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Calling all Florida Residents


Dartolution

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No major hurricane, defined as category 3 or higher, has struck Brevard county since 1850, the beginning of recorded climate. That is the reason the space port is here. And its a nice place for growing things.

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Low crime, good climate, Juno and Jupiter are good on the crime and climate for everything you want to grow, Tequesta excellent on the crime with just as good climate but the population is pretty old, very active  police department,  (don't ever speed in Tequesta) Jupiter has Scripts so that may be in your line of work.

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Jupiter FL

in the Zone formally known as 10A

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4 hours ago, redant said:

Low crime, good climate, Juno and Jupiter are good on the crime and climate for everything you want to grow, Tequesta excellent on the crime with just as good climate but the population is pretty old, very active  police department,  (don't ever speed in Tequesta) Jupiter has Scripts so that may be in your line of work.

Jupiter really is a nice community. @Dartolution won't be able to get multiple acres there, but if a normal sized residential lot is acceptable then Jupiter would be a great choice for SE Florida.

Edited by RedRabbit
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Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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13 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

if what you want to grow is sabals, bismarckia, mules etc,  those are easy and grow quickly in my area.  Mulching is needed once a year in our sandy soil for best results.  The bismarckia I do not mulch, not needed.  The sabal causiarum did respond to mulching after 6-7 years of no mulching, its a monster.  Some areas of my yard are pure sand to 3' deep and some are mixed clay and sand, especially up near the house where clay takes over due to site preparation for the slab.  I have only a 110 x 115' lot, but privacy is the best of any yard I have lived in (up to 2 acres).  The borders in back and sides are planted out with an unbuildable wooded area in back across the HOA fence.  I used serenoa repens, chinese dwarf bamboo, phoenix rupicola triple etc, to shut down views into the yard from the sides.  The front is kind of open but you cant see into the backyard from out there.  I thought I needed more land and more width of lot especially, but with the kind of things I planted and how things grow here, the privacy is excellent in many areas of the yard and under rated palm shade is magnificent in cutting the heat without making the whole yard dark and without sun in the winter.  I find sunlight, filtered properly, is great for enhancing croton and other tropical plant colors.  As the sun makes its path acros the sky different plants are illuminated against a shady background.  After growing it in for 10 years, I cannot leave it to grow another yard that will take ten years to get this layered jungle canopy.   I can grow 10a palms, have lots of them, and the yard has more palm density/canopy than ever so it should be more protected in cold than ever.  I will say that when you start with a blank slate, you yard will be notably more vulnerable to a freeze and kill off of small palms that are 10a.  After a few years that situation goes away with the increasing coldhardiness of palms as the bud rises in height and as many plantings trap heat down in advective(coldest) events here.  Good luck, if you do decide to move to florida stop by on the way to wherever you are bound, and grab a free seedling from my container ranch.   Want a sabal causiarum? I have  several small seedlings I am growing out.  On crime, we are aways out and there are 5 cops living in our neighborhood.  Nothing going on here but I think downtown palmetto is an issue.  Its 6-7 miles away and doesnt seem influence what is going on here crimewise.

Thanks @sonoranfans. By mulching what do you mean exactly? Are you talking about pine or hardwood bark chips, or are you referring to applying compost material to the soil surface around these palms?

 

I would love a causiarum one day. I have a blackburniana planted here this year... we will see how it does. I do not however have space for a causiarum, and I don't know if they would even make it here. Not sure. 

Can you grow adonidia's? Christmas palms? 

 

As far as non-palm tropical plants. I would want the ability to also grow plenty of tropical gingers, aphelandra, crotons of course, and plenty others... 

 

The main reason for the average is the ability to have a bubble around the house, and plenty of room to add to landscaping/gardening. 

Is palmetto florida classified as 9b or 10a, or both?

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21 hours ago, RedRabbit said:

Have you tried getting an elevation certificate? I believe that trumps a flood map so if you're really high enough you can avoid paying for flood insurance.

