Thanks. They're grade 1 and grade 7.

 

I second this. I lived in both South Florida and Central Florida. MCO for family life and schools hands down.

 

Prior to falling head over heels for a purchase, ditch the realtor, and physically drive the route from potential home to base both ways between 7am-9am and 4:30pm to 6:30pm. During school season, on Friday or Monday, preferably in the rain. If you choose FLL/MIA all roads to hell or heaven include 95 or the turnpike. In MCO try I-4. For bonus points, take your BP before and after.

Don't forget a fistful of pennies to chuck back at the car on your @ss behind you and your Glock.

 

or just draw a 40 mile circle around the airport and look at Apple Maps directions during rush hour.

 

As someone that has lived on or near the water in FL my entire life I cannot recommend the tri county area to anyone. We moved down here about 13 years ago from another part of the state and it has progressively gotten worse. We live in one of the couple great school districts but anywhere else get ready to pay up big for your children’s education.

It was always the most populous region of Florida but it has grown so much since Covid. I have no idea where the larger population is finding a place to live bc there is no more land. Ocean to the east and glades to the west. The constant cramped quarters has everyone on a short temper. It’s not just NYers. People are from everywhere and everyone has a bad attitude.

You used to be able to escape to the keys for some R and R but all the insurance money from Irma had all the small boater friendly inns remodeling and charging obscene prices with many no longer catering to boaters bc we don’t stay onsite during the day spending money. The northern keys have turned into an extension of Miami with loud music, bad attitudes, drunks, jet skis, and people throwing trash everywhere.

Boating north of Miami and south of palm beach is mostly nonexistent inshore and the ditch once again is filled with drunks that have no idea how to operate a vessel. Offshore the water is beautiful but aside from the extremely hot months the wind blows a lot down here making going offshore with kids somewhere between pretty uncomfortable to very unsafe much of the year. If you have a boat that costs as much as the median America home with more mx costs then yes the Bahamas past Bimini are in reach but it won’t be cheap. Bimini just like the northern keys is now Miami east. Let’s not even talk about how bad bad the fishing has become bc of the overfishing, population growth, and criminal pollution runoff from sugar country.

Non of this is hyperbole. Come see for yourself. A few of the nice folks that moved into my neighborhood from their commi states during Covid are having major buyers remorse. They moved in for the great schools and paid up for a small house. Without a boat, which may not be worth it anyway for reasons above, and golf being miserably hot much of the year, they are wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze and I can’t argue with them honestly.

Right now FLL is our “fortress” base at spirit and does offer the most in scheduling options and flexibility because of its size. That and buying in a very low price in a good school district are the only things keeping us here but we are seriously considering and looking at options upstate or out of state.

 

How's homeowners insurance?

 

I'm down to the last limb, 2 eyes, and a mouth on my newborn. Otherwise, it's fine.

 

self-insured Brah. I’m not poor.

 

This is a pretty good assessment for living south of PBI.

 

I know, you're a very big deal.

How's the trend line on homeowners insurance? Getting better or worse?