Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Choosing Where to Live in Florida: The Differences between North and South Florida

Where you choose to live in Florida will affect your lifestyle. Northern Florida is quite a bit different from Southern Florida. Let's just say that North Florida is part of The South and South Florida is more like The North. So, if you live in Miami you have to go north a few counties to be in The South.

Many people feel that there are cultural differences in different areas. Some feel that anywhere north of Lake Okeechobee on the Atlantic coast is country. The same is said about most of central and southwest Florida with some metropolitan exceptions, such as Tampa/St. Pete, Sarasota/Bradenton, Venice, Fort Myers, and the resort areas of Naples/Marco Island.

It doesn't take long to realize there's a gentle animosity that exists between South Florida and the rest of Dixie. Folks in Northern Florida tend not to come any farther south than Panama City unless they want to visit Disney World. Some see South Florida as the land of amusement parks, palm trees, high-rise condominiums, ethnic diversity, and beaches filled with scantily clad women. Some people in South Florida would like to sell off the land west of the Suwannee River to Georgia and Alabama so those states can have some nice beaches of their own.

Speaking of beaches, if your are a connoisseur of fine beaches, you'll find the ones in the northwest, from Pensacola to Panama City are some of the loveliest in the nation with white, fluffy sugar sand. Those from Naples up to Clearwater have slightly more grainy sand and the water in the Gulf is more like a lake. The Atlantic beaches vary from tame in Daytona Beach to gritty, hot and vibrant in South Beach.

Southeast Florida is nothing like the rest of the United States, yet there are some diversity similarities to Los Angeles and New York City. Many people in Miami think North Florida is really South Georgia. Others say that the main differences are not between north and south, but between the coastal areas and the inland areas, because there are a lot more activities and entertainment in the coastal regions than inland with the exception of Orlando. One reason the beach areas are so popular and more expensive is because when it gets really hot and humid in Florida the only relief is being within a mile of the beach.

Southeast Florida, from Palm Beach to Miami, is more cosmopolitan, it has more nightlife, and also more urban sprawl. The area has a definite Northeastern vibe. Once you travel north of Palm Beach, you are entering a more rural environment. South Florida is sub-tropical with palm and coconut trees, plus beautiful tropical flowers and plants and manicured landscaping that's green and lush. Inland North Florida has more oak and pine trees and is not as upscale.

Looking for Real Estate in Florida? I recommend you visit these great communities: The Bridges (Boca Raton Real Estate), Valencia Reserve (Boynton Beach Real Estate), Valencia Lakes (Tampa Real Estate), Riverstone (Naples Real Estate)

Thursday, June 6, 2013

How To Make New Friends At Your Retirement Community

Important links: Tampa Real Estate for Sale - Florida Real Estate - Florida Homes - Real Estate Tampa

The key to meeting people and making new friends in a retirement community is the lifestyle /social director. Did you know that the biggest leisure activity for adults 55 and older is watching TV (over 50%) and that less than 25% of adults 55+ participate in sports, exercise or active recreation? To meet new people and get the most out of living at a retirement community you have to get involved.

A Lifestyle Director can help you improve your life and help you make new friends by getting you involved in clubs and hobby groups, organizing dances, parties, picnics, planning trips and similar group activities, which all put you into favorable situations to meet people who share your interests.

You will have the opportunity to experience new things, see new sights, join new activities, develop new skills, feel self-fulfilled, feel healthier, gain more energy, have more fun, and feel more connected to the community. You’ll look forward to having something to do with new friends, but beware of moving into a community without an active clubhouse and social director. You may never meet anyone except the neighbor next door. Retirement is your time to have new experiences, see new scenery and get involved in new activities, or continue enjoying hobbies and activities you’ve already established.

The point is they’re called "Active" adult communities for a reason. They’re a great place to meet new people and make new friends. Most master planned communities have a clubhouse/lifestyle recreation center with many activities. Good communities have swimming pools, exercise facilities, craft rooms, Internet rooms, plus arts & crafts, billiards, card rooms, a theater and social hall. Before you know it, you’ll be spending a lot of time in the clubhouse – meeting friends and enjoying activities with your neighbors, who are close to your age and have similar backgrounds and share the same interests as you.

That’s when the fun begins: card games, golf, dances, tennis, lectures, classes, musical programs, organized outings and trips, Broadway-style shows and professional entertainment groups that regularly visit your community. That’s why you move there – for the fun! And while you’re deciding where you want to move, you might want to choose one that offers a resort-like atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re on vacation all year long.