You are right to like the Gulf side; the Gulf is the Good side!

If you don't mind being on the bay rather than the open Gulf, the way you were before, take a look at Bradenton, Venice, Edgewood.

Look at Google Maps to see places like Apollo Beach with regular lots and boat canals laid out by the developer and avoid them because they will have homeowners associations and they not only can make your life miserable if you like to tinker, they can legally stop you. On your own property.

A lot of people want an association because they want amenities or don't want the neighbors working on cars or boats in the driveway. They think it hurts property values. Well, there is a lot of property in Florida in older neighborhoods without these restrictions, and since you are retiring and presumably going to stay in the house the rest of your life, short-term property values are less a concern.

I would be surprised if the economic imbalance has changed. You are still going to have the guys in Mercedes and the guys standing on the corner outside Eckerds holding a sign. The squeeze on the middle class may be greater than ever. This only matters to you if you need to work to supplement your retirement funds. Then it matters a lot unless you can do some of the things that no one in America wants to do any more.

If you like tinkering with cars, could you take a course that would qualify you to work in a car dealership or garage as a mechanic? Do marine diesel? Outboard motors? What Florida doesn't need are any more real estate people, whether in sales or doing home inspections or doing mortgage originations. Oh, sure, the market is improving a bit but it is still bottom feeding.

Good luck.

Yeah, I think the gulf side is the way to go also. I will have 32yrs in as a union carpenter, so I might "tinker" more in that direction for a few bucks, but have always had a motorcycle, boat, play toys etc. I have my RE. license up here in MD, still not much happening for a part timer to make any money yet. We were right on a canal in Apollo Beach leading out to Tampa bay, with boat lift, it was REAL nice, hit the button-drop it in the water and go. I just want to be closer to a beach- had to go down Rt41 10 miles, then 10 more across The Sunshine Pkwy bridge then 10 miles to Clearwater/St Pete beach areas. A few blocks away would be nice. I'm thinking of catching a Southwest flight to Bradenton and scout out from Sarasota to Naples, just head out on RT 41, and see what it looks like south to Naples, maybe for a week. But thanks for your input, ultimately have up to a year to figure things out. Thanks Mike

The real estate market in FL is slowly making a come back (or so I hear from family and friends). You should be able to find something close enough to the beach that is affordable, the car/tinkering part might be more of a challenge. I have a friend who bought a place 2-3 blocks from the beach in Indian Rocks. She and her SO love the beach and love being close enough to walk in the evening. I suspect having a car in the driveway for tinkering might not go over so well though. You might be better checking some of the smaller towns a bit further away from the main cities - think Crystal River and the area between there and Clearwater/Dunedin.

I was born and raised in Jax, went to the beach regularly and always thought I'd live near a beach (am in CO now and absolutely love it). While there are part of the Atlantic side I do like, I prefer the West coast of Fl all around - from the panhandle down around the bend to down to Naples.