How Somebody You Never Talked To Can Change Your Life

[AlessandrasMom]

So a couple of weeks ago when Mary & Magi (whom I've never talked to), started talking about getting the "compound" down in Florida, I started thinking.  My husband has just lost his job, he is sending out hundreds of resumes a week, only to get no calls, and we live in Michigan (last one out, turn the lights off please).  I called my Dad who has the good credit and asked if he would consider getting a large foreclosure home in his name, and if we could move in.  He laughed at the idea and forgot it.  Well, he is in Florida this week and he just called me and he was VERY excited!  Now the lightbulb is finally on in his head too - talking about how nice it is there, how you can get foreclosures real cheap, the wheels are being set in motion.  He's going to start looking, we're going to start looking, this could be a good thing for us.  And if not?  Then at least we can say we tried.

[flmagi]

Mary has posted a few pictures of the compound under her profile, if anyone is interested in seeing it. Of course it's a work in progress and looks like a construction site. I'll post some of the before pictures under my profile.

[allaboutmary]

I don't think it would be hard for you to find a job (legal secretary), but construction type jobs would be hard to come by right now.  Like you said.....it really couldn't be much worse than Michigan, but we might be coming in a close 2nd.  I think the construction is going to pick up a little because of the people buying up the houses so cheap. So mostly it will be remodel stuff.
I think the crime rate is going up everywhere because of the economy.  It's scary and sad what people will do to feed their family's.  Keep us posted.

[AlessandrasMom]

Thanks so much for that information Mary!
I'm in Milford, Michigan, and pay EXACTLY $960.00 in insurance per year for a 1300 sq. ft. home, it's ridiculous, but I'm paying for the area.  My taxes are roughly $3,000.00 per year, again, the area I'm in.
I've always had my insurance and taxes mixed in with my mortgage payment as well.
But like you, with your new compound, we wouldn't be getting a mortgage either - paying cash.
Now, for the jobs?  Can't be any worse than Michigan having the highest unemployment rate?  Are they easy to find, hard to find?  I'm a legal secretary now, and my husband managed a granite company, my Dad managed a cement company.  We don't HAVE to do those same things though!
And back to what Magi said above, about the vandalism, my Dad said he was eating breakfast out on the patio yesterday morning and watching a guy mow the lawn at a vacant house across the street, the cops showed up, come to find out he was mowing the lawn while his buds were inside robbing the place blind!  But we have that all the time here too, us living so close to Detroit - about 30 miles NW from Detroit.
I REALLY appreciate all the feedback you have both given me so far!

[allaboutmary]

Property taxes should be coming down some because of the value of the houses.  For my 2 bed, 2 bath, w/pool  I pay 960. a year for insurance and 1,100 for taxes (the taxes should be lower when they do the adjustment). The insurance on the compound is about 1700 (but that's really for 2 houses) and not sure what taxes are yet on it.  I always have my insurance and taxes es crowed by the bank. We don't have a mortgage on the compound. (yipppeeee)  so we will have to make sure we set the money aside every month now.  
The key to getting a good price on insurance is to have a free wind inspection done on the house. It's done completely free by "My Safe Florida Home".  It makes the insurance companies give you discounts they normally wouldn't.  It lowered my insurance a thousand dollars.

Cape Coral is about a half hour south of us. We are in Port Charlotte. I think Cape Coral is a little more exspensive than us, but I think they have a lot newer homes there.
Let me know if theres anything else I can do to help.

[AlessandrasMom]

Well my Dad is in Cape Coral right now, so I suppose that's the area we will start looking in, and branch out from there - he said that area and Fort Myers.

Question for you ladies - I was warned by somebody just this morning that the property taxes and insurance are real high?  I mean REAL high?  They said it was because of the hurricanes?  I can see that being true, if it is.

I'm so excited though, I just got off the phone with him and told him to bring all kinds of information home, and he's doing his own homework as well.  We got about 3 more inches of snow last night, and it's still snowing here, so I was really happy to hear he was getting ready to go boating!!!!!  Grrrrrr

But Magi, I kept that idea in my head all this time about families moving in together, such as yours is going to and you are so right about the expenses - which I've been telling him every time I talk to him.  I'm so glad he finally came around!

[teko]

I live in fla and yes there are many homes here that have been foreclosed on, nice ones at that. Hopefully things will ease up on getting money tho. I have a friend with perfect credit that tried to buy a home and she could not get it without paying 10-12 percent interest. The banks will not let go of the money. Families are leaving this state by the droves, cause they cannot make it. Sad it is.  I hope you can find what your looking for and by that time, hopefully things will start moving again.

