I live in the outskirts of Jacksonville, Florida and man I still hate the traffic out here. I’m very basically in Orange Park. I wish it was like Ocala, I miss the country life.
I tend to avoid the "realtor" YT channels. They seem too manufactured and only want to show you what they are trying to sell you. I must say that this channel comes off as very genuine and honest. I'm liking this channel more and more. I'm going to be flying down to Fla from MD in a few months to look at areas for a move and Ocala is definitely at the top of my list. Hidden gem.
Ocala seems perfect. I'm planning on moving there from NY. Sick of the cold, the crime, the traffic, the people, the lockdowns, the masks, the cameras, the speed 25 mph limit, the rules, the tyranny, I could go on forever!
The governor here seems to be hoping everyone (or at least the grand majority) will use common sense. We are into our second wave, but I don't think we are going into lockdown again.
Hubby and I packed up our house and sold it in VA and having a house built in Ocala. Never been there; found a house I liked and I was sold. Learning things about Ocala and so far we are more than ok with our decision.
This is great! My husband and I were down there visiting my dad back in February and just fell in love with Ocala. It seemed like a nice town in Michigan - we did NOT miss any of the chain restaurants. You can get that anywhere. We loved how low key and NO TRAFFIC it was. :)
Thanks and great question. When you buy a house they are going to look at your debt to income ratio. You will get a better rate the better your credit score and ratio is. If you already have a car loan, that’s ok, but you may be asked to pay down credit cards to compensate. If you don’t have a car loan, I would highly recommend waiting until AFTER you close on your house prior to even test driving a car unless you plan on living in the car. When you apply for a mortgage, your credit will be under a microscope for the duration of closing process. Do not allow anyone to pull your credit for any reason while you are in the process of buying your home. It may send out a red flag to the bank that you are about to go on a spending spree or make a major purchase and won’t be able to pay them for the loan. So for the 30-60 days it takes to apply for the mortgage and close on the home, guard your credit like Fort Knox. Hope this helps! Call me if you need help buying a home in Central Florida!
Aww thank you! I'm sure I could take a class to become more of a pro...but I honestly don't mind so the rest can just be bothered. LOL I appreciate it.
My family and I have planned for years to relocate to Ocala. I'm a southern Louisiana man but wife is native Colorado. Your vids are informative and help keep the dream alive until its time. Thank you
Welcome! Give me a call if you need help selling your home or buying one here in Ocala! I would love to help. I don't like living with the snow either, lol.
I’m looking to eventually visit Ocala. What is the typical costs of living in Ocala like? gas, groceries, property taxes, etc. what is healthcare like there? I need endocrine doctors because I’m diabetic. Urologists, digestive health specialists. Is employment good there? Is there much hiring? If yes then that is a good sign. How is the economy? Is emergency services good there? Any recommendations for home insurance? Automotive maintenance services? Sorry for all the questions just wanted to get an idea if typical life there is good. Any online website resources I can check out? Thank you for posting your video it was good
We have land in Ocala. We purchased it a few years ago, but I'm not sure if we are going to move. I'm in NY, so I'm struggling with slowing down so much. So it will take me a while to decide. My husband loves the slower pace.
Trust me...we will keep you busy! Everyone down here is busy and running around like ants on a mission. We just make sure of the more important things. Taking a few minutes to chat with neighbors and the lady at the bank or publix. Taking time out to participate in school stuff for your kids or take them to an event at the library. It is not as big city as New York, it's definitely different...but sometimes, different is good.
@@spikemorbid7159 Thank you!! I visited three times and I can't seem to get a liking for the place. So strange though we have been getting quite a number of investors who wants to purchase the land. It makes me wonder what's happening
I will do better than just wishing you luck! I know how hard it is right now to find rental homes. I don't know your needs or price range, but if you give Lindsey Bockhorst our leasing specialist a call at 352-322-9497 she may be able to help you out. You can even do your application online to save time! Hope this helps!
Hi I'm PuertoRican and I moved with my family to New Hampshire 3 years ago when hurricane Maria hit, for 2021 we are planning to move to Florida my father mentioned Ocala because he saw good reviews on this place. I have been seeing your videos a lot lately and I love your videos there's so informative.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty thank you we are waiting for the winter to settle down a bit so we can start the moving process hopefully. We are thinking to take a trip first to check out the area and then hopefully if everything is good we can move, What do you recommend?
