Florida Property for Sale – Some Common Misconceptions about the Sunshine State by: Lisa Carson

Considering purchasing a Florida property for sale? There are many misconceptions about the Sunshine State. Hopefully, this article will dissolve some of those common misconceptions. Many view Florida property owners as residing beachfront or at least within easy access to the beach. Yes, there are many who live on or near the beach, but the majority of Floridians live inland. With it’s mileage expanse of 500 miles long and 90 miles wide, that leaves a lot of space for inland living.

Some think of Florida as a tourist’s mecca. That it is, but a large portion of the state is rural and agricultural. The landscape has changed more recently as new developments spring up in the most unexpected places, but generally this is still true, there is still an abundance of rural and agricultural land. Florida is a state of many contrasts. Culturally, there is a large variety of ethnic groups with the Hispanic population being the majority. But you will also find an abundance of northern transplants and some original “Florida crackers”, the term used to refer to the mostly rural original Florida populace. Weather may also be a common misconception. Tourists often arrive in the dead of winter expecting to bask in warmth in every part of Florida. Winter temperatures in central and northern Florida periodically plunge to freezing in the evening while daytime temperatures can also be chilly, but are mostly pleasant and most certainly warmer than the residence of most tourists. But the cold nights and sometimes chilly days take most tourists who packed for radiating sunshine, by surprise.

Florida Property for Sale – Variety of Choices

Florida property for sale used to be reasonably priced no matter where you purchased (excluding beachfront, or near the beach), but recently, housing values have increased dramatically in the urban and tourist areas. What is considered reasonable to one may not be to another as it all depends on perspective, or where you are coming from. Reasonable prices on Florida property for sale are still to be found; though you may have to extend your search a little further into outlying areas. The various regions of Florida offer entirely different flavors. It is wise to consider the differences and to evaluate what you are looking for when viewing Florida property for sale. Let’s consider different regions of Florida property for sale and the distinctions between them. North Florida reflects a lifestyle similar to Georgia and Alabama. Tourism is not the main drawing card and life here revolves at a slower pace. Major cities in this region include Jacksonville, Tallahassee (Florida’s capital) and Panama City. Property is more reasonably priced than in most Florida areas and access to the southern states is much quicker and easier from here. Gulf coast beaches are some of the most beautiful and tend to be quiet, more family-friendly and less trafficked than other areas of Florida. Northwest Florida beaches are known as the Emerald Coast with their soft, white sands and clear emerald waters.

Florida Property for Sale Central Florida

Moving down the state, Central Florida’s temperatures are milder than north Florida, but freezing temperatures in winter surprise many northern transplants. Florida property for sale in Central Florida offers easy accessibility to beaches and tourist attractions are abundant. Orlando, the “City Beautiful” is the main and largest city in this region and is of course, home to the most popular tourist attraction world-wide, Walt Disney World. Sea World and Universal are not far behind and draw their own set of tourists. The abundance of shopping, dining and family activities, both natural and man-made continue to draw thousands of new residents and millions of tourists, 48 million in Orlando in 2004. Housing in Central Florida has escalated in recent years and months with the median price taking a dramatic jump from $166,000 to $200,000, an appreciation of 27%. Housing prices here are generally more reasonable than in south Florida, but more expensive than in the north. Home prices most likely will continue to escalate due to high growth predictions for the next several years. Other popular cities in Central Florida include Tampa, Winter Haven, Ocala and Daytona. Tampa is a gulf coast city while Winter Haven is a sleepy extended suburb of Orlando. Ocala’s famous for its horse farms while Daytona has billed itself as the “world’s most famous beach”. Orlando ranks highest in housing costs for these central Florida cities with Tampa ranking second, Winter Haven and Ocala next and Daytona offering the most reasonably priced Florida property for sale of the above.

Florida Property for Sale – South Florida, Coasts and Inland

South Florida would include the area south of Orlando to Key West. Florida property for sale here would be generally more expensive than the Orlando area. One major attraction to this area is the balmy winter weather, with temperatures above freezing in the winter. While north and central Florida offer some landscape variety with rolling terrain in certain areas, south Florida landscape is flat in all directions. There is a more tropical feeling here with palm trees and tropical plantings. The further south you go, the more congested population-wise it becomes, with density culminating in the Fort Lauderdale/ Miami area. Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Miami, Key West, Naples, Fort Myers and Sebring are all well-known south Florida cities. One drawback to residents in this area is the time it takes to get out of the state. There is six hours of driving time from Miami to Jacksonville. The coastal areas of Florida are beautiful with the gulf coast known for its clear water, white sand beaches and calm ocean currents. The east coast has higher waves with darker sand beaches. Florida property for sale in the interior will be less expensive than the coast. Interior Florida boasts its own kind of beauty with natural springs, forests and abundant lakes with natural wildlife. Florida has a great park system which allows residents and tourists access to the natural Florida landscape.

Florida Property for Sale – Questions to Help you Narrow Your Search

Interested in purchasing Florida property for sale? Searching the internet will pull up all sorts of Florida property for sale. With all this information at your fingertips, you may be wondering how to narrow down your search. Some key questions may help you. First of all, consider what the purpose of your purchase will be. Is this for personal use? Are you planning on a move to Florida, making your purchase your primary residence or will this be a vacation home? Are you looking at this as an investment? If you are thinking of investing, is your goal to turn over the property for a profit? Another possibility is purchasing the property for renting. If your goal is to move your primary residence to Florida or for use as a vacation home,your personal desire on location and property price will be two deciding factors. But looking at your purchase as investment property sheds a new light on your decision. If wishing to turn over property, you will want to look for a foreclosure or possibly a for sale by owner, or fixer-upper. There is more competition and these type of properties are more difficult to find than in the past as more individuals and agents are purchasing these properties, fixing them up and flipping them.

Florida Property for Sale – Investment Property in Orlando

Purchasing property with the goal of renting opens up new possibilities for you. Florida’s population in recent years has grown beyond many peoples’ expectations with steady projected future growth, making the purchase of property for rental purposes a wise investment. Considering the high volume of tourist traffic, particularly in the Orlando area, purchasing investment property in Orlando would mean a pretty certain rate of occupancy of tourist renters. The search would now begin for a specific location of investment property in Orlando. Investment property in Orlando area would include property in the Kissimmee area, which is closest to Disney. Investment property in Orlando area, within 30 to 45 minutes, would include looking at the lesser-known town of Davenport, Florida. Surrounded by orange groves, it gives you the feel of old rural Florida, but is close enough to the major attractions to make this an attractive investment option. Looking to get into a ground floor investment opportunity? Bimini Bay Resort, a brand new town home resort development is now offering purchase opportunities. The many amenities in the planning stages include a resort pool, 2 movie theatres, a major restaurant chain, club house, lazy river, food court and many others. For the price of principal, interest, taxes and insurance, the owner has the many advantages of using the property for a minimum rate while vacationing and letting Bimini Bay take care of all the headaches of rental during the year, still receiving a reliable monthly income. It’s a no lose deal for investors.

Author:
Lisa Carson

About the Author:
Lisa CarsonFlorida Property for Sale Expertlcarson(at)biminibayresortinvestment.comOrlando, FLorida