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Barry Dunleavy, John R. Wood PropertiesPhone: (239) 877-6445
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Things to Know When Settling in Southern Florida

by Barry Dunleavy 01/17/2021

Photo by Yan Cabrera via Pixabay
 

There are a lot of places that come to mind when Florida is mentioned. Most people automatically think about Orlando or Palm Beach. But the truth is every place in Florida is special and has a lot to offer people when they arrive. It all comes down to what exactly you are looking for when moving to Florida. There are a lot of factors to consider when you decide where to settle down. Knowing what places in Southern Florida have to offer will certainly affect your decision. Here are some things that you will want to know when settling in Southern Florida.

The Temperature Does Not Change Much

The temperature in Southern Florida stays warm pretty much year-round. There are some nights in the winter months when the temperature will get into the 40s. But what you will find is that by noon the next day it is nearly 80 degrees again. The warm temperatures are a bonus when living in the south part of the state. You can go to the beach and even a boat pretty much year-round. This is why buying a home in Southern Florida is so popular. The real estate market is on fire and is expected to only increase. 

Prices Vary from Neighborhood to Neighborhood

Southern Florida has a wide range of prices that people can choose from when it comes time to buy a home. The southern part of the state is diverse to extremely wealthy down to average hourly worker. But there are affordable homes for everyone. What you will have to decide is what you want in your home. If you want a pool attached to the home, there are plenty of those to choose from. But you can also buy a home without a pool which gives you the flexibility of adding one later. As a buyer, you can expect to see prices range from $250,000 on average to well over a million dollars.

It is time to view your new home as an investment. Home values have risen nearly five percent in the past year and are expected to top six percent in the coming year. Simply owning a home in southern Florida means growth in your portfolio.

It’s All About Location

The location of the home is important when it comes to value. If you are looking for a home on the water, then you can expect to pay a steep premium just to park a boat outback. You can expect your home value to stay strong just because it is located on the water. Many waterfront properties go up for sale and are sold quickly. 

It is important to know that the cities of southern Florida are growing quickly. Buying a home on the edge of the city may be a wise investment. As the city fills in around your neighborhood you could see strong economic growth and value-added to your home. A home located to restaurants and businesses is always a plus in Southern Florida.

About the Author
Author

Barry Dunleavy

Over 25 Years in the Real Estate Industry. Former Senior Managing Director with responsibility for oversight of real estate businesses in Canada and Latin America including CEO of Canadian-based bank; prior to that Sr. Managing Director Construction Financing to large residential builders throughout the USA. He has a BA and MBA in Finance. Memberships include the Naples Board of Realtors, Graduate Realtors Institute, Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Florida Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. Community activities include New Horizons of Southwest Florida volunteer teaching math and reading to at-risk 3rd to 5th graders while being Chair of their 2016-2018 Golf Event and also involved with the Christian Businessmen's Connection. 2014 Awarded the Distinguished Volunteer for Collier County. He was a former Board of Governors of Hazeltine National Golf Club, host of the upcoming 2016 Ryder Cup Championship.