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Thread: Moving to Florida - Not Sure I'm Ready

  1. #1
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    Moving to Florida - Not Sure I'm Ready

    I've been talking about it for years - I want to move to warmer climates so I can enjoy more of the year outside. The other day my SO gets one of those job offers you can't refuse, and accepts. And suddenly I find myself saddened at the thought of leaving my home.

    I designed it in 1986 and did a lot of the work on the build. And I've never stopped working on it all these years. For the last three years I've been working to finally make it what I want. Now, when I see the house, I just love it. A few more things and the major projects will be done. It's been almost a complete renovation and it looks better than when it was new.

    Now I will be leaving it to someone else. And I don't want to.

    Has anyone else had these kinds of feelings leaving your home?

  2. #2
    Julie,
    I havent been through it myself, but Ive had close friends who have and Ive watched them wrestle with it. I know its tough for sure, especially after putting so much of yourself into the place. At the same time, there are some positives. Florida has a lot to offer and youll likely have many new adventures. Id try to think about those too.

    Ill bet some of our retired friends on SMC have gone through this too and can offer their experiences to help a bit.

    Anyway, hang in there.
    Fred

  3. #3
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    Julie,

    You will need to adjust to the storm threat that you may not have considered in your current location. Hurricanes are a regular occurrence and you have to be ready for the big storms.....little things like keeping all of your important documents in a small case so you can grab it and go when the big winds blow.
    .

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    I've been talking about it for years - I want to move to warmer climates so I can enjoy more of the year outside. The other day my SO gets one of those job offers you can't refuse, and accepts. And suddenly I find myself saddened at the thought of leaving my home.

    I designed it in 1986 and did a lot of the work on the build. And I've never stopped working on it all these years. For the last three years I've been working to finally make it what I want. Now, when I see the house, I just love it. A few more things and the major projects will be done. It's been almost a complete renovation and it looks better than when it was new.

    Now I will be leaving it to someone else. And I don't want to.

    Has anyone else had these kinds of feelings leaving your home?
    Houses can be built and rebuilt as necessary. IMHO I would concentrate on taking what you love most about your current home and putting this into your new home in Florida. Often when change is desired and then, when it finally happens its only the emotional hurdle that needs to be crossed.

  5. #5
    Where are you going in Florida? I lived there for 17 years on the west coast of FL. Most of the storms hit the east coast but it's possible to get one on the west coast. Never had one while I was living there.

    A few not-so-good things about FL. It's HOT most of the year, perhaps 9 months out of the year - and very high humidity. By "hot" I mean that you can't go outside for more than 15 minutes without being dripping from sweat. You live in air-conditioning. You go from your air conditioned house to your air conditioned car, to your air conditioned shopping, etc. Although you'd think that given the sunshine and the hot weather (lots of expensive air conditioning) that FL would be a paradise for solar installations but the power company has influenced the legislature and they have laws that discourage installation of solar. So check out the cost of electricity for whatever home you think of purchasing. Make the sellers give you a copy of their last 12 months of bills.

    Home construction is not always the best there. The "standard" older house is single story concrete block, often will very little insulation - drywall put on laths attached to the concrete block with little or nothing behind the drywall (maybe a vapor barrier), especially on the older homes. In general, I found that the quality of the trades were not as good as in other parts of the country that I lived in - general construction, drywall finishing, tile work, electrical, plumbing, etc. Too many workers were satisfied to do a mediocre job, or didn't know how to do a better job. But maybe they were pushed to do cheap work by the people who lived there. Many of the people who retire there are on a very tight budget and low cost is their primary driver. This is true for all aspects of their lives, including restaurants, where low cost meals are the most important thing, not taste.

    Bugs are a problem, as you can imagine in that climate. They have a bug that's called a "no-see-em". It's very tiny and comes out about sundown. It bites and will attack your exposed legs (and everyone wears shorts). So just about the time it's starting to cool off a bit, the bugs drive you inside. Roaches are all over. You really need to have your home treated on a regular basis.

