are you planning to rent it out through a realtor for the weeks when you, family and friends aren''t using it? my sister has a gorgeous beach holiday home, and they do pretty well listing it with a local realtor for casual holiday renters; their home is a 2 mins walk to the beach tops, and has stunning 180deg views, which is what makes it so popular.

good luck!

 

[decodelighted]

I think the bargain shopping is better in downtown Detroit! And its quickly becoming "the" place for summer vacations amongst the wealthy super elite. I hear anyone can buy there though! Good luck!

 

[FrekeChild]

Huh...

 

[isaku5]

As a fellow Canadian and Florida-loving type, take your time choosing a place for sure. Years ago, hubby and I dreamed of owning a place there and visited quite a few areas. The Clearwater area turned out to be the subject of our focus as housing was not as expensive as it was farther south, but we never followed through after hearing the quotes for hurricane and flood insurance. I''m almost certain those prices would be through the roof now especially if you''re close to the water. I''ve heard that it''s almost impossible to get insurance if you back onto the canal (intercoastal waterway).

Another consideration for us was the legal work required to make the purchase. I''m sure there are excellent realtors there who could walk you through the process, though.

Just one more recommendation: Take several trip to Florida and have a vacation in a few of the areas that hold appeal. That way, you''ll get ''the vibe'' of that location and find out if it''s a fit for you and your family.

Good luck and have lots of fun!

 

[icekid]

Date: 6/29/2009 2:52:22 PM
Author: beau13
I feel bad that the employment rate is soooo low there, and people are really struggling (some living on the streets, that had 6 figure incomes only months ago), but I guess that is the case in all areas of the US right now. Watched Dateline last night, and that''s what really got us thinking we should act now!! I will search online, I think most of it can be done from a distance, until I really need to hop on the plane to finalize the deal!

Good thing we have all of you wonderful Canadians to bolster our economy

 

[hlmr]

Date: 6/29/2009 6:34:04 PM
Author: decodelighted
I think the bargain shopping is better in downtown Detroit! And its quickly becoming ''the'' place for summer vacations amongst the wealthy super elite. I hear anyone can buy there though! Good luck!

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[October2008bride]

Buying a place for 3 weeks a year is silly IMO. Between taxes (which are way higher for Canadians) and insurance (hurricane insurance etc) and monthly maintenance, you are probably better off renting someone else''s condo for the time you want to go.

 

[Kaleigh]

I have a place in FLA just outside of Palm Beach. Our house you can only rent once a year. So we rent for the entire season. And the tenanants have to be approved by the association. We love our spot on the water so haven't had any problems in renting it. Just a heads up on how some places work.

Good luck.

 

[Haven]

Oooh, Beau--good luck on your house search!

There are so many beautiful places in Florida, I hope you''ll share pictures if you find one!

 

[kcoursolle]

Have you considered renting? I ask because between property taxes, insurance, maintenance costs, and the interest on your home loan (unless you can buy in cash), it''s probably more logically in terms of $$ just to rent a vacation house for a few weeks each year. This way you could also try a different place each year until you found an area you love and someday want to buy. Unless you can rent your home out constantly, you probably won''t make much money back there either. You may also have to hire a property management company to handle leases, repairs, cleaning, etc. and they can take a substantial bite out of the money you would receive from renting it out.

My DH and I just bought a house out of state and I second the others that you *must* visit before buying. Although we looked online constantly, the properties often looked quite different in person and it was great visiting and taking a drive around the block of each neighborhood to get a better idea of the property, even though I''m familiar with the place we are moving to.

 

[steph72276]

Hi, Beau. I live in Florida, so I thought I would offer my input. I am outside of the Orlando area. This area is great if you are looking for activities for the kids...there's Disney, Universal, Sea World, Aquatica, many many waterparks, outlet malls, regular malls, golf (miniture and regular), fine dining and fun places to eat with the kids, etc. I know a lot of people that buy near the attractions are able to rent their houses out to tourists throughout the year using a management company. If you are looking more for a beach condo or house, I would look at Destin, Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Seagrove, Sanibel Island, Naples, and Marco Island. I think in any of these places, you could rent it out all summer to vacationers if you wanted. Those are all very nice areas that have beautiful beaches and are family friendly. I also lived in Ft. Lauderdale for a little over a year, and honestly didn't love it. It wasn't the best family-friendly place and I didn't find the people very friendly at all (sorry to anyone that lives there, that was just my experience).

A website I would go to is ziprealty.com. It gives you lots of info such as the last sales price, how long the home has been on the market, etc.

