Unlocking The Secrets To Finding Our Perfect Florida Home Base!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Check out this playlist of other led up to this kzbin.info/aero/PLTSSVhr0HOzigidMBV0lijdrVE3UsTilv&si=e_5q3fi0ZSSNugER

[@wmason1961]

You two make me grateful that we decided we had to have a paid off home base first and then become part timers with a place to go home to "lick our wounds", as we call recovering financially when we need too. Sometimes we need someplace "free" to wait out our poorer days. Now we need a bigger RV. And we need a barn to store our toys. Right now, everyone can tell in a glance when we go on a trip. I feel like every time we go anywhere we are announcing it. I want inside storage for our boat and RV so no one can tell when we're gone. There is always something.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. Love the “licking our wounds” - we have a lot of wounds 🤣 Good point about “announcing” you are gone. That would help for us if we do the Barndo. Safe travels Alice

[@jr.6199]

@@DownsizingMakesCents same storage is needed on the road, need all your bikes, motos, etc. stored inside...how do you do that? a RV with a garage! In the Class C there is a Thor Outlaw model but I'm concerned about Thor quality issues. I'm waiting for a 4x4 Super C with a garage. Been looking for years now...

[@joansrvadventures6112]

I am a retired Realtor of 32 years. Don't ever rely on a real estate agent to give you correct info. Always research it all on your own. The reason they are not calling back is because you are looking for a small size of land which will not pay them much commission and they are expected to have all the detailed info which can take days of research, but then they can be liable legally if they relay wrong info. The agents cannot even rely on honest, correct info from the sellers. Rely on legal surveys and city/county records only.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you, Joan, for reposting this. I think it will help a lot of people 🤗 Alice

[@comewheelinwithjohnandchristie]

Definitely doing your homework on property you’re interested in is important. We went directly to the county planning & permits office in the county our potential property was/is. I definitely do not believe that “all” realtors are not responding because of low commissions. Our land is only a half acre and our realtor was amazing, professional, honest, and a good person.

[@AnnMaynard-fu9qd]

I hope you find your special property soon. I have enjoyed watching your videos while you were full timers and look forward to more in the future while you are part timers.

[@rayw4187]

Always check with planning and zoning to make sure it's buildable per zoning regs. Not all raw land is buildable and it varies by county. I have 20 acres of pasture and there is acreage with homes surrounding me with less acreage, but it's now a 20 acre minimum per dwelling due to how the original plat had been divided.

[@brants2000]

You guys both put a lot of time and energy into this. This journey that you are taking us all through is great way to give back to the community. Lots of helpful hints that will save people from stressful situations. Most people don't bat 1000, but you guys are killing it. I don't have anything to add, but just wanted to say thanks!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wow. Thank you for recognizing our work. And we really are hoping that we can help others avoid mistakes and stress. You seriously made my day 🤗 Alice

[@lanedelker9161]

Good call on running out of that dealer. My wife and I have a solid pact we've relied on for years. I can't take credit for it, but we use it. Either one of us has an ultimate veto. If one of us is that dead set against, it's a no, without question. I can't tell you how many times my wife's gut feeling has saved us from huge mistakes.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Lane, Sounds like you guys have a great partnership 🤗 Alice

[@BikesBoatsBivouacs]

Definitely sounds like a process! Looking forward to see how it ends!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Scott, You and me both! 😁 Alice

[@JonnyDIY]

Great tips you two, thanks for sharing. 🙏 you guys find your Shangri-La soon. PS- those 💩heads at the mobile park, how dare they make you cry Alice. Freakin sales people. My friends and family always have me go along with them for sales meetings, so I can shut those guys down 😂

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Johnny, I may fly you in next time. But thanks. It was crazy 🤗 Alice

[@pcsteve6072]

There are always tradeoffs, an abandoned property for 6 months a year is asking for trouble. Even good neighbors can become bad through sale or inheritance. Those wet roads become sand pits when it isn't raining. Don't forget about fire. Our camp in Florida had nothing left but the trailer frame rails. Also, there is a lot of maintenance of raw land, stuff grows fast in Florida. An HOA isn't a bad deal if you plan on following the rules - not your interpretation of the rules. In Florida, some of the older retirement mobile home parks can be cheap places to live. Nothing fancy, but nice people who don't spend all their money on drugs, alcohol and loud toys. Always some turn-over... Good Luck!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Steve, Thanks for your insight. We are still looking- have owned 2 homes in Florida; I grew up in Florida; Larry moved here when he was a teen. HOA is fine but we probably can’t build the size or structure we want, Alice

[@raljame]

Not FL but MO, wife and I decided on the area we wanted to retire to I researched everything, taxes cost of living ,medical, demographics, natural disasters, and then I check on when the county held its tax sell, got the tax sell list made a trip to the area, checked out six properties, cut it down to three and went to a tax sell, bought one of the properties thinking the mobil home was junk, went out to secure the property and found out the plumbing was good the electrical was good had cable hook-up, only prob, warpped floors, Paid 800$ and we have been living here for 7 years now.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

$800 that’s pretty cheap, good luck but MO is too cold for us. Larry

[@raljame]

@@DownsizingMakesCents But the difference in cost of living it is easy to cover heating cost.

