Great thread with lots of good things to think about. We’re hoping to to move and downsize. Lots of getting rid of stuff will have to happen first!
Part of the downsizing is I want something easy to take care of. Another part is housing where we plan to move (FL to be near son and wife and grandbaby) is much more expensive that where we are in OK and I don’t want to spend more than we will get from our house. 3 beds so one can be an office (I’d like to still do some remote tax work - seasonal maybe) would be ideal. Money wise a 2 bed is the likely scenario.
It’s so difficult to decide what to do. I think I’ll be happy in a small place - especially if we can keep it uncluttered. I am most nervous about having neighbors in close proximity. We live in a neighborhood where each house has an acre so for 34 years have not really contended with noise from neighbors. I thought I had reached a decision that I’d be happy with a 2 bed condo with a nice balcony. But I do worry about neighbor noise. And so many condos in FL don’t allow cats - deal breaker for me. Then when we were visiting over Christmas I really loved the tropical plants my son is growing - bougainvillea and hibiscus. I realized I would love a very small yard filled with tropical blooms. So now I’m back to thinking a 2 bedroom house rather than condo. Maybe pay someone to mow.
I’d love somewhere where I can walk places. I’m from England and I really miss that. When I go visit my brother in England I love just walking to the shops, cafes and pub! But I don’t think that is an option anywhere near the area we are looking at.
This is going to be a hard decision. I don’t want to move more than once so I need to get it right first time.
I picture a little Florida bungalow for you @swimcatsmom . One that maybe has an option for a seasonal office space (that could maybe even be a spot in a bedroom or dining area temporarily with good headphones for privacy/quiet) and a postage stamp yard that doesn’t have grass but plantings. Even here in the Midwest some smaller yards are turned into plantings only so no grass to mow.
A condo might be a really drastic move from a home on an acre!!!
@abasket yes, that sounds perfect. I’m not sure how easy it would be to find a place with no lawn though. Most I see have front and back. During COVId I worked from home on and off. It made me realize I would need a dedicated work space if it became a permanent thing. It is something I would have to keep in mind when house hunting.
We’ve been luck to have good neighbors the last few decades. The acre lots help if course. That is my biggest worry really. I don’t want the acre cause it’s to much to take care of. But I do like the distance
This is what we feel from farm to condo. I’m hoping doing a mix during the year will be perfect for our preferences. Time will tell. We lived in apartments in our early married days and in condos when we travel, so that’s not a totally new experience for us. We know we need it with a nice view to overcome the neighbors’ noise. And we know a smoking neighbor will be a dealbreaker. Then we have to hope one doesn’t move in after we’ve bought ours if we choose to buy.
@Creekland the view is what made me think of a condo in the first place. There are some condos in the area that look over the man made canals that go out to the Gulf. I’d love to have a water view but can’t afford a house with one - could afford a condo with one and a balcony. Would need an elevator for husband now and me in the future (there is a condo by the river and within walking distance of a nice park and river walk but no elevator ).
I had not considered the smoking issue. A balcony near a neighbor who smokes balcony would be a nightmare.
We stayed in condo complexes in Hawaii where smoking is prohibited (the condos are individually owned but pretty much all in STVR). Of course, occasionally someone tried to break the rule, but security dealt with them swiftly. Plus, they were renters and would usually be gone after a week.
Also, the type of construction matters. If it is concrete, noise can be mitigated by closing the lanai slider. In one complex, all bedrooms were on the mountain side while living areas faced the pool and the shoreline. Hardly any noise in the bedroom even when someone was having a party on the pool-facing lanai.
Not sure where on the Gulf coast you’re looking, but have you considered a townhouse? We rented one in Naples 12 years ago for a few weeks - partly to get away from winter, and partly to test out what everyday life would be in any other location. We were just starting to think about relocation. I’m pretty sure this was the unit; it backed up onto a little neighborhood golf course. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4817-Lakewood-Blvd-2-Naples-FL-34112/43771194_zpid/
Some townhome communities might have groundskeepers, and likely a monthly fee. But there would be outdoor space and no one above or below; likely attached on the sides though. No water views, of course, but the feel of a house.
@Marilyn I had looked at a couple of town houses. There were some townhouse in the listings a while back that caught my eye. An elevator is an absolute must and some did not have them.
kids live in new Port Richey north of Tampa. So round that area within a reasonable drive. Don’t want to live in their pocket but would like to be able to help out with our granddaughter at the drop of a hat when needed.
I also have a good friend from England who ended up moving to Wisconsin then retiring in the same area of Florida so that is a bonus.
Our travels put it on the list for us. There’s nothing like having a great view on a lanai ruined. For us, it’s not just a con. It’s a literal dealbreaker. There are a lot of things we can live with. That’s not one of them.
Ugh that brings back unpleasant memories. We lived in a townhouse for a year and a half while we built our house. I was pregnant during that time and we had a toddler. The people next door smoked constantly and the smell seeped through the walls. It was so bad.
Smoking is one of our many issues with a small apartment. We’ve been at our current rental for a number of years now, and like the location. All units have a non-smoking lease (units and grounds). However, a new neighbor smokes almost daily. Landlord has reminded tenants in general, but it is difficult to “prove” until they are gone. That means a year of dealing with it, assuming landlord doesn’t renew their lease. There is no way I would want that to happen after purchasing a condo.
Our 55+ apartment building is smoke free and pet friendly (I think only dogs though). My daughter has had issues with smoke (both pot and cigarette) in apartments she has lived in (that were supposedly smoke-free).
I think it depends upon where in the building you are located (anybody above you, corner or middle, etc.) what kind of noise you may experience.
Remember for a condo you will also have an HOA fee in addition to your property taxes.
They can vary over time, too! We paid $100 annually for many years for our private road association dues, but this year they’ve gone up to $1,200! We should have been paying more for a long time, sigh. This neighborhood drives me batty.
One of my former work colleagues moved to Naples area. He said the houses were quite hard to find now (lots of folks were putting in bids on multiple homes without success)- but good news if you are looking - he & his wife found one they liked (1600 sq feet).
He said in addition to HOA there is some sort of separate, annual cost to pay a bond that the builder takes out to construct the pool, playground, other common areas in the planned communities.
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definitely a big item in the con side if the equation.