I'm from PR. Worked in Texas x 30 years and bought a house here. There is plenty of things to do, plus is you like PR food , there are a few places were you can get all the goodies.
I'm from Orlando but looking for a parcel of raw land (10 acres or more) basically for my children to play and experience the outdoors. My question is, how friendly is Ocala towards people of other skin color? I only ask because my plan is eventually develop the property into a homestead/retirement for my wife and I.
Honestly, being a blonde, pink, freckled person I don’t think anybody cares what I have to say about racial hatred or bigoted stupidity. But the majority of my agents have lived in Ocala for decades and speak English as one of the two or three other languages they speak. If you asked me to sell you a skyscraper I would give you the same response: “I don’t have personal experience in that, but I can get you in touch with several people that do.” Personally, I think too many people of all one anything makes for very boring scenery. I love my neighborhood since there is a beautiful mix of colors, languages and ages. You can also check on the census to see where there are similar neighborhoods if this is important to you. For example, the villages has 98% older white people and only 2% EVERYTHING else. Statistically speaking that is improbable without other underlying factors. Ocala does not have statistics anything like that. But feel free to check the various stats on the census or send me an email and I will get you additional information: andreaproeber@gmail.com
Loved your video! My husband and I are home builders in Chattanooga but looking for a change and thinking about Ocala. Wondering about the homeless population (general safety) and the mosquitoes. We get a fair amount of bugs here in Tennessee but I’ve spent very little time in Florida during the summer. How bad are the bugs ?
Lol the bugs are about the same as Tennessee I think. Why don’t you come down and stay down here for a vaca this summer? Then you can see how bad the heat and bugs get? You may be surprised how well you like it!
We moved from Miami to Ocala 3 years ago, and we love it. Houses are way less expensive for sure. The only thing I don't like is that we don't have a regular airport, and i hate driving to Orlando, but thank God I don't have to fly that often.
Love all the info you gave us. Very informative. So my husband and I have been looking to move to Ocala. However upon further research we are coming up with conflicting information regarding the crime in Ocala. Would you be able to give us some light on this? Was it worse and has gotten better. So many communities are up and coming, we just can’t see how that data is accurate. Thank you 🙏🏼
I LOVE Dunnellon! But I have always shied away from recommending that area as a good place to invest in real estate. I also haven't recommended it in the past to move to necessarily for the same reason: There was little to no work over there. When there are no jobs, it creates less of a need for housing. If there is no demand, and you have supply...well, that's a problem. Recently, I saw that changing drastically! In fact, as soon as I saw the change on the horizon I immediately opened our first branch office there. The change that is coming is both from the NE by way of the massive and lucrative World Equestrian Center. Also to the SE there are several of the largest distribution centers not only in the County, but possibly the State. This also brings in jobs! So we went from very little to two or three massive employees all within 15-20 mins from Dunnellon. The real estate currently is still a little less expensive in Dunnellon and Citrus Springs. As far as Rainbow Springs, I think you get quite a lot from the community for very little money. I have considered moving there myself. I'm not as much of a fan of Rainbow Lakes as I just haven't seen much new housing or updating of the housing there. Hoping that changes, but currently it looks tired and run down. For investors, that normally smells like a good deal though. So, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. Hope that answers your question. Feel free to email me anytime: AndreaProeber@gmail.com
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Thank you so much for answering. And a well thought out informative response. That is the most helpful answer I've received from talking to at least 3 realtors. When would be a good time to call you? Morning or afternoon? Thanks again.
I moved to Ocala from New York, I lived in New York for twenty-seven years you I'm from SaintVincent and the Grenadines Ocala is similar to Ocala, I love it here
My friends and family tell me the same thing,Ocala is beautiful. There are too many problems here in Miami,traffic,over populated and crazy expensive. This is a grate time to buy a property before prices in Ocala go up and becomes unaffordable.
We are looking in Ocala. My husband and I want a place to go to during the cold winters up north. You seem like a really nice neighbor . Thank you for your review.
Welcome to Ocala! I hope I am a good neighbor. Although my next door neighbor just gave me the sweetest gift and I haven't dropped off a thank you card yet! Yikes! There are some great new construction deals you can get your hands on down here. Let me know if you want to go house shopping!