[@FINELINEVAN]

As a retired general contractor I watched your video. Right now in Florida people are getting out due to high taxes and unaffordable home and auto insurance. Building a home on property when people think they have gold is hard as you experiencing. I always built my homes on 1.5 to 2 acres it will be a nice buffer for privacy. Then you place the home where you’ll get most privacy. I would wait a year prices are falling now you’ll get a better price and availability Then there is water and septic which can be 20k for that. I would find a nice rental for a year and see where Fla market is then I always built my homes in rural type areas which is easier but watching your video the garbage from people partying is another issue your aware of. Big issue you brought up was restrictions we moved from Pa 3 years ago to middle Tennessee 30 min north of Nashville (we love it )and we wanted to find a nice house I didn’t want to build one I was in a new state and didn’t know subs to trust but we found a beautiful home we almost put deposit on then read restrictions. This is not a HOA but a builders development you couldn’t do anything without permission could not park RV in driveway in fact had to park cars in garage I wanted to build garage for RV and build a in ground pool Well if I paid them to do the work it may be approved even a vegetable garden needed approval. We ran From that house. So pay attention to restrictions you’ll feel imprisoned We are your age and have a nice 28 ft Class C BT Cruiser by Gulf Stream we love and take out for monthly trips we been all over country RVing. We pulled travel trailers the Class C is perfect for 2 people. I slideout couch that is non blocking and queen bed in rear. Solid fiberglass roof with 500 watts of solar all we need to boondock We love it We pull a Ford Ranger ext cab will cap and carry a lot of toys EBikes on rear bumper of Ranger. I bring this up because you asked about RV choices. Good luck

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you for sharing your experience, I appreciate your advice, I think we will have to wait a year to get the home base started, it will probably take a year to find land anyway. Someday we will do class c and toad, but it all depends on my health unfortunately, hope to meet you on the road someday. Larry

[@silasferreira9647]

Can’t wait for the mobile home

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Silas, we are leaning towards a Barndo Alice

[@LisaLivingFreeInFlorida]

That's what I want to do and saving for the land now!!!!❤

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Lisa, awesome. Good luck, Alice

[@davidrife06]

Buy the land you want and put a Quonset hut on it. Look it up It can be spray foamed inside and half made into living space and half garage or rv storage. And they hold up great against tornados and such. Check it out

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, Someone else mentioned those. I don’t like the idea of few windows. Plus, though we are looking at places with fewer restrictions, we don’t think those would be listed as possible. Thanks for trying to help hug Alice

[@davidrife06]

Allrighty then. My wife and I wish you luck and are going to try to look you up at the show on Wednesday or Thursday . Keep on keeping on and it will happen

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@davidrife06 We have a meetup on Wednesday night - probably won’t be there Thursday. But have a meetup Saturday. Because we don’t have an RV to bring to the show, we are limiting the days we go Alice

[@davidrife06]

Copy that

[@lillis887]

❤Sounds hurricane proof if you’re not in a soggy/flood prone area of FL!❤❤

[@atienooij]

best of luck guys

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks, Alice

[@garygoudeau8346]

Hello Alice and Larry. I'm new to your video site. I found your recent story on your 5th wheel frame woes interesting. I have a 32 ft pull trailer that I have had to do many major repairs on. I also have psoriatic arthritis which is not as severe as rumatiod arthritis but does require doctors monitoring. Rumatiod arthritis is no joke and it's good to see you managing it well. I have purchased a few pieces of raw land throughout my life. On one I built a small stick built house 90% by myself with a little help from my friends. The other I purchased a used mobile home and put it on a permanent foundation. I had a couple of years as a carpenter in my youth so I understood how to frame a structure, But everything else was new to me. I figured that on my stick built house project I would learn all the rest through doing it myself. I purchased books on plumbing, electrical, drywall, cabinetry, tile, cement and masonary. I also learned that as an owner builder I could pull my own permits. I also found out that if I went down to the building department and asked questions about what I could do they were very helpful and nothing to be afraid of. I have even drawn my own plans on simple structures and submitted them. You just have to adhere to the rules and the building dept. will tell you how to do that. I have always been a hands on guy and able to figure things out with a little help from knowledgeable sources. If you decide to do a barndominium you could save $$$ by doing some of it yourself. Just realize that it may take longer that you would like. There is always hope if you have the patience to endure! Be safe and God bless.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hey Gary, thank you, thank you, for encouraging me to do a owner build. You have answered a lot of questions i have had about doing it myself, or mostly myself. I am worried that i will do something and then get and inspection and have to re-do everything, costing money for time and supplies, negating the cost savings benefit of diy. Please tell me you made a video sharing your experience, how you did it yourself, i want to see that video. Thanks again. Larry

[@comewheelinwithjohnandchristie]

Our base camp is coming along great! Waiting on permits can take a few months, but we could have our RV on the land now if we wanted to. All utilities are there! Gilchrist Co Florida. Beautiful sunny weather 62° Hometown Realty in Trenton Florida is wonderful to work with!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s awesome. Wish we were on the same timeline and position 😁but we are confident we will get there. Thanks for the info on realtor, Alice

[@comewheelinwithjohnandchristie]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Natalie with Hometown Realty is amazing. She’s very knowledgeable about the market, county laws, etc. if you have trouble finding her phone number let me know. To be transparent, we used many of the searching tools, driving around looking for land we “thought” would be perfect and finally decided to go with a realtor (Natalie) and she actually found the land we purchased. She showed us anything we had on our “list” but ultimately we decided on the land that she mentioned to us.