As I mentioned, the flood maps were redone and I'm no longer required to have flood insurance.

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1 hour ago, NOT A TA said:

As I mentioned, the flood maps were redone and I'm no longer required to have flood insurance.

Ah, sorry I read that backwards.

Flood insurance is a real downer though. I almost bought a house in S Tampa last year, but flood was going to be $1,800 per year. It’s tough to justify that so 9b here I am... I’m looking for an investment property now and unfortunately the barrier islands are basically out of the question due to flood insurance. Anna Maria or Siesta Key would be ideal if it weren’t for that. :(

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Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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On 7/1/2020 at 5:36 PM, Merlyn2220 said:

I read that young Archies need some protection from full sun, but I wasn't aware that older ones had a problem with full sun in FL.  I have several seedlings in part shade, and planted one out in my "tropical bed" that gets drenched with overhead spray every morning.  That one definitely blanches out older leaves fast, but seems to be growing faster than the ones in the shady nursery area. 

 

On 7/6/2020 at 7:17 PM, Umbrae said:

will the trunk support lifting that big of a root ball , if memory serves me right brahea roots bleed when they are cut 

 

On 7/11/2020 at 5:59 AM, SouthFLA said:

I respectfully disagree with you. Mine is only a few years old and about 20ft overall now. Ensure direct sunlight and plenty of quality fertilizer and you will have good results.

 

On 7/11/2020 at 5:24 PM, thallo said:

Thanks for the feedback! Here’s a photo of the spot where I have it now - you can see the strap leaves. It’s 34 inches from the wall to the sidewalk. 

E8E644F9-84C4-46DD-8C22-5638D3CF7396.jpeg

 

On 7/14/2020 at 9:01 AM, NickJames said:

Respectfully, I disagree with the risk assessment and so do most insurance companies. I live in a large, new home and I pay $590 annually for hazard insurance with only a $1000 hurricane deductible. We have some of the strictest building codes in the whole country for new construction. My home frame and roof trusses are literally bolted down into the concrete slab with large iron rods that are 25+ feet long. My house is not going anywhere. Officially, it can withstand sustained winds of 145mph. The chances of that occurring are so rare my Home insurance is Less than my car insurance. 
 

Again, respectfully, our risk profile is actually fairly low compared to other places. We rarely have tornadic or supercell activity that happens in other parts of the country. 
 

There are locations that have been and will always be at higher risk in Florida, of course. 

 

On 7/14/2020 at 10:08 AM, Johnny Palmseed said:

Most homes built now will be able to withstand 90% of probable storms but a new house may not be in his budget. Also, the location plays a big part. When we moved to Merritt Island from Jacksonville in 2002, we could not get homeowners insurance from State Farm even though we had been with them for almost 10 years. They were simply not writing policies in Brevard County.  We ended up with some company I had never heard of for about $900/year. The whole thing is a scam anyway. They raise the rates whenever they have a big payout and change the rules for what qualifies as a discount on the wind mitigation. Some of my neighbors got new roofs after Matthew but they were literally falling apart before the storm. They just waited for the storm damage. I replaced my roof years earlier and had minor damage but no claim due to the $5000 deductible. Then they raised my rates. And lowered theirs because the roof was new.

 

On 7/14/2020 at 12:50 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

Bizzies will usually take all the water you can throw at them if soil drains well. Mine’s been in nearly constantly moist soil year round for 15 years and loves it. My soil is dark fertile loam 2 feet down them mostly clay. I’m in a cooler climate though so I would guess in a hotter climate, too much water would be even less an issue provided the soil drains properly. The most awesome Bismarck palms I’ve ever seen are growing in the very moist tropics. Amazing for a palm that’s also tolerant of drought. 

 

On 7/14/2020 at 7:44 PM, Dartolution said:

Just to reiterate to everyone, I am only looking for insight into good/safe areas in terms of crime, and weather. I am looking for those with experience in zones 9b-11a really with growing conditions, culture, and what you do to amend sandy hard soil. 

