Community Chat

[songbird]

Flagstaff is just gorgeous. Wonderful place to live The best part of Arizona is the Northern half.  Phoenix is just .....well. Just too hot.  I've been to both.  If global warming continues, you might probably kiss Phoenix goodbye. Over all, just a beautiful state. 

Florida is awful.  Terrible social services.  All government services are Pitts. The mobs of people that made California unlivable are there in Florida now. The only nice parts are the keys.  Half the state seem abandoned during the summer. Horrible bugs, gators, lightning capital of the world surround Disney World. And water, water everywhere.  

[Mindy D]

@elainemasey @Celebration, built by Disney, has a town atmosphere. Here's the Wikipedia page about the town.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjktcXy4s7wAhVSrp4KHdJ_BpEQ...

[SloopJohnB]

@elainemasey  Born in Florida and have lived here all my life.  There's good and bad.  Definitely too congested down here in Southeastern Florida now.  It's not what it used to be.  No small town feel here.  When I retire I would like to move somewhere north of here, probably in the central part of the state.  Have lived along the coast, so would like to move inland.  

[CJC]

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@River Song wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@River Song wrote:

You might like Mt. Dora for a small town feel but it's in central Florida, north of Orlando, in the center of the state, not near the beach.  But there are lakes if being near water is important.  

There really isn't anything comparable to Mass here in Florida, sorry.  Most of the coast is becoming one big urban sprawl.  Personally, I would avoid the panhandle, always getting hammered with hurricanes.

I live in Naples, in the poor part, meaning not on the beach and not in the City of Naples proper.   The beaches are beautiful, it's green in the winter, hotter then the hinges on the gates of Hell in the summer, the humidity will suffocate you.  Housing is expensive, wages are low.  Hurricane Irma in 2017 was a direct hit and I was without power for two weeks.  Hurricane season, June 1 - Nov. 30, makes me anxious.  The only decent weather is between New Year's and Easter.  Gee, what's not to love.  My goal is to move out of Florida in a few years, I just have to figure out where to move that doesn't have hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, mudslides, earthquakes or volcanos.

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@River Song   Here in the mid-atlantic (SE PA) and the northeast you won't find any of those weather related issues mentioned (hurricanes can happen but they are rare).  However it does get cold and some winters are snowy but the summers are much more bearable.  We have periods of heat & humidity but then it will suddenly cool off and be very pleasant for a while before it goes back to hot & humid.

The best of both worlds is to have a place up north for the summers & become a snow bird and go south for the winter.

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@haddon9 ,

I grew up in Ohio and moved to Florida over 40 years ago after college (Go Bucks!).  I was young, it was an adventure, but, I'm over it.  

Yep, it would be ideal to be a snow bird but I can't afford it nor do I have the energy or interest to maintain two residences by myself.  

I want to find one of those idyllic small towns featured in the Hallmark movies but that would require moving to Canada, lol.

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No no no.....not necessary to move to Canada.  Move to Aiken, S. Carolina and you'll be pretty close to finding your Hallmark town. We're also from Ohio, then retired to SC. Should have stayed there. Relocated to Tampa Bay for family reasons. Yuk! Florida is a great vacation state period. 

[homedecor1]

@LizzieInSRQ 

Its a year policy but they only write 6 months at a time🤷‍♀️meaning cards reflect only 6 month period.

[Stray]

I love the Carolinas especially holiday time not a lover of Florida but love your state of Mass.

[homedecor1]

@pieman 

Reading your post makes me sad because it's so true☹️☹️☹️

The medical here is "adequate" and with my spouse having health issues I checked the background and more of every physician, hospital, etc.  I hate I need to do this but if you don't they "dismiss" your concerns.

We have excellent medical insurance and I know that plays a big part.  Down here the "pop up" doctors are becoming the norm or the big insurance companies are buying up private practices. 

That has been our challenge his physicians being bought out☹️.

So far we are pleased but I don't think they have great hospitals w/teaching staff like Temple, Thomas Jefferson, etc in Philadelphia.

So sorry about your mom🙏🏻

[homedecor1]

@elainemasey 

If you check out Dunedin I'd suggest a nice lunch or dinner

at Bon Appetit.  This is a nice restaurant with music, good food and on the marina.

Our special occasion place🙂

[conlt]

I am from a small town in Massachusetts and have lived in St. Augustine, Fl for 40 years, and this is certainly a town. I would not move to south Florida ever, to many people. I will say St. Augustine has grown a great deal since I moved here. 

[Catiele]

We wintered in Florida. We stayed on both coasts. Our favorite places were in South Florida. Vero Beach, Port Orange, St. Augustine, and Edgewater. My husband always got a little home sick. We knew we could never live there. Our friends bought houses there and love it. Spend some time there and you will know. Good luck.