[@mikeglasgow9618]

When doing barndo, become your own contractor. If you can do some of the work yourself, you can save a ton of money. A friend built one and contracted out the concrete work. Had a friend who built metal buildings help, and he wired the whole place himself. Contracted out the the underground plumbing

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Mike, sounds very similar to what we might do 👍 Alice

[@mikeglasgow9618]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I'm a retired HVAC mechanic. Any questions just ask. My hourly rate for consulting is only $ 250.00 per question. Lol. Just kiddin. Any questions about any HVAC stuff I'd be more than happy to help with.

[@1tomatera]

I’ve built many homes and pole barns over the years and one previous comment summed it up precisely. “You are looking for a unicorn”. Your health and need to be close to your hospital really eliminates your options, but that’s not bad. I would prioritize that one need and maybe find a permanent home, condo close to Gainesville. Build around that. We are aged now. You can lose one of you suddenly or not be able to drive anymore. By the time you finish your barndominium you could have to readjust your plans again. Doesn’t mean you quick enjoying life.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Very good points. However, those other choices are too expensive. If something happened to Larry before the Barndo is finished? I will have a huge community to help we get through it. I would stay on the property, get a small class B or C, and pay someone to finish it. Thanks for your input. I did think of that, Alice

[@Frostytravels]

Barndo's are a real pain to get completed here in florida. No bank seems to want to under wright a mortgage.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks for the tip. Luckily, we won’t have to go through a bank, Alice

[@silasferreira9647]

Love your video guys

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Silas, thanks. We really appreciate it 🤗 Alice

[@sherriweber7105]

Wow! You guys have been through a lot trying to find a place. I agree with you on about watching out for the land you buy. I can’t believe that sales person made you cry Alice. That’s plain mean. Hopefully you’ll something soon. I would love to know more about the Barn thing though. I’ll wait until you have more to tell. See you both soon! Have a great week. Enjoy yourselves at the Rv show. 🤗❤️🤗❤️😊

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Appreciate it, Sherri. We love sharing everything we have learned. That sales guy is an idiot. We will do a separate video all about mobile homes. And thanks. We are looking forward to looking for our new rig, Alice

[@sherriweber7105]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I know what it’s like to find the right home but I have faith you’ll find the right one for. Mom and I had a hard time before we found the house I’m in now. We had a mobile home single wide for a few years until we found the tight house.

[@rollwithit5150]

I bought my one acre raw land in OBrien FL. Will be starting my base camp this spring. Just got it cleared, next is fencing with a large swing gate. Also I plan on making a guest pad for guest camper. Probably will rent one of them out for 6 months out of the year.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sounds awesome. Just check to see if renting the pad is allowed. We know someone that got in trouble for that. Good luck with it all. I wish we were at your stage 😁 Alice

[@rollwithit5150]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I’m not sure on renting is allowed but there is a Air BNB down the road and they do weekend rentals since it’s on the river. I won’t be one of those trashy people just living on land, this is gonna be a beautiful project when I’m done. Still deciding on 5th wheel or do a shed to cabin. My plan is in I can rent out some of the time I plan on calling the base camp(The Muted Swan) I’m a quiet person that loves the outdoors. Still haven’t sold my home in Crystal River yet, hopefully the market gets better. Just have to wait it out

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Good luck. Crystal River is an awesome area. But it’s a sellers market. Wish we sold our house now instead of 2019 😁 Thanks for the suggestions, Alice

[@ralphp3057]

Very nice ! My niece owns 3 acres in O’Brien on the Suwannee River. I’ve been boon docking on it three times. They don’t have anything built on it yet . 👍😁

[@rollwithit5150]

@@ralphp3057 probably live on the same road or near where I’m at. 198th Trce

[@dannyharrell976]

I don't understand about not wanting to live near a RV park, some of my best friendships were made at a RV Park.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yes. We love camping. But I don’t want to live by ANY large business that has constant traffic

[@Peculiar_Optics]

Check out Levy county a lot of blank spots like you are looking for ....good prices too

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Lauralee, That is one we are looking at. Thanks Alice

[@ffcolon2738]

Greatly appreciate your video on purchasing land, WOW. What an experience, thank for sharing.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad you enjoyed it! Hope it helps others, Alice

[@paulhasty8388]

I have a friend up here in Washington state that had a company build a barn with a concrete floor with the plumbing installed in the floor and then he finished the inside himself !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Paul, That’s what we are thinking of doing 😃 Alice

[@debyarger3084]

We were looking for some land here in Michigan that we could put our RV on i stead of campgrounds. Most counties have a rule that you can only use your land that way for 90 days per year. So many rules and so expensive. Wishing you two much luck on finding some land that will work for you.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Deb, thanks. There are counties that allow an RV year round. Others allow while you are building on your land. All depends on county. Good luck 🤗 Alice

[@judyallen6057]

Have you guys checked out the Cross Creek area in Alachua county . We are cphosting here for 2 more months. Lots of properties for sale, in rural setting; less than an hr away from Gainesville. Also, Ft McCoy area, very mobile home friendly. Near Salt Springs Reactin area.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Judy, Thanks for the suggestions. However, Alachua has high taxes and high restrictions. We are looking in Fort McCoy but still Hoping to be closer to the hospital, Alice

[@noreenn6976]

Great idea to meet your neighbors before making an offer on any parcel of land. Even the neighbors down the road.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Noreen, best way to “get the lay of the land” 😁 Alice

[@richthecardude94]

