Florida Sailboat Homes

MrUnix · Mar 24, 2014

Don S/V ILLusion said:
Not really relevant to the discussion but the above is absolutely wrong. Some relief is in sight but rates will continue to escalate and flood insurance in Florida is both mandatory and expensive if you live in designated flood zones which included anywhere near open water.

I don't believe that is correct.. I know of no law, federal or state, that requires you to purchase insurance for a property you own free and clear; regardless of where that property is located. There is a federal law however that makes flood insurance mandatory if you have a federally backed loan and live within an area that is covered by the NFIP.

Cheers,
Brad

Trekfxrider · Mar 24, 2014

Plus if you do your homework, you can find a place with plenty of dock to accommodate a huge lift and never have to paint your bottom again.

Tom J · Mar 24, 2014

I'd strongly suggest looking at Pine Island, located just inside the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva, on the Gulf Coast. Three years ago, we were looking for a home with sailboat access and a dock. We found that the St. James City area of Pine Island had what we were looking for, and prices had come down quite a bit. Of course, prices have probably come up a bit since then.
From St. James City, you have access to the ICW north to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf, south on the ICW and the Gulf, or east on the Caloosahatchie River to the Okeechobee Waterway and the East Coast. In addition, the Okeechobee offers several hurricane holes, such as Indiantown Marina.

Nodak7 · Mar 24, 2014

Don S/V ILLusion said:
Not really relevant to the discussion but the above is absolutely wrong. Some relief is in sight but rates will continue to escalate and flood insurance in Florida is both mandatory and expensive if you live in designated flood zones which included anywhere near open water.

Don,

My understanding is it is only mandatory if you have the property mortgaged. If you own the property outright you are not required to have it. Of course there is no recourse if you have a loss.

reworb · Mar 25, 2014

You only have to have Flood Insurance if you have a mortgage from a "regular lender" (private lenders are free to require it or not). If you own your property free and clear you don't have to have any insurance.

A lot of insurance cost (both flood and regular homeowners) is determined by the elevation of the main floor of the home and the year of construction. My cost for both flood and regular homeowner's is less than $3,000 (newer home built on pilings) a year, of course your results may vary depending on the value of your home and the amount you choose to insure it for. Also keep in mind Federal Flood insurance is capped at 250,000 unless you buy an excess amount from a private carrier any amount over 250k for your dwelling is NOT covered. Also keep in mind you are only insuring for either the amount of the mortgage (should you have one) or the value the actual structure, just because you paid 600k doesn't mean the structure costs 600k, a lot of the value in water front property is the land itself.

Lots of nice places on the West Coast of Florida but it is shallow water. I've lived both in Punta Gorda Isles and now Fort Myers Beach. If it were me before buying I would spend several months down here and check out all of the locations suggested. They all have pluses and minuses, all depends on what you value. Also if you're going to be year round make sure you check out late August and early September not my favorite time of year. I have my sailboat on lift behind my house as well as a little runabout, something I never could have had in Southern California, where we came from.

Sailm8 · Mar 25, 2014

Cool views of Punta Gorda: electricemuvp.com

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=292328090914397

Bill1565 · Mar 25, 2014

Sailm8 said:
Cool views of Punta Gorda: electricemuvp.com https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=292328090914397

Frank, is that you? Are you an electric Emu?

Sailm8 · Mar 25, 2014

Bill1565 said:
Frank, is that you? Are you an electric Emu?

No, not me. I'm GZR Productions. Get it? Geezer Productions

Gunni · Mar 26, 2014

ITMaster said:
Thanks everybody for all good and excellent information. I have some specific things to research due to all the info provided. Although since I will pay cash, I could skip the insurance, that will be something to consider and I doubt it will be a deal breaker and stop us from going.
We're on the water already; just want it to be a tad warmer more of the time. We're used to having to deal with spending time to move the boat to get to really use it for the type sailing it is for.

I've been wandering across Florida for 40 years, enjoying the vast natural beauty, diving the springs, rivers, and reefs, lived with the Conchs. Flown high above the Keys in a float plane, partied with Mel Fisher and his boys, gotten lost in the Everglades 10,000 Islands wilderness. Love the watery fruited place! But I would never own anything there that I could not walk away from, a slip or a mooring at most. Two of the most devastating natural disasters I have ever witnessed were H. Andrew in 1992 and H. Charley in 2004. When Andrew came ashore south of Miami it literally mowed through south Florida like a lawn mower. Some kind of embedded massive tornado. Nothing withstood the Cat. 5 devil! When Charley came up the Charlotte Harbor and plowed Punta Gorda on it's way to Orlando the damage was stunning. Utter devastation. You can put your house on stilts, wrap it with shutters, haul your boat, but when the hurricanes come off that warm Caribbean water they hit Florida like a fastball in the face on the first day of spring training. You have never witnessed anything like it in Tidewater, Virginia, and never will.

