Is it worth it moving here after retirement? Or to Florida in general? Likes/dislikes? I know this is a wide open question. Looking for honest opinions
There’s literally nothing to do
Nothing to do that doesnt cost money :)
What is there to do besides the beach areas? What’s your favorite things?
I really enjoy taking walks at Bobby Jones Golf Course on the nature trail, its lovely, eating out on Main St, going to some bars on Main St, going to Ringling Museum of Art OR the Marietta Museum of Art and Whimsy (granted much smaller than Ringling but its very cute and the volunteers there are delightful). The Bay park is amazing and has events like free movies on the lawn and such periodically.
Its mostly beach, museums, shopping, and eating honestly. Lots of nice parks for walks as well.
I will say getting into the summer months you'll probably be inside, at the beach, or by a pool because it is HOT HOT HOT and that water feels amazing.
Hot as hell in the Summer and crowded in the winter.
If you have plenty of money and like golf, boating, eating, and stuff like that you’d probably like it. If you like hiking, skiing and not being hot 🥵then probably wouldn’t like it.
I do enjoy hiking.
Well hiking sucks in Florida. Major thing I miss from growing up in SoCal.
I wondered since it is so flat. It seems like if you’re at th
At the beach it would be lovely and beautiful. But that’s what I see on vacation. Not something you’d do every day in real life I’m sure. Some parts of Florida I’ve been to have literally been nothing special - tons and tons of half empty strip malls with meh stores. And just flat land. I know the water can be pretty…but it’s still just a flat, vast expanse.
Probably will get bored after a few years. The beach is exciting when you go in the summer bc it’s cold all winter. It’s less exciting when you can go year round.
I think no matter where you live, after you are there a while you always take for granted all the good things there are to be offered. Moving somewhere new if always exciting at first, as all new things are. After time Things that were once exciting or novel become the norm. I knew a person once who lived on the beach and hated it - thought it was boring. Moved to the Midwest and thought it was the best thing ever. Perspective is interesting.
If you can find a place to park at the beach, and you can get away from people smoking cigars - which are still legal on the beach, and people playing their music really loud, jerks feeding seagulls, etc. It’s a romantic notion, but rarely lives up to the ideal.
Hiking in FL is called "walking"
Lol
here's how I would explain it... my house, in the hood, is currently valued at 320k I will happily sell.
Lol
No.
Housing costs astronomical. MINIMUM price for a studio is $1300 and that is a crummy apartment complex right next to the airport.
Jobs are hot garbage, pay has not increased much and any increase is just a drop in the bucket compared to cost of living.
Traffic is bad but that's not the big issue, the big issue is that the infrastructure has not caught up and will not catch up. The local governments have had decades of knowing there was a boon of people moving down here to get their crap together and widen roads but they have not. I can only assume that trend will continue in places like Parrish and Ruskin.
Feel free to move here but I have grown up here, have a support network, and know the area and even for me these last few years have been tough.
Absolutely not, it is suffocatingly hot and sticky with wet air for 11 months, it's expensive, jobs don't pay well, all of us floridians have either left, planning to leave, or annoyed with all the new development being filled with rude northern transplants.
Also the new hones are all built like shit, have yet to see anyone happy with their new cookie cutter home
I'd move away if I could.
What’s missing for you in FL
What's missing? Common sense, public transportation, morality not based on ignorance, hate, greed, and selfishness.
Sarasota wants a very specific type of resident - rich people. Maybe that is you, but it does not care about the seniors that have lived here forever and are now struggling. It hates the folks young enough to make up the working class. It is in my opinion maybe the most poorly planned city in Florida with no real plans for population growth, traffic and all that other than building more traffic roundabouts.
I'll add anyone realtor telling you "your new home is 15 minutes from the beach" is lying unless you live on the beach.
Oh, and our hospital system will have a board made up of anti vaxxers and science deniers after the next election.
I hope you can find a way move away!
Me too. Me too. Family and work though keep me here but everyday I dream about moving.
Me too, I finally am in 28 days! Me and my family are going to the Andes mountain in chile to a small mountain commune, can you say less than 30% humidity? 😍
Oh wow! How cool!!
cool can you tell us more?
Where would you go
Personally, I wouldn’t. I just moved here from California (long distance relationship of 2 years) and to be honest, it is more expensive here than where I lived in a very large city in California, which was a population of 500K more than Sarasota. Traffic is worse, insurance rates are worse, wages are significantly worse. If you’re retiring as a very wealthy individual then it could make sense in some ways? I guess as a retiree my main concerns would be insurance and significant weather disasters which will only get worse in the future. It is beautiful here, can’t take that away. Myself personally, I miss having four seasons. 😅
Is it prettier than California? I feel some parts of California would have a more pleasing and varied landscape whereas Florida is just totally flat and only one pretty on the actual beach?