    Good luck on your move. I hope it's a good move for you.

    Mike
    Last edited by Mike Henderson; 08-17-2014 at 1:43 PM.
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  6. #6
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    Julie,

    I feel for you. 17 years ago my current employer made an offer to me that required my family and me to relocate from Seattle to Southern California. In Seattle we had a nice craftsman style house that we had renivated. It was close to downtown and in a nice area. We could have lived in that house for the rest of our lives.

    Nonetheless, we relocated selling our house and buying a new house in SoCal. We sold the house to a nice couple (both Architects) and moved away. Leaving the house was difficult. It took some time for us to adjust to our lives in SoCal. There were times when my family almost moved back to Seattle. Ultimately, it worked itself out. Now, I couldn't get them to leave our house here.

    I went back a few years later and drove past my old house. The owners had painted over the period correct four color exterior paint scheme, painting only a dull green. The landscaping the we had installed (japanese maples, magnolias, lillies, and dahlas) were all removes with only a blank grass lawn. It made me very sad.

    i sympathize with where you are at. My advice is to to leave, and view the new location as an adventure. I would also advise against viewing your old house if/when you return. This will nit be easy and you may have some bad days. Those will leave with the passage of time.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    A few not-so-good things about FL. It's HOT most of the year, perhaps 9 months out of the year. By "hot" I mean that you can't go outside for more than 15 minutes without being dripping from sweat. You live in air-conditioning. You go from your air conditioned house to your air conditioned car, to your air conditioned shopping, etc. Although you'd think that given the sunshine and the hot weather (lots of expensive air conditioning) that FL would be a paradise for solar installations but the power company has influenced the legislature and they have laws that discourage installation of solar. So check out the cost of electricity for whatever home you think of purchasing. Make the sellers give you a copy of their last 12 months of bills.

    Home construction is not always the best there. The "standard" older house is single story concrete block, often will very little insulation - drywall put on laths attached to the concrete block with little or nothing behind the drywall (maybe a vapor barrier), especially on the older homes. In general, I found that the quality of the trades were not as good as in other parts of the country that I lived in - general construction, drywall finishing, tile work, electrical, plumbing, etc. Too many workers were satisfied to do a mediocre job, or didn't know how to do a better job. But maybe they were pushed to do cheap work by the people who lived there. Many of the people who retire there are on a very tight budget and low cost is their primary driver. This is true for all aspects of their lives, including restaurants, where low cost meals are the most important thing, not taste.
    My friend retired down to Orlando, and he says the same thing about the heat. He goes from one air conditioned place to another during the hottest times of year. He has one of those concrete block houses from the 1970s and he has had some workmanship issues with it.

    I was in Florida with my motorhome in late December 2010 and it got down to 27 degrees one night. I stayed in Atlanta for a night that same trip and it got cold enough to freeze some pipes. (No damage as they are PEX. I winterized the system in Chattanooga, TN before I went any further north.) It didn't help that being one of the worst winters in recent history. I drove from Minnesota to Florida with my motorhome. It had snowed two feet a few weeks before and I had to shovel more than a foot of snow off the roof of the motorhome before I could leave.

  8. #8
    Interesting perspective, Shawn. But I dare say it was because they were architects that the house was changed. It's kinda
    a "my understanding and vision are better than yours" thing ...unless the the designated exception (Frank L.Wright) designed it. The sad truth is houses stay the same for lack of money ,or because of intelligent thrift ; not because the designer was
    a genius. I would bet that you have been involved in jobs to fix historic buildings ruined by changing styles and abundant wealth more times than
    those ruined by neglect.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    I've been talking about it for years - I want to move to warmer climates so I can enjoy more of the year outside. The other day my SO gets one of those job offers you can't refuse, and accepts.
    I'd concentrate on the positive parts, Julie. I bet with your talents you can adapt to Florida's downsides. Instead of focusing on what your giving up,look at the move as an exciting adventure.
    Last edited by Chris Padilla; 08-18-2014 at 1:22 PM.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  10. #10
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    Why not join the "half back" movement?
    Many become dissatisfied with Florida and are moving to western North Carolina or the upstate of South Carolina.
    We do have 4 seasons, but the winters are mild.

