NEW FLORIDA RESIDENT BLOG

Welcome to Florida. I remember, as a kid, hearing that because of a storm the ocean temp on Cape Cod was 72 degrees.  Since no one I knew had never felt ocean water that warm before, we all raced to the beach.  Looking back, I still remember seeing the temperature posted on the life guard stand and not really believing it.  I just didn't realize life could be that good. Then I moved to the West Coast of Florida. The water here was 72 degrees once.  Last New Year's Day, and my wife could not believe I was going to jump in the "frigid" water.  Fact is, most of us like the ocean above 80 degrees and remain happy through the summer when it gets up to 90.  And no, it is refreshing and not too hot at 90 degrees - it's an experience that new Floridians find life altering. So please come and take a dip in the Gulf any time of year and then give me a call, because after that day you'll be buying a place here and forgetting about your old home. ;-) Pool or

Welcome to Florida. I have always lived by the beach.  As a kid, I remember the summers in New England and how exciting it was to swim in the ocean.  Some of the excitement may have been because beach fun was limited to about 60 days per year.  Florida is different. I have swum in the ocean on Christmas Eve and have watched sunset with my family on the coldest day of the year, just wearing light jackets.  There is no better place than the Beach in Florida.  And, although I love Nokomis Public Beach and Lido - I am always asked about Siesta. The Sand is indescribable, the water is always tremendous and a full day can be spent people watching or walking.  Whichever you prefer.  There are restaurants and bars a stone's throw from the beach and interesting people from all over the world wanting to ask a "local" about life in Sarasota. However, as with much of life, it's probably more important, who you are with than where you are.  But that shouldn't be news t

Welcome to Florida. Good news for all men reading this.  As we all know, men do not carry umbrellas (unless they are with their Nana or helping their wife put the baby in the car).  We just don't, we put our hands in our pockets, maybe pull a hood up (provided your sweatshirt is from a prominent sports team) or most likely ignore it.  Some folks think those rules could be modified in the great state of Florida since, we have driving rain tropical waves on a fairly regular basis.  Naturally, this concerns all men who are on the cusp of moving here. Fear not, in Florida no one should ever use and umbrella - it's too dangerous.  Tampa is the Seminole word for lightning and no one should walk around in a storm with a lightning rod attached to their person.  So pull your hood up on your Blackhawks sweatshirt if you must, but leave your umbrella up north.  You won't need it. Home Search in Florida

Welcome to Florida. Unlike the Midwest, The Northeast or nearly anywhere else in the country, home design in Florida is very unique.  There are Key West homes, Spanish, block, contemporary, Sarasota School of Architecture and every copy from the "place we used to call home".  So when a client asked me if I could sell his home that was painted like a "Chili's Restaurant" (his description, not mine).  My answer was ' no problem'.  People in Florida like unique, and are rarely tied to the old traditional original homes they come from.  So yeah, the placed sold fairly quickly and for a solid price. Again, welcome to Florida.  Onion basket, anyone? Unique Homes