I have been following some threads on different community sites for agents here in Florida and I have been reading things about taxes and nobody is happy with this or that or anything else. Now they are not happy with the new plan they are putting together either. “It will affect the schools, fire departments, police departments, etc…” is all I hear but no solutions offered up by anyone. And then I read and hear people saying things like “people will move out of the state and nobody will be moving in” and “it will be a negative for FL because nobody will be able to afford to live here” and so forth and so on. I will say that I have seen people moving from Fl to states like TN, NC, SC, and GA. More house for less money there but, in general, you make less too.
Many of these people are of retiring age though and I have recently seen people moving back from those states. The grass was not greener for them there.
So here is a little bit about taxes and so forth.
Schools: Obviously being in real estate full time, the tax issue is a big issue for me. It is also an issue for my brother who is a school teacher here in Palm Beach County, FL so I realize what tax dollars can do for them. That being said, with the taxes as they were / are, my brother was still purchasing many of his own supplies and my wife and I have “adopted” our daughter’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade classes and we will probably “adopt” her 4th grade class after this summer. What this means is that we donate money and supplies to our child’s class so it helps with her education, the education of the class and it puts less of a financial strain on her teacher. We have a running joke that the teachers get together in the teachers lounge at the end of the year and roll dice or draw straws to see who will get our daughter next year and benefit from it! The point to this is even with the higher taxes – it still did not do much to help the schools, the kids or the teachers. So yes, something has to be done but why not start by doing what we do. Donate a few hundred bucks to your kids class. Or donate $50 bucks to the class or boxes of pencils or paper or crayons or anything. Get a local business to sponsor the class – maybe your firm? Believe me it will help your kids and your teachers. And it is a direct way to put money in the hands of the teachers instead of waiting for budgets, etc…
Plus it just feels good to help – if you can.
Taxes: The first thing you hear from ANYONE when speaking about real estate in FL is “oh the taxes are so high” or “yeah it is a great property but the taxes will kill us” or “we have to move because the taxes are killing us”. So, it is more than obvious to me that SOMETHING had to be done. And as always with politics or any major issue someone will not be happy with the result when a decision is made. Sorry but a decision has to be made and something has to be done. It will never be perfect and can always be adjusted but at least they are trying to make headway. I am sick of hearing the complaining from buyers, sellers and agents while offering no words of help of positivity. We all know something needs to be done and if you have the solution – the perfect solution – then get on the ballot and let us know so we can vote or get to Tallahassee and make a speech – do something.
But I venture to say that nobody has the perfect solution because a perfect solution is a myth. Can’t please all the people all the time. That’s life.
Florida: As far as Florida goes, and I know I will hear a bunch back from everyone in other states,
Name one other state that offers what Florida does as far as lifestyle, beaches, fishing, diving, the everglades, proximity to the islands – Bahamas and the Keys, the Atlantic ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Lion Country Safari, Daytona Racetrack(NASCAR), Homestead Racetrack(NASCAR), The Miami Grand Prix, 3 Professional football teams, 2 basketball teams and 2 baseball teams, half of the baseball teams in the country do their spring training somewhere in this state, couple of hockey teams, some of the best colleges in the country with the best college athletic teams and education, I could go on and on.
No other state offers the climate either. And as for hurricanes – at least we know they are coming and can prepare. Not like earthquakes, landslides and so on. California had a big earthquake just a week or so ago and they say “the big one” is going to happen within a few years. The middle of the country has floods in the summer, record heat and snow in the winter! The north east, well have fun freezing your butts off while I hang out in my flip flops and shorts on Christmas Day!! Hey, they are haviing more hurricanes in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi right now. Sorry to my friends, family and colleagues in those areas but Florida is looking good right now.
Florida will always be a hot state (figuratively and literally!). People will always want to move here, retire here, and buy a second vacation home here. Might not be in the same areas as usual but look to the fringe areas. They will get hot. I am a 3rd generation here and my family has enjoyed this state for many years. So maybe I am biased but I truly believe Florida is a state like no other in the country and I have visited most of the other states and love them all but none offer what Florida does as a whole. I am sure I will be corrected by some on here!!!! Sure some other states may be more inexpensive as far as taxes and insurance go but what are you going to do there? For recreation? For work? I’m telling you, this state offers way too much for people.
As always, just my 2 cents. Fire away……
