Florida has seen a population boom in recent years, but many longtime residents and recent transplants say rising costs and divisive politics have them fleeing the Sunshine State.

Florida has seen a population boom in recent years, but many longtime residents and recent transplants say rising costs and divisive politics have them fleeing the Sunshine State.

One of the first signs Barb Carter’s move to Florida wasn’t the postcard life she’d envisioned was the armadillo infestation in her home that caused $9,000 in damages. Then came a hurricane, ever present feuding over politics, and an inability to find a doctor to remove a tumor from her liver.

After a year in the Sunshine State, Carter packed her car with whatever belongings she could fit and headed back to her home state of Kansas — selling her Florida home at a $40,000 loss and leaving behind the children and grandchildren she’d moved to be closer to.

“So many people ask, ‘Why would you move back to Kansas?’ I tell them all the same thing — you’ve got to take your vacation goggles off,” Carter said. “For me, it was very falsely promoted. Once living there, I thought, you know, this isn’t all you guys have cracked this up to be, at all.”

  • LordCrom@lemmy.world
    401·
    9 months ago

    Too often cities push for real estate flipping be ause it means more tax revenue. Any land near the beach is under threat of imminent domain seizure because it’s now legal for a city to sell that land to private developers for a tower of condos and tax revenue instead of the 2 bedroom home that used to be there. Police just seize anything they want from motorists. Insurance prices are insane, I could not afford windstorm Insurance for the 1st time in my life. Auto insurance per year costs more than my car is worth. Beaches have started charging 30.00 to park to keep people away allowing the rich residents a more private beach.

    The worst part is the lack of affordable housing…all the while half the condos on the beach are empty because rich snowbirds only use them a month out of the year.

    This whole state has become a POS