[flmagi]

Alexandrasmom, Wow, I'm so happy to hear you're gonna do the compound thing! There's so many foreclosed houses in Florida and they're so cheap, you should be able to get a nice house for little money. A lot of them need work or are missing things like air conditioning etc, because our illegal southern friends go in and take everything they can possible sell. But it's well worth the work to get them so cheap.
What area are you looking?
If there's anything we can do to help let us know. We've become  foreclosure home hunter experts.
This compound idea can be a great idea for a lot of families who are struggling. Think about it. Combining 2 or 3 families into one means 1 electric bill, 1 water bill, 1 property tax, 1 home insurance, built in baby sitters, dog sitters, etc. etc.  Taking turns cooking, help with cleaning, sharing care of the elderly and they have plenty of company...same with kids.  I think we'll be seeing a lot more families doing this.
They were just saying on the news today, how they're seeing a lot more drug abuse and drinking starting because of the economy.
Joining forces could be the answer for a lot of people.
We've got brand new homes in Florida selling for dirt cheap, it's unbelievable.

HelpinUtah, Sounds like a great idea, what you're talking about. And nows the perfect time to get the gears in motion.
Good luck to you all, happy house hunting and building!

[AlessandrasMom]

utah - you go girl!  Great interest rate!  Wow

Puckster - ready for a road trip?????  You would have to be doing the driving right now though!

[HelpinUtah]

My hubby and I have been talking about what Magi and Mary and their clan are doing.  We were thinking that maybe we would build a house in our town since property is so cheap right now and make it one level and big enough so that we can have my mother, his parents, my sister-in-law and brother all living together in one place.  If we share the mortgage we can do this.  Hubby and I have stayed in our little apartment so that when we were ready to buy and the timing was right - we'd be in a good position to do so - and I'm thinking this is it.  My hubby works for a mortgage company and his boss is willing to do our mortgage at less than 4% interest and with them making very little money on the deal.  Right now we're in the discussion phase.  But, I'm getting pretty serious about it!  

[Puckster12]

You know I'm in Michigan too.  With this below zero cold and more snow coming tonight you better pick me up on your way down I-75.  I'm going to Florida with you!    :o)

[AlessandrasMom]

Thanks Mary!  I don't think anything can compare to Grandpa being my daycare provider either, except for his extreme aversion to fruits and veggies, and the fact he'd probably put her on the back of his bike everywhere he went, but I'll work on that.  No motorcycles until she's a teenager, I'll have to lay down the law.

Thanks Snowflake, first NA meeting tonight, they do let you in in withdrawals, right???

Eagle, thanks for the laugh!

OK, back to my heating pad, I don't think I'm making sense anymore.

[allaboutmary]

Eagle..........I should have it cleaned and your floats in place before you get here.  Palm tree farms should be no sweat.  They even come knocking on your doors wanting to buy your mature trees here.

[allaboutmary]

I think your ready to become a Floridian. I really hope this works out for you. Sounds like it would be a great thing for all of you. (no day care can compare to a Grandpa)

[AlessandrasMom]

Oh no, it's my fault we haven't talked before, I should post more!

At this point I'd love to help you clean out the pool - it's gotta be better than scraping windshields, trying to get a foot of snow off the roof of the house, busting my a s s walking the dogs, etc.!

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Well, I think thats a terrifffic idea!!  Way to go flmagi and all.   Gizzy and I will be down for our pool residence shortly....but apparently I need to tech him to sleep in green water first or whatever................ its always something.  BTW - is it hard to run a Palm Tree Ranch down there?

[snowflake620]

congrats on day 1 I know your gonna make it this time !!!!!! and your daughter will have a wondrful babysitter and many many good memories to shar someday with her grandfather watching her and it will be good for him too!
snowflake

[allaboutmary]

P.S.  Sorry that we haven't talked before.  I tend to be anti-social even on the computer. lol

[AlessandrasMom]

Snowflake - you are entirely right about the LORD working in mysterious ways.  Just yesterday we started faxing resumes all over the states.  My Dad has lost his job too, but he's in a good financial state.  He says he will just retire and watch our daughter instead of putting her in daycare.  I can see how this would really work!
Everybody, thanks for commenting, I'm very excited about this.  Good for the soul on day 1 from withdrawals again, but this time it's sticking!!!!!!!!

[allaboutmary]

I'm so glad your thinking of moving down !  I don't know where in Florida your looking ? We are in SW Fl.  There are tons of foreclosures here at really great prices. I've seen beautiful 2 bed, 2 bath, w/pool for 40 thousand. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Yes many stories will be coming from the compound.  I have a feeling one will have something to do with cleaning the monster pool.  ( I think the Loch Ness is living in it)

[snowflake620]

good for you and remember the LORD works in mysterious ways! hav efun house hunting and please send some of that sunshine and warm weather our way!
snowflake

[Sunnyd210]

Hey I wanna move to florida too!!!

[10356]

That is a good thing :)

[dominosarah]

I am sure we will be hearing many more stories coming from Mary and Magi's compound!!!  I know they are going to be putting up a fence to seperate their dogs........

[10356]

Like good food it tales a while too cook.. But worth the wait :)