I also want to note, that while I said 1-5 acres, I do not intend to plant 5 acres worth of palm trees. haha I know some of us would. But I would rather have most of that undeveloped for privacy, and create a small "bubble" if you will for gardening/landscaping using palms. 

 

A lot of talk about freeze data still has me curious. 

I suppose the main palms I would want to grow would be those that most find uninteresting. Sabals (which are my favorite), Bismarckia, Mule, other hybrids, Pheonix roebelenii, majesty, and perhaps some cycads, and one or two other more tropical palms, lipstick for instance... who knows. 

I think coconut palms are overrated....*please don't shoot me* haha

 

For future posts, can we keep this thread about safe areas,(crime and weather), gardening experience and practices in a wetter and warmer climate on average than where I am now, and areas with land/resources?

 

 

 

 

10 hours ago, Dartolution said:

Thanks @sonoranfans. By mulching what do you mean exactly? Are you talking about pine or hardwood bark chips, or are you referring to applying compost material to the soil surface around these palms?

 

I would love a causiarum one day. I have a blackburniana planted here this year... we will see how it does. I do not however have space for a causiarum, and I don't know if they would even make it here. Not sure. 

Can you grow adonidia's? Christmas palms? 

 

As far as non-palm tropical plants. I would want the ability to also grow plenty of tropical gingers, aphelandra, crotons of course, and plenty others... 

 

The main reason for the average is the ability to have a bubble around the house, and plenty of room to add to landscaping/gardening. 

Is palmetto florida classified as 9b or 10a, or both?

1) I do add palm and cactus soil to ammend when I plant(upto 30%) the palms and I triple the rootball size for the hole and go 2-3' deep depnding on size of palm fo course.  Mulching I am refering to is top mulch, in my case I use a metalueca mulch as its sustainable and locks into place, and doesn float away like pine.   The point is that it biodegrades in the heat and enters the soil column. In some places my soil is now of high organic content for the top 4-8" of soil, like a jungle.  This you need to keep up because it eventually gets digested and you are left with sand/clay over a few years if you dont reapply.  The mulch makes for a rich top layer that holds moisture and nutrients.

2) Causiarum is good to the high teens at least.  Adonidias do fine here, we havent seen below 30F since 2010 and some adonidias survived that as well as spindles big royals(all survived), big foxtails(all survived 28F in 2010).  The 9b/10a crownshafted pinnate palms I currently grow include 4 species of archies, Kentiopsis Oliviformis, dypsis leptocheilos, satakentia luikensis, dypsis madagascariensis, dypsis pembana, chambeyronia Macrocarpa, dyctosperma albumin.  We are borderline 9b/10a as rated about ten years ago, but we havent seen even a freeze in half the years since 2010 so we may go 10a this time.  While my postal address is palmstto, its a strangely shaped district.  I am just a mile east of the 275/75 interstate junction, closer to ellenton but 2 miles north.  As you go to the gulf, it gets warmer fo course.  Anna maria island due west is one of the warmest microclimes on the west coast.  Even though anna maria is well north of naples it is a few degrees warmer due to the surrounding water on 3 sides.  

3) I have 8-10 crotons and a handfull of bromeliads, never had one die.  They are what I plan to use for spreading color spots under in part shade under the palm canopy.  I am now directing my plantings to understory.  I had been away working (save 1 month a year) for 7 years so I wasnt planting much with shallow roots(like crotons) now I am back and am in the process of putting those in.  The color they provide with filtered sunlight cam be very striking.  Around the neighborhood crotons are everywhere

crotonsetc.jpg

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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@sonoranfans Thanks for that description. Thats what I was most curious about. I wasn't sure if mulching using bark chips or compost would cause a problem in that climate with unwanted fungus. Here, I use a mixture of pea gravel, cyprus mulch, pine bark, or compost depending on what it is. 

So if Im right, it sounds like there is not a big difference in terms of amending there, vs here. 