I'm actually pretty terrified of moving to Ocala next year, I am in the real estate business here in Miami FL and although I hate the city and love the country my mother only speaks Spanish, I'm wondering how she will fair up in Ocala with me once we move next year in Jan. 2022 Thank you for the video, I highly appreciate it.
I remember moving to the mountains in Puerto Rico as a 15 year old and didn’t know a word of Spanish...it was scary, but I learned a lot about myself and people in general. There are quite a few people I know here in Ocala that don’t speak a word of English. Including an incredibly good friend. He doesn’t speak English and has lived her for decades and my husband doesn’t speak a word of Spanish but they are still pretty good friends! Lol just tell her to keep an open mind and if you like I’ll introduce her to some people she can chat with.
I have questions. I live in Roanoke VA and feel nothing's changed since I moved here 10 yrs ago. My live has stayed the same. I'm single 54 female. I'd like to move into an over 55 community. I would like to work in the school system. I'm fine with not busy. I do like some growth. I'd like to know if there is a decent sized amount of retirees or 55+. I've done research and it looks like a mix.
Congratulations on reaching such a huge decision. Come on down, the water's warm and the sweet tea is iced. Send me an email and we can talk details: AndreaProeber@gmail.com
Thanks for the information! I do have a few questions. First, how easy is it to find fresh fruits and vegetables (do you have any farmers markets there?) And are they expensive? Second, I heard there aren't many vegan options there from another video but is that just in terms of restaurants or does that apply to vegan goods at the grocery stores too? And lastly, how's the homeschooling/alternative schooling system there? Thanks a bunch!
How funny, I was just talking about all the farmers markets and when and where they are here: ua-cam.com/video/xrMP1ySaQic/v-deo.html There is also Markets of Marion which is a flea market that has an entire wing just for a farmers market that wasn't mentioned in the video. I have mentioned how incredibly homeschool friendly Marion County is and how much I love the homeschool options for my kids. If I can remember which video that was in...lol. I guess I will do another one of those! Thanks!
@@GreatExpectationsRealty I appreciate the response. Glad to hear there are thriving farmers markets there as well as a strong homeschooling community (I look forward to your next video on the topic!). I currently live in southern Chile with a toddler but I'm itching to return to the US as things have become too oppressive here since the pandemic struck. Florida is looking like the best choice right now and Ocala really appeals to me from everything I've been learning so far. Anyway, thanks again and have a great evening!
Thank you for this video.. We live in California and we are not like your usual Californian family, and that says a lot when my wife was born and raised in San Luis Obispo CA.. We are planning on visiting Ocala FL this summer.. I am planning on retiring in the next couple of years so we have been looking at places and trying to get some ideas on where we would like to move.. We are tired of CA and it’s politics and just all of it.. So thank you again for this video and making us even more curious on Ocala🤗
Thank you for all your super honest and natural review. Loved it I felt a friend was talking to me about Ocala! I drove by Ocala some years ago by accident on my way back to Miami from NC. Anyway got off an exit and didn’t realize it was Ocala driving around and feeling how beautiful it was. All the oak trees and horse country was so nice, I’m actually debating about moving there now, reason how I ran into your video. Just sold my property in Miami, yeah people that’s think Ocala is expensive , we’ll come to Miami and you will take that back! 😂 Thanks again🙏🏽❤️
You sound like some of my friends! Let me know if there is anything in particular that you want to know or need. If you are in the area sometime soon, give me a heads up and we can do coffee!
I'm moving soon to ocala!! It sounds perfect and you definitely helped me feel great about my decision. It sounds like my hometown here just with better weather and the critters are poisonous. Lol. Just hoping I can find a place to rent if this job offer pulls through.
@@greekmythdude9053 I'm so glad you like it here. Hopefully everyone was as warm as the weather. We are freezing right now, it's 36 degrees outside right now! I am not setting foot outside until the frost is gone tomorrow morning! LOL
@@GreatExpectationsRealty wow! Pretty cold for Florida. Although for me its 19 degrees outside in Chicago.Mabey if I'm lucky il get to go back to Ocala next year.
OH MY! Thank you! I have spent a lot of time getting lots of videos this week for ya'll. So I am editing that and you will have a gob of new videos next week. Lots of good stuff!
