[transitflier]

Good day.

I recently posted something on here regarding making a move to FL and my wife and I are getting closer to making this a reality this Summer.

My question is as such. If we purchase a home for $225,000 that is 2000 square feet and has a private pool, what would our cost estimate be for the following...

• Electricity (assuming we would run the A/C quite often)
• Pool Maintenance (monthly chemicals/cleaning?)
• Water bill (family of 2 - just my wife and I)
• Gas bill
• Sewer bill
• Garbage/Trash removal bill

We are assuming our property taxes would be $2000-3500 depending on area. We were looking at Kissimmee, Lakeland, and even in Jacksonville area depending where we land jobs. We are also assuming we'd pay $1000-2000 in homeowners insurance. Finally, we know that a lot of properties have HOA monthly dues.

I'm trying to ballpark what the true cost of owning a home descibed above would be. Fyi - we would plan to utilize the private pool a lot.

We are coming from the Midwest so pool maintenance and running A/C often aren't comming expenses. On the flip side, we get hit hard with heating bills in the Fall/Winter/Spring.

If there is someting I am missing, please add it to the list and advise.

Thanks in advance for the response!

[daFrogMan]

For us in Chalotte County, these are approx. 2 adults, pool, 1700 sq.
November, running A/C and pool heater-$190 for elec
Summer months a/c on 85, pool pump running 7 hrs a day around $70 for elec-we were not here full time yet.
Water around 45 month, need to keep the pool topped off.
Taxes were 2300 (I think). We are now homesteaded so this should drop back to around 1700 next year.
Ins, we carry flood also, don't need it but we do. Flood 300/yr. Ins with cage rider around 1600/yr., includes hurricane, 250K coverage.
Septic so no sewer bill (had to put a new tank in though, $2800)
Garbage/recycling included with county taxes.
No gas here.
Once the pool is balanced, maybe $30/month average.
No HOA here.
Back north we had $400+ bills in the winter for elect and gas. OUCH!
Employment in my area, tough! Been interviewing though. We budgeted this. Pay is less. I'll probably be making half what I was used to. I know a lot of people say have a job lined up before coming. I agree! However if you don't have somewhere to move latterly (sp) like a chain store, nobody wants to even look at you, unless you are in a high demand speciality.
However, swimming in an 88F pool on Christmas day, priceless!!!
Best of luck whatever you decide. It took us 10 years to finally get here. Haven't regretted it so far......

[transitflier]

Originally Posted by daFrogMan

For us in Chalotte County, these are approx. 2 adults, pool, 1700 sq.
November, running A/C and pool heater-$190 for elec
Summer months a/c on 85, pool pump running 7 hrs a day around $70 for elec-we were not here full time yet.
Water around 45 month, need to keep the pool topped off.
Taxes were 2300 (I think). We are now homesteaded so this should drop back to around 1700 next year.
Ins, we carry flood also, don't need it but we do. Flood 300/yr. Ins with cage rider around 1600/yr., includes hurricane, 250K coverage.
Septic so no sewer bill (had to put a new tank in though, $2800)
Garbage/recycling included with county taxes.
No gas here.
Once the pool is balanced, maybe $30/month average.
No HOA here.
Back north we had $400+ bills in the winter for elect and gas. OUCH!
Employment in my area, tough! Been interviewing though. We budgeted this. Pay is less. I'll probably be making half what I was used to. I know a lot of people say have a job lined up before coming. I agree! However if you don't have somewhere to move latterly (sp) like a chain store, nobody wants to even look at you, unless you are in a high demand speciality.
However, swimming in an 88F pool on Christmas day, priceless!!!
Best of luck whatever you decide. It took us 10 years to finally get here. Haven't regretted it so far......

Great stuff! Thanks for the info! We won't be making the move unless at least one of us has a good full-time job but we are confident it will happen by Mid-Summer. Thanks again!

[daFrogMan]

Trans..... This was for Charlotte County. Where you're looking may be different. Maybe a post in the forum for that local? Lots of Mid Westerners down this way on the SW coast.
Regardless, Best of luck to you both!!!

[beachmouse]

We're up in the panhandle- 1700sf 3/2/2 brick home in a better area, no pool, home valued probably around $240K.

Property taxes- $1300/year (homesteaded, low tax rate county)

Homeowner's Insurance- $2100 this year. We're about 6 miles from the Gulf and not in a flood zone and this is typical for that kind of house.

Electric- $125/month spring and fall, $200ish in winter or summer. Home is above average in terms of energy efficiency

Gas- none, it's an all-electric house. Most of the state seems to be all electric- heat pumps for CH&A and then it doesn't seem worth it to run a gas line just for the stove and water heater unless you're a gourmet cook.

Water, sewer & trash- consolidated bill from the county about $65-$70 per month. Note that this doesn't include watering the lawn. Like most people in our neighborhood, we use an irrigation well for that.

No HOA, but voluntary community pools membership runs about $450/year here.

[transitflier]

Thanks - to clarify, we are focused on the Orlando and Jacksonville areas.
Just one question, I've seen the "homestead" term come up for property tax. What does this mean?

[beachmouse]

An explanation here:

FL Dept Rev - Property Tax Exemptions and Discounts

Every person who owns and resides on real property in Florida on January 1 and makes the property his or her permanent residence is eligible to receive a homestead exemption up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, including school district taxes. The additional exemption up to $25,000, applies to the assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000 and only to non-school taxes.

Additionally, homesteaded properties have limits on the amount the assessed value can rise on your home every year. Which is quite the good deal during boom times. We bought pre-boom, and our assessed value (used to calculate property taxes) is still a lot lower than the fair market value of the home today.

[daFrogMan]

Forgot to mention a CBS house I've heard is cheaper to insure vs. a Frame House. We're a CBS, Concrete Block Stucco.
Yes, they do have frame houses down here. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with a frame house as long as it is treated for WBI (Wood Boring Insects). Here where Charley hit it destroyed some CBS as well as Frame. However some Frame houses are still instact and structuraly sound.
That's another debate altogether.

[jsmmk]

Considering moving my family to Florida and looking in the Spring Hill area as the cost of housing seems to be quite good there, however I have been told there is not much to do in that area. Housing seems to be a good price but I am concerned about finding jobs and the rate of pay. I do medical billing and my husband does warehouse work.

[daFrogMan]

Hi Jsm
you may want to start another thread in the sub section of the Spring Hill area. I don't know where that is but the sub sections cover pretty much the state.
If you give some insight where you're coming from and what you are looking for, you may get some good responses.
Best of luck!!

Originally Posted by jsmmk

Considering moving my family to Florida and looking in the Spring Hill area as the cost of housing seems to be quite good there, however I have been told there is not much to do in that area. Housing seems to be a good price but I am concerned about finding jobs and the rate of pay. I do medical billing and my husband does warehouse work.