My wife and I have lived in Sarasota and Ft. Lauderdale and it is really hard to say which I like best. The west coast has prettier beaches, with fine white sand and a much more laid back atmosphere. Sarasota is a wonderful place to live with beautiful beaches and a very full arts calendar - great museums and music. It enjoys a much calmer pace of life, due in large part to the higher concentration of midwesterners. Ft. Lauderdale has a much faster pace. Close to Miami, there is a very active social scene. The beaches are pretty and there are many cultural options. The pace is much more frenetic, due to the mix of northeastern snow birds and the Latin influence. There are more fine restaurants on the southeast coast than the west coast and if either of you is a sports fan, there are numerous college and pro sporting events to choose from. So it really depends. I would agree with those who say do your research, but take a week or two on each coast to get a small impression of what you like and don't like on each coast. Good luck.

We live in Venice which is very near Sarasota. We spent several years traveling around the state comparing the various areas and for us this area was the best. We like theatre and the theatre, opera and other cultural venues offered in Sarasota are unbeatable. The quality is high, its very affordable and its easy to get. We moved from Atlanta where there are lots of entertainment opportunities, but it can be pricey, and it was a real pain to get anywhere because of the horrendous traffic. Sarasota makes it easy to get out and enjoy the various options. The other thing we love are the many bicycle paths and places to bike. There are lots of restaurants, plenty of shopping, access to excellent medical care and a safe environment with good air quality. We love to visit Miami, and Naples, St. Augustine etc., but for our lifestyle the Sarasota area is the best.

This is just the type of info I am looking for...thanks to both of you!

Thanks, too, for all the nitty-gritty information before the last two posts. I had never considered how foreclosures would affect others living in the same condo... But I am not sure that this is all that relevant in the more upscale areas. Or is it?

Just to be clear, I am not looking to do this as an investment with the hopes that the price will rise, although that would be fine. If I were to buy (probably after renting for at least one season) want to find the best place to live that will satisfy my own personal requirements which, due to the importance of the pool for lap swimming, are probably a bit different than many people.

Friends of mine like Venice. They rent a condo for 2 months each year. She says lots of art.

Another pair has been renting in St. Augustine. It was cold last year but they enjoy it very much.

ekscrunchy, I've been following this thread with interest! I am very relieved to hear you say that you will not consider your condo an investment so much as a great place to live. Good for you! In that case I believe you will be very happy. I myself am pessimistic about real estate values in FL, but who knows what will happen?

Do research the foreclosure rate in any building or complex you are seriously considering--you'd be surprised how bad off even an upscale community's finances can be. In my complex we have been very lucky and have no losses whatsoever, but b/c we're small, even one foreclosure would be a blow to our budget.

Good luck, and enjoy the search!

Wow, interesting exchange going on here. Let me chime in with some of my recent observations as I have just moved to Ft. Myers from New England and did a lot of research myself. East Coast of Florida vs. West Coast is always an interesting topic here. East Coasters tell me the West Coast has less rules and regulations, poor zoning, no sense of community and too transient. West Coasters tell me the East Coast is too snobby, over regulated, too much traffic and want things to be just like the Northeast, only warmer. Of course there is some fact and fiction to each but I have found these generalizations accurate enough as to have some merit. I ended up in Ft. Myers for a couple of reasons. It provides a good balance of nice restaurants, cultural events, easy access to water and more reasonable prices for real estate. The most important aspect however is that Cape Coral (just across the river from Ft. Myers)has become the epicenter of the foreclosure debacle, second only to Las Vegas. Cape Coral was grossly overbuilt and has many problems. There are some beautiful places on CC but there are more areas which are much less so. However, Cape Coral reportedly has over 400 miles of canals whereby one can park their boat in their backyard and just hop in and go at will. I am here to take advantage of that opportunity and am looking for just the right blend of location and price. Let me say that having a place on a salt water canal is more important to me than having a club house and golf course. Someone in this thread mentioned you can get a small condo in Miami in the 300's. For me, I'll take the 225K house on a spotless canal and a brand new 100K boat. The point is I know what I want and am here to get it. You may not know exactly what you want but I feel strongly the biggest mistake you can make is doing nothing because you are paralized with fear of making a bad choice. More than likely a bad decision can be corrected with little permanent damage. Do your homework, think about what you need and want the most and know yourself. Like my father use to tell me "That is why they make chocolate and vanilla". Oh one other thing I must emphasize. Get a very good real estate agent. Untold people have real estate licenses down here but most are part-time or retired school teachers with little professional experience. Others have posted the importance of a good RE agent but I want to reinforce the point.