Andrea, I'm considering moving to Ocala. I think you said you never need to evacuate Ocala because of weather, hurricanes don't reach Ocala to an extent to cause any damage to a house; is that right? I'm looking at real estate for sale there on the Internet, it looks like I need to look at the information on the listing to see if the property could be in a flood hazard area. Your videos are helpful.
I'm glad you like my videos. I'm still shocked to my toes that anyone watches them. lol I would never say never on a hurricane because I honestly would not be shocked at anything anymore. Nobody would have thought a hurricane would hit New York of all places but they got whacked pretty bad by Sandy in 2012. But if you look at all the hurricane prone areas, (and trust me, insurance companies do this regularly) that would be anywhere near the coasts. If you want to stay as safe as possible from hurricanes but still want to reap the benefits of being a Florida citizen, inland Florida near the northern border of Georgia is the best place to live. Making Marion County one of "the least hurricane-prone areas in Florida". Last hurricane that came up this way, our house was where all of my South Florida relatives evacuated to. I had 7 people, one dog, a fish and 10 baby chickens at my house. And we were on call/standby to care for my mother in law (just in case) even though she lives in Ocala and has no trees in her yard but just worries. As far as flooding we have a lot of sand here, so if we do get a lot of rain, it disappears pretty quickly. Marion County is actually high ground and somewhat hilly. If you go over to our neighboring Citrus County, you will see a huge difference in the terrain. While they still have the hills in some places, most of it is lower ground and more places are prone to flooding. (You will notice a slightly higher home insurance rate, but only by about $50-$100 per year). Any Realtor worth the name will be able to tell you if a house/property is in a flood zone and which part of the property and what type of flood zone. (100 yr, 500 yr etc). Your Realtor should also be able to easily pull up the most recent FEMA map and show you the entire area along with retention areas. You will see a lot of retention ponds here. They are big manmade basins that are designed to capture and keep any flood waters away from homes. All recent homes (the last 20-30 years) are designed to keep any and all rainfall flowing towards these neighborhood basins. Normally they are just big grassy areas that people wonder why we don't turn into a park or do something with, lol. We are doing something with them, in case of emergency crazy amounts of rainfall, they keep homes safe. :)
“High” property taxes??? My mother in law pays $78 a year in property taxes and most of my friends and other family pay about $2,000 or less in property taxes for the year. Plus we have no state income taxes. I think of our low taxes (compared to other places) as a pro not a con.
I really liked your video about Ocala. We are from California and we are so excited to leave after living here most of our lives. We are looking forward to retirement and we were thinking about Florida. I liked your pros and cons about Ocala. It looks like we will be taking a trip there to check it out. We have watched many videos about Florida and many people have commented that Floridians don’t like Californians! So sad to hear 😒. So We really like your video because we could relate to you. I look forward to watching more videos. Thank you again
Awww, how nice! That's funny about not liking Californians, the only comments I have ever heard are about New yorkers! Normally regarding to their driving habits and direct way of speaking that takes a bit of time to mellow out of them. Things tend to go slower here...think trudging through molasses. But as long as you know what to expect you should be fine. We don't like uppity or fake. We deal best with kind and down to earth which you seem to be. If you are driving through Florida on I75 stop in Ocala, go to mojo's for lunch or stop by my office and we can chat and have some coffee. I always keep coffee and tea and cold bottled water on hand for friends stopping by.
If you’re bringing your liberal views and voting habits from the blue states to Ocala ( and most of Florida ) then I can totally understand why Floridians don’t welcome you. Keep your blue-ness in the blue states.
We have all kinds of jobs and at the moment I think EVERYONE is hiring! Restaurants, equine, medical, hospitality, industrial, construction...you name it, there is somewhere here hiring for it. What kind of work do you do? Would you like some recommendations?
Hello! We are currently considering moving to Ocala and would like to know what you would say about the homeschool community. This is the 1st year we have homeschooled our middleschooler and would like to have an idea of the support groups that could be found in Ocala.
Very cool, I was homeschooled my whole life! My daughter homeschooled 100% for middle school and is currently doing a half and half at the local high school. The city offers a weekly “home school day” to give you a bit of a break on Wednesday at brick city park and there are several other programs. In other words, Ocala is VERY homeschool friendly. There are a lot of groups for support for you and your children. Send me an email at Andreaproeber@gmail.com and I’ll send you details! Welcome home!
