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mom2mpr
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| Posted: Nov 30 2013 at 7:27am | IP Logged
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I have some silly questions for anyone who lives in the sunshine state. We are moving from the north and have never lived there, but have visited.
Sunscreen-do you put it on everyday? No more need for taking vitamin D, right? 
We are a pretty active outdoor family-how do you deal with the heat? Are there "seasons" we should just plan on not going outdoors?
Dealing with no basement-I don't think we can afford a 3000 sq foot home, but to replace our unfinished basement we need a workshop area for ds and a workout area for dear mom and a schoolroom. Really the footprint of each of those is 10 x 10 but looking at homes online, I am not seeing where I can make those happen. How do you mesh these functions into your house? The workshop needs to be somewhere that big messes can be made.
Bugs and critters- are there ticks, snakes, scorpions, roaches and other bugs I should be aware of? Give it to me straight  how do I deal on a daily basis!
Hurricanes- I am thinking of being more centrally located for bunches of reasons-seems real estate costs more near the water, trying to prevent flood issues, etc. We should bring our generator, huh. What does homeowners insurance cost? Flood insurance? I have heard some homes cannot be insured if they are in a flood zone?
Should we steer clear of property with ponds because of alligators? We have a dog and pet rabbits. And we really love them
Thanks in advance for helping. I knew I could ask here and no one would laugh. I hope We are really looking forward to this new adventure. Going to miss the snow and cold but will go visit the snow and cold  I am sureI will come back with more questions as I think of them but those have been on my mind for days now....
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Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Nov 30 2013 at 10:54am | IP Logged
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I'm not in Florida, but I'm in the south, and I will say this: palmetto bugs (aka giant roaches)- steel yourself for these.
They live outside but will and do get in your house (though they cannot live indoors or multiply inside- thanks be to God). If anyone claims that they don't get them in their house- that is just not true. They are everywhere.
My advice- use your vacuum wand to suck them up, then empty the canister or bag right outside. That way you don't have to get too close to them or touch them, and they generally don't run from the wand.
Ugh- can you tell they are not my favorite? 
Otherwise- love living in the south. I'm sure the FL girls here will chime in.
How exciting for your family!!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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St. Ann
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| Posted: Nov 30 2013 at 2:10pm | IP Logged
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Anne, where will you be living in Florida? I have lived in Gainesville, Melbourne Beach and Ft. Lauderdale.
Yes, little lizards and huge roaches will be your house pets. The huge iguanas got killed off in Ft. Lauderdale one or two winters ago when the temps dropped near freezing, thanks be to God!
I can put you in touch with someone regarding the details of insurance and where NOT to live if you like. I am no longer in Florida so I am not up to date with those kind of details. Yes, property is cheaper inland, but you also don't have the ocean breeze inland...
I lived in Florida 7 years or so and I just got acclimated to the area, In Gainesville I didn't even have AC in my house! Of course , that was in my bohemian days... Here in Germany we do more handcrafts in the winter months, where as in Florida I do them in the heat of summer in an air conditioned room!!!
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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kbfsc
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| Posted: Dec 30 2013 at 8:04pm | IP Logged
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Anne, sorry to chime in very late! I am a native Floridian so hopefully I can provide some helpful tips.
I'm born and bread in north Florida, so I have very strong opinions about its superiority to the endless sand, stucco and traffic of south Florida. Really. My best advice would be anywhere north of Ocala, and the panhandle is even better. The rolling hills and live oaks are charming. And real estate prices are so much better! Especially if you consider rural counties that are nearby a larger city. That's the way to find a real estate bargain in north Florida. (That's the way to deal with the extra square-footage your northern basement provides, too, I would think. You can find a house with generous square-footage for a song if you're willing to drive 20-30 minutes to Gainesville, Jax, Tallahassee or Pensacola. Plenty of folks have out buildings, too. A workshop or detached garage, for example.)
Sunscreen everyday, yes!
We are an outdoor family, too, and Florida is wonderful for that. We spend the long, hot summers near the water. You are never far from the ocean (we MUCH prefer the Gulf. Yuck Atlantic.) and there are many, many beautiful fresh water springs in north and central Florida that provide a neat alternative to the saltwater. Snorkeling and kayaking all day! Or surf and hunt for seashells along the coast! When the weather cools off, we spend the mild winters hiking the beautiful state park nature trails. We just discovered a new one over the weekend: 100-ft. bluffs overlooking a pristine lake. Really heavenly if you're so inclined.
Bugs. Yes. It's true about the palmetto bugs. Apparently they prefer the live oaks - so there is one (and only one) downside to those lovely trees. We have had only one scorpion run-in, but lots of spiders. And snakes. My children know where to look for them and to scan the ground when we're off the beaten path. You just have to be careful.
Hurricanes. Sadly, yes. We haven't had any serious hurricane damage since I was a child, but every year we pray about this one. On the other hand - never an ice storm or blizzard in Florida... Maybe just a touch of frost on the half-dozen coldest mornings of the year.
And alligators... I would avoid ponds if I were you! A friend once said, "If the body of water is larger than a puddle, in Florida, you should assume a gator has found its way into it." It's true. Right now we live in town, miles from wilderness or a large body of water, and not long ago my husband helped the Fish & Wildlife folks subdue a 6-ft. gator in our neighborhood. (He loved it.) No idea why or how it found its way to us... So. Alligators are another thing to just be aware of and careful of. They are afraid of people. So keep your distance and be smart about where you go.
Hope my pro-Florida rambling helps! Peace,
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Kiera
happy mama of ds '02, dd '03, ds '06, dd '09 and little ones in heaven
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Jan 07 2014 at 12:08am | IP Logged
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I've lived in Tampa, Gainesville, Stuart, West Palm Beach and Key Largo, so if you have any questions about those areas I am glad to help.
Sun screen-- we only wear it when going to the beach or out on the water and only in summer. But my family tans easily and rarely burns, so do what is best for you.
Bugs-- yes, lots of them. You will learn to sweep and vacuum daily, wipe counters constantly, and never ever leave a dirty dish out overnight in an effort to keep them at bay. Good luck.
Lizards are our allies in this battle.
Never had a gator problem. You see them, but they pretty much keep to themselves.
Snakes, yes. Rattle snakes and water moccasins are the most troublesome. Coral snakes are more rare and you will probably not see one.
Housing prices in some areas are stil quite depressed, but are rebounding in others. If you are willing to live out of town a bit you can still get a good deal. To replace your basement many folks have detached or attached garages or covered patios, gazebos and the like.
Florida is a wonderful state, very diverse with lots to offer. The north and south are different, but each has its charms, I think.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: Jan 08 2014 at 10:59am | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone. The bugs and critters are scaring me. I lived in SC many years ago and so detested the fleas on my dog. And in my carpet. I hope there are new and improved ways to deal because I love my pup and I worked VERY hard to try to keep them away.
I have already told the realtor, and dh, I do not want water.  No canals for me, thank you.Though I do want to kayak, got one for my birthday, I am fine driving a bit to water.
The added housework will be a struggle. Sigh.
We will be moving southwest. Looking for areas with kids and active Catholic parishes. If anyone has any suggestions you can PM me.
All in all we are looking forward to this change. Especially as we are waterless right now in the great cold north with frozen pipes.
Thank again everyone!
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Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Moving to FL
