Best Places to Retire in Florida - A St. Petersburg Review

A lot is written about St. Petersburg, Tampa, and the other communities that make up this metropolitan area. It is one to which many Ohioans have moved in the late 2000s and early 2010s and at one point, state analysts felt that people were leaving the Midwestern state in droves to relocate to this part of Florida. While we don't have negative population growth, Ohioans are still moving to Florida and St. Petersburg is a good reason to do so.

Warmer weather is, of course, a great reason to move to St. Petersburg from northern states and Canada, either permanently or for winter seasons. With El Nina creating colder and snowier winters in recent years, this is a top stimulus to retirees to move south. The advancing job market is another reason, because many retirees continue to work. Even younger workers are moving to Tampa - St. Petersburg.

Several Hubs have been written about the travel opportunities around Tampa-St. Petersburg and a selection are offered to you in the links below. A less well addressed subject is safety in retirement (age 60s+) and how to choose the best home in which to simultaneously minimize safety risks and to save some money. These suggestions may help you are a friend that is ready to retire.

Large numbers of new homeowners desire houses that have two or even three stories and a basement, lots of big windows, but also lots of stairways. Preparing for retirement, These individuals or couples find that the house is now too large and to hard to navigate. Even younger Baby Boomers have undergone knee and hip replacements that make stair climbing even more difficult. Multiple large windows in a home that are not sealed, not double paned, and not covered in curtains can make a home hotter in summer and colder in winter, raise utility bills past payment ability, and be a general nuisance. The bathtub and shower can be another hazard and nuisance. Basements can full up with junk.

Large families with several children require larger homes, but smaller families may thrive in a house that is a bit smaller, with fewer windows, and fewer stairs. One solution is the single level or ranch style home often available in Florida and built on a slab since the high water table often eliminates basement possibilities. A laundry room at the back of the house is usually better for retirees than a basement setup.In addition, low-threshold step-in showers with an installed seat, grab bars, and non-slip traction surfaces on the floor can be ideal. One option in parts of China includes a comparatively smaller bathroom that is also a shower, equipped with sinks and a toilet. Spigots and sprays are installed in the walls and ceiling.

When considering an apartment for retirement, some experts suggest a first floor unit to prevent falls on stairways, while others encourage the use of an upper floor to more fully prevent any break-ins. Some other possible situations to consider is slippery staircase in rainy weather and non-working elevators during power outages. My choice would be a first floor apartment, although upper floors may offer a better view.

• Children's Museum
• Chihuly Collection - Awesome glass sculptures
• Croation Native Arts Gallery and Museum
• The Dali Museum
• Detective Dinner Theater - Lots of fun!
• Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum
• Florida Holocaust Museum - friends have been here and describe the displays as overwhelming in emotion and meaning.
• Golf Courses
• Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club
• Mahaffey Theatre - The Progress Energy Center
• Museum of Fine Arts
• St. Petersburg College Palladium Theater
• St. Petersburg Pier - Pier and Aquarium
• Saturday Morning Weekly Market
• Smugglers Cove Mini Golf
• Sunken Garden - Garden and Home Tour
• Tampa Bay Auto Museum
• Ted Williams Baseball Museum
• Weedon Island Preserve

• Eckerd College. 4200 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg - (800) 456-9009
• Keiser Career College. 11208 Blue Heron Blvd N # 100, St. Petersburg
• Stetson Law School. 1401 61st Street South, Gulfport - (727) 562-7806
• St. Petersburg College. 244 2nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg - (727) 341-4246
• University of South Florida St. Petersburg. 140 7th Ave South, St. Petersburg - (727) 873-4873

Shown below is an unusual growth curve for St. Petersburg area job listings across all Internet Sources for a period of 18 months.

From November through February 2010, very few jobs were listed for this metro area, but an increase began the end of February. This increase continued overall through the remainder of 2011, with some ups and downs logged - all totals at any point being much higher than for autumn and winter of 2010, however.

The increase continued, with 37,400+ jobs listings available in late October 2011.

1. BayCare Health System – 1,000 jobs in late October 2011
2. CVS/Pharmacy
3. HCA/HCA Healthcare
4. School District of Manatee County
5. McDonald’s
6. US Air Force
7. Kelly Engineering Resources
8. Medical Connections
9. RandstadLockheed Martin
10. Florida Hospital, Tampa
11. JPMorgan Chase
12. University of South Florida
13. Brookdale Senior Living
14. Burger King Corporation
15. United Health Group
16. Pizza Hut
17. Aerotek
18. Taco Bell
19. Swedish Medical Center
20. Raymond James
21. Largo Medical Center
22. WellCare
23. Wyzant Tutoring – Anything from elementary school math to college level Chinese
24. Citigroup