Hablas español?nosotros también somos de Puerto Rico ..that’s great!!we are thinking about moving to Florida and we are checking Ocala ..God is putting this in our hearts so we are waiting to see what’s God’s plan for us since we still have around 7 years before I retire but in five years we are starting the process of selling here in Virginia where we live and move to Ocala buying a home..Plese tell me you can help us!🙏
Hola Luis, Gusto en hablarle, mi nombre es Cindy y me encantaría ayudarle en lo que pueda. Ocala es un lugar lindo y muy familiar. Estoy a sus órdenes para cual quier pregunta q tenga. Me Puede llamar or enviarme un correo electrónico a Cindysellsre01@gmail.com o (954) 870-0790
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Gracias Cindy ..como ya es un poco tarde y acabo de llegar a mi casa del trabajo ,mañana te envío un correo electrónico para que sepas nuestro plan..Gracias y verdaderamente me encanta ese lugar..Buenas noches..
Im trying to find a house in Ocala and almost seems impossible !! Ive moved from CA to NC and now want to move to Ocala I have been researching the area for a year any advice
Serving Uncle Sam took me first to Pennsylvania in 2008 from Puerto Rico then there Ocala, Florida in 2010☝🏾I have nothing to complain I used to go to "Mary's Cuban Kitchen" on State Road 200 which is Awesome ☝🏾 Bravo Supermarket is like shopping in Puerto Rico where I returned after Retirement in 2019☺️ Ocala has Beautiful Springs which are "Caribbean" looking☺️🌴💚 For Florida I only like those areas both Alachua and Marion Counties ☝🏾
There are some retirement communities here that are 4 mins away from the hospital. It just depends on where you decide to live I guess. There are gobs of great doctors all over Ocala.
My wife and I a quickly approaching retirement and we are exploring where to start our next adventure in life. As i browse your site I wonder what neighborhoods would you recommend for seniors.
It really depends on what you want from it. If you want a lot of activities and a superb golf course and indoor and outdoor pools etc. Do you want the lawn maintenance included? Do you need it to be gated? Guarded? There are many, many 55+ neighborhoods here in Marion County, and the HOA rules and regs reflect the desired living conditions for the people in that community. I am attempting to create videos for every community in Ocala, but for now, I would say just give me a call, let me know what you are particularly looking for, and I can easily recommend a few communities that you will love: 352-817-1600
Thank you for your great info, my husband is thinking on retirement and we are considering Ocala, we have heard great things so far ... I have a question, how far is the nearest international airport?
Ya'll are going for tough questions tonight. Sevilla estate is a basic NE quadrant City of Ocala neighborhood. I like that you can get a well built home for a fair price. What I don't like is how patchy things are. One block is well maintained and the homes are updated, the next block looks forgotten in 1979 shag carpeting inside and original roof outside. If you are considering buying over there, I think it's a good investment and one I would possibly make myself. However, DO NOT buy sight unseen. Because if you buy a home and update it, but your neighbor has never mowed their yard and is confused as to what constitutes lawn ornamentation (Hint: Living room couches are not lawn ornaments) then your home value will never increase no matter what you do.
@@fluent_In_finance This is the only quiet time of day I can edit these videos and upload for the morning release. (My home and office are rarely quiet) You will love the video for tomorrow. It will hit at 10am, grab an Ocala map before you watch it.
How is it there far as diversity? My husband is Puerto Rican and I'm African American. We are thinking about moving from Miami. Prices are constantly going up. Do you know of anyone to help us start off with a rental?
Diversity is an issue that keeps popping up, I will do a video on that. It’s so scary because I am very open and honest but am so worried about hurting someone’s feelings or offending someone. Alex is our newest property manager and he even has a video we did together on here somewhere. It’s the only one that I made y’all suffer through my terrible Spanish! His phone number is: 786-587-6765
Better opportunity outside slocala that’s why we moved just north of Tampa much better here met a lot of people here from Marion county and they told me the same thing.
