Guest Patriot Games Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/15/160334.shtml?s=us Hurricanes, Housing Insurance Rates Crushing Florida NewsMax.com Wires Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 MIAMI -- Hammered by hurricanes in recent years, Pilar Benitez and thousands of other Floridians are coming face-to-face with the dark side of the U.S. housing boom. Insurance on her Miami home has doubled in each of the last two years, from $1,500 to $3,000 to $6,000. Property taxes on a duplex she rents out have nearly tripled in four years. "My insurance is killing me," said Benitez, a 55-year-old college professor who has lived in Miami for 47 years. "When I retire in five years I am going to have to move out of this state," Benitez shouted at lawmakers this week during a raucous public hearing on skyrocketing property taxes. "This is a slap in my face. You are forcing me to sell my property." A housing boom that has doubled home prices in five years, coupled with eight hurricanes that strafed the state in 2004 and 2005, have created a tax-and-insurance crisis that state officials call a serious threat to Florida's booming economy. Insurance-premium hikes of 100 percent or more annually forced the state legislature into special session last month to enact emergency measures. Lawmakers holding property-tax hearings across the state have heard from weeping homeowners who say they can no longer tolerate rising costs. "Our American dream is destroyed. It is shattered," homeowner Georgina Bertolotti said at a Miami hearing. Homeowners face a conundrum. Insurance-premium increases force them to think about moving to smaller homes away from the coast. But a state law limiting annual property-tax increases to 3 percent only applies if they stay in their current homes. If homeowners move, they face steep tax increases prompted by rising home values. Florida's median home price has increased from $127,700 to $248,300 in five years - which increases a homeowner's paper wealth but also raises assessments on which property taxes are based. With no relief in sight, a state known as a haven for retirees - whether they wanted a mansion on the beach or a mobile home in a trailer park - is becoming less affordable. "Probably the thing that prompted our move more than anything else was the increasing cost of living. Real estate taxes going up and up and up," said Larry Potter, a 50-year Florida resident who moved last year from a Vero Beach home a block from the ocean to a mountain retreat in North Carolina. He said in Florida he paid about $10,000 a year for insurance and $12,000 for taxes. In his new home, the combined figure is less than $3,000. "We watched our insurance premiums nearly quadruple in two years after (hurricanes) Frances and Jeanne came through in 2004," said Potter, 62. "Our move allows us to set aside a heck of a lot of money for our retirement days." Although there are no concrete figures, anecdotal evidence bolsters a widespread notion that people are fleeing Florida United Van Lines said last year, for the first time in 30 years, it moved more people out of Florida than into what has long been one of the fastest-growing U.S. states. In 2005, inquiries tripled from Floridians to the Center for Carolina Living, which promotes relocation, and Florida took over top spot from New York for the first time. "We know that those Florida folks are not headed for the coast. They are headed away from the coast, far enough that insurance premiums are not an issue," said Pat Mason, the center's founder. According to 2000 census figures, Florida gains roughly 1,000 residents a day. About 1,800 move in and 800 move out. Many of them are immigrants from Latin America. Frank Williams, a state economist, said he believes growth has slowed. The rate of increase in Florida's population slowed to about 81,000 people in the third quarter of 2006, from a previous quarterly rate of about 92,000 people, Williams estimated. It could drop to 80,000 in the first quarter of this year, he said. "Part of it is the impact of the housing market and property taxes, no question," said Williams, who works for the state legislature's Office of Economic and Demographic Research. Pilar Benitez told legislators that the Florida she has known for nearly half a century is disappearing. "Our Miami is going to turn into Rio. Rich people and very poor people and no middle class," she said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JQPublic Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Patriot Games wrote: > http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/15/160334.shtml?s=us > > Hurricanes, Housing Insurance Rates Crushing Florida > NewsMax.com Wires Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 > > MIAMI -- Hammered by hurricanes in recent years, Pilar Benitez and thousands > of other Floridians are coming face-to-face with the dark side of the U.S. > housing boom. > > Insurance on her Miami home has doubled in each of the last two years, from > $1,500 to $3,000 to $6,000. Property taxes on a duplex she rents out have > nearly tripled in four years. > > "My insurance is killing me," said Benitez, a 55-year-old college professor > who has lived in Miami for 47 years. > > "When I retire in five years I am going to have to move out of this state," > Benitez shouted at lawmakers this week during a raucous public hearing on > skyrocketing property taxes. "This is a slap in my face. You are forcing me > to sell my property." > > A housing boom that has doubled home prices in five years, coupled with > eight hurricanes that strafed the state in 2004 and 2005, have created a > tax-and-insurance crisis that state officials call a serious threat to > Florida's booming