moving up...

As if I hadn't had enough to deal with, my wife and I have been in the midst of looking for a place to move for most of the year. Charley wiped out, in some cases literally, many of our considerations in this area. It also has completely wiped out being able to get my business going here in SW FL. for 9 weeks I've had no return calls on bids, applications with contracting agencies, or small investments in community news papers. The problem it seems is that people's houses and businesses are taking priority #1 in getting repairs and their lives restored and since insurance companies are rarely paying in full what it takes to repair or replace the damages, people are stuck shelling out thousands of dollars on top of the minimum 2% of their houses assesed value as a deductable (roughly $1800 is the low end average, usually in the 4-6k or more range for those who had been my clients previously).

After much debate, my wife and I have decided to make a move to central FL near NetDoc, da FOOL, Si and other SBers where it appears people just cleared debris and kept right on going like nothing much happened. We're moving it all lock, stock, and barrell family, home, and businesses.

Here is a little look at the house we've found to get ourselves established while in the area:

http://www.tropicalpc.net/photo_page.htm

Here's an odd factoid: To get a house in the area we live in now it would take a LONG time of working on credit building (to get it as high as close to 800 as possible) and a LOT of saving just to qualify for a down payment assistance program, THEN, if we were lucky we could find a house in our price range. Up in Deland we got qualified for a mortgage, found a house, and are going to be able to move into it in under 2 months. Whats wrong with this picture?!

Good to see that you found something up this way. I have been (slowly) working on getting some phone#'s on the For Sale By Owners that I have been runing across, considering that you had probably already found the realtor listed homes on the net. Looks like I can stop taking the back roads in my daily travels now.

Dude.. you ARE the man for having been on the look out for us! I owe ya for that

Didn't a couple of the hurricanes touch down in central FL? None of them hit the Keys; maybe you should come down here. 'course that would exacerbate your odd factoid issue...

Nice digs, Colin! When's the housewarming party?

Gonna miss ya over in the Ft. Meyers area....already know enough in the orlando/ocala area that I can crash on a couch if need be...LOL
Congrats buddy!

Of course, I say that in the nicest of ways! Dude, moving out of the crotch of Florida is awesome. Nice digs you are moving in to. When are you moving?

Joe

So its not Apopka anymore???

Ok, well Chuck and i were chatting tonight and an idea was formed (yes a light bulb between the oldest fart and the youngest toot - shocking indeed):

Colin is kind of busted up with his shoulder, Kris is knocked up (to put it nicely ), therefore they arent really in a state to move heavy stuff around - so Chuck and i were thinking of lending a hand packing up any moving trucks and helping to unpack at this end, maybe even driving the truck(s) too. Colin, what are your plans regarding the move of all your stuff from once place to another - do you already have people lined up or would you like/need a hand from various people if they were willing?

I would be happy helping at both ends, was thinking we could have two satellite groups around Ft Myers and Orlando (wherever you choose to move) to help pack and unpack, respectively, the truck(s) - might save you a buck or two and of course allows us to show appreciation for all the work you have done trying to organise stuff for the group as a whole.

Glad to have you as a new neighbour - got to get you on a cavern course after that and your shoulder heals up

I'll get with ya on this in the morning, I'm going to talk it over with my wife and get organized for doing this move.

We chose Deland as Apopka and surrounding area was really tough to find houses that were in a good price range that we were able to qualify for mortgage wise. Deland had a LOT to choose from and was still close to things but far enough out to have quiet nights and an 8 mile drive to Blue Springs. I'll just be happy to be in a place where I can earn a living again!

I'll have to be careful with cave/cavern and the flows apperently.. if its a low flow place we're cool, higher flow and I'm not able to consider to much because of the pressure on my shoulder joint!

nice to have friends