Good question! I had absolutely no idea. So I had to google it, lol. Then I went down the rabbit hole of statistics like crazy. It was really interesting reads. www.fdle.state.fl.us/FSAC/Data-Statistics/UCR-Offense-Data.aspx It shows the entire State by County and what types of crimes. There is also an interactive crime map that is available from Ocala Police Dept. which was also kinda fun to look at. It probably helps to know the town too though. Like there were a couple car burglaries on the map...right where most of the car dealerships in Marion County are. There were multiple assaults right near my office which freaked me out for a second...then I remembered there are 4 massive apartment complexes behind my office so out of the thousands of tenants in there, there's bound to be some room mates getting into fights and the cops being called. Still, it's an interesting read so I figured I'd share. Hope you find it interesting too!
Thankyou So much that was really helpful. Also what part of Ocala would you suggest we stay away from? We live in a really small town in PA so it would be a huge change. Sorry if I am asking too many questions.
How about Latino restaurants?? Great video btw thank you! We planing to move there and we are thinking in buying a house ...but we dont even know how the communities are......or how the weather is all year long
Hi I’m high school and my family told me this is one of the options we might be moving to so I decided to do a little research 1)are kids nice there and 2) and if you have teenagers do they like it there
Welcome to Ocala Cara. Moving to a new place can be really scary but it can be awesome too! I know a ton of teenagers since my son just went off to college this year and my daughter just started in high school. I think teenagers are pretty much the same everywhere, but the ones my kids brought home as friends are super super nice and I really like them. In fact my son ended up moving into an apartment with three of his friends from high school. Aside from the fact that they drink too much red bull and monster, they are great. LOL Once your parents decide for sure on Ocala, ask them to call me and we will meet up. Don't worry, it will be great, you will see!
Very strong and getting better every day! I did a video today about being #1 in the nation for small businesses! We all really try hard to support our local small businesses. That brings in jobs and allows for every day people to own their own business.
you forgot one other con that I'll say is more of a regional thing than a city thing and that is, ALLIGATORS!!! EVERYWHERE!!! They're like the mountain lions over here in Colorado.
We don’t really have alligators everywhere here in Ocala. I think that more in the Everglades or something. We do have them over in Silver Springs attraction and in the Ocala national forest...but for most of the county...not so much
Wow! Que Bien!!! En que parte de la isla? Estamos de las lomas de Canovanas primero, y despues en Laguna Gardens de Carolina. Bienvenidos a Ocala. Si necesita ayuda, me aviso. (Sorry, I know my spanish needs work, lol)
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Thanks Andrea; I was also going to comment in the Summerfield to Ocala video; your voice would fade, probably due to your head turning to observe traffic. Kind of an ugly stretch of road; once drove 27 from the Tampa area all the way north; not something I plan on doing again.
We have been extremely happy with the results of the local public schools. Our son graduated h.s. with an associates degree from Central Florida College and was accepted at UF based on his cello playing which he had never played until high school. He also made all state choir every year. He opted out of UF and is instead currently at FSU for computers. In other words, his Marion County public school education proved to be one of the best in the state. He was not the only one in his class to go to all state annually either. His class was chosen a few times to perform at Disney. Our daughter is currently enrolled in Westport and is two grades ahead of her age. She is on pace to nearly get her bachelors degree upon graduation. But yeah...sure...it’s all about the ratings. What school did you (or your kids) attend? What was your personal experience?
@@GreatExpectationsRealty That's wonderful. Congrats to your son. However, I just wanted to mention the schools there are not the best in Fl. In Ocala, Forest HS rated 4/10, Dunnellon High School rated 2/10, Vanguard High School rated 4/10. The best I've seen was West Port High School rated at 6/10
@@kenndecareaux149 Thanks! We are really proud of our kids. Have you heard about that new school they are building in Calesa? I almost wish we could have more kids just to go through that school. I’d have a breakdown and my husband would have a heart attack if I got pregnant at this point. But I’ve heard some really great things. The kindergarten through second grade starts taking applications this fall to begin next fall and they are going to continue building the charter school all the way up to high school. The developer for Calesa and on top of the world is funding the entire thing.
I loved the video...I am recently retired and looking for the perfect place...from San Diego...now living in Oregon, but this is not going to be my final resting place...I do not like the beach in Cali or Oregon...so That is not an issue for me...is it affordable for seniors?
This time of year it's a constant party downtown on the square. They have restaurants and bars and the square is all lit up with lights. Lots of parties and people downtown. There is one place that you can't get in unless you know the password, which is on their Facebook page lol. It's a lot of fun.