You go a couple of decades between devastating Florida hurricanes, and a whole new generation of immigrants show up to set up house on the coastline, in the place where someone else lost everything. It is crazy.

Nereussailor · Mar 26, 2014

That's because we love it here! Florida is a slice of paradise and a few hurricanes don't stop the ones that really want to be here. Some can't handle it, some can. Almost everywhere in the US, you can have tornadoes. They don't last as long but are just as devastating and can happen anytime. Florida does get tornadoes, but they're usually pretty weak. I've traveled to 31 states and I'll take my slice of paradise here in Florida over any other place. Now retiring in another country is a whole different thread.

MrBill_FLL · Mar 26, 2014

^ Gunni has seen it 1st hand... and you can't EVER forget once you do.
I've been here since birth, and was still shocked how much the water rose...
Easily 10' surge on the coast, an ocean tug was driven inland 1/2 a mile. (Andrew)

its changed how I look at construction... I would never consider owning some of the homes being built. (I'm also wondering how these impact windows will standup to a cat4 or cat5 storm...)

-in other news there is talk of private company Flood insurance. vs the federal program.

Don S/V ILLusion · Mar 26, 2014

MrBill_FLL said:
^ Gunni has seen it 1st hand... and you can't EVER forget once you do.
I've been here since birth, and was still shocked how much the water rose...
Easily 10' surge on the coast, an ocean tug was driven inland 1/2 a mile. (Andrew)

its changed how I look at construction... I would never consider owning some of the homes being built. (I'm also wondering how these impact windows will standup to a cat4 or cat5 storm...)

-in other news there is talk of private company Flood insurance. vs the federal program.

Apparently, some believe flood insurance in flood zones isn't mandatory. I guess that is a literal interpretation of the statute but the reality is somewhat different to me. True regardless of in what state you live.

Bill1565 · Mar 26, 2014

MrBill_FLL said:
^ Gunni has seen it 1st hand... and you can't EVER forget once you do. Iprogram.

The eye of H. Charlie went over our house. Anemometers in the area blew away at 154 to 176. Lifted a piece of our roof about 18" one more puff and entire roof might have lifted off. Very scary, will never forget, still love it here.

There are volcanoes in Hawaii, earthquakes in California mud slides in Washington, and tornadoes other places. Ya pays your money and takes your chances.

MrUnix · Mar 26, 2014

I spent the night in the bathroom, huddled behind a plastic trash bag and with my back up against the door to keep it from blowing in on me during hurricane Andrew.. as my house blew apart around me. About half way through the ordeal, the plywood on the bathroom window blew off and I received several good gashes from flying debris. Good times. My only mistake was thinking that I had my sailboat secure in the back yard.. partially filled with water, air out of the tires, and chained to a telephone pole. Unfortunately, the telephone pole went missing and the boat did a couple of flips across the yard and landed upside down on the kids swing set.

Cheers,
Brad

PS: Don.. what statute are you referring to?

Winkfish · Mar 26, 2014

Try this:

https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/about/when_insurance_is_required.jsp

redhead78 · Mar 26, 2014

You guys are talking thin water, as a boater wf a 6'-4" draw, and 66' height, are there any reasonable real estate areas to support a deep water boat?? Red

Bill1565 · Mar 26, 2014

redhead78 said:
You guys are talking thin water, as a boater wf a 6'-4" draw, and 66' height, are there any reasonable real estate areas to support a deep water boat?? Red

Tampa Bay, and the gulf side of St Pete to Clearwater come to mind. But only select marinas. Not a good boat for this area.

Bill1565 · Mar 26, 2014

Bill1565 said:
Tampa Bay, and the gulf side of St Pete to Clearwater come to mind. But only select marinas. Not a good boat for this area.

You could keep such a boat in my neighborhood, but you would be limited to sailing the open Gulf, and trucking fuel, you couldn't get into any local marinas.

smoothsailing · Mar 28, 2014

Try this site. Its a good one.

http://www.thewaterfrontpro.com/