Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/53603
plummeting home prices (property values have dropped by 40 per cent in the past fi ve years), the Sunshine State boasts world- renowned theme parks, wave-licked sandy beaches and accessible hiking and kayak- ing. Not to mention the subtropical appeal of the Everglades and the spicy nightlife of Miami. Property taxes are comparatively high, but record-low home prices help to offset this. Hunter, the author of the Florida guide- FLORIDA ■ Top spots: Lakeland, Florida Keys, Central Florida/Orlando, Naples. ■ Emerging areas: New Smyrna Beach, Lauderdale by the Sea, Galt Ocean Mile. ■ Popular buys: condos, high-end trailer homes. ■ Sample prices: US$195,000 – waterfront 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1,100 sq. ft. condo, Galt Ocean Mile area US$349,500 – 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2,106 sq. ft. detached house with pool, Naples. ■ Crime: some inner-city issues; few concerns in popular vacation spots. ■ Health care: excellent clinics and hospitals. "This will be my southern writing studio between December and April. No snow, just wonderful sunshine with Disney World and the St. Pete beaches an hour away," says Ontario resident Dave Hunter of his trailer home in the cozy Lakeland area. Florida is the number-one Canadian snowbird destination and, aside from book Along Florida's Expressways, paid just $10,000 for his fully furnished residence. While many such bargains abound, Hunter advises caution. "Be wary of bank foreclo- sures. There is much litigation over the title of many of these properties." Instead, he suggests visiting communities in the area you'd like to live and checking local bulletin boards for properties being sold by owner. "We were able to conclude our purchase the same day it was listed," he says. According to Summer Greene, president- elect of Florida Realtors, Florida condos are perennially popular with Canadians. "Cana- dians seem to prefer southeast Florida, espe- cially Hollywood Beach, Galt Ocean Mile and Lauderdale by the Sea because of the proximity to beaches and shopping, and extremely competitive pricing," she says. ARIZONA ■ Top spots: suburban Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek. ■ Emerging areas: urban Phoenix, Yuma. ■ Popular buys: condos and townhouses in gated communities. ■ Sample prices: US$85,000 – 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1,022 sq. ft. condo in a gated community, Phoenix. US$212,000 – 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1,991 sq. ft. detached house with a pool, Mesa. ■ Crime: few concerns in vacation spots and popular buying areas. ■ Health care: excellent clinics and hos- pitals, with easy access for Canadians. The Grand Canyon State eases to a comfortable 20 C in winter, perfect for a round or three of golf at one of hundreds of courses. And the southern Arizona landscape – desert basins and low, rocky mountains stippled with cacti, fl owers and shrubs – makes for a beautiful backyard. But the big draw here is rock-bottom home prices, which have dropped by around 50 per cent in the past five years. For $250,000, the price of a condo in Calgary, you can get a 3,000-square-foot home with a pool in suburban Phoenix. Property taxes are also low, amounting to around 0.4 to 1.5 per cent (depending on the county and Glowimages/Masterfile, (top) Graham French/Masterfile, (right) Ryan McVay/Getty Images WESTWORLD >> FEBRUARY 2012 21