Sebring, Fl real estate info/advise appreciated

[dennis in se pa]

I am considering a move to SW FL to get away from the taxes and weather of PA. I am retired. Sitting in Venice, FL now. Checking out real estate values here, in North Port, Englewood, and Sebring, Lake Placid and Placid Lakes. It seems you can get INCREDIBLE values in the Sebring area. Decent stuff for 100K or less in decent areas. I don't have the budget some of you have, I don't need a showplace, and it is just me and my dogs, so I don't need a big house, just a fenced yard! Can anymore provide some input into WHY the real estate in the Sebring area is so cheap? I read somewhere that the vacancy rate is way high at 35%. That could be misinformation. Thanks in advance. Any input is appreciated.

[BGCarrera32]

Sent you a PM

[Deschodt]

ugh, I hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings, but having driven to Sebring many times for PCA events, the place is a hole in the middle of nowhere... There' s a reason it's cheap. Maybe try a little closer to civilization, there are still deals to be had but you could be a short drive from "things"... Maybe edge ofthe Tampa bay area, or Orlando area, Lakeland in a pinch. There are people there... Each time I drove down to Sebring and left inhabited ares, it was a long hour through absolutely nothing (flooded flat land with rotting trees) before you got there. Ugh...

[dennis in se pa]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

ugh, I hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings, but having driven to Sebring many times for PCA events, the place is a hole in the middle of nowhere... There' s a reason it's cheap. Maybe try a little closer to civilization, there are still deals to be had but you could be a short drive from "things"... Maybe edge ofthe Tampa bay area, or Orlando area, Lakeland in a pinch. There are people there... Each time I drove down to Sebring and left inhabited ares, it was a long hour through absolutely nothing (flooded flat land with rotting trees) before you got there. Ugh...

Heh, heh, heh....just what I am looking for. Solitude has it's worth. No Target, McDonald's, WalMart etc = good. I am entering a hermit stage of my life. Fewer people, traffic, etc. is better.
Thanks for your input.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

Heh, heh, heh....just what I am looking for. Solitude has it's worth. No Target, McDonald's, WalMart etc = good. I am entering a hermit stage of my life. Fewer people, traffic, etc. is better.
Thanks for your input.

Okay then, it could work for you... Build on stilts just in case, rains hard down there... Having left FL a couple years ago, I don't hate it but I don't think I could live with zero hills on the horizon anymore. Too flat, gets depressing...

[id10t]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

Heh, heh, heh....just what I am looking for. Solitude has it's worth. No Target, McDonald's, WalMart etc = good. I am entering a hermit stage of my life. Fewer people, traffic, etc. is better.
Thanks for your input.

How serious are you about that? Plenty of areas around here in N Central Florida that are 25+ miles from nearest big box store, etc. FWIW I'm just N of Gainesville in the Alachua/High Springs area

[seafeye]

I lived in Central Florida for 8 years. It gets HOT. Really Really Sweaty Hot. Felt much better when I lived on the Atlantic coast.


https://youtu.be/BL9H4O-ATBU

[targa911S]

Learn Spanish, and how to pick tomatoes.

[CalPersFatCat]

Originally Posted by id10t

How serious are you about that? Plenty of areas around here in N Central Florida that are 25+ miles from nearest big box store, etc. FWIW I'm just N of Gainesville in the Alachua/High Springs area

I have attended the 12 Hours of Sebring every year for the last five or six years.

It is a one horse town and the racetrack is the only horse.

My best friend (34 years) is a Gainesville native, and now lives in Tampa. He has also lived in Ft. Myers, West Palm and probably ten years in Jacksonville.

Florida is a big state. Take a look around. I loved Jacksonville and was sad when he moved to Tampa a couple of years ago.

Gainesville was awesome in the late 80's and 90's and probably is still very nice. The water skiing in Alachua County is world class. (in my opinion).

There are areas 30 minutes north of Tampa that are very inexpensive but are still within civilization.

DL

[petrolhead611]

In late 2014 I looked around Sebring for inexpensive property, and noticed that the were hundreds of empty lots for sale.Happenned to bu into a former city official I Walmart who explained that several decades ago most of the vacant land around was looted out and sold to northerners as investments for future building on, and the demand for much more housing never materialised.Saying that the amenities in the area appeared much improved over my previous visit a decade earlier. I would prefer to live somewhere personally like Valrico between Plant City an Brandon, because although rural, it has Brandon nearby for every need.

