U.S. ebay sellers shipping seeds and seedlings around the world realistic?

[cm05]

Those pictures are insane. I couldn’t imagine experiencing that and I’m a weather enthusiast. Even a Cat 1 is enough for me lol.

As far as the heat, I’ve only been to FL in the summer, and I love every second of it. It’s like NYC (my hometown), but better, and with consistent thunderstorms. I don’t ever tire of the heat and humidity, here or there.

[SoulofthePlace]

2 hours ago, Estlander said:

New homes being built in Florida should now be able to withstand a cat. 5 hurricane. Impact proof windows are also a requirement. If you have no impact proof windows, shutters are certainly a good idea.

If you're looking to build, you can choose whether you want a brick/block home or wooden frame home. Whatever you choose it's gonna be built by the existing building codes which are much stricter than what they used to be.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/08/10/hurricane-andrew-florida-building-codes-weakened/490364001/

Over the next decade, state leaders studied construction standards, negotiated with home builders, and finally, unveiled a statewide, mandatory building code that took effect in 2002.

The lessons of Andrew drove many of the building code changes. Inspectors now had to approve building plans and sign off on all phases of new construction. The entire "building envelope" of a home — every window, door, skylight or any point that could let in wind — had to undergo testing and approval.

That's good news. So all homes past 2003 are guaranteed built by the new code? Have to keep that in mind when buying in Florida. Just carry a hammer for testing.
The palm trees must also have a new kind of palm food fed to them, that makes them resistant to hurricanes, and so the power lines as well (just kidding).
Anyone in FL wants to swap house for house with Azores?

[Estlander]

30 minutes ago, SoulofthePlace said:

That's good news. So all homes past 2003 are guaranteed built by the new code? Have to keep that in mind when buying in Florida. Just carry a hammer for testing.
The palm trees must also have a new kind of palm food fed to them, that makes them resistant to hurricanes, and so the power lines as well (just kidding).
Anyone in FL wants to swap house for house with Azores?

Yes, you’re guaranteed to get one built by the new code. Withstanding Cat. 5 winds is one thing, big trees falling on your home a whole another. 

There are many homes in PC that had big trees come down on peoples houses. 

They showed one family on local news that were home during the hurricane when a tree fell on their home right dead in the middle cutting it in half. Fortunately no one happened to be in that section of the house, so they were all ok. 

Edited December 25, 2018 by Estlander