Military Officer - September 2006 - (Page 68) You’ve probably seen the commercial that shows a group of people sunbathing on a beach. Suddenly the sky turns gray as a single cloud passes in front of the sun. There’s a collective groan, and a woman complains, “The weather was so much better yesterday.” But by the time she’s finished speaking, the sun is shining again. The announcer chimes in: “A bad day in Florida is a good day just about anywhere else.” In fact, the weather is so pleasant in the Sunshine State that the Florida Department of Elder Affairs estimates that since 1980, Florida’s population has grown by an average of 873 new residents every day. With a good percentage of those people pursuing their dream of retiring to Florida, it’s worth asking: Is life in the Sunshine State always sunny-side up? Florida’s summers,” he says. “The traffic is gone, and you can play golf at wonderful courses for $25 or $30 where elsewhere in the country you’d be paying several hundred dollars.” Another factor to consider in the weather department is the recent barrage of hurricanes that has caused virtually all homeowners’ insurance companies to increase their rates. And though most Florida homeowners can insure against loss, it’s important to consider how you might handle the stress of preparing for potential hurricanes, weathering Tate also warns about unskilled carpenters who do unprofessional work in the post-hurricane cleanups, when there is too much work for skilled craftsmen. “Before it was acceptable, we had to have our deck rebuilt four times,” he says. Seniors have sway Florida’s elder population — people age 60 and older — has grown to more than 23 percent of the state’s total population, according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The counties with the largest percent- Stormy weather As the southernmost state on the U.S. mainland, Florida’s climate ranges from temperate in the north to subtropical in the south. Moderate rainfall, abundant sunshine, beautiful beaches, and freedom from snow and ice all combine to make Florida an appealing place to live. But the winter paradise can become oppressively humid in the summer. Sure, you can count on air conditioning just about everywhere, but Grady Cash, a former Air Force captain now enjoying a second career as a futurist speaking nationally about the future of retirement, says if you have an active, outdoor lifestyle you’ll probably be in for a rude awakening. “I run competitively, and when I lived in Florida the humidity was just too much to run outside for much of the day during the summer,” he says. However, former Army Capt. Dewey Tate, who retired to Sanibel Island, views Florida’s year-round weather as the major attraction for retirees. “I have no problems with 68 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2006 Stationed in Florida Florida has numerous military installations across the state, including those shown here. storms, and dealing with any poststorm cleanup, especially as you age. When Tate moved to Sanibel, the barrier island hadn’t been hit by a hurricane in 60 years. In the past several years, however, Sanibel was hit with hurricanes Charlie and Wilma. “There’s stress and concern over property damage and the mandatory evacuations,” he says. “Of course, you simply board up your house, leave, and come back when it’s over.” ages of people age 65 and older are Charlotte (35 percent), Highlands (33 percent), Citrus (32 percent), and Sarasota (31 percent). One of the advantages of this high density of retirees is that Florida caters to the needs of an older population, from health care to leisure activities. Most significantly, there is a tremendous range of real estate options, and in spite of a current boom, home prices in Florida still are more affordable than other places with
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