Plans on Moving to FL from Chicago

[Mac85]

Hey guys, I would like some input from anyone that lives in Florida.
I am so tired of long winters here and I hate staying home for eight months out of the year. I am thinking of moving to central Florida in Seminole County, I have read a lot of reviews about Lake Mary And it seems a great place from the reviews.
Right now I have about 200 hours of help from the caregiver agency That The state pays for. I also have Medicaid and Medicare.
I know it's different in Florida, you don't get as many hours of help.
The weather seems great, while much better than Chicago.
Any input will be much appreciated, thanks a lot

[Donno]

What happened to the Vegas plans??

[Sue Pendleton]

Well, lots of foreclosures down in Florida and as long as you get the waiver up front gimps don't pay property taxes. You could own as cheaply as renting in Chicago. But, having retired to Wisconsin be very aware that every place in Florida is air conditioned to the hilt. I freeze down there or go outside and risk heat stroke. Definitely check the Illinois site for Medicare versus Florida.

[jody]

there are lots of lakes here in south carolina.
gas is 60-80 cents cheeper, I rent a nice three bedroom apartment for 600 a month. near clemson. There is lots and lots of good fishing here and subsidised housing. I don't have subsidised housing, but if I didnt share an apartment, I would proly use it.

I move here from pennsylvania, and it is nice to have no snow, and mostly mild weather. we miss the hurricanes as well as the snow, but it can rain pretty good. There was no problem getting medicare, medicaid, and ssi all reinstated here, but it was difficult finding a Dr, who would accept me due to my pain medicine and issues.

[24/7 Quad]

I lived in Oviedo for 10 years. Great place. People are friendly and winter weather is nice. In case you haven't been to Seminole county it is Northeast of main Orlando. The infrastructure of a big city wasn't there when I lived there (public trans etc.) UCF is nearby and I found several roomates from the college. I traded free rent for attendant care. Call the local CIL for that area - I think they are in Winter Park. Congratulations on your forward thinking and good luck with your plans. Winters up north suck.

[cbdives]

I'm in Brevard county FL...I love it here...been here almost 50 years. We are on the east central coast of Florida. Everyone is so accommodating. There are so many places to visit within a days drive like St Augustine. You will love Florida!

[alflyhigh]

good thinking bro. i have wanting to move south, CA or HI. i've been to orlando the weather is nice not sure about the resources though. leaving seattle seems like a very stupid idea for me, compared to the resources in CA. i have good doctors, very good assistance with independence and the metro/accessibility is the most awesome compared to any city. and probably one of the best city/night life experiences. it just the weather and my unwillingness to live in multi layered clothing environment. my sister lives 30 mins north of san diego and it gets down into the 40's there. wish i could man up and live hear but its too much work for a quady.

good luck

[ala]

I’ve lived in Southwest Florida since 2005—born in Ohio, moved to Tennessee, and now I live here. Many people, like myself, believe it is best to live near the coast. We feel, what’s the point of Florida without the ocean? The temperatures are moderated by the water, nice breezes, and there is some benefit for those with allergies because those ocean breezes don’t carry particulates like pollen. And of course there are other less tangible benefits. But of course, this is just my preference. You may, like others, enjoy life in Central Florida.

There is indeed an Ad Valorem property tax exemption in Florida. That means other forms of property tax, like assessments will still need to be paid, and those can add up to as much as the Ad Valorem portion. All quadriplegics are included in this exemption; however, there is an income limit for paraplegics. US veterans have additional benefits and may qualify for this exemption whether quad or para. There is no income tax here—state or local.

If you have done your research or visited here often enough, you’ll know that the winter months are pleasant and dry. The summer however can be blistering and humid. Speaking of blistering, be prepared for the power of the Florida sun. It’s not like up North or even Tennessee. It’ll cook your ass good, if you’re not careful. Cases of skin cancer are frequent. You may be exchanging days of being trapped indoors in the winter up North for days of summer air conditioning down here. Most of us long for the winter months, so we can open our windows and work outside comfortably again.

The Orlando area has grown a lot over the years. This means that there are opportunities but also, like any large city, there are rough areas where crime is a problem. One of my sons will be graduating from UCF in a couple of weeks. The school is known for its technical degrees.

We did have a lot of foreclosures, but the market has been recovering. In some areas the inventory of homes is quite low and people are even finding themselves in bidding wars again. Still, there is what some call the “shadow” inventory. Banks here have held on to or delayed foreclosures. Demand has been strong over the last few months , but no one knows what would happen if they dumped large numbers of homes on the market again.

[roc21]

I live in Ft. Lauderdale. As mentioned, No state income tax is a great. Property tax exemptions make a big difference in the home that you can afford. I only pay about $400 a yr. I know people that pay 5-10 thousand!
Yes summer is hot, temperature wise, 90 is about avg tops in july/aug. Its the humidity that makes it seem worse. Im 3 hrs south of the orlando area that you mentioned. Hurricane season is june-november, but usually sept/oct is the time when the big storms are capable of hitting. Dec-april to me is the best, 80' during day, high 60/low 70 at night, constant cool breezes off the ocean. I cant speak on caregiver benefits because I dont use one. The housing market is rising in prices, slowy, but still affordable.
If you have any questions specific to south east florida, just ask

[forestranger52]

It would be pretty tough for quads in Florida. Where are you going to go if a hurricane threatens? Not to the school gym for a few days and sleep on a cot. Mandatory evacuation. What about tornados? You will quickly need to get to a safe area, preferably in a basement or a local school. If your buildings damaged, what then. How long can you hang in 90 degree heat and 85% humidity when the power goes out because of bad weather or just outside on the porch. Minutes. Imagine being a quad during Katrina.
In Florida quads would mostly stay inside during summer except for very short trips and once November comes, head out. Just the opposite of Chicago but still mostly stuck inside for long periods.