 

I checked out pine island, and palmetto both last night. There are quite a number of interesting properties for sale. Some even having a little over a half-acre of land. 

 

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Pine island is warmer by about 2 degrees in the coldest weather.  It is a ways off the beaten track and does have more bugs like mosquitos.  Not sure about water availability or cost of water down there, might be well water.  You might get your best bang for the buck down there, but there isnt much new housing so the houses are mostly NOT hurricane ready.   My aunt had her place in homestead destroyed(a 2 story flattened to 2-3' of rubble) in andrew in 1996(?), it was a total loss and she moved out of florida rather than rebuild and pay 8k a year in extra insurance.  Insurance costs skyrocketed after andrew but they have come down some since.    That can change with a big storm down there, here its not a risk.  I also don't want to have to run from a hurricane.  My place is NOT in a flood zone,  we are 24' above sea level with no nearby lakes to overflow.  I remember my aunt getting chased out of homestead due to fear of andrew, andred had the most violent winds in recent times(160-165mph), that is not going to happen to me here.   We havent seen over 80mph winds in recorded history here.  The east coast is at risk of the highest winds, once hurricanes hit land, the winds drop.  IRMA coming over land from its Naples where it was 140mph, it dropped to 65-75mph here.  This also means that orlando area  geneally does not get the really high winds as its inland a ways.  Flooding is the issue in tampa area and in orlando, not wind velocity.  

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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4 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

Pine island is warmer by about 2 degrees in the coldest weather.  It is a ways off the beaten track and does have more bugs like mosquitos.  Not sure about water availability or cost of water down there, might be well water.  You might get your best bang for the buck down there, but there isnt much new housing so the houses are mostly NOT hurricane ready.   My aunt had her place in homestead destroyed(a 2 story flattened to 2-3' of rubble) in andrew in 1996(?), it was a total loss and she moved out of florida rather than rebuild and pay 8k a year in extra insurance.  Insurance costs skyrocketed after andrew but they have come down some since.    That can change with a big storm down there, here its not a risk.  I also don't want to have to run from a hurricane.  My place is NOT in a flood zone,  we are 24' above sea level with no nearby lakes to overflow.  I remember my aunt getting chased out of homestead due to fear of andrew, andred had the most violent winds in recent times(160-165mph), that is not going to happen to me here.   We havent seen over 80mph winds in recorded history here.  The east coast is at risk of the highest winds, once hurricanes hit land, the winds drop.  IRMA coming over land from its Naples where it was 140mph, it dropped to 65-75mph here.  This also means that orlando area  geneally does not get the really high winds as its inland a ways.  Flooding is the issue in tampa area and in orlando, not wind velocity.  

Surprisingly Pine Island actually has some areas that are in Zone X so no flood insurance is required. And as far as hurricanes go, I figure if a house survived Charlie that’s a pretty good indication it’s sturdy enough.

2 hours ago, Dartolution said:

You're really trying to sell me on Palmetto huh? haha 

It all depends on what you want to achieve. If you want a few acres and a good climate then Pine Island is probably your best bet. If you want somewhere a little more expensive but more cosmopolitan there are places in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, like Palmetto, that may be good choices. You’re just going going to pay more per acre there... If I had my choice it would probably look like this:

1. Sarasota

2. Boca Raton

3. Jupiter

4. Coral Gables

5. St. Petersburg

I don’t need a large lot size though... 