Sarasota is prettier than where I lived mostly because it’s so close to the beach. However, I was about two hours from any kind of landscape you’d want in California. There’s definitely a much more broad landscape in California, a lot of people seem to only think beach, but I was two hours from the beach, an hour to the mountains for snowboarding in winter or jet-skiing at the lake in summer, 3 hours from San Fran or LA. We were also lucky to have four seasons, it didn’t snow in winter but it got down into the 30’s, so it was perfect in that sense. All the perks of a cold christmas and holiday season without the hassles of snow. Plus, you could drive to snow in an hour if you had to see it.
I think cali is a pretty state with such variation.
Were you in Fresno or Bakersfield? I lived in Tulare and Clovis.
Fresno!
Ha, I figured when you said it wasn't pretty! I still miss the mountains and Millerton though :)
It's a hostile sub-they don't like people moving there for whatever reason. Lots of Trumpers there.
Come to Key West. Much better anyway
No.
Unbearably hot, everyone’s an old crank who wants gay people dead, Nothing to do anywhere. It’s a shit fest and the day this state sinks underwater will be a holiday in my book.
We don't know because we don't know anything about you.
Are you a trump supporter ? Your people are here.
Are you old? We have Early Bird specials just about everywhere.
lol
I remember in the '90s everyone talking about retiring to Florida. They're now retiring here, 49 other states worth of people are retiring here. Traffic grows daily. Everything is expensive. It's absolutely beautiful here though so if you want to retire to endless Summer it is the place to be. Keep in mind every state has its own challenges.
Nope.
Nope. Not worth it.
Nope.
Why
Rising cost of everything and overcrowding.
it's always interesting hearing the overcrowding part - in comparison, this place is not bad at all.
If you've lived here for at least 10 years the over crowding is quite apparent compared to before. Even 5 years ago it was completely different. 20 years it was a different place entirely. I can't tell you how disappointing it's been watching sarasota slowly turn into its current situation. If I could move I would.
I'd be willng to bet the only people who don't think it's over crowded are those who haven't lived here very long.
Concrete. Concrete everywhere. And ‘luxury’ housing.
Hope you like people because there are so many people here now
Do you hate the crowding enough to want to leave, or is it tolerable to you
Hi, I wrote above. The crowding is tolerable because there are so many venues.
Florida is now a violent state, been taken over by mean spirited white trash, beware.
We basically have only 2 seasons, spring & summer. Generally FL has some of the best climate on the planet for 7 months & 5 which can be categorized as oppressive. If $$$ is not an issue, then FL could be an attractive home. There’s lots of outdoor things to do.
As a midwesterner, it’s just role reversal. I find April- October wonderful. November and December are cold, but I don’t mind it because it’s a nice holiday vibe and a little snow is fun. Jan- Mar are difficult imo.
As a midwesterner, be prepared for no seasons. It’s hard to get used to, I hear. Plus, it’s not exactly role reversal. Summers here are MISERABLE. It’s like walking through pea soup. You break a sweat checking your mailbox. Don’t even think about going outside right after you shower. Relentless and lasts for months.
Ugh yeah. That vs a polar vortex. Which is worse?!?! 🤷♀️ Can’t enjoy outside either way, just the opposites
Yeah, Sarasota is beautiful and has many things to do without losing the laid-back lifestyle. I agree we suffer from snowbirds and hot humid summers, but hey this is Florida. In the end, if you like the beach life you definitely will enjoy here. People complain about the prices, but Tampa and Orlando are worse and don't have the same vibe. I love it.
Short answer, no. It’s getting more and more expensive on all fronts, and all of those folks you need to wash your car, mow your lawn, clean your pool, serve your meal, cook your meal, stock your grocery store, serve your medical needs, etc. - already can’t afford to live here. Wait for Dr appts is getting longer by the month.
Basically, it’s death by 1000 cuts. And we are applying tourniquets as fast as we can, but the patient is still bleeding out.
Seriously I was shocked I called my general doctor in early May and they don’t have any appointments until JULY.
It’s really deteriorating rapidly. I’ve heard more than once last winter that snowbird Canadians are prepared to and do fly home & back for needed medical care in the winter months. They say it’s faster and cheaper (which is exactly the opposite of what the anti-socialized medicine folks claim).
Yeah I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never seen it like that. I don’t go very often but they usually get me in within two weeks. I’ve been ranting on to the annoyance of my family and friends about how they’re trying to make this a place solely for the ultra wealthy. I mean the city approved workforce housing targeting those who make 80-120% of the area median income. They started it at 80% because fuck anyone who makes less than that am I right?
Not worth. Consider moving elsewhere. We’re full.
if you are financially comfortable, then this place is great. Lots to do with events etc. Perfect for retirement folks
If you are: -wealthy -a retiree or well paid work from home
and
- love DJT
You will likely love it here.
The only downside you'll experience is having to wait for service providers from handy men to doctors (and everything in between) because there are not enough to serve the population.
If you are not wealthy, not retired, do have to work outside the home for a living, and personally despise everything MAGA you will likely "fail to thrive" here.