Land for sale all of those other sites may help too and you want land with at least a driveway or road if you can find one well septic etc a well is $5-15k septic ranges driveways start at around $5000 depending on how much gravel is needed drainage ditch etc zoning if they allow Mobile homes septic designs or the land can just be recreational and only be camped on a certain amount of days a year just some imput hope you find what your looking for soon

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Rich, Thanks. We went into most of that in the video - except we didn’t go into prices or talk about a driveway - we are fine with a natural one. Thanks for your thoughts, Alice

[@bradplueger7951]

Enlightening and educational. Thanks for sharing!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Brad, exactly what we were hoping for. Thanks, Alice

[@MARKCANEER]

Great video, Thank You for sharing

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hope it helps anyone thinking about doing this, Alice

[@timf6916]

You got this, YES, it’s sad that sales people can sometimes be that way, but not all are used car salespeople hehehe. Just a LOT of stress. 👍👍

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Tim, thanks for the encouragement. We need it 😁 Alice

[@gma0025]

Hey guys, my wife and I have been watching your vids. We live in rural Alachua Co near where you've been looking. I'm retired law enforcement. We can help with advice. DON'T buy property in Alachua Co. The taxes are outrageous as well as code enforcement. I don't want to put my contact info in this post because I'm LEO. If I can contact you, we'd be more than happy to show you our place and tell you about the surrounding counties.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wow. Exactly the type of advice and help we need. We know about Alachua County. Terrible taxes 😳 Please email us - look at our about page for email address Would love to talk more 🤗 Alice

[@patrickhoins8333]

I have done this twice what you’re trying to do once here in the great state of Florida. It’s getting harder to do as Florida has been discovered and that comes with increasing regulations and rules. Any raw land just add anywhere between $20 and $40 thousand on top to take care of impact fee, land clearing, fill dirt, septic system, driveway etc so buying something that had a dilapidated structure is cheaper than raw land plus having a limerock road going to your house totally sucks if you know what I mean during the dry season with the dust clouds and wash boarding surfaces plus one good way to measure of flooding water on property is to look for water marks on the larger trees leave on ring on them showing how high the flooding got at that property so go slow and with lots of praying you will be lead to the correct property

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Patrick, Great advice. Yes. We will have added costs with raw land. But ones with old mobile homes are around $150 to $200 thousand Then cost to remove mobile home. Cost to get new well and septic since those are old and don’t work. Everything costs more than it should. We would like to wait for costs to go down, but who knows when that will happen. Thanks again for sharing your experience, Alice

[@jvmiller7791]

Try qpublic for your county to see property lines

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks for the tip, Alice

[@CindyHunter-bv8if]

I grew up outside of Bronson, FL just south of Archer off State Road 24 check out that area. Has a lot of cross roads to get places and pretty close to Gainesville. Also, make sure to confirm your land is not in a flood zone and that you can put whatever structure you want on it-whether HOA or not, check the zoning ! We currently moved to the Panhandle and looking for property and it is stressful. Best Wishes

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Cindy, Thanks. We know Bronson well. Camp here a lot. And we have bought 2 houses in Florida. We talked a lot on the video about looking at water. We forgot to specifically talk about flood zones and insurance- good point. The end of the video goes into detail about zoning and HOAs. Thanks, Alice

[@vikirivera5609]

You guys are awesome hang in there. Can't wait to see how things work out.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@vikirivera5609Viki, We can’t wait to see the end too 😁 And thank you, Alice

[@boater18281]

Before you close on any land have it surveyed at your expense. Survey pins can be moved by neighbors etc. Been there & seen it. After closing put your own pins down also. I used steel fence posts so I could find them years later in the undergrowth of trees etc. Be there the day when it’s surveyed.

[@scottmiller1025]

On-x or Gaia have land ownership maps that could help see the property lines

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Scott, Those are great. Thanks for the advice. Once you think you have found the one, Larry looks at the Gaia maps for the most accurate lot lines. Alice

[@KeithDavis-n3e]

Hi Larry and Alice. We met you at Pennekamp soon after you started full timing. We bought raw land in Leon County, Florida (Tallahassee) and built a very small, stick built home along with a pole barn with enclosed garage section. We put in the 1000 ft. driveway, power, water and septic. We had a generally positive experience, but there are lots of hoops. I've never left a comment like this before, but hopefully you'll know how to reach out and we can chat. Thanks. Keith

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Keith, We really appreciate you reaching out. Email us (look at our about page) or message us on Facebook or Instagram. We could use all the advice we can get 😁 Alice

[@SmallSpaceLiving]

Glad you are moving away from the new mobile home. Told you that will screw you over every time. Like a car dealer. I would say go check out some places that build storage building. They can do custom builds and maybe you can find what you want that way. Land search is always hard. It took us over a year to find this place we got. Good luck on your search. FL was so high on our list but then cost of land which you are seeing and everything else was just to crazy for us. Hope you can find that perfect place.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

William, we are starting to realize it probably won’t happen this winter. I would feel better if we had a place to go if Larry has issues. But we will deal with it if it happens. If we find want we want, than great. Small barndo is what we are leaning towards now We may travel your way this summer. Who knows, Alice

[@sshultz8121]

Another option might be a Quonset hut. Supposedly those are less expensive option and because of their curved roofs can handle strong winds. They are also barn dominium Quonset huts.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s a new one for us. I’ll look into it. Unfortunately, if it’s too new, it’s hard to get permission to build it. Tiny homes are STILL hard to build in many areas. I just looked at those. Where are the windows? Alice