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Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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16 hours ago, Dartolution said:

You're really trying to sell me on Palmetto huh? haha 

Well I dont know if there are reasonable priced options within 10a that arent bad areas.  Anything near downtown palmetto is a no, too much risk of crime for me.  I wouldnt do pine island myself due to proximity to my daughters and family.  The job market is an issue in some of the more remote florid areas like pine island.  Also when the economy tanked in the housing collapse, lots of houses in FL were defaulted on and sat unoccupied without AC, not a good thing for mold and wood rot.  Some areas down south had the lowest occupancy rates.  You have different criteria than I do, and you cant buy much of a lot here now(mine is a double lot and they were trying to close out the development during the banking collapse), unless its an older home.  Your work criteria matters I suspect, and you don't seem to need 10a with your list of palms that you like.  If I were you I would research the home ownership history for places you like, and look at the history to see it if may have sat unoccupied.  Good luck, prices everywhere have risen, we are up 30%+ since 2010.  Taxes are an issue as well, and you might want to pay higher taxes if you have kids that need a good school.  Manatee county has a lower valuation and tax rate/valuation for a specified level of home, but schools are mediocre at best.  If growing palms is your priority and housing cost is something you want to limit, I'd take a good look at pine island.  If you need to be near an airport or culture, pine island is way off the beaten track.  If its going to be a second home, be aware that your real estate taxes will be notably higher as non florida residents dont get the resident tax rate.

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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Just comparing prices and ability to grow the same palms that flourish in Hawaii, don’t forget about rural Puerto Rico.

I feel very safe on the west side (far from San Juan) with 15 acres and a concrete house that withstood hurricane Maria.

Never a worry about cold as it is 66-88 with a nice breeze where I live at about 1000 feet.
 

Crazy cheap and even an ocean view. 

I enjoy visiting FL which in nonCovid days was an easy 2.5 hour flight, but living here allowed me to retire early.


 

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Cindy Adair

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33 minutes ago, Cindy Adair said:

Just comparing prices and ability to grow the same palms that flourish in Hawaii, don’t forget about rural Puerto Rico.

I feel very safe on the west side (far from San Juan) with 15 acres and a concrete house that withstood hurricane Maria.

Never a worry about cold as it is 66-88 with a nice breeze where I live at about 1000 feet.
 

Crazy cheap and even an ocean view. 

I enjoy visiting FL which in nonCovid days was an easy 2.5 hour flight, but living here allowed me to retire early.


 

What's the closest town to you?

Jupiter FL

in the Zone formally known as 10A

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2 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

Well I dont know if there are reasonable priced options within 10a that arent bad areas.  Anything near downtown palmetto is a no, too much risk of crime for me.  I wouldnt do pine island myself due to proximity to my daughters and family.  The job market is an issue in some of the more remote florid areas like pine island.  Also when the economy tanked in the housing collapse, lots of houses in FL were defaulted on and sat unoccupied without AC, not a good thing for mold and wood rot.  Some areas down south had the lowest occupancy rates.  You have different criteria than I do, and you cant buy much of a lot here now(mine is a double lot and they were trying to close out the development during the banking collapse), unless its an older home.  Your work criteria matters I suspect, and you don't seem to need 10a with your list of palms that you like.  If I were you I would research the home ownership history for places you like, and look at the history to see it if may have sat unoccupied.  Good luck, prices everywhere have risen, we are up 30%+ since 2010.  Taxes are an issue as well, and you might want to pay higher taxes if you have kids that need a good school.  Manatee county has a lower valuation and tax rate/valuation for a specified level of home, but schools are mediocre at best.  If growing palms is your priority and housing cost is something you want to limit, I'd take a good look at pine island.  If you need to be near an airport or culture, pine island is way off the beaten track.  If its going to be a second home, be aware that your real estate taxes will be notably higher as non florida residents dont get the resident tax rate.

@sonoranfans Glad you mentioned the issue of houses sitting unoccupied. I would not have thought about mold and wood rot as an issue there. 

While I MAY not need a 10a/10b climate I would like the option as time goes by. You never know what you may want later down the road. Also, I would think that being a bit "buffered" may help as well. 

While palm growing isn't the TOP priority, it is a piece of puzzle of course. Consulting everyone who has contributed this thread has brought up ideas and topics I haven't thought of previously. Thats why I have always felt that the IPS is a great resource when considering these types of topics. 

I do not need an airport or a large city/entertainment area nearby. This is not something I would even worry about when looking for places. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Cindy Adair said:

Just comparing prices and ability to grow the same palms that flourish in Hawaii, don’t forget about rural Puerto Rico.