Good luck on your search!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/30/2009 8:00:57 AM
Author: steph72276
Hi, Beau. I live in Florida, so I thought I would offer my input. I am outside of the Orlando area. This area is great if you are looking for activities for the kids...there''s Disney, Universal, Sea World, Aquatica, many many waterparks, outlet malls, regular malls, golf (miniture and regular), fine dining and fun places to eat with the kids, etc. I know a lot of people that buy near the attractions are able to rent their houses out to tourists throughout the year using a management company. If you are looking more for a beach condo or house, I would look at Destin, Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Seagrove, Sanibel Island, Naples, and Marco Island. I think in any of these places, you could rent it out all summer to vacationers if you wanted. Those are all very nice areas that have beautiful beaches and are family friendly. I also lived in Ft. Lauderdale for a little over a year, and honestly didn''t love it. It wasn''t the best family-friendly place and I didn''t find the people very friendly at all (sorry to anyone that lives there, that was just my experience).

A website I would go to is ziprealty.com. It gives you lots of info such as the last sales price, how long the home has been on the market, etc.

Good luck on your search!

Steph, I immediately thought of those areas, too, but Beau says she wants to spend her three weeks'' vacation in FL during the months of February and March. It''s not super warm on the panhandle that time of year, but I highly doubt she''d have a problem renting it the rest of the year, that area is gorgeous and has grown like mad over the past 10-15 years.

My dad sold real estate in Fort Lauderdale for years before I was born, and I have a friend I''ve known since high school (first love, ha ha) who is currently corporate counsel for a title insurance company. His dad''s company built most of Destin. Both of them would advise you to be extremely choosy and careful going forward with a real estate purchase in FL, Beau.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Date: 6/30/2009 9:07:51 AM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/30/2009 8:00:57 AM
Author: steph72276
Hi, Beau. I live in Florida, so I thought I would offer my input. I am outside of the Orlando area. This area is great if you are looking for activities for the kids...there's Disney, Universal, Sea World, Aquatica, many many waterparks, outlet malls, regular malls, golf (miniture and regular), fine dining and fun places to eat with the kids, etc. I know a lot of people that buy near the attractions are able to rent their houses out to tourists throughout the year using a management company. If you are looking more for a beach condo or house, I would look at Destin, Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Seagrove, Sanibel Island, Naples, and Marco Island. I think in any of these places, you could rent it out all summer to vacationers if you wanted. Those are all very nice areas that have beautiful beaches and are family friendly. I also lived in Ft. Lauderdale for a little over a year, and honestly didn't love it. It wasn't the best family-friendly place and I didn't find the people very friendly at all (sorry to anyone that lives there, that was just my experience).

A website I would go to is ziprealty.com. It gives you lots of info such as the last sales price, how long the home has been on the market, etc.

Good luck on your search!

Steph, I immediately thought of those areas, too, but Beau says she wants to spend her three weeks' vacation in FL during the months of February and March. It's not super warm on the panhandle that time of year, but I highly doubt she'd have a problem renting it the rest of the year, that area is gorgeous and has grown like mad over the past 10-15 years.

My dad sold real estate in Fort Lauderdale for years before I was born, and I have a friend I've known since high school (first love, ha ha) who is currently corporate counsel for a title insurance company. His dad's company built most of Destin. Both of them would advise you to be extremely choosy and careful going forward with a real estate purchase in FL, Beau.

Oh, that's interesting and sort of answers my question. My husband's family has a few condos in the Keys, and rental season is typically in the winter months. I thought this was true for most of Florida, but then I saw Steph's comment that Destin, Sanibel, Naples, etc. properties are rented out for the summer months. I had no idea that the climate varied so much in Florida?!?!?

Anyway, I would have to ditto everyone else who recommended vacationing in Florida first. Even when it comes to the Keys, each "Key" can have a different vibe/feel to it. I don't think there is much by way of bargain shopping in the Keys though. They are sorely lacking in shops for sure, although Key West may be different. I've never been to Key West, but I would think they have lots of cute artsy-type shops. No outlet malls, shopping malls, etc., but lots of beautiful beaches.

 

[EricaR]

Please please please look at insurance rates before you do a single thing. Policies for non-owner occupied or vacant properties are WAY more expensive than they would be on a primary home, and I''ve seen Florida homeowners paying $1,000/month just for fire and wind coverage - flood is extra! And these are on "regular" houses, not super mansions.

 

[Bia]

East Coast of FL is more expensive than the West Coast...in fact, I don''t know that the real estate prices along the East Coast have really dropped that significantly--not from what I hear. They definitely have on the West/Gulf Coast, so if you want a good deal, that''d be a good place to start.

Be cautioned: Get ready to pay somewhat high taxes but even higher homeowners insurance $$$