[@jocelynb8935]

LOL, I remember working in a quonset hut when I was assigned to my first army unit in South Korea. I didn't know they still make those.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@jocelynb8935Jocelyn, How did you do without windows? Alice

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

also check the insurance rates, apparently florida homeowner ins has skyrocketed.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Been in Florida my whole life, and we have owned 2 houses here. Insurance will be what it will be. We can’t change it. Will it go down? Will land prices go down? They said it would for at. least a year now and it hadn’t. Because of Larrys health, we are kind of stuck, Alice

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

well realistically you dont need 5 acres BUT if you DO find a 5 acre plot that you LIKE, you could always subdivide it and make some money that way, and reduce your taxes etc also. check the county rules for subdividing of course; good idea!@@DownsizingMakesCents

[@lorej58]

Have you thought about buying land in Georgia instead? Land seems to be cheaper there and less restrictions. We started looking for land where we could park our rv to snowbird, but are waiting a couple more years now.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. But we need to be near Gainesville, FL because of Larry’s rare Neuro disease. The specialist is at UF Health. Appreciate the thought though, Alice

[@steveneddy9492]

Land can also be called VACANT LAND

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Steve, We tend to use the term raw because most of the land we are looking have had no improvements We found this online “Raw land is pristine, untouched ground that lacks any improvements. Vacant land, on the other hand, is ready for development and has the underground infrastructure in place but no physical improvements above ground.” Alice

[@tinawiththelakeexchange2093]

Curious as to why you’re trying this all on your own versus finding a good realtor?? A barndominium would give you the storage options you need including for your next RV.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We actually just had an ex realtor explain just why - realtors only want to sell what they make the most money on. (It’s a comment on a comment) Yes. Barndo would get rid of that storage payment. Alice

[@kencotton4645]

If the home is going to be empty a lot, then you do need some land to ‘hide’ your home from potential thieves.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Ken, Good point. And that’s why we want good neighbors, to help look out for us, Alice

[@angiefitzgerald1409]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Potential thieves will have it scoped out. The more hidden, the longer they have to load up whatever belongings they want! I live in rural East Texas. Hidden from the road simply means more of a target for break-ins!

[@Cure4pd]

i live leesburg 90 min away from shands, cause i need to be in a zone as well, lol

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We hope we can get closer 😉 Alice

[@ToddM452]

Most everyone in FL is out to RIP you off, from rv dealers, mobile home dealers and especially contractors. They know you’re relocating and excited about your new move.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Todd, We have met some great people, just some were difficult 😁 Alice

[@davidrife06]

Do we need a ticket for the meet up on Wednesday

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, Yes. Check on our socials for QR code or the KZbin community tab. But our Saturday meetup you don’t and it’s in the show property Alice

[@sjeffreyw]

Noraly you're super

[@diann546]

Ck out Affordable Desert Living. I don't know if any of what he did can apply to Florida, but who knows.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Diann, Will do. Thanks, Alice

[@SevenBears1]

All excited just to end in disappointment..I know that all too well💍💍😂

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

As always, thanks for making me laugh 😉

[@dgerfan8475]

Finding the perfect lot for the right price doesn't exist. We looked throughout the SE and lower Midwest. Ending up finding a 1 acre lot in East TX with water, elec & sewer for 60k. A lot more $$ than we wanted to spend but thats the market. On the plus side no HOA or code except septic. Texas is starting to grow on me.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Nothing is perfect - we get that. And I’m glad you found something you like. We will keep looking - the two houses we bought weren’t perfect or easy either. We will find what we need, Alice

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

Whenever we move we ask the Lord to show us the RIGHT property for us and close all other avenues to other properties. makes it SO much easier! and tell the Lord WHAT items you WANT for a property and./or for a dwelling! its a great way of eliminating all the i hope so i think so type of nervous wreck guesswork! We live in a modular (previously had a golf course estate house) and its simple, cheap and easy to renovate/decorate/clean/utility bills etc.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We looked at modular. They are very cool. Unfortunately, they are expensive and take longer / long waiting list

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

we got an existing one already set up on a lot with full services and a fully fenced yard. in an industrial village 10 minutes from small city. @@DownsizingMakesCents

[@vancandew7375]

To take the stress out why not hire a realtor look for you??

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We tried calling realtors. Most didn’t call back. Plus, they will push the properties they get commission on only. Lastly, we would need a different realtor for each area. But that used to be the way to go. Thanks, Alice

[@joansrvadventures6112]

I am a retired Realtor of 32 years. Don't ever rely on a real estate agent to give you correct info. Always research it all on your own. The reason they are not calling back is because you are looking for a small size of land which will not pay them much commission and they are expected to have all the detailed info which can take days of research, but then they can be liable legally if they relay wrong info. The agents cannot even rely on honest, correct info from the sellers. Rely on legal surveys and city/county records only.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@joansrvadventures6112Joan, wish I could have quoted you in the video 😁 Can you copy your comment and make it a new stand alone comment so more people can see it? Great info 🤗 Alice

[@louisblock1006]

bla bla bla bla

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Louis, we appreciate the support. It’s been a stressful time, Alice

[@susanchapman4231]

