Seeking advice for a move to the coast...

[Torn]

Options along the Ga and SC coast (Edisto, Fripp, Beaufort, St Mary's) in our price range look to be the marsh properties on tidal creek. Prime sand gnat territory for sure. I don't remember them being bad down around Panama City but I didn't visit down there all the time like my wife. Are they a problem along the Gulf?

Mosquitos, gnats and dog flies. I used to fly right seat in a DC-3 out of PFN and we sprayed the back waters/marshes from Penscaola to St. Marks for dog flies (some people call them deer flies or sweat flies) They're yellow flies that bite and draw blood.

 

[jcountry]

Mosquitos, gnats and dog flies. I used to fly right seat in a DC-3 out of PFN and we sprayed the back waters/marshes from Penscaola to St. Marks for dog flies (some people call them deer flies or sweat flies) They're yellow flies that bite and draw blood.

Oh yeah. I been around that area. Got bit by sand gnats. ****! You wouldn't think something that small could piss you off so much!

 

[MAK]

Mosquitos, gnats and dog flies. I used to fly right seat in a DC-3 out of PFN and we sprayed the back waters/marshes from Penscaola to St. Marks for dog flies (some people call them deer flies or sweat flies) They're yellow flies that bite and draw blood.

I forgot about those damn deer flies from when we lived in Bwk. Ouch!

 

[lostchild]

I forgot about those damn deer flies from when we lived in Bwk. Ouch!

Yeah, that's the thing about the coast. Everything that grows wild, flies, or moves there from somewhere else is designed to aggravate the **** out of the natives.

 

[mikeh25]

Whatever you do, where ever you decide - get a quote on the insurance before you fall in love with a property.

Those costs will shock the **** out of you. And the only direction it will go is up.

 

[jcountry]

Whatever you do, where ever you decide - get a quote on the insurance before you fall in love with a property.

Those costs will shock the **** out of you. And the only direction it will go is up.

This is very true. I know people who moved up here from Orlando-the year after those 3 hurricanes. They said insurance went absolutely crazy.

 

[MAK]

Whatever you do, where ever you decide - get a quote on the insurance before you fall in love with a property.

Those costs will shock the **** out of you. And the only direction it will go is up.

No doubt. Expecting big increases in insurance. Have tried to get some hypothetical quotes from our current agent for certain addresses. I was surprised that there are actually some fairly high elevations in certain areas and neighborhoods. Paying attention to the ones listed as not requiring flood insurance, even though we would get it regardless. Playing with Google Earth has helped locate areas that sit 12-15 feet above sea level. Looking at photos I had seen properties that require stairways to get down to high tide elevation. Higher ground would be nice.

 

[jcountry]

No doubt. Expecting big increases in insurance. Have tried to get some hypothetical quotes from our current agent for certain addresses. I was surprised that there are actually some fairly high elevations in certain areas and neighborhoods. Paying attention to the ones listed as not requiring flood insurance, even though we would get it regardless. Playing with Google Earth has helped locate areas that sit 12-15 feet above sea level. Looking at photos I had seen properties that require stairways to get down to high tide elevation. Higher ground would be nice.

Also-Make really good and sure you understand what the policy covers-and what it does not.

"Flood" coverage can be extremely misleading. Some policies cover rising water-if it comes from a septic system, but not if it comes from any body of water. Some policies cover water damage-only if it is unassociated with any kind of wind damage.

May need to get federal flood insurance for actual coverage.

Remember, insurance companies specialize in (legalized) fraud. Never trust what any agent tells you. Get them to send a binder-and read it very critically. I think it would also be helpful to look online for complaints about that company-and see what troubles people have run into.

You can probably tell how much I truly HATE insurance companies. I have never filed a big claim, but I have friends and relatives who have been ripped off and screwed with to a shameful extent.

 

[mikeh25]

No doubt. Expecting big increases in insurance. Have tried to get some hypothetical quotes from our current agent for certain addresses. I was surprised that there are actually some fairly high elevations in certain areas and neighborhoods. Paying attention to the ones listed as not requiring flood insurance, even though we would get it regardless. Playing with Google Earth has helped locate areas that sit 12-15 feet above sea level. Looking at photos I had seen properties that require stairways to get down to high tide elevation. Higher ground would be nice.

For homeowners, rising water flood insurance is a federal program administered by private insurance companies.

Skip Google Earth - use FEMA's website to look at the FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map). This is what the lender's service/insurance companies will use and it is searchable by street address. Flood Zone C or X (unshaded) is what you want for zero flood insurance. Zone B or X (shaded) will probably get you out of a lender's requirement. Since you are looking at coastal properties there will probably be more issues to deal with. Even if you get a property that does not need flood insurance the wind damage issues from being on the coast will still make your homeowners insurance cost more than what you have been paying.

My wife had the same desire; live on the coast. No way I wanted any part of that; the money we would have to spend to actually live on the water was going to be too much and living near the water is not the same as living on the water. So we found a small non-CoE lake here in GA. In dealing with buying that property in 2015 I learned a lot.

If any part of the property - not just the house - is in a Zone A (any variation) the house will need the insurance unless you can get a LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment) for the house itself. To get the LOMA the lowest portion of anything that is attached to the house has to sit above the elevation deemed to be above the flood hazard (Zone A). I got a LOMA by getting an elevation survey done and submitting it myself to FEMA. The survey cost me $500 and FEMA took about 3 months but I was able to get the LOMA and cancel my flood insurance (my house sits 10' above the dam that forms the lake). I got the money I paid for it back too since it was less than a year and I had no claims.

No idea how long ago you moved to Lanier or if you have a mortgage but lots of lenders are "reviewing" existing loans and going after people for flood insurance where they have previously not had to have it. My agent told me he had a customer who's lender required flood insurance in the 28th year of the mortgage - to the tune of $8000 a year (in West Georgia). That guy paid off his mortgage rather than get that insurance.

Good luck.

 

[Psilloh1]

I would also encourage you in your decision, to think about access to health care. Some of the places that have been mentioned really don't have large tertiary Medical Centers. Something I would highly advise as we get older...

You don't want to be in a car for hours on time back and forth for each of you.

Access ability needs to be a consideration.