economy. > > Insurance-premium hikes of 100 percent or more annually forced the state > legislature into special session last month to enact emergency measures. > Lawmakers holding property-tax hearings across the state have heard from > weeping homeowners who say they can no longer tolerate rising costs. > > "Our American dream is destroyed. It is shattered," homeowner Georgina > Bertolotti said at a Miami hearing. > > Homeowners face a conundrum. Insurance-premium increases force them to think > about moving to smaller homes away from the coast. But a state law limiting > annual property-tax increases to 3 percent only applies if they stay in > their current homes. > > If homeowners move, they face steep tax increases prompted by rising home > values. Florida's median home price has increased from $127,700 to $248,300 > in five years - which increases a homeowner's paper wealth but also raises > assessments on which property taxes are based. > > With no relief in sight, a state known as a haven for retirees - whether > they wanted a mansion on the beach or a mobile home in a trailer park - is > becoming less affordable. > > "Probably the thing that prompted our move more than anything else was the > increasing cost of living. Real estate taxes going up and up and up," said > Larry Potter, a 50-year Florida resident who moved last year from a Vero > Beach home a block from the ocean to a mountain retreat in North Carolina. > > He said in Florida he paid about $10,000 a year for insurance and $12,000 > for taxes. In his new home, the combined figure is less than $3,000. > > "We watched our insurance premiums nearly quadruple in two years after > (hurricanes) Frances and Jeanne came through in 2004," said Potter, 62. "Our > move allows us to set aside a heck of a lot of money for our retirement > days." > > Although there are no concrete figures, anecdotal evidence bolsters a > widespread notion that people are fleeing Florida > > United Van Lines said last year, for the first time in 30 years, it moved > more people out of Florida than into what has long been one of the > fastest-growing U.S. states. > > In 2005, inquiries tripled from Floridians to the Center for Carolina > Living, which promotes relocation, and Florida took over top spot from New > York for the first time. > > "We know that those Florida folks are not headed for the coast. They are > headed away from the coast, far enough that insurance premiums are not an > issue," said Pat Mason, the center's founder. > > According to 2000 census figures, Florida gains roughly 1,000 residents a > day. About 1,800 move in and 800 move out. Many of them are immigrants from > Latin America. > > Frank Williams, a state economist, said he believes growth has slowed. The > rate of increase in Florida's population slowed to about 81,000 people in > the third quarter of 2006, from a previous quarterly rate of about 92,000 > people, Williams estimated. It could drop to 80,000 in the first quarter of > this year, he said. > > "Part of it is the impact of the housing market and property taxes, no > question," said Williams, who works for the state legislature's Office of > Economic and Demographic Research. > > Pilar Benitez told legislators that the Florida she has known for nearly > half a century is disappearing. > > "Our Miami is going to turn into Rio. Rich people and very poor people and > no middle class," she said. > > > Boo hoo hoo. My "American Dream " is shattered. It's not my fault I bought a house in a hurricane ravaged swamp. Boo hoo hoo. These are the same fucks that buy a cheap house at the end of the runway, then go to city council meetings to bitch about the noise and demand compensation. Fucking idiots. Let em drown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patriot Games Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 "JQPublic" <Junk@Junk.junk> wrote in message news:45d604fa$0$24778$4c368faf@roadrunner.com... > Patriot Games wrote: >> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/15/160334.shtml?s=us >> Hurricanes, Housing Insurance Rates Crushing Florida >> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 > Boo hoo hoo. My "American Dream " is shattered. It's not my fault > I bought a house in a hurricane ravaged swamp. Boo hoo hoo. > These are the same fucks that buy a cheap house at the end of the > runway, then go to city council meetings to bitch about the noise and > demand compensation. Fucking idiots. Let em drown. Or tornados, or floods, or landslides, or freezing rain, or urban crime. or this or that. However, one thing is very clear. You're obvioulsy not old enough to have a mortgage or pay homeowner's insurance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JQPublic Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Patriot Games wrote: > "JQPublic" <Junk@Junk.junk> wrote in message > news:45d604fa$0$24778$4c368faf@roadrunner.com... >> Patriot Games wrote: >>> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/15/160334.shtml?s=us >>> Hurricanes, Housing Insurance Rates Crushing Florida >>> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 >> Boo hoo hoo. My "American Dream " is shattered. It's not my fault >> I bought a house in a hurricane ravaged swamp. Boo hoo hoo. >> These are the same fucks that buy a cheap house at the end of the >> runway, then go to city council meetings to bitch about the noise and >> demand compensation. Fucking idiots. Let em drown. > > Or tornados, or floods, or landslides, or freezing rain, or urban crime. or > this or that. > > However, one thing is very clear. You're obvioulsy not old enough to have a > mortgage or pay homeowner's insurance.... > > Wrong -- as expected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.