Anyone have information St. Simons Island, GA?
It looks like a wonderful place if you like to golf and don’t believe in global climate change, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and powerful storms.
How’s the medical care there? As folks get older, quality medical care looms larger and being able to get quick access to top healthcare professionals is ever more important. In our state, folks who live off of Oahu have to fly to Oahu for medical care, which is very challenging for very ill or injured patients and their loved ones.
Medical care looks good, GA taxes better than Florida and Jacksonville very close. Just not a lot of info on line.
GA taxes may be better than FL but I would encourage you and your husband to read more about the [Coastal Barrier Resource Act](http://www.fws.gov/cbra/Act/index.html) which would likely substantially increase the cost of living on such an island. There’s a reason the main homeowners insurance companies in the area work with Lloyd’s of London. The risk of flooding, severe home damage, or even outright island destruction are too great for mainstream companies to insure.
I think this quote from [Live Science](Ike Underscores Foolishness of Building on Barrier Islands | Live Science) best summarizes the dangers of living on such a piece of land:
I live in St. Simons year round. The good - it is really lovely and charming. The people are polite and friendly. For the size of the town we have a great selection of interesting restaurants. The weather is great for about 8 months out of the year. Property taxes and home prices are reasonable. Lots of outdoor activities - golf, fishing, boating, kayaking, miles of bike paths.
The not so good. Flood insurance concerns are very real especially since we are at the whims of random flood map changes and legislation. Actual floods are less of a concern as most storms tend scoot by us and hit NC. If we do get a direct hit the entire island will be in trouble. Being one or two feet above flood level will get you a lower insurance premium but is not going to stop you from being effected by a direct hit.
There are some talented Doctors here but the hospital is not great and many people go to Mayo in Jacksonville which is 70 miles away.
Summers are ridiculously hot and humid. You walk out your door in morning and the humidity literally envelopes you.
If you have allergies or breathing issues the humidity and all the plant life will eventually cause problems. Even if you don’t currently have allergy issues many people develop them after they move here. The allergist is the most popular guy in town in the spring.
Finally, the bugs. Many nice days are ruined by our aggressive biting gnats and mosquitoes. Thankfully they are not year round and the sea breeze helps keeps them at bay. Most people have a pest control contract to keep termites, roaches and spiders out of their homes.
Honestly, the only thing that bothers me is our horrible summer heat and humidity because it often last until the end of September. I always hate when my Northern friends are leaf peeping and making stew and we are still cranking the air conditioning.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks, good info. Very good. I will share link. Ok - what are the best places to retire in the south? Gulf Coast? C Ocean? Florida? Go inland and drive to the beach? We are really just starting our research and have about ten years … but we are planners!
The Ashville/Hendersonville, NC area seems to be very popular. No beach, but pretty good year round climate.
We have decided to stay in the Nashville area, where we moved 9 years ago. We had planned to retire to Colorado, but realized that everything we want is right here. We have great medical care and don’t have to drive an hour for it. We have 4 seasons and the winters and summers are bearable (for the most part). We have a major university with lots of sports, concerts etc. We have beautiful scenery, an easy airport and pretty good access to most parts of the country. The west coast takes 2 flights in many cases, though.
I recently had a business trip to Amelia Island and loved it. It is basically Georgia, but has good access (30 minutes) to Jacksonville. It probably has the same issues as noted above for St. Simons, though.
My cousin and family moved to St Simons two years ago and are moving again. Seemed like a nice place, but then couldn’t deal with the weather, the schools and the southern culture. Moving back to CA. I visited them and although it’s a nice vacation spot, I also wouldn’t want to live there.
We’re staying right here. We also have everything we need: family. The rest is irrelevant.
We are staying in Honolulu, aware of the pros & cons. It is a very HCOL area and we don’t necessarily have the very best MDs, but my extended family lives here. If our kids settle away from Honolulu, we may buy or rent long term for extended visits. Personally, I think it’s a good idea to have PROLONGED (many month) vacations before deciding to uproot, just to avoid multiple moves.
“…couldn’t deal with the weather, the schools and the southern culture”
Love of sports, respect for elders, delicious food and awesome iced tea? How awful! 
There are pros and cons to living fulltime in a vacation/tourist spot. Of St. Simons, Sea Island and Jekyll, I prefer St. Simons. Jekyll is ,shall we say, quieter (less there, less to do) and Sea Island is a but stuffier, IMO. Perhaps you can go visit for a month, and pick a time that is harder to handle (summer). Se what you think.
This is where I plan to retire - but I grew up in the area, so the thought of the “southern culture” seems inviting to me (and the iced tea? Awesome!)
It’s okay with me if others find the area lacking, though; it’s not for everyone. Besides, fewer retirees = more mountain homes to choose from!
Georgia taxes are better than Florida’s? Florida has no personal income tax, Georgia does.
Perhaps they are referring to gasoline taxes and real estate taxes and the like.
Florida state lawmakers keep Florida taxes low…it’s all the new ‘user fees’ instituted by our elected officials that get you in Florida. We never get new taxes in Florida…just new ‘user fees’.
Don’t the property taxes jump with new home purchases?
We really liked Asheville, NC when we checked it out as a possible retirement location, but it’s too far from a decent airport. With S1 now in CA, that criteria is more important. We haven’t really come up with a Plan B yet.
Real estate taxes for new Florida resale home buyers can be higher than what previous homestead owner was paying because any caps enjoyed on annual assessments for ad valorem taxes disappear for new owner who will be taxed at current full assessed value of property.
General tax info for Florida: http://dor.myflorida.com/Forms_library/current/gt800025.pdf
Right. And IIRC the ad valorem on homes in FL is high (higher that GA real estate taxes).