You can access some FL classified real-estate ads online, though there may be a subscription. Here's a place to start (Ft Lauderdale): http://www.sun-sentinel.com/classified/realestate/

Lots of interesting information on this thread. I moved to Florida about 2 and a half years ago. I rent an oceanfront condo in Cocoa Beach.

I like it here although I'm normally home weekends only. it is a bit touristy, but not over the top. Cocoa Beach has a bit of a small town feel to it as well.

I am about 45 minutes to Orlando International Airport, so that is convenient. Cocoa Beach is not a gourmet's dream, but it does alright for me. We have pretty good public schools here, something that is not the norm in Florida, if that's a concern for you. Culturally, I think Cocoa Beach would be well behind many South Florida locations.

When I moved here for work I was told I could live anywhere I wanted as long as I got to where I needed to be when I needed to be there. I started looking farther South, but found it too crowded and busy for my taste.

I think it's true that there are a lot of east coast folks on the Atlantic side.

The building I am in has a lot of snowbirds, right now it isn't very full at all. According to info found on the net, taxes for my condo would be about $2700, more than I paid in Ohio. My Utilities (basically electric) are lower than what I paid in Ohio. Since I rent, I dont have the cost of homeowners insurance and really cannot comment on that.

Hopefully you will find what you're looking for. Good luck.

Lots of interesting information on this thread. I moved to Florida about 2 and a half years ago. I rent an oceanfront condo in Cocoa Beach.

I like it here although I'm normally home weekends only. it is a bit touristy, but not over the top. Cocoa Beach has a bit of a small town feel to it as well.

I am about 45 minutes to Orlando International Airport, so that is convenient. Cocoa Beach is not a gourmet's dream, but it does alright for me. We have pretty good public schools here, something that is not the norm in Florida, if that's a concern for you. Culturally, I think Cocoa Beach would be well behind many South Florida locations.

When I moved here for work I was told I could live anywhere I wanted as long as I got to where I needed to be when I needed to be there. I started looking farther South, but found it too crowded and busy for my taste.

I think it's true that there are a lot of east coast folks on the Atlantic side.

The building I am in has a lot of snowbirds, right now it isn't very full at all. According to info found on the net, taxes for my condo would be about $2700, more than I paid in Ohio. My Utilities (basically electric) are lower than what I paid in Ohio. Since I rent, I dont have the cost of homeowners insurance and really cannot comment on that.

Hopefully you will find what you're looking for. Good luck.

Hi, ekscrunchy:

I went through a similar exercise a few years ago before the crash. Fortunately, I did not buy a Florida condo but at the time, I did come close to buying. I put in an Offer but it was not accepted & I walked away.

I will state my bias right up front: I am an East Coast Girl! And, in particular, I prefer Southeast Florida.
When discussing Florida, there have been several interesting discussions over the years here on Fodor's about East Coast vs. West Coast. Only you can decide which is better for you. And, you can only do that by spending time on both coasts.

Of the following places, I have decided that Singer Island on Florida's Southeast coast is the place for me:

West Coast: Sarasota, Longboat Key, Marco Island, Naples, Ft. Myers. St. Pete, Tampa

East Coast: Miami, Key Biscayne, Ft. Lauderdale, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Highland Beach, Pompano Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Shores (Singer Island), Palm Beach Gardens(As the name "gardens" implies, this community is not on the beach...it's located west of the beach and north of West Palm Beach), Jupiter, Juno Beach.

One of the reasons I like Singer Island is because of its close proximity to Palm Beach International airport (PBI). I can get direct/non-stop flights(but seasonal) on Air Canada from Toronto & that is important to me. Once I land, I grab my rental car & in 20 minutes of easy driving (not on I-95) I'm on Singer Island(SI). I don't require a lot of restaurants to keep me happy, just a few, & SI has enough. I can go south to Palm Beach & Ft Lauderdale when I want but I rarely do. There's a decent Publix on SI. Unlike you, I am a golfer & there are lots of golf courses nearby ( maybe you will sign up for lessons if you move to Florida!). Most importantly for me, SI has a beautiful beach! I love the Southeast coast Florida beaches with their pounding Atlantic surf and dark brown sand. I love the salty smell in the air.

