While it is easy to understand why people vacation in Florida, some people move to Florida for the entire winter. Areas of Florida, including Miami, are so popular that they appeal to those wanting to escape the cold and wintry weather in states where temperatures often fall or stay below freezing for much of the year. Because so many people move to Florida for a good part of the year, there is an actual term, snowbirds, for these people. Snowbirds want to flee the snow and be somewhere warm. And why not?
In addition to warm weather, Florida has much to recommend it as both a tourist attraction and a place to live in the winter. One of the most appealing features? Tax benefits…Florida has no personal income tax. This means that people can still keep their homes in another state, as long as a home or condo in Florida is a primary residence.
In many cases, they need to spend the majority of they year, at least 9 months, living in Florida. Of course, much of that time covers the winter months. If Florida is going to be a primary residence, there isn t much point in spending part of the year in a cold climate. To make the most of Florida, people move there for the winter and smile when they think of all that they are escaping, from slippery roads to icy or snow covered roofs and sidewalks.
By moving to Florida for the winter and most of the year, people can save a great deal on taxes. Florida s tax advantages are so great that only a handful of states have lower taxes. If the warm weather in Miami and other parts of Florida weren t reason enough to move there, the tax savings can be the deciding factor.
Then there are the health benefits. Doctors advise people whose medical conditions are aggravated by cold weather to move to Florida and get relief. Balmy temperatures and a relaxed lifestyle promote healthy living in Florida, also known as the sunshine state . There isn t a need to drag along heavy winter coats or sweaters and stress is kept to a minimum. Cars don t have to winterized, snow shovels or snow blowers don t have to be kept ready and the heating bill is low. No more shock at opening an electric or gas bill and seeing the figures mounting into the hundreds per month just to keep the chill away!
When it comes to those of retirement age, Florida is often the first choice for a winter location. Tired of maintaining a home in the winter, dealing with higher taxes and other irritations, many retirees are ready to make their vacation destination their permanent one. So they move to Florida in the winter to test drive their retirement plans. Often, they end up living there all winter long and start making arrangements to stay there even longer. They may have to work in another state for part of the year but ease themselves into the Florida lifestyle as quickly as possible.
Florida, including Miami, has a wide variety of free attractions. This makes Florida a relatively low cost place to live, depending on location. When real estate prices are at a low, many lovely homes are rented or sold for bargain prices, making it easy to find gorgeous living spaces for low rates. It costs nothing to walk along the waterfront, gaze out over a scenic ocean or bicycle down sidewalks or bike paths. For those who want easy living, Florida is a natural destination for winter.
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Article by Dan Carson, Specializing in Miami Beach Condos & Miami Beach Homes in Florida at http://ssluxuryre.com/ .