I would not want to live anywhere above the ground floor. Every subsidized apt I have been offered is on the second floor or higher. Too small for lifts and powerchairs anyway. Elevators sometimes have emergency generators but folks are not allowed to use elevators during emergencies. Not for this quad. There are warm places to live without very dangerous weather.

[cbdives]

I'm basically a an incomplete para...I love my state (hate the current governor). It suits all my needs...Tornadoes are rare, hurricane season exciting. I live on a Barrier Island and never evacuated my home.

Joe

[roc21]

It would be pretty tough for quads in Florida. Where are you going to go if a hurricane threatens? Not to the school gym for a few days and sleep on a cot. Mandatory evacuation. What about tornados? You will quickly need to get to a safe area, preferably in a basement or a local school. If your buildings damaged, what then. How long can you hang in 90 degree heat and 85% humidity when the power goes out because of bad weather or just outside on the porch. Minutes. Imagine being a quad during Katrina.
In Florida quads would mostly stay inside during summer except for very short trips and once November comes, head out. Just the opposite of Chicago but still mostly stuck inside for long periods.

I would not want to live anywhere above the ground floor. Every subsidized apt I have been offered is on the second floor or higher. Too small for lifts and powerchairs anyway. Elevators sometimes have emergency generators but folks are not allowed to use elevators during emergencies. Not for this quad. There are warm places to live without very dangerous weather.

You dont know much about florida.....Its not bad for quads. 16 yrs, yet to see a mandatory evacuation, which would probably only happen to residents along the beach(east of intracoastal) anyway. We dont get tornadoes. Houses dont have basements in florida. Maybe way up north and central(watertable is less than 5 ft here). Majority dont even have a 2nd fl. I lost power for 3 weeks from Hurricane Wilma. It wasnt fun, but survived. Buy a generator to help that situation, fans, refrigerator,etc. There are weather situations anywhere you live.. People in ny/nj never thought a hurricane would do what it did.

[ala]

There is almost zero chance of having to evacuate because of a hurricane in Seminole County, where the OP is looking. Central Florida never gets the full effect from a hurricane and no storm surge; although flood damage can still be a problem in some central areas. A hurricane can drop a lot of rain and they seem to do it when they slow down or weaken. Florida does get tornadoes. Tornadoes frequently form around the edges of a hurricane or tropical storm, due to the swirling winds. Most aren’t as serious as those further up north. And they don’t seem to last as long. Dwellings of inferior construction, like trailers, do suffer.

There are a lot of houses and buildings built with their entrances close to ground level. My home has a 4” entrance in front and a small ramp (about 2 steps worth) in the garage. This is very typical in most areas. Basements are rare and expensive, but some homes/buildings do use stem wall construction. These structures are raised a few feet above ground.

[Polett]

I'm a quad, live in Florida for about 15 years... I'm close to the ocean, have been under evacuation warnings and mandatory evacuation a few times, and its not the end of the world, simply book a hotel room for 2 nights inland (not too expensive) and done deal.

BTW only had to go to a Hotel once (during Katrina), and should have stayed home. Roughed it out for Wilma and while I was trapped home for 5 days, it was not something that would kill anyone.

Besides, this is diving paradise! Nothing beats that! (U.S. wise I mean).

[forestranger52]

Safety and comfort depends on your assets. If one is applying for subsidized housing there is almost a 0 chance for an apt on the ground floor. Waiting for 10 years and was offered an apt on third floor last fall which was too small for my hospital bed, lift and powerchair. What level you are is critical. A C5/6 Quad living in subsidized housing in a strange area without any family or friends for support is in a shaky sitiuation to begin with. Hoping and waiting for a stranger or some government entity to come and help you in times of need is asking for trouble. Rule 1, you can not depend totaly on your aids. These folks are poorly paid workers, often single mothers who have responsibilities of their own. Ocasionaly you have a good one or two but mostly they are around for a short time. Turnover in home care is over 90%, the person you train today is gone tommorow.

I live in a concrete block,, 2 car garage that I remodeled to be accessible. It is damn near impossible to find dependable, trustworthy contractors to help you and I have lived here 25 years. I am very fortunate that I know how and what needs done but most folks don't and when your a gimp, look the hell out. Imagine being youg and alone.

Hope one dosen't need pain medication, that changes everything.

Private transportation would help a lot but most high quads don't drive or have any. Forget calling the Access bus or van during times of distress. Let's not compare apples and oranges now. Consider the situation.

I have lived in florida before. 1 1/2 years in Orlando in early 70's when it was easy to get around and lots of housing available. Great but a tornado just missed us where we lived in a trailer east of town. 11 months in Belleair Bluffs and I saw some extremely violent weather. Built a house designed to be almost hurricaine proof. I would feel a lot safer in that one but it cost a bunch. Not many young, complete high quads buying these unless a huge insurance settlement or rich dadies. Wish for both.