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Anyone retire to Florida and decide to leave?

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Contributor

Anyone retire to Florida and decide to leave?

I retired to the Orlando area after retiring 8 years ago from Upstate NY. I couldn't stand the winters there and the small city feel. Initially it was exciting to have a large area to explore. There were beaches, Theme parks, and I found a large hiking community that I was involved with. I enjoy traveling also, and the Orlando International Airport where I live nearby is convenient. One could always find something to do here.

However after 8 years, I realize that I haven't really made any intimate relationships. Yes I interact with people on a regular basis but the relationships are all superficial. I live in a subdivision of mostly young families and I don't know my neighbors well. Many don't speak English. The nice retirement communities are a distance from the metro area. I need to be near a downtown area with a theater, arena or other event venues. I thought family would visit more often, however they don't.

One of the problems I have with Florida is the lack of public transportation. I don't want to rely on driving everywhere as I get older. Also, I'm tiring of the intense summers here and the insects. I've tried over the past several years to deal with them, and this is the main reason I've decided to relocate. I'm currently looking into Charlotte, NC as it is a metropolis, offers a change of seasons however doesn't have intense summers, and has a major international airport. I also have relatives in NC.

I'm curious if others have retired to Florida and discovered it's not the place for them?

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Anonymous
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Friday - June 11, 2021

 

Hi @Yma01blue did you end up leaving Florida? I am living in Virginia at present ideally would like to get closer to my only child. Thanks, Angela

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Super Contributor

I was a real estate agent in Central Florida for 30 years and was amazed at the retired people who moved here but chose to move back to where they moved from. The number 1 reason was they missed family.........especially if they left Grandchildren.  

amcoffiebean
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Honored Social Butterfly


@amcoffiebean wrote:

I was a real estate agent in Central Florida for 30 years and was amazed at the retired people who moved here but chose to move back to where they moved from. The number 1 reason was they missed family.........especially if they left Grandchildren.  


I also read an article about the number of seniors who moved again after a spouse died and they did not want to be alone so moved back to where family was.  Something to consider.. possibly rentals rather than buy.

 

 

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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Gold Conversationalist

Hi amcoffiebean,

I was surprised by your comment regarding retirees moving to Florida and then going back to be near family and grandchildren.

Are you a native Floridian?   I doubt I would have moved to Florida from California if I had to leave my family.  But being

an orphan elder I am not tethered.  Here in Florida I am surrounded by retirees with strong bonds to their families.

I have never witnessed such close family attachment until I moved here.

 

Where do you live now?

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Gold Conversationalist

amcoffiebean,
Why does this surprise you? Family is everything!
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I wasn't amazed the #1 reason for moving back was to be near family. I was amazed at the number of retirees who moved here and then moved back "home" for whatever reason. It wasn't the "picture" painted about retirees loving FL. Many sold homes and made a major life change when deciding to move away and I respected those who realized the move was not for them after all. I also am not criticizing those who chose to move back, wanted to do it myself for many years. I am from the Midwest, moving to Central FL after college.  I'm not particularly fond of living here but circumstances kept me here and now as I'm aging, the cold weather bothers just about every joint in my body! We are considering moving away however, just in the early investigation period and thinking, thinking, thinking. 

amcoffiebean
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I think it was just a matter of not really thinking it through.  It is a tough decision to make for anyone.  I am too set in my ways to move that far away and I do have some family within a driving distance from my home.

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Regular Contributor

really? My family sucks
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Super Contributor

Very funny!  Mine is about half and half.  Love my kids, but would never want to be near my siblings.

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Super Contributor

In an ideal world yes, family is everything.  It does not always turn out that way though.  Some move just to get away from being used by children.

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Regular Contributor

I'm from Washington D.C. and I moved back to Florida (my family used to all be here) in 1981. Now retired, my daughter wants me to move in with her in N.C. and I love the climate but Florida is my home. Besides she seems to want a cook/cleaner and I don't want to sign up for that!  ๐Ÿ™‚

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Periodic Contributor

I'm from DC, left, came back (X3) and think what you are saying is so funny! People don't realize how horrible it is to live in this area. I'm lucky I don't have problems with my only daughter with wanting a slave. I don't play that crap. I'll tell her I'm going to the store, I'll be back in a few. She doesn't want to be here either lol.
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Social Butterfly

Canโ€™t help ya, Bro.  Never been there.

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Honored Social Butterfly


@Yma01bluewrote:

I retired to the Orlando area after retiring 8 years ago from Upstate NY. I couldn't stand the winters there and the small city feel. Initially it was exciting to have a large area to explore. There were beaches, Theme parks, and I found a large hiking community that I was involved with. I enjoy traveling also, and the Orlando International Airport where I live nearby is convenient. One could always find something to do here.

However after 8 years, I realize that I haven't really made any intimate relationships. Yes I interact with people on a regular basis but the relationships are all superficial. I live in a subdivision of mostly young families and I don't know my neighbors well. Many don't speak English. The nice retirement communities are a distance from the metro area. I need to be near a downtown area with a theater, arena or other event venues. I thought family would visit more often, however they don't.

One of the problems I have with Florida is the lack of public transportation. I don't want to rely on driving everywhere as I get older. Also, I'm tiring of the intense summers here and the insects. I've tried over the past several years to deal with them, and this is the main reason I've decided to relocate. I'm currently looking into Charlotte, NC as it is a metropolis, offers a change of seasons however doesn't have intense summers, and has a major international airport. I also have relatives in NC.