Good luck in your land hunt! My son is near Bell, fl. Renting a run down 5th wheel on a sketchy lot. He's happy there. Bell is a nice little village. I hope all this isn't too much for Larry's health. Stay safe!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Susan, Glad your son is happy where he is. Bell is too far for us. That’s so sweet to worry about Larry. He has been stressed. Just lots of extra naps 😉 Alice

[@davidwelty9763]

We did this in 2016 in Ocala. We love the Gainesville Ocala area. I think Levy county is a good place to look as well. The UF health system is really good, our whole family uses UF doctors.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, Thank you for sharing your story. We love this area, too. UF Health saved Larry’s life. Plus our kids are in Gainesville, Alice

[@joansrvadventures6112]

I have been researching homes on land and vacant land, 1-5 acres in the same area, but all the way up to the GA line. There is so much to research whether buying a house or land when it is acreage. And, like you showed, you can't believe anything anyone tells you. I use the My Elevation free app to see what the elevation of the land is, then put in the addresses of the homes neighboring the subject property to make sure they are not higher than the subject property whereas their rainwater runoff won't be dumping on my property. What I have never found, but would be great to have, is a complete booklet of all this info plus a bulleted checklist for looking for land and land with house. As you mentioned, here in FL there are flood zones but even if you are not in a flooding zone, you can still have water retention problems. Thanks for producing such detailed, educational videos.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Joan, You are so right on all you wrote. That’s why we decided to put this all on film - it’s not all in one place. Maybe we should make a checklist, like our hitch and unhitch checklists 😁 Thanks so much for understanding the struggle. Good luck, Alice

[@HomeOnWheels320MKS]

Looking for a unicorn!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yes 😃 Alice

[@edk1366]

Make that 3 for this video! Ed && Angie😊

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

🤣 You guys rock. More Mountain Dew Code Red for me 😉 Alice

[@tamlynrn]

Hi Alice and Larry. Fellow Boca High class of 83 here. I’m in Hawthorne a few times a year and love going into Gainesville. Go Gators 🐊 good to see you having such grand adventures 😉

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Tamlyn, Flying high and feeling free, we are the class of ‘83 😆 Nice to hear from a fellow Bobcat AND my class. Larry checked out Hawthorne - he check practically everything around Gainesville. But no luck so far. Gainesville has so much to offer- besides football 😉 We are about to set off for 6 months of travel - now that our new RV is almost finished with mods. Hope you beat the Florida heat 🤗 Alice

[@michaelpowell9164]

One more thing I left out. Buying raw land has a catch. Check to see if there is an impact fee to get a permit to install a well, septic, and power pole. If the impact fee hasn't been paid, it's generally a $15,000.00 fee.......before the costs of the improvements!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hey Michael, it’s funny. You said that about impact fees, I spent an hour yesterday on a website that published the impact fees for all Florida counties. Luckily, most of the ones that we are looking at have zero or very low impact fees, but I know Nassau county has High impact fees, so I’m staying away from any county that has an impact fee. Putnam county is high on our list because they have zero impact fee for many years and it looks like they continue this way. Larry

[@bigdawgs2k]

Zillow and others are all just marketing companies and not real estate companies. They not mandated by law to have accurate information and do a lot of bait and switch. Find yourself a good realtor, but what you're looking for in your price point probably doesn't exist because you're still living in 2019 pricing.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks for sharing your opinion. We had a comment by an ex realtor who basically said not to trust realtors 😁 And we HAVE found what we were looking for. Almost bought it except for the HOA Alice

[@martafuentes4453]

Have u tried Foreclosure listing. What county in Florida r u look for u go to their Real Estate Department and look at their listing. And is cheaper

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Marta, Great tip. Thanks, Alice

[@ralphp3057]

Hi guys , I built in Marion county a tiny home in 2004 . I’m about 30 miles SW of Gainesville. It’s not easy to find the right spot for sure . But , if you look long enough. You will find something I’m sure . 😁👍

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Ralph, love the positivity- we need it 😁 And thanks for all your support for our channel, Alice

[@rogergraves242]

Always Look for Properties when in the rain or after rained.Whats Holding water.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Roger, Thanks. I thought we mentioned that. But if we forgot, thanks for bringing it up? Alice

[@stevecurry5785]

Why are you looking in Florida Its too hot in the summer theres too many rules in most countys ect All you need is an acre or two with utilities so you could buy a peice of land with an old house on it and park the rv on it to live in

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Steve, Sorry. We thought we explained in this video why we need to be near Gainesville, FL. Larrys Neuro specialist and our kids are there. We don’t plan to be in Florida in the summer Alice

[@michaelpowell9164]

I've been looking for land for 3 years. 2-5 acres to put a mobile home on in the exact same area you have been looking. I'm a veteran and want to be close to Gainsville also. It can't be done on a budget. I don't have a budget......BUT it costs more to put a mobile home on raw land than it is to buy a regular built house!!! Look at some of the mobile homes in Flagler Estates!!! $250-350,000 for a mobile and 1 acre. Holy smokes. I can buy a house in Palm Coast for that. My problem is, I DON'T WANT A HOUSE. lol Why? Florida home insurance has become hateful, hurtful, harmful! I gave up. I'll die in my house in crappy Jacksonville because I'm to cheap to buy a tralierhouse. hahaha