I’ve been here for over 20 years. Mind numbingly boring unless you drink and golf. Now I can’t afford to escape. Old people who have retired have taken over everything. Trying going downtown without being inundated with confused boomers. And I’m one of them. Publix is getting rich off every persons’ backs by overcharging for food. Traffic sucks. Hotter than hell in summer. And no jobs. Other than that it’s super.
Depends on where you are coming from. I came out to visit. Really liked it. Sold my vacation home bought one here. This was going to be a vacation home. It's now full time. Lots of people complain about the summer heat. I'm from the desert southwest. The heat here ain't nothing. Winter traffic cN get bad. The local fresh seafood. Is pretty good. The beef is ok.
We picked southern Florida because it is the warmest area in the winter. After spending our working lives in the freezer, we had enough. Wanted the southwest but the 40 degree nights and 60s in the day were to cold.
Absolutely not. I grew up in this area and recently moved back after college, probably one of the worst mistakes I have ever made. Driving here makes me feel like I’m in a giant city and the housing prices are just stupid. This place officially sucks now, can’t wait till January to get out of here.
Bc of Hurricane Ian we had to move back to ny. But it’s def hard to live without a bunch of money and a secure living arrangement. Bullshit. If I had a secure place to live for my family I’d probably move back in a heart beat - but it would def be dumb for me to do that. I miss Florida I really do - but it’s full of surprises- you will never find a spot that you can be alone in - especially in Pinellas County - wherever you go there is always people- also there’s more people who are homeless than there is people with a home. You’ll see families living in hotels and in their vehicles and wherever they can go. The schools try to help but it’s just too much. I lived it - 6months after finding a house to live in Hurricane Ian struck and took it. SMH.
Moved from New England a few years ago and planning to retire here. It’s extremely hot in the summer. You can do things outside early or late but not much in between. You can go to the beach unless there is red tide and your airways will burn. There is pollen most of the year which can be a concern if you have strong allergies or respiratory problems. The houses have no basement and you can’t use the attic for much so purge as much as you can before moving! But the parks and shoreline are wonderful the rest of the year
How often does red tide affect the beaches?
More and more often. Also affects folks not on the beach - depending on the breeze/wind, you can smell it and be affected by it a mile inland.
Only if your rich. Really rich.
In my opinion, it's a great place to live despite its cons. I've moved many times, living on the West Coast, Midwest and Sarasota and there is a lot to be said about it, particularly if you are retiring. What they say about Sarasota is true, there are a lot of older people here (I'm relatively younger, still have a teenager at home). My first hint that this is a good place for older people was when I saw a lady with a walker and white hair leaving the movie theater past 10 pm. After that, I noticed the people closing out the bars and restaurants, and listening to live music often had white/gray hair. I understand why that is annoying for young people, but what they don't understand is that in many towns, you don't feel like you can do that if you are older. Entertainment isn't catered to you. Honestly, I've never seen anything like it (retirees ruling the social scene/night life). The older people are more full of life and vitality than other places I've lived. I think not feeling relegated in society really contributes to that.
There are so many transplants, it is relatively easy to make friends. Most people are from somewhere else, so they are much more open to friendship than a town where people have had roots down for decades if not their whole lives. Again, I've moved a lot and trust me, moving to a place with lots of transplants increases your odds of quickly building ties/roots 100 times. I've lived in towns where transplants have barely any friends, even after decades of living in a town, because were not born there and the locals have their share of friends and family.
There's a lot to do. I live by Ringling (museum w/beautiful grounds), multiple theaters, lots of fishing and kayaking, and an aquarium about to open etc... That's not to mention Orlando being nearby as well as Tampa and St. Pete. A few hours away you have St. Augustine and the Keys and Biscayne National Park.
Housing prices seem more stable and have lowered at the time I'm writing this (05/2024). You can always sell here.
I need to go, so my pros/cons are not complete but here are some cons to consider..
- if you are younger, you may not like it as much, but I have heard that Lakewood Ranch and St. Pete offer plenty to do for 20 and 30 somethings.
- A lack of great museums and great zoos by Sarasota (Jacksonville and Brevard are wonderful, but a little far)
- Lack of great hiking. This is the worst for me. I've lived by the mountains, Sequoias, beautiful arboretums and have even lived in a large forest. I miss, miss, miss great hiking.
- Developers develop way too much in Sarasota with seemingly no constraint, taking away much of the charm. This is one of the reasons people are so negative about people wanting to move here.
- Snow birds crowd out the city during the best weather months of winter. Going out is still doable, but venues are much more packed during the winter.
- Hurricanes, e.g. Ian. Sarasota seems to avoid the brunt of a lot of them (like Jacksonville, which is another really nice place to live), but Hurricanes are not fun.
- The heat, it's really hot in the summer. It does not feel as humid as other places I've lived, but it does get hot.
- Housing costs are high as well as insurance. Hurricanes and predatory roofers have really contributed to this.
Lots to consider. I hope you find a great place to retire!
It depends. The housing costs and homeowners insurance costs have made it wildly expensive to live here. Rent is also crazy.
If youre very financially comfortable, than it will be fine.
There is a lot to do, but i cannot overstate that everything here costs an arm and a leg.