Florida Active Adult Communities –
There are many questions to ask when considering retirement in Florida. We have came up with a short list of Pros & Cons that will help answer some of these questions. There are some really delightful advantages when retiring to Florida but there are also some disadvantages as well. Lets talk about it here and hopefully give some valuable insights to your conversation. As always, feel free to reach out to us for any information or to ask questions about any of this.
The Pros/Advantages/Benefits of Retiring in Florida
- Love going to the beach all the time, in the beginning.
- Enjoy visiting theme parks without the hassle, time and expense of 2000 mile round-trips. At first.
- Buy that boat you’ve always thought about, because there’s water everywhere and now you’ll have the time to use it.
- Florida offers it’s residents the best built in protection of your assets than any other US state (Okay, maybe it’s tied with Texas on that). Seriously, if you have a sizable net worth, or if you want to protect what you have no matter how much that is, becoming a Floridian has a wide range of specific advantages not found in other states.
- Big tax savings. Every state must tax it’s citizens to fund everything from roads to schools, to state trooper salaries, patrol cars and animal control. Every state needs to raise money to run its government. Florida doesn’t have a personal income tax, but it does raise funds through gas and liquor taxes, car registration fees, etc. The bottom line is although many of these other fees and taxes may be higher in Florida than in other states, if you are a high income earner, you will keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket by paying a lower overall tax burden, by living in Florida. If you don’t earn a lot of income or live on social security or other fixed income, you may not benefit as much or may even pay a higher overall tax burden to Florida than where you live now.
- You will love the change of place/pace. Almost everyone loves living in Florida after they first move here.
- The weather in Florida is as close to perfect as you can get in the US, during the winter months. The hurricanes season is over and the threat is gone. The humidity is gone or is minimal. It rains less. The sun doesn’t burn the skin, it actually feels good. The central air takes a long deserved break as your electric bill drops. People start to venture outdoors and there’s festivals and a lot more to do during the cooler months. Mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, etc make themselves scarce. Even birds, butterflies and fish that spend the rest of the year elsewhere come to Florida for the winter.
- You will feel like the smartest investor on earth when your Florida home is worth more each and every day.
Are There Disadvantages of Retiring to Florida?
The Cons/Disadvantages/Drawbacks of Retiring in Florida
- If you’ve lived your whole life where the biggest weather “threat” you faced was a snowstorm, you may be in for a shock the first time a hurricane heads your way. Snowstorms don’t usually destroy miles of homes.
- Many retirees want to live on the coast or at the beach. Much of this is only a few feet above sea level and is designated a hazardous flood zone. To protect yourself, you may have to pay for a flood insurance policy in addition to homeowners insurance.
- Most retirees find going to the beach often, can get old. Remember, your skin can get affected from the sun damage.
- The cost of homeowners insurance can rise quickly and at times be difficult to secure. Having your policy renewed doesn’t always happen.
- In winter, when the weather is horrible elsewhere, but as close to perfect as you can get in America, Florida is now so crowded the full-time Floridians complain about the human snowbirds and tourists. Florida is now the 3rd most populated state more than 20 million residents. Over 100 million tourists a year now stay in Florida. All mostly during the winter. Expect traffic jams, longer lines, harder to find parking, and more delays, etc.
- As a Floridian, you will have the “privilege” of paying more for homeowners insurance than anywhere else. Are insurance agents just greedier in Florida? No, there are just more risks that threaten to damage your Florida home and result in a claim, than elsewhere. It’s not just hurricanes and flooding. This is not a gamechanger but there is a higher premium.
- The cost of living in Florida can increase faster than your retirement income. Budgeting is mandatory if you are living on a fixed income.
Some of the best retirement cities in Florida emerge in Brevard County. Active adult communities in the county provide premier options for Florida retirement and continue to improve and grow. New opportunities in active adult homes for sale and unique neighborhoods keep increasing and getting better for exclusive, senior living. We are specialists and have worked with 100’s of Active Adult Retired clients.
If you would like to find out more about Florida retirement, active adult communities, real estate in Brevard County FL engineered for the best in senior living, contact an area expert and real estate professional.