Now.... I have to say (& a lot of people aren't going to like this), I have not been spending as much time in Southeast Florida as I used to because.....Florida has been so cold lately during the winter months! I have been going farther south to Aruba! B-)

You have talked about renting before you buy. That is crucial. I would recommend that you actually rent for 6 months if that is how long you intend to spend in Florida...or, are you considering moving there permanently? Whatever....spend as much time there as possible to see if you like it. It's one thing to go somewhere for a week or 2 or even a month, & quite another to live there for 6 months or permanently. You may find that you prefer Arizona or some other place! BTW, why have you zeroed in on Florida?

After all of the time I have spent in Florida over the years, I am still undecided as to whether or not I would like to spend 6 months there. As a Canadian, I have serious "Non-resident" tax implications.

Hope all of this helps & keep us posted on what you decide to do! Happy hunting!

Ocean

I love Anna Maria Island. Though I am an east coast person, raised in Manhattan and living in New england, I love the West Coast of Fla. I love the calmer, more swimmable water in the gulf, sunsets over the ocean, less built up ( especially Anna Maria area), lots of birds, no high rises .For me, the negatives of the gulf coast are less diversity and overall less interesting food.
Happy hunting!

That’s right these are the guidelines for the beginners, but a lot of technical details and documentation is also present to make the deals secure and legal.


http://www.opendoormiami.com/

Know it is on the Gulf Coast, but if you have not been there, Tarpon Springs (further North) is interesting as well as Gulf Port (artsy little town with good restaurants) and the area south of St Pete Beach.

Hopefully, the OP has made a decision by now...this post is 2 years old!

Yes, apparently perrycarter12 found it and used it as a reason to register and advertise "his"? website.

Oops, didn't notice that.

Since this thread resurfaced, I will update: I did not buy a place in Florida.

I am seriously considering renting for a few months next winter. This has proven to be more difficult than I initially thought, as most places seem to rent either for a week (VRBO, Flipkey, etc) or for the entire season, which is longer than we initially wanted to rent.

I contacted several real estate agents and discovered that most of them, perhaps understandably, did not put much priority on rentals.


My priorities seem to have made the search more difficult than it might have been, as swimming pool(s) are of paramount importance. Most of the waterfront condos that I looked at online had only small pools not suitable for serious swimming. And it seems to be very difficult to determine the type of pools in a condo/apartment by merely searching online. There are just so very many developments and no one single database that has that information.

After much frustration, I did find something fairly appealing in a development in the SE corridor, but no final decision has been made. This is in the Delray/Boynton Beach area.
This is not our ideal location, but we do have friends in the area, so it might make a good base from which I can set off and do some exploring..

Is anyone here based in that general area, either year round or seasonally? Opinions?

Thanks again to all who took the time to respond on this thread.

I am surprised by your comment about realtors not being interested in rentals. Many aren't, but I would think nearly any decent realtor in Florida can direct you toward an agency or a specialized agent in their area who DOES specialize in rentals. Even a google search should provide you with names of agents or agencies that only deal with rentals.

And I'm also surprised you'd have a problem renting for a month. Far in advance, many owners may be holding out for a three month rental, but as time gets a little closer, many welcome a one month rental rather than break it into individual weeks. Of course, one issue is that some associations require a 3 month minimum, but that's another matter.

Tug2.net has loads of info aout condos. There's a lot of iformation (and listings,) for those interested in buying. It carries ads for rentals, as well. For $15/year, you can also check the reviews on various properties. Worth every penny!

NeoP: Perhaps the agents are more interested in handling an annual rental than a seasonal rental. But to be fair, I only contacted a few agents so should not make any blanket statements.
And remember that I was looking for information on which developments/buildings had suitable swimming pools. None of the agents I spoke to, or wrote to, appeared to have any information on this other than the fact that they had "a nice pool." I was told more than once to get back to them when I decided where I wanted to rent (in which building, or complex). I would have thought that a real estate agent would have a better overview of the amenities of the various properties in their immediate area.

In any case, I did find something, as I mentioned, and even though it is not in the most desirable area, I can use it as a base for exploring; I hope to take many day trips and overnight trips within south Florida--both coasts--and even beyond..

Anyone here familiar with the Delray/Boynton area?