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I looked at mobile homes, four years ago, and at that time you could save money by buying land and putting a mobile home, when we started looking recently, we were blown away with how expensive and mobile home is now as much or more than a site built Home in some cases. I am now looking at building a Barna minium on a small piece of land, but I want to do it in the most minimalistic and cheapest fashion possible, most of the stuff you see online about Barna minium are fancy big ones and we don’t want that I’m gonna try to do a lot of the work myself to save money And my budget is under $200,000 for the land and building and septic and well all in. 1200 sq ft metal building, barndo. Five years ago my budget would be around 100,000 for the same thing. We are really hoping that land and building cost go down over the next year. Larry

[@michaelpowell9164]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I wish pricing will go down too. But for some reason I don't think it will. Well until people can afford to sell a house, move and then buy a house. That dynamic is gone. I'm the example of that. I could sell my house, but I can't find a comparable house to buy to replace it right now. I've looked till I'm blue in the face. It's ALWAYS something. The ole addage seems to apply to me. My stuff is junk, but anything I want to buy is premium. Lol

[@g-man2045]

A Bardo should appreciate where a moble home depreciates.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yes. We are leaning toward a Barndo

[@ratwynd]

You all are going to have a real hard time finding what you want. But not knowing what your budget is, it is hard to further understand. Cheap. Private. Quiet. Trees. (with a house site cleared at that.) No development at all. No HOA. Finding all of that in FL within an hour of G-ville is a big ask. But good luck, I hope you find something that fits your needs. I looked at a lot in Panhandle a bit ago near Monticello. When I walked it I figured out I would NEVER have any sun as it was on the north side of a hill and completely surrounded by 100ft pines. Long and too narrow for a good house site. A few acres for $50k. No improvements. Just timber. And NO SUN EVER. No breeze in dense trees. I bailed on that idea. In he past I owned some pieces of land in MO. One 40 and later an 80 acre piece. You have to go far into the remote regions to find "cheap" land now unless you can buy an existing ranch or farm. Health issues make that risk seem not possible for you. Having done such, after 30 years in AK, and rural midwest before that, I can say it is not for the unfit. Issues of zoning and HOAs can also be a nightmare as you noted. And taxes will always go UP-UP-UP too. So you NEVER really OWN it. You rent it from the tax man.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Owning land or a home is an investment - vs paying rent- like we are now at a private campground Yes. Taxes go up. But normally so does the property value. With rent, you get nothing back Alice

[@ratwynd]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Agree. Not arguing otherwise, I have benefited as well from such appreciation. But many people look at a property and only consider P&I, forgetting the costs that can trap them later or even cause a foreclosure. That is hitting many right now with high interest and high insurance. Assessments on FL condos is skyrocketing due to new financial reserve and maintenance defects.

[@rogergraves242]

I’m 61 yrs of Age they say I don’t Qualify 😮

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Who? For what?

[@KeenanModica]

Cool video, and good timing for me

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad to hear it! Sounds like we have helped 👍 Alice

[@adamtedder1012]

I headed up to do the exact same thing, same area. My son will be going to UF. I want it to be within an hour.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Adam, Good luck. We are hoping to find something next winter Go Gators 🐊 Alice

[@adamtedder1012]

@DownsizingMakesCents I used to have land in ft white many years ago so it will be returning to that area for me. I also went to college there. I'm going to be selling my house so I will have a modest amount to buy the land and what I would like is either a nice camper or a trailer.

[@rogergraves242]

On the East Beach in Gainesville’s

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

?

[@rickgriffith1]

That right property is out there. You just haven’t found it yet. I like your process and am confident your due diligence will pay off in the end. I have spoken!😉 Take care.👍🏼😎

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Well, if Rick says so, that’s it 😁🤗 Alice

[@ceritapenman6112]

Sorry you didn't find the perfect lot. You are right about house prices, they are outrageous. A couple of years ago our old mobile appraised for just under 400,000. We purchased for 58,000 some 25yrs ago. I could not believe that, even though we live in California. Happy hunting. I hope you find something soon. Keep us posted.❤

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Cerita, Oh boy. California 😳 My son lived there for 5 years - crazy rent. Thank you so much for the well wishes. Still looking. Maybe someone out there has the perfect piece of land and will reach out 😁 Alice

[@davidwelty9763]

Make sure you check the on-line FEMA flood map. It will be the difference between paying flood insurance or not.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, Awesome tip. We will add that to our arsenal 😁 Alice

[@Into.the.unknown13]

I haven't built yet, but have been in the research process for years, very few counties in FL allow less than 600 sq ft, some of the counties that allow smaller homes are Sarasota, Pasco ,Hamilton ,Dixie ,Orange, Suwannee. I have seen over the years, people are going to those shed companies that also owner finance and get a shed home delivered or site built depending on the county, they make them up to code, that is the most affordable route I've seen.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s great information. With the popularity of tiny homes, many places are changing the codes. But with a Barndo, the overall size will be big enough, but living space smaller. Thanks for sharing your experience, Alice

[@01AceAlpha]

Always have a recent survey of the land you’re buying. Sometimes a couple of feet can make a huge impact!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yep. We never got that far to need a new survey. 😉 Alice

[@mischiefroadtripadventures]

Great advice and information on property searches. Definitely cross reference all sources! You can also go to the Appraisal District to view property information and maps.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you for the tip. All help is useful, Alice

[@domfer2540]

You want a cheap place and you want the tax payers take care of your road. Buy north of Gainesville.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. A lot of what we looked at is north of Florida Alice

[@mikeweeks4427]

Barndo,or post frame is best choice! Good luck.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Mike, we are contacting Barndo companies now Alice

