As retirement approaches, there's a good chance you have Florida on your mind — conjuring dreams of warmer temperatures and a lost shaker of salt. But is it right for you? Before you take the Florida plunge, let us offer some earnest advice: Try before you buy. Spend some serious leisure time in the Sunshine State.
Introduce yourself to the neighbors, shop and dine locally, and observe the rhythms of life. Stay a few days — or, better yet, a few weeks — and, as the realities of Florida living sink in, you might not like what you see. To that end, we took a serious look at the downsides of retiring in Florida.
Do you really want to join the graying crowd that made Woodstock a thing? Other popular retirement states in the Southeast — Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas — all skew much younger than Florida. There are also invasive Burmese pythons, green iguanas and herpes-carrying wild monkeys. Then there are the rats: Rats on the beach, rats in palm trees and rats on your roof. Molly Elliott, who lives in Fort Myers Beach, said beach rats were a big adjustment for her, as was the expense of keeping them out of her house.
Other transplanted northerners agree that the pests and exotic creatures are an acquired taste. Perhaps Florida gets a bad rap, but come on: It sure has more than its fair share of weird stories that waft in and out of the news cycle. It is the Ponzi schemes, the Byzantine corruption, the evangelical fervor and the consenting-adult depravity. It is the seasonless climate. The lack of historical consciousness. Score one for the Sunshine State. For instance, the combined state and local sales tax averages 7.
Buying a new ride for your retirement? Fees can add up, too. However, your actual retirement location goes hand in hand with your degree of perspiration. But the farther north you travel, the more temperate the climate becomes. Yes, summers are hot, but winter temps can fall below freezing in parts of northern Florida. Speaking of crazy weather, January brought a rare winter storm and record snowfall — up to 10" — in some places. Plus, imagine the joy of watching your grandkids splash around under the lanai.
