So true burggirl, so true. Even up here in the Milton/Pensacola area. Then top that with hurricane damages...need I say more? And now gas jumping up but only a few stations are open and only until they run out. The lines are long! Last night in a matter of 3 hours one station when from $2.89 to $2.99 and they hadn't sold any gas because they were out. How can they justify a 10 cents increase when they have no gas to sell? I don't get it. Our house has been up for sale for a month...we can't sell fast enough. We're done, we're heading north!

Pam

I keep seeing people at the gas pumps but I have not seen any stations run out here in Citrus County or in Hernando County (where I work). The big concern for me is the house insurance. I bought my house right before insurance prices went up. Next year I will have to pay a lot more but my income won't significantly change anytime soon unless the world suddenly decides maybe they ought to pay teachers by education level after all. (*holds back long and often told rant*)

It is hard but I don't think itÂs that much better anywhere else. *sighs* Sucks... I always thought I would eventually move back to Louisiana but I donÂt think the place I lived exists anymore.

I'm heading to S. Georgia. I can pay cash for a nice place up there with what I can make on my house here. Yes, there is state income tax and personal property tax, but with no house payment, and low taxes and insurance, I should be able to handle it.

Georgia is a nice place. I hope you are happy there.

I have just found three more people who are leaving. One forced out by insurance and taxes (they are on a fixed income), two forced out by low wages and lack of jobs with benefits.

My friend who is in real estate says the prices are going so high that nobody is buying anymore. I hope that's not true, because I have to sell to be able to leave. Hopefully, when people come down this winter, one of them will buy my little house.

I don't know about that. I have had people offer to buy my house and its A. Not for sale and B. Extremely ugly.

I am working on the ugly part :) Maybe if I plant enough things it will disguise it. It was such a good buy I figured I could fix it up.

Bruggirl-

It looks to me like the massive, 700K and up homes are not selling as rapidly as they were a few months ago. However, little homes worth have as much seem to go just as quickly as ever.

I sometimes do a little check on realtor.com to compare the real estate market here and back in Ozarks, where we're from.

My zip code here: 152 properties for sale; lowest price on a single family home, 122K for 819 square feet.
Property #76 (median # of all properties available): 299K

My parents' zip code in Arkansas: (small town, but the county seat) 312 properties for sale; lowest price on a single family home, 27.5K for 775 square feet on a 1/2 acre lot with basement.
Property #156 (median # of all properties avaiable): 85K

As another comparison, our friends who moved north to find a more affordable lifestyle just found a house in Bristol, TN: Built in 1910, two stories, 2550 square feet (not including the full basement), flower gardens and veggie garden, huge fenced backyard. The price? 90K.

I nearly passed out. They couldn't even find a 1-bedroom condo for that here six months ago. Looks like it was a smart move for them.

...pretty hard to argue with that, especially if you have a career that isn't dependent on living in a huge city.

Now Citizens is asking for a 68% increase in Pasco!!! They just had 2 increases. There's no way we can afford that.

Bruggirl,

I will truly miss all of your very informative posts and responses. You *always* have your finger on the pulse. Do you plan to continue to drop by the Florida forum once in awhile after you are in Georgia? I live in north Florida - Jacksonville - and I think you are moving to south Georgia, so we may share zones! Maybe I will get to meet you one day at an exchange. I would love to share cuttings any time.

I hope your move goes smoothly and all of your "treasures" makes it ok (and by that I mean the plants, not all that other stuff! haha!)

By the way, I've been wondering, why you changed from bruggirl to bruggirl100? (I'm assuming you are one and the same?)

Carol

Carol, thanks for the compliments! You just made my day. Yes, I'll be in zone 8, so I'll drop by to ask questions and help if I can. Yes, I think we will share zones! And if I have a swap up there in GA, of course, all of you Floridians will be invited.

I'm going over to the GA forum asking what to take with me, and they are so nice! I can't wait to get there. Seems like most of my gingers will be able to make the move, although I will have to mulch them heavily in the winter. I don't have a clue what to do with my orchids! I know they won't make it there, and I'm not sure if I'll be building a greenhouse or not. I'll just cross that bridge when I get to it. I'm trying to go "low maintenance" with my yard, but it's hard to leave my tender things behind.

I changed from bruggirl to bruggirl100 because my name was somehow deleted from the GW database. Probably by Spike in a fit of rage over something silly. Josh at Ivillage helped me fix the problem, though. I tried to re-register as bruggirl again, but it wouldn't let me, so I added the 100.

Has everyone noticed how we have a little more freedom of speech around here since Ivillage took over? It's a much more relaxed atmosphere.

bruggirl100,
Hi we just spent the last 2 weeks looking for a house in Florida and were suprised by how much the taxes are there. We went to south Georgia to look. It seemed that you got more house for your money. Were are your friends moving to in Georgia? My husband is afraid that people may now like yankees and we may have a hard time making friends. Any thoughts?
Mickey