A Changing Your Local Environment: Is Florida a Retiree’s Haven?

When retirement becomes a reality, do you want to stay where you are in familiar surroundings? Or, do you want to move to another state? Maybe you want to get away from winter and enjoy warm weather in Florida all year round. Or, will another state meet your needs better? Newly retired or soon to be retired people have a lot of choices to make. A single person or a couple needs to consider factors like physical and mental health, finances, and where family members live.

Is Florida the Place to Retire?

Before moving to Florida to retire, you should do a little research. RoundTableRealty.com today might be a place to start checking out Florida properties and communities. Planned communities offer several benefits for retirees. Choosing where to retire may depend on weather conditions, proximity to beaches, home costs, and community amenities.

Why choose the state of Florida to retire? People move to Florida for affordable housing, sunny warm weather, beaches, low living cost, and low taxes. Florida has a lot of entertainment opportunities from theme parks, to great beaches, to golfing and fishing, and more. Choosing the best city to move to can depend on finances, interests, and health.

Choosing the Best Retirement Location

Northern Florida, near Jacksonville, boasts some planned communities such as Durbin Crossing just south of Jacksonville. This community has townhouses and detached homes for sale for prices ranging from the low $200,000s to just over $600,000. A short drive to Jacksonville brings all of the big city amenities. The Durbin Crossing community itself has more of a small-town feeling.

The Villages is a very large retirement community that offers hundreds of activities. It is located in Sumter County; Florida and the average home value is $227,000.

Punta Gorda is located along the southwest coast of Florida with many waterfront properties and activities. It has the Ponce de Leon Park for nature trails and beaches. It has a shopping and entertainment destination called Fisherman’s Village. The very affordable median home value of $154,000 makes it an affordable option.

Fort Meyers is in southwest Florida and has many entertainment options combined with an interesting history. The median home value is $171,100.

Sarasota is a coastal town that used to be the home to Ringling Brothers Circus. It has art and circus museums and great gardens and beaches. The median home value is $189,400.

Vero Beach is located on Florida’s east coast and is a smaller community with art and theater as well as beaches to enjoy. The median home value here is $160,900.

Winter Haven is found in central Florida and is best known for its chain of lakes. The very affordable median home value is $110,400.

Ormond Beach and Melbourne are both located on the eastern coast of Florida with state parks, beaches, and other interesting places to visit. The median home values are around $150,000. There are more towns and cities to consider

With Hurricane Threats, is Florida Still A Retirement Haven?

Florida is still a great place to retire if you take the new weather patterns into consideration. Check out which communities saw the least storm damage and the best emergency responses. What family and neighborhood connects would there be in an emergency? Are there financial resources for you to access to weather a crisis from hurricane season? Don’t eliminate Florida as a retirement choice but choose the location carefully.