Yes, Florida has over 260 days per year of sunshine and the beaches are gorgeous and the golf courses are amazing and the seafood…wait, where was I going with this?

Oh yeah! There are a few considerations to think about when making a move to Florida from anywhere up north. Some good, some not so good and some just plain myths.

I made the move to Florida about 5 years ago with my wife and kids. We moved from Pennsylvania and knew somethings were going to be different and some we just had to find out for ourselves. I’m going to let you in on my top 5.

1. Sinkholes
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. Because much of Florida is located on limestone, there are naturally occurring sinkholes in various places around the state. You can research sinkholes and be comforted by knowing that Sarasota and Manatee counties have not had homes affected by them.

2. Alligators
When I lived up north, it seemed that Floridians would have you believe that alligators were just walking around on the sidewalk and are all over the place. They’re not, however, it’s safe to assume that any body of water could contain one and you will see them at times sunning themselves. I’ve been here for a while now and it doesn’t get old. Florida wildlife is amazing to view…from a distance.

3. Stucco/texture
Due to the heat and potential for high winds, you’ll be hard pressed to find many homes with aluminum or vinyl siding like you might find up north. In Florida, stucco is the material of choice and holds up well. You’ll also find that most of the walls inside a home are not smooth finished like many of the homes built up North. They’re textured, which adds a different element and can be difficult to hang command strips from 😊

4. Basements
Due to Florida’s flat land and high water table, basements don’t exist here. It’s obviously not a deal-breaker as more and more people are choosing to move to Florida, but you’ll want to keep that in consideration when buying a home- where are you going to store your Christmas decorations?

5. Insurance
In many ways, the cost of living is cheaper in Florida compared to up North. Not so when it comes to home insurance. Since Florida is prone to weather events (did you know Tampa is the lightning capital of the US) home insurance costs can be 25 -50% more expensive than you’re used to up north. Of course, the newer the home, the lower insurance tends to be as newer homes are better rated against storm damage.

See you at the pool!