I'm curious if others have retired to Florida and discovered it's not the place for them?


Just another of hundreds of posts that point out the obvious when it comes to major life changes.. you have to really research before making the change.  I made one visit to central Florida and realized I would never want to live there. 

 

When you find a place you really think you would like, go and stay.  Rent a place for a month if you have to.  Yes there is expense but moving and then moving again is expensive and aggrevating.  

 

There are hundreds and hundreds of people happily retired in Florida and The Villages sells hundreds of homes a month but the biggest question is .. is the place right for you?

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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Periodic Contributor

 My wife and I moved to Florida 14 years ago from Maine. We had been vacationing here for several years. We were both still employed and found jobs on the gulf coast. After nearly 11 years in a quiet town with not much to do except  The beach, we decided to move to Saint Petersburg in the Tampa Bay area. I retired shortly after the move, and my wife is still employed as she is a bit younger. Moving to Saint Petersburg was the best thing we ever did for our life improvement. There is so much to do here, so much culture,  public transportation, and lots of other people to meet. My issue is that I am not sure how to make new friends. Other than our neighbors, we havenโ€™t met a lot of people that have become friends. I highly recommend the Tampa Bay area if you are looking for some place to live that is more culturally rich, and diverse.  I have never enjoyed the hot humid summers, but the winters are fantastic. 

FloridaGal
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Periodic Contributor

I seriously want to move to the TB area while I wait for my wife to finish getting the children settled i.e. graduated college, working, married, etc. and then sell the house.  In the meantime, I'm 61 and still need to work.  Do you have any advice on how I can make the transition?

 

Thanks

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Anonymous
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@MarkB242707 wrote:

I seriously want to move to the TB area while I wait for my wife to finish getting the children settled i.e. graduated college, working, married, etc. and then sell the house.  In the meantime, I'm 61 and still need to work.  Do you have any advice on how I can make the transition?

 

Thanks


๐Ÿ’ฅHi @MarkB242707 it depends on what your skills are. Have you researched TB to see what skills they are intetested in? I got your PM.๐Ÿ’ฅ

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My husband and I retired to Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida 3 years ago. And we love it. We both enjoy the outdoors, swimming, biking, etc.  There are many things to do in this area if you avail yourself of the amenities.  We do not live in gated community but there are still many opportunities to follow your hobbies, see plays or concerts and a variety of restaurants.

The heat has never bothered my, but the humidiy in August gets a bit overwhelming.  This will be our 4th summer here, so I'm hoping I get used to the humidity and adapt.  Everything is air conditioned; leave your air conditioned home to yoiur air conditioned car to the air conditioned stores.

Good luck!

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Florida and St. Pete are full of active living retirement communities where getting to know the other people in the community is a given, through meals and activities.  Suggest you visit some.  We live in Westminster Shores in St. Pete and couldn't be happier.  There are also a number in Orlando.

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Honored Social Butterfly


@Yma01bluewrote:

 

I retired to the Orlando area after retiring 8 years ago from Upstate NY.

 

Also, I'm tiring of the intense summers here and the insects. I've tried over the past several years to deal with them, and this is the main reason I've decided to relocate.

 

I'm currently looking into Charlotte, NC as it is a metropolis, offers a change of seasons however doesn't have intense summers, and has a major international airport. I also have relatives in NC.

I'm curious if others have retired to Florida and discovered it's not the place for them?


@Yma01blue,

 

While I never retired to Florida; I am surrounded by people that have. They retired from NY or other Northern States, only to find one season irritating, bugs too big, and other comforts not what they thought they would be........ JUST LIKE YOU!!!

 

In fact, there are so many people that retired to Florida from up North, didn't like it, and moved to North Carolina.... there is a nickname for them........... HALF-BACKS. It identifies that they moved all the way down to Florida and then move "half way back" to their original home.

 

Besides Charlotte, there are other nice places to live in NC such as Raleigh, near colleges and universities or Asheville, home of wineries and the Biltmore House, or the coast with some of the best seafood there is.

 

Anyway, good luck and welcome in advance.

 

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When you move to FL from the north and move back to VA, SC or NC, you are considered a half back.  I live with a lot of seniors on the OBX of NC and have for 43 years.  I decided when I was young to move to a place I could live forever and then make the work, life work.  I have always been happy that I did.

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Periodic Contributor

Good advise and thanks. NC is another place I thought of.
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You do not have to go to a popular place like I did.  It was nothing when I moved here.  Look for the low COL areas that cater to seniors.  Bluffton, SC is one.  Also, my son lives in a small town outside of North Myrtle Beach.  His costs are 2/3rd less than they were in Northern VA.

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I live on the coast of NC and moved here in my 20's.  I go every year to Florida to visit family and I enjoy it, but would never want to live there.  I am from the Shenandoah Valley of VA and I do like the change of seasons, but also a little warmer weather that NC has to offer.  It can be hard to make close friends when moving to any new location, but it can be done. Volunteer work can help anyone to make new friends.

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My family friends retired to a golf community 27 years ago, and have recently just moved back to western PA. The wife decided she wanted to live closer to family, and that their already-bought burial plots would be much closer.

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