[@bethb5076]

Just here to encourage. 🎉 thanks for sharing your journey.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Beth, “just” ? That’s the best 🤗 Alice

[@stephennowicki7158]

Thanks for the information. We are going back soon to look again for land.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Stephen, Good luck. It’s been exhausting, Alice

[@Lady-Life]

We’re almost “in” our new home on raw land in Florida. It’s been a two year or more process. If I had it to do over I’d buy a house already developed. We had done our due diligence and canceled on one lot. It was “perfect” but after dozens of phone calls and visits we got a ruling that less than one acre of the land was allowed for development. The other acreage was deemed Wetlands by a Federal ruling back in the 1970s and on it the owner can NOT change it at all. That included mowing, clearing, planting, or even weeding. Our current acreage has no wetland ratings. The process of getting a custom manufactured house that was supposed to be 3-4 months really is still not finished after 15 months. We have now our certificate of occupancy and are waiting for the electricity to be connected. Like everything so far estimates are ridiculously off. Example: “you should be moving in a month after the home is delivered “- inside carpentry et al. The house was delivered in September and maybe next week all the repairs and fine-tuning will be completed. (The front door needs replacing as it is crooked and unsafe now. ) Once the power is turned on we’ll be able to check all the appliances, lights, etc. Another example we ordered the septic system installed and promised it would finished by Labor Day, it was the end of December by the time it cleared all the inspections! I’m sure you are researching easements. Even our title says no easements but there was an old order that a utility company has rights to one side of our property, so we made an agreement that they get access to that stretch through a locked gate at both ends. One thing else we could have done was buy a floor model (would have saved us about 8 months on the build). Fortunately for us we have not even listed our current home, planning to move what we want to keep and selling all the rest (about 75%). Prices escalate. When we started this project the added bundle was about $30,000 (clearing, culvert, pad, hookups) the real figures have been double that and there’s so many additional requirements. I loved the idea of a barndo, but in the area we chose contracting out the work would have taken even longer and insurance became an issue (wind rating requirements). One of the areas we researched was basically your Larry zone. We really like the Goldhead - Ocala area. But we chose instead a different zone to be closer to our daughter. I’ll be glad to give you more details or share our lessons learned with you. So glad you found out about the home owners association- what a nightmare those are. May your search be fruitful. (We had wanted just to have a 2-3 acre private campsite in Florida for the winters and RV the rest of the year, but found out that is not allowed in any where we were looking. Like you said, everywhere we liked the requirement was at least a double-wide and more 1,000 square feet.) Also check the county about out buildings. We found that in our new county the total of all out buildings cannot exceed double the square footage of the main house. So it limits the RV garage and work shed that we want to add. Zoning issues to be aware of: in our current county in Florida we have to get a permit to cut down a tree. They come and check. Also just to get a building permit in our current county takes at least six months before you can do anything on the land. Fencing at our current house required permits and inspections and re-dos (wind). Our new county had no fence permitting required. I encourage you in your search. It’ll be wonderful once it’s all done.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wow. You have been through a lot. Some of what you wrote is why we want to avoid mobile homes now. The areas we are searching are less restrictive- which is why some properties look horrible - no rules enforced But we are taking to a Barndo company here in Florida. Sounds like they are going to walk us through most of the process. It does sound like the county you picked caused a lot of the issues. Sorry to read that. But hope when it’s all set, you are able to enjoy it. Thanks for sharing your experience, Alice

[@ralphp3057]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I don’t like mobile homes actually. I live in a stick built small home . I did send you a email.😁

[@Cure4pd]

dont buy in the villages

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Don’t worry. We won’t 😉 Alice

[@johannadelbusto7987]

Love you guys and rooting for you!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Johanne, 🤗 really appreciate it, Alice

[@LisaLivingFreeInFlorida]

I'm in Florida-Tampa area . I would love to have dinner or brunch with you both and chat! I'm trying to do the same thing❤ thanks for all the tips

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Lisa, we are staying 2 hours away from Tampa. But we will be at the Florida RV Supershow - 2 meetups. One Wednesday night and one Saturday day. We have a short and KZbin community tabs about it

[@joansrvadventures6112]

I am in Tampa also and plan to go to the RV show. I have also been researching land in north Florida as I would like to have a little land for veggie gardening since I currently live on a suburban lot. Hope to see you Saturday.

[@LisaLivingFreeInFlorida]

@@DownsizingMakesCents thank you let me check that out and I'll be at the Florida RV Supershow

[@brucefranklin6765]

My parents had a great piece of property over near the Keaton Beach area. It was close to where You Tuber Traveling Robert has his property. They ended up selling it when they needed to be closer to Moffitt in Tampa like you do at UF.

[@CharlesAnsman]

I've lived in Gainesville for 45 years Look outside Alachua County, taxes are way too high

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Charles, It’s a great town, but taxes in Alachua are really high. So we are looking for a town outside that county, but close to Gville, Alice

[@CharlesAnsman]

⁠ look toward Columbia county to the north, you’re still very close to I 75, which will get your husband to the hospital and any appointments pretty quickly

[@wd8545]

There is a 5ac piece on 219A right next to 301 just outside of Hawthorne, use to have a mobil home on it. Its probably to close to the roads for what yall are looking for, but it does have potential for some positives .

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@CharlesAnsmansomeone else mentioned Columbia county. Thanks

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@wd8545could you message a link to our socials or email us? You never know Alice