    Howard Garner
    A "Damn Yankee" (moved south and refuse to move back north)
    Pickens, SC

  11. #11
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    I am going to die in this house. There is too much stuff to move. On the other hand, given enough time, moving could be a good thing; I could start over given the experience I gained here and make something better.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "You don't have to give birth to someone to have a family." (Sandra Bullock)




  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    Where are you going in Florida? I lived there for 17 years on the west coast of FL. Most of the storms hit the east coast but it's possible to get one on the west coast. Never had one while I was living there.

    A few not-so-good things about FL. It's HOT most of the year, perhaps 9 months out of the year - and very high humidity. By "hot" I mean that you can't go outside for more than 15 minutes without being dripping from sweat. You live in air-conditioning. You go from your air conditioned house to your air conditioned car, to your air conditioned shopping, etc. Although you'd think that given the sunshine and the hot weather (lots of expensive air conditioning) that FL would be a paradise for solar installations but the power company has influenced the legislature and they have laws that discourage installation of solar. So check out the cost of electricity for whatever home you think of purchasing. Make the sellers give you a copy of their last 12 months of bills.

    Home construction is not always the best there. The "standard" older house is single story concrete block, often will very little insulation - drywall put on laths attached to the concrete block with little or nothing behind the drywall (maybe a vapor barrier), especially on the older homes. In general, I found that the quality of the trades were not as good as in other parts of the country that I lived in - general construction, drywall finishing, tile work, electrical, plumbing, etc. Too many workers were satisfied to do a mediocre job, or didn't know how to do a better job. But maybe they were pushed to do cheap work by the people who lived there. Many of the people who retire there are on a very tight budget and low cost is their primary driver. This is true for all aspects of their lives, including restaurants, where low cost meals are the most important thing, not taste.

    Bugs are a problem, as you can imagine in that climate. They have a bug that's called a "no-see-em". It's very tiny and comes out about sundown. It bites and will attack your exposed legs (and everyone wears shorts). So just about the time it's starting to cool off a bit, the bugs drive you inside. Roaches are all over. You really need to have your home treated on a regular basis.

    Good luck on your move. I hope it's a good move for you.

    Mike
    How can a place like this be part of the USA. Sounds more like a third world country (except for the AC). Deal me out.
    Seriously, my bride hates FLA. Even hates to visit it anymore. I actually love the heat and humidity - I can't take the 20 below, wind chills and snow. I like it down there.
    Last edited by Pat Barry; 08-17-2014 at 8:30 PM.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Howard Garner View Post
    Why not join the "half back" movement?
    Many become dissatisfied with Florida and are moving to western North Carolina or the upstate of South Carolina.
    We do have 4 seasons, but the winters are mild.

    Howard Garner
    A "Damn Yankee" (moved south and refuse to move back north)
    Pickens, SC
    Shhh. You'll give away the secret.
    Don't mention the good food,
    excellent manners or stable infrastructure, either.

    In my opinion (based on limited World travel),
    Charleston, SC is one of the ten great cities on the planet.

  14. #14
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    I guess you are not in the financial position to be able to keep it as a rental? Mobility seems to be one of the ways to get ahead these days and who knows how long the Florida job might last. Be nice to have that place to return to. I moved my family 14 times during my military career....every one of them was painful.

  15. #15
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    Mel,

    Interesting. Oddly enough I am an architect as well. Early in my career I specialized in historic preservation. The two architects who bought the house from us worked for the military. They are probably fine people. Miltary architecture is generally not highly praised. The neighborhood was mostly 1920 arts an crafts houses that had been well kept up and / or restored. Our house was prized as the best renovation one year. Afterwards...???

    ...but it was their house and they could do what they wanted with it. I gave them the plans for the second story remodel and exterior rear porch. I really wanted to build it.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

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