I live west of Debby and Dennis S, and this far inland (8 miles) the tourists thin out. Very few venture this far inland, while Broward County's edge of western development is another 15 miles west. I love where I live. It is close to everything,- Keys, Jupiter and Naples are all under 2 hrs away. Orlando, and Venice Beach (shark tooth diving) are both 3 hrs away. Easy to do as a day trip. Broward has an excellent park system and entrance fees are cheap. If you have dogs, there are lots of dog friendly parks and activities for Fido.
My home owners insurance is lower than those on the coast, as is my auto insurance. Both or astronomical compared to other places in the country. It's the price I pay for not having to shovel snow. NO state tax, thanks to tourism. The summers are hot. Best time of year is between Easter and 4th of July, when the snow birds have left, the winds have calmed down, waters warmed, and the heat and humidity haven't gotten everybody in a foul mood yet. I wish those that don't like the heat would move back north.
When it does rain, it rarely lasts more than a couple days. We are used to seeing the sun.
Yeah, hurricanes can be a pain. Wilma left me 15 days without power and a couple months without home phone service. Drat. Like others have said, prepare. Duh. Make sure your house is strong and secure. It doesn't matter whether you live on the coast or not, they come from all directions, and the leading quadrant is what does the most damage (though it may not be the strongest).
Now is a great time to buy. Broward, Palm Beach and Miami had over 100,000 foreclosures last year. We got hit hard. But we will bounce back.
The bad? People who don't appreciate where they live and complain about it. Drivers are horrible. This is called South New York for a reason, and the last American leaving Miami, please bring the flag.
As a Christian, there are some really good churches down here. Also the Jewish population is huge. Both are working together to bring peace to all.
I had an opportunity about 7 years ago to move anywhere in the country I wanted. I couldn't think of any other place I would rather be.