I feel very safe on the west side (far from San Juan) with 15 acres and a concrete house that withstood hurricane Maria.

Never a worry about cold as it is 66-88 with a nice breeze where I live at about 1000 feet.
 

Crazy cheap and even an ocean view. 

I enjoy visiting FL which in nonCovid days was an easy 2.5 hour flight, but living here allowed me to retire early.


 

@Cindy Adair Im actually quite glad you brought up PR. I would love to consider this, but my main concern is how many hurricanes go through there. 

Also, I have heard resources like building materials are difficult to obtain there. PR would be amazing though. 

 

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Pine Island has some great homesites that are actually not even in a flood zone if you look close enough. Back in 2005, I actually went down there and looked around to buy some land and it was reasonable even at that time. As mentioned by sonoranfans The main problem for a lot of people would be the lack of decent paying jobs within a reasonable commute and things to do (maybe not as big a problem anymore as everything is heading towards online formats). It is very remote actually, which would I personally like. You almost would need a boat or jet ski to be able to get out to the beach easily and to have something to do. The palmetto/Ellenton/Parrish area is booming and really starting to look a little overpriced for what you’re getting but it really is very centrally located to Tampa/St. Pete/Bradenton/Sarasota and gulf beaches and it probably is pretty much a low zone 10A from I75 all the way over East to US 301 at this point and getting warmer all the time as they pack in more suburban developments. Probably pushing high zone 10A on the west side of I75 to the immediate bay front where it may just touch low 10B in areas like Sneed Island and the Terra Ceia area. 

Edited by ruskinPalms
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Parrish, FL

Zone 9B

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Healthcare down pine island way could also be an issue.  Culture could mean a number of things.  5 mins away I can sit down on the waterfront and have fresh grouper fish n chips for $12.   I also like to eat at a good cuban restaurant now and then once all this is over.  Everything is a tradeoff, if I could afford SE florida housing, hurricane insurance and flood after retiring and if it didnt reprenent the #1 hurrican risk in the US, I would like to live there.   

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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4 hours ago, redant said:

What's the closest town to you?

Mayaguez (and little Las Marías).

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Cindy Adair

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2 hours ago, Dartolution said:

 

@Cindy Adair Im actually quite glad you brought up PR. I would love to consider this, but my main concern is how many hurricanes go through there. 

Also, I have heard resources like building materials are difficult to obtain there. PR would be amazing though. 

 

Like FL, hurricanes are a consideration.  Plants are resilient but landslides happen. 

It is the wooden houses with metal roofs that I would never want. Nor do I want to live so close to the water that tsunamis would be a worry.

Right after Maria building materials were very scarce. Before that (and now) doesn’t seem a big issue. We do have some of the big box stores and lots of small hardware stores that also stock building supplies. Limited special orders though.
 

Employment is limited here and even those with college degrees have trouble finding jobs so often leave for the States and their parents follow. Thus many nice houses on many acres for sale. Hard to get permits to get water and electricity and build from scratch I am told.

But with internet good in most places tech workers and retirees do well.

Recent increase in earthquakes could be a concern. 
 

No need for heat or a/c means lots more money for palms and travel! Plus no real estate taxes for most houses if a full time resident.

 

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Cindy Adair

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55 minutes ago, Cindy Adair said:

Like FL, hurricanes are a consideration.

Not 100% sure on this, but aren't the tropical storms typically less organized/weaker when they pass by PR and gain strength as they move towards FL or into the Gulf?

Jon Sunder

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On 7/15/2020 at 7:37 PM, NOT A TA said:

As I mentioned, the flood maps were redone and I'm no longer required to have flood insurance.

And I hope you get no floods!

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6 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

And I hope you get no floods!