Wow you have traveled alot I have only been from Southern California only* and Vegas. 😔 trying to do some research on Florida wanna retire somewhere warm thats NOT Vegas.
Well Ocala just made number 3 on a list of best places to retire in Florida. Here’s the article: www.floridaforboomers.com/25-most-popular-retirement-cities/ I was going to share it in my vid for Monday too!
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Ocala national forest is not a safe place after dark. We are trying to move back to Florida permanently and I can not find a safe place outside the gated communities. I lived in : Tallahassee - outskirts Orlando - subs Lakeland - sticks all nice area's until you have to go to town and it made me feel like I was back up in my hometown of Flint ! My ex-wife and I lived in st. Pete in a nice area but once you leave the area to do anything we actually felt safer in flint. Right now we are considering flipping a coin between Florida, Arizona,Utah, Colorado but the more I read and talk to family who lived all over Florida I am beginning to lean more towards desert and mountains rather than tropics for my warm weather. I really like the Ocala area but IM an outside guy and IM trying to get away from the shootouts not move from one extreme to the other. Can't seem to find any place affordable down there that doesn't rank with an F on the crime boards and all these realtor channels on UA-cam are trying to do business, so they are not mentioning the bad stuff. I have to actually contact all my cop buddies LOL. Ocala seems to be my last hope at Florida life redemption but I must be honest...IM getting seriously discouraged because it has gotten so bad in so many places down there. This is our last move so it has to be good and full time RV life style is out of the question with all the new regulations. So, if you can sell me on Ocala you may have a new client.
@@mediaanarchy-captaino8961 Why don't you come for a visit and see for yourself? There are some great hotels and airbnb's here. I dont live in a gated community, but I absolutely love my my neighbors and feel very safe. I have an awesome friend/coach/mentor over in Surprise Arizona and he loves it there. To each their own. I love Ocala and can't imagine ever leaving. Keep in mind, I have lived in Texas, Puerto Rico, Michigan and Alaska. They all had good points, and bad points. For me personally, I hate being 🥶 cold. So that was limiting. I love being outdoors, so in Michigan there were very few months out of the year that I could go fishing and not freeze. In Florida, fishing is not only year round...if you do it on the ocean it can be an extreme sport. Lol the fish out there can fight back. But again, some people prefer being cold to being warm. Just ask my family up in Michigan. I choose to be a positive person. I am upbeat and honest and try to always look at the bright side. If you are looking for someone to sell you on a place, that's probably not me. I make videos to show what I like, but for some people, they may not like Ocala and then it's all my fault. Nope, check it out for yourself and see if its a good fit for you. Have a lovely conversation at the publix with people, stop at a bank and chit chat, go into a restaurant and have a long chat with people you don't know. It's totally small town vibe here.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty i hate what michigan has become and as a retired research investigator i know more than most whats happening to this country. all i want is to find a warm place with NO hoods near by, safe places to hang out wile outside. Park side and west side make flint look like paradise LOL and i have rvers who have had personal experiences in the ocala national that was pretty scary. Sure, there is going to be good block bad block anywhere we go but i should be able to leave my neighborhood and feel safe. i guess if i stay within my community ANYONE can feel their town is great until you get outside of town then its a different story. problem im finding in my investigations is florida as a whole has gotten divided to the point everyone i knew left because of crime and hoods. i didnt understand until i started talking to locals everywhere. michigan has - detroit, flint, zoo, sagnasty, pontiac and warren. everywhere else is nice and safe but when i compare it to florida, talk to locals and the shariffs its much darker story. NO town is "medium" they all have a run down hood and all have a C- crime report. 4 corners is starting to look much more appealing unless i can get rich over night and move to sarasota ....LMAO
I just dropped in to say Ocala sucks. I moved here last summer, and regret it. High crime rate, I see sketchy people everywhere I go, and I've had 4 shootings just in my neighborhood within the last month. If anyone sees this.. Don't move your families here. I want to move to Summerfield or Lady Lake area
I just subscribed. I also have a channel. It’s all family friendly minus the music section. Our content is broken down into categories in the playlist section of our channel
I have never had an issue. Aside from some guy stole some of my plants at my Dunnellon office and I did see that on my security camera. I was not thrilled. If he had have asked, I'd have given him some cuttings. I do know that if you leave your car unlocked the sheriff's dept is warning of people trying to steal pocket change and valuables out of your unlocked cars at night. I asked Sheriff Billy Woods to do a video with me and talk about the crime stats and he said he wasn't interested. He about broke my heart. I'm such a fan of his. But he does an awesome video that I couldn't find for the longest on youtube, but that's because he posts it to Facebook. Look up videos: Billy Woods Wanted Wednesdays. He goes over Marion County's most wanted for the week, what they are wanted for and best yet, his personal thoughts of them! I die laughing sometimes!
