Considering a move from DE to Florida...possibly Tampa, St. Pete, West Palm or Palm Beach Gardens. Life change...mid 50's, newly single. Looking for suggestions, pros and cons of those locations. Thanks for your guidance!

I would be aware of the following:

the tax situation, mainly the property tax which can as a general rule run approximately 2% of the purchase price. Unlike places like Sussex County, properties down here undergo a tax reassessment every time they go through a sale.

home insurance rates: specifically hazard and wind insurance; there is also the possibility of needing flood insurance

If you are not buying then obviously all those costs above are going to be somehow rolled into rental rates by your landlord

The weather: the further south you come the warmer it will be and that includes the winter months. Temperatures in central and northeast/northwest Florida can differ significantly from places like Palm Beach. And then, of course, there are the storm possibilities which begin on 1 June and end on 1 December with the "peak" being between about now and mid-October.

Am sure somebody is going to come in here and lecture you about how Florida is a vast cultural wasteland, stand-your-ground, the Republican-DOMINATED legislature, the fact that there are only about 6 blue counties in the whole state (and you've actually picked some of them), etc., etc.

Good luck.

Thank you for the insight. I may be purchasing at some point once I decide my final destination. I will definitely have to get used to taxes!

I spent a couple of years visiting friends and checking out areas on both coasts and in the middle. Expect you've already considered your interests and current activities and are looking at areas of similar make up?

Mt. Dora was a finalist. Mid state, charming down town, art vibe. And for the same reasons:
Naples.
St. Augustine
Vero Beach

I ended up spending some time in Mt. Dora and that was helpful. My only suggestion is to try to visit before your commit.

That all being said, what are your pleasures??

I was looking at real estate in slower lower Delaware today. My home state. I would so love to leave Fl behind. New Smyrna Beach has a good vibe and Mt Dora is nice. It runs a bit hotter than the coastal towns though. I am in my normal funk. It is so hot that I can't even ride the trails. The heat on the blacktop cooks you. If not in the water then ac. It is just hotter than normal this year. I live on the space coast. Looking forward to Cape Cod in two weeks and then the Adirondacks. Come here during August to see what you think.

Of the places you mention, I would urge you to take a good look at West Palm. There is a really nice downtown area with lots of shops and places to eat. Palm Beach proper is just across the bridge.
Really good Greenmarket on Saturdays, lots of good shows at Kravis Center. Good museums in PB, not to mention great eating. I have a condo about 30 minutes south of there and when we go to restaurants, we invariably head for PB or WPB. Also a great "antique" district not far from downtown. Were it not for the proximity of family members further south, I would have loved to buy there. Of course I am not there in the hot months. Our taxes and insurance are quite low, as we are not as close to the water as you would be in WPB.

I lived in St Pete for 3 years but so much has changed since then that I cannot give a valid comment.

Yes, St. Pete has changed a LOT. One of the finest small cities in Florida. If you can afford to live near downtown, St. Pete offers park after park along the waterfront instead of condos. Many museums including best Dali museum in the world (even better than the one in Figueres, Spain) and a new arts and crafts museum coming and a newly-owned western art museum. Lots of fresh young blood in a city that was once God's waiting room. Very few chains; lots of great unique shops and restaurants.. Still has a major league baseball team, and if they move to Tampa as they have proposed, the property will provide some exciting re-development options. Pro soccer team. Lots of concerts and events. Annual Grand Prix is the first Indy race each season. On the other side of the bay, Tampa is undergoing a Renaissance of its own. A bigger city, with a still quiet downtown on week-ends, but new riverwalk, a huge re-make of area near cruise port, and lively Ybor city.

I second the suggestion of coming down here to check things out, particularly the weather.

Why?

When we moved here from Northern Virginia we got told numerous times about how the summers are "brutal" and the heat is "unbearable" and the rest of it. We were used to high humidity in the summer and often temperatures in the 80's and 90's. Does that sound vaguely familiar to you given your current residence?

we were also used to snow (although moderate amounts for the most part with the exceptions of those "snowmaggedons" that closed things down periodically) as well as sleet and freezing rain in the winters and having the heat on.

Average temps here in the Fort Lauderdale area in the summer are probably close to 90; a bit moderated if you live right on the beach. We start getting into the 80's around April. In the Winter it might get down into the high 40's low 50's for a few hours overnight. In the five years here we have yet to turn on the heat. But be aware that Central Florida weather can be different and in north Florida the word "frost" is not unheard of.

Then there are things like flocks of snowbirds in the Winter which makes traffic challenging and restaurant reservations more difficult and the beaches get busier. There are numerous Spanish-speaking folks here as well as those from "the islands."
IMO you need to consider all of these things before making your decision.
Yes, museums are great and so are shopping opportunities but these do not sustain you every day.

What is the longest you have visited in Florida? Can you spend one calendar year there before committing to a permanent move?

Nothing specific to Delaware or Florida but vacationing often and for longer periods of time is a good way to find out if a move is a good idea for you... or not.

I'm not sure a whole year is necessary. If the individual came down during the high summer to experience the heat and humidity and stayed though the beginning of the so-called "season" which is in the Fall that might be enough.

Admittedly some folks don't come down until after the Christmas and New Years holidays but that depends on the area somewhat.

I am going to emphasize again that Florida's weather varies from extreme South Florida to Central and North/West, particularly in the Winter. Comfortability in the summer also varies when you are not close to the ocean/gulf as well.

OK. Sure, fine. 3 months. 6 months. Something more than being there just on vacation (having no idea the OP's past experience, maybe they know those cities in Florida very well already).

I'm certain my opinion is not any more valid than yours, Suze.

Visiting for a "longer" time is so valid. And especially in the "off season"--mid-summer for Florida. Stop bickering. The advice will get lost.

Hate to pile on about the weather, but I agree you should visit for as long as you can in the summer (August) to see how you do. You may be fine with living in the a/c all the time and only going to the grocery. You may be one of those weirdos who love the heat! Only you can know. Here in Central Florida, our power bills are doubled in high summer vs winter months.
Do also try to visit in winter when traffic will be much worse due to the snowbirds. I love Mount Dora in the winter, if only I could find a place to park there!

In addition to all this very good advice, are you aware of the horrible environmental problems currently afflicting many areas of the Gulf coast (and I believe some areas on the east coast also)? A nasty combination of red tide and green algae has killed fish, manatees, dolphins, etc. All of which end up dead and smelly on the beach. Green sludgey water released from the very polluted Lake Okechobee compounds the problem.

Something to be aware of before you invest a lot of money and uproot your life.