[petrolhead611]

Apologies for typos in above reply.Fighting predictive text on this phone

[LakeCleElum]

Wandered thru there many times on my way from Orlando to Ft. Myers in a Rental Chitbox......Never saw anything that wanted to make me stay longer then getting an order at a fast food joint......I was "off-season"......Had to think about the hot months??????

Personally, I'd go north a state or two...............

[berettafan]

if I were in OP's situation I might consider renting a place there for a month or two. furnished so I didn't have to move stuff. see how it feels after the newness starts to fade.

[dennis in se pa]

Originally Posted by id10t

How serious are you about that? Plenty of areas around here in N Central Florida that are 25+ miles from nearest big box store, etc. FWIW I'm just N of Gainesville in the Alachua/High Springs area

Doesn't it get just as hot and humid there in the summer?
One of the detractions here in the Venice/North Port area is Tamiami Trail. The main through road. Go off the trail and there is NOTHING! But this one strip of highway is incredibly busy.

[dennis in se pa]

Originally Posted by berettafan

if I were in OP's situation I might consider renting a place there for a month or two. furnished so I didn't have to move stuff. see how it feels after the newness starts to fade.

A possibility wherever I choose to move.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

Doesn't it get just as hot and humid there in the summer?
One of the detractions here in the Venice/North Port area is Tamiami Trail. The main through road. Go off the trail and there is NOTHING! But this one strip of highway is incredibly busy.

Yup. It is Florida. It can get hot - and it will every year. Terribly so? No not really... No worse than what I've experienced in Minnesota in July... and our mosquitoes are smaller, we don't have black flies, etc.

We've had close calls with hurricanes 6 or 7 times in my life, but we've also had snow 4 times

Winter can get cold - or it used to (low 20s) - but no snow.

[Esel Mann]

Dennis,

Vacancy rate will be a seasonal metric. For locations that have seasonal populations (there are many), it is not uncommon to 'lose' population in the tens of percents once April/May rolls around due to the snowbird count.

Pricing simply reflects demand. The demand is currently elsewhere. Which for you may be an opportunity should you find Seabring acceptable!

Take a look at google maps terrain view. You will clearly see where the demand currently is. Also look at that Rt 27/98 corridor from Winter Haven southward. Clearly the demand is coming to Seabring.

Purchasing pleasure (that is to say that not dictated by employment,schooling, or medical) real estate in Florida is no different than anywhere else. Find the locations which interest you and meet your budget/needs. Visit them for two-four weeks to get a feel. PA is not that far, use your own car to avoid flight and car rental costs. Settle on one location and then RENT FIRST. If after a year you still are ok with it, then look to buy. I cannot tell you how many people jump in and buy first into a low demand area, find they do not like it for whatever the reason(s) and are stuck because the low demand real estate takes longer to sell and move on.

[dennis in se pa]

I definitely would spend some time there before buying. I like the Gulfport area also.

[tevake]

There are a couple of spots in the big bend area that haven't been over developed yet,
Little areas of old Fla. that ain't so far down state (far from everywhere), most folks speak English. And the prices are still reasonable.

While not close to the track down in Sebring, Datona is not too far.

The summer temps on the gulf side do seem a little higher than the Atlantic, and higher still inland. That's a Fla reality you have to embrace, summer heat and lots of bugs at times.
Once comfortable with those aspects Fla has a lot to offer. Especially nice this time of year.

Cheers Richard

[Salty Springs]

Dennis,
I tend to disagree with a lot of the above posts about Sebring. I have lived in Lakeland for over 35 years and drive to Sebring frequently. I find the drive rather relaxing. Sebring surrounds a large lake ( I think Jackson) and once you get off 27 (which for ten miles has every big box store and fast food joint imaginable) and actually get into the town it is quite charming. Yes it is hot May-Oct,that is why we have beaches,lakes & pools. Guess I"m kinda a flip-flop guy. The bug thing is way over exaggerated (except for ants,they are the worst) never any flies & few mosquitoes ( I do live in town). If you get in the area would love to show you around.
Dave