Community Chat

[Zhills]

The census shows that over 2 million people live in mobile homes in Florida.  They are a far cry from trailer parks.  They are set up permanently in gated or ungated communities with all the amenities.  Most are vinyl sided and they are beautiful inside and out. 

If it is your second home, taxes are minimal and we don't have hurricanes in the Winter!  Now watch one happen this year; this is Florida!  It seems that our weather has set new records for the past few years. LOL

(Don't know if this number includes both vehicles (on rented property) or permanently set up as homes (you own the property).  They can be homesteaded if they are.

There is a lot of information online about the safety of living in mobile homes.

[151949]

One of my closest friends moved to our town after she visited us here , and she lives in a mobile home in a very nice park. They do have a lot of activities there but her HOA fees and her homeowners ins. equal ours and we are in a practically brand new house. Her liability insurance is horrific because if that mobile home or any parts of it go airborne during a high wind she would be liable for any damage it causes. Of course she has to evacuate in any storms that have high winds - so she even leaves when it is just a tropical storm. I feel safe in our house - built to the newest hurricane standards in any storm except for the possibility of storm surge and flooding which are always possibe when you live near the ocean. 

My advice , when you start to actually look for a house, before you sign anything to look into what insurance will cost as well as taxes and HOA fees - always keeping in mind that HOA fees are always low while the builders are trying to sell property but can go way up after the builder is gone. Especially - look into flood insurance cost as some places it can be extremely high.

[gmkb]

We live in a Del Webb community in Central Fl - about 60 miles from the beach.  Del Webb builds a well constructed home at a fair price.  The Villages is close by, but know that they are not truly gated.  Their roads are public and even though there is a gate, anyone is admitted.  This is not the case with Del Webb communities.  If you go online, you should be able to find many 55,plus communities - there are lots of them.  Good luck in your search.  

[Zhills]

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@151949 wrote:

One of my closest friends moved to our town after she visited us here , and she lives in a mobile home in a very nice park. They do have a lot of activities there but her HOA fees and her homeowners ins. equal ours and we are in a practically brand new house. Her liability insurance is horrific because if that mobile home or any parts of it go airborne during a high wind she would be liable for any damage it causes. Of course she has to evacuate in any storms that have high winds - so she even leaves when it is just a tropical storm. I feel safe in our house - built to the newest hurricane standards in any storm except for the possibility of storm surge and flooding which are always possibe when you live near the ocean. 

My advice , when you start to actually look for a house, before you sign anything to look into what insurance will cost as well as taxes and HOA fees - always keeping in mind that HOA fees are always low while the builders are trying to sell property but can go way up after the builder is gone. Especially - look into flood insurance cost as some places it can be extremely high.

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You always know the "exception to the rule" when it comes to trying to prove someone wrong.  My HOA fee is $5 per year!  

Remember the 5 blind men and the elephant?  You see one small part of Florida!   A very tiny part!

The reason the area you are in is the fastest growing area is because it was ranch land and swamp land until 2 ranchers in that area sold.   It is one of the most recent tracts of land that has been rezoned from "farm" to "residential" so someone could build. 

[Zhills]

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@Ditzydori wrote:

can anyone recommend a nice, affordable, 55 plus community on the west coast?? One with many activities, not too far from the beach, and in a good neighborhood. 

Does such a community exist??

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Google Mobile Home Parks near Zhills and you will find several.  Any park of any size has a website.  Some parks are larger than others.   It will give you some idea. 

Also try Plant City, Brandon, Land o Lakes, Tarpon Springs.  MHPs are plentiful in this area.  So are medium priced homes.

http://www.flhsmv.gov/AlertMHresidents.html is an interesting fact sheet for Mobile homes.

[151949]

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@Zhills wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

One of my closest friends moved to our town after she visited us here , and she lives in a mobile home in a very nice park. They do have a lot of activities there but her HOA fees and her homeowners ins. equal ours and we are in a practically brand new house. Her liability insurance is horrific because if that mobile home or any parts of it go airborne during a high wind she would be liable for any damage it causes. Of course she has to evacuate in any storms that have high winds - so she even leaves when it is just a tropical storm. I feel safe in our house - built to the newest hurricane standards in any storm except for the possibility of storm surge and flooding which are always possibe when you live near the ocean. 

My advice , when you start to actually look for a house, before you sign anything to look into what insurance will cost as well as taxes and HOA fees - always keeping in mind that HOA fees are always low while the builders are trying to sell property but can go way up after the builder is gone. Especially - look into flood insurance cost as some places it can be extremely high.

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You always know the "exception to the rule" when it comes to trying to prove someone wrong.  My HOA fee is $5 per year!  

Remember the 5 blind men and the elephant?  You see one small part of Florida!   A very tiny part!

The reason the area you are in is the fastest growing area is because it was ranch land and swamp land until 2 ranchers in that area sold.   It is one of the most recent tracts of land that has been rezoned from "farm" to "residential" so someone could build. 

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OH really - the distance from Naples to Tampa is approx 200 miles and all that was sold for development by 2 farmers? Extremely doubtful.

And if you live where they have activities there are costs involved in that. Supplies, upkeep of things like tennis courts, pools and shuffleboard etc etc is not free. Who do you think pays for that? 

[Shelbelle]

Zhills, I assume you live in Zephyrhills, i have a close friend whol ives there.  They are there full time for the last 12 years.

[Zhills]

Guess you doubt this also.

On Monday, the City Commission voted to annex 141 acres into the Thomas Ranch development.

About 20 years ago, a sliver of land on what was formerly known as Taylor Ranch was meant to be an extension of River Road, but was abandoned when current River Road improvements were made.

Now it will be absorbed into the West Villages development, which is already 9,600 acres. The move allows the developer better freedom to plan neighborhoods instead of plotting around the county-zoned sliver, which was to be known as Pine Street, bisecting the property.

With the Islandwalk and Gran Paradiso developments already in progress, the addition of the West Villages neighborhoods will eventually mean about 20,000 new homes in the area.

North Port already is Florida’s eighth largest city, in land mass, at 104 square miles. It is the county’s most populous, at more than 60,000 residents. Its population grew 160 percent from 2000 to 2013, according to census data.

Mattamy Homes, Canada’s largest homebuilder, purchased the Thomas Ranch property last year for $86.25 million from Thomas Enterprises. The development is divided into four villages: Main Street Ranchlands, Myakka River Club, Timber Forest Ranch or Manasota Beach Ranchlands.

[Zhills]

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@Shelbelle wrote:

Zhills, I assume you live in Zephyrhills, i have a close friend whol ives there.  They are there full time for the last 12 years.

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I don't live in Zephyrhills but I live near there and New Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City.  I got my mail out of Zephyrhills when I joined on here and never changed it. 

How do your friends like the area.  If they have been here 12 years they must like it!

Pasco County is a lovely area and so is Polk County.