I had a bad one that destroyed the interior of my home. Caused by criminals who burglarized my house. They stole almost everything in the house. When they took the refrigerator the water feed for the ice maker just ran on the floor filling the house with a few inches of water. The AC couldn't dehumidify all the water and black mold grew on everything organic (like walls, doors, cabinets). I had to have the house gutted to the frame.

Flood insurance only covers rising water not falling water so floods from pipes, roofs, etc. not covered by flood insurance.

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@Dartolution if you do go to Florida, wherever you go, you will have a family of palm nuts waiting for you.

I visited back in 2007 to 2008 and got the warmest welcome one could hope for, from Palm Talkers.

If Florida no workee, there's always California. Though, we're expensive out here.

Best to you, let us know what you do, sir.

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

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Cindy,

What ever happened to your neighbor's cows eating your plants?

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So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

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8 minutes ago, Jerry@TreeZoo said:

Cindy,

What ever happened to your neighbor's cows eating your plants?

Jerry so good to see you back!

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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7 hours ago, Jerry@TreeZoo said:

Cindy,

What ever happened to your neighbor's cows eating your plants?

I co owned that farm and circumstances required that I move to another farm more than twice as big, also in western Puerto Rico in 2017.
No cows anywhere close! The sturdy concrete house here stood through Hurricane Maria and I’ve been clearing and planting ever since. 
Thanks for asking.

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Cindy Adair

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8 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Jerry so good to see you back!

It is better to be seen than viewed.

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So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

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High ground near the coast is a nice combo.  Bokeelia (Pine Island) has a ridge where most of the tropical fruit and palm production is. I've attached a map of this area below (ridge is yellow). Due to the elevation of this ridge, flood insurance is not required there which is pretty much unheard of for island or coastal property in Florida. Higher elevation than most areas of mainland Florida as well as better drainage near the coast. 

Hurricane Charley hit Bokeelia in 2004 with 150mph winds. Many homes upgraded their roofs to metal after that storm. 

Mosquitoes and noseeums are the only things keeping properties somewhat affordable! 

pine_island_ridge.jpg

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2 hours ago, dwfl said:

Mosquitoes and noseeums are the only things keeping properties somewhat affordable! 

AH! That's why it costs so much more to live here. Haven't seen a mosquito in a long time. People don't believe when I tell them that because they think there's lots of bugs everywhere in Florida. 

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6 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

AH! That's why it costs so much more to live here. Haven't seen a mosquito in a long time. People don't believe when I tell them that because they think there's lots of bugs everywhere in Florida. 

 

Yep. Last year a new neighbor moved in from New York. They had visited the island in dry season, fell in love and bought a house. They came back in wet season got eaten up pretty bad and immediately put the home back on the market. Prices can be cheaper but you pay the difference in blood. There is an adjustment period and a sort of tolerance buildup time period needed when moving in among biting buggies. Dress appropriately when working outside and they don't bother too much. Haven't worn shorts outside in years!

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Happily I get very few mosquito bites on my PR farm. However some areas of PR have issues.

In coastal Virginia once the Asian tiger mosquitos arrived more than half the year it was awful 24/7 in my suburban backyard. Plus ticks there which are not on my farm.

No leeches in PR.

However the horrible Pika Pika vine fuzzy pods blow stinging fibers around March in some areas. I am working to eradicate the patches on my farm by cutting existing vines and pulling up seedlings. Still much better than mosquitos for sure, plus no poisonous snakes.

When I needed to leave my old farm 3 years ago I considered the whole world including FL and HI, but ended up not far from my old place.

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Cindy Adair

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1 hour ago, dwfl said:

 

Yep. Last year a new neighbor moved in from New York. They had visited the island in dry season, fell in love and bought a house. They came back in wet season got eaten up pretty bad and immediately put the home back on the market. Prices can be cheaper but you pay the difference in blood. There is an adjustment period and a sort of tolerance buildup time period needed when moving in among biting buggies. Dress appropriately when working outside and they don't bother too much. Haven't worn shorts outside in years!

I’m guessing the lack of beaches is the primary reason Pine Island is cheap.

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Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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