🤔 ok, what qualifications should I get? If there is training on what it’s like to live here, I’d be happy to get certified. I have lived here for many years, I own a local business that is state licensed to sell Ocala. I own properties here. I also manage around 200 rental homes in the area. My children were born and raised here and are currently in high school and college. Is there something I’m missing? If you feel more qualified, I don’t doubt you, at all. I wish more people would do videos about what a special place Ocala really is.
Bwahahaha! I will take “slow and boring” over traffic jams and stress any day of the week. I’ve found Ocala to be a great place to raise a family and that’s what I was looking for at the time. I’ve grown to love it and I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.
Oh dear! Kevin, then this whole channel is definitely not for you. I am very Southern and I like people and I love hearing about them and sometimes wrongfully assume they want to hear about me. No worries, I'm ok with not being everyone's brand of tea. I would recommend another Ocala Realtors channel if I can be so bold. His name is Stephen Billington and he moved here not too long ago from New York. He was over at Ocala Realty World then Globalwide Realty and now I think he's over at EXP since they just opened up an office in our area. He doesn't tend to ramble, he gets right to the point with no touchy feely getting to know me/you stuff: ua-cam.com/video/HwmqEL5v8Vo/v-deo.html He's way too commercial for me, but it might be more of what you are used to. Have a good one.
The pros and cons of living in Ocala Florida starts at 3:50 minutes. You’re welcome 😉
Lol um thanks. I’m sure a lot of people were definitely wanting to tell me to quit rambling. Sorry, it’s habit at this point.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty If you want to grow your channel, you might want to break that habit.
@@thedish61 “The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.”
-Piglet/Winnie the Pooh
Thanks. Don't need the bona fides
Lol facts
I live in the outskirts of Jacksonville, Florida and man I still hate the traffic out here. I’m very basically in Orange Park. I wish it was like Ocala, I miss the country life.
I tend to avoid the "realtor" YT channels. They seem too manufactured and only want to show you what they are trying to sell you. I must say that this channel comes off as very genuine and honest. I'm liking this channel more and more. I'm going to be flying down to Fla from MD in a few months to look at areas for a move and Ocala is definitely at the top of my list. Hidden gem.
Thank you so much for this will be moving to Ocala in 6 weeks from Montgomery Alabama looking forward to it
Let me know if I can help!
Ocala seems perfect. I'm planning on moving there from NY. Sick of the cold, the crime, the traffic, the people, the lockdowns, the masks, the cameras, the speed 25 mph limit, the rules, the tyranny, I could go on forever!
The governor here seems to be hoping everyone (or at least the grand majority) will use common sense. We are into our second wave, but I don't think we are going into lockdown again.
exactly within 1 year NYC has gone back to the bad days of the 80's n 90's
@@oochiewally2783 Our thoughts and prayers are with you up there.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Thanks 😏
Is it safe to live in Ocala?
Your videos are very helpful.
Thanks! We try! Let us know if you need help with buying or leasing a home here!
Hubby and I packed up our house and sold it in VA and having a house built in Ocala. Never been there; found a house I liked and I was sold. Learning things about Ocala and so far we are more than ok with our decision.
Thank you so much for sharing that! Also so glad you like our small town! Thanks again!
You seem so joyful and content in Ocala. Will try to take a visit. Thank you for your details on this area..
This is great! My husband and I were down there visiting my dad back in February and just fell in love with Ocala. It seemed like a nice town in Michigan - we did NOT miss any of the chain restaurants. You can get that anywhere. We loved how low key and NO TRAFFIC it was. :)
@@spikemorbid7159 I'm curious what you don't like about it. Have you lived any place outside of Ocala?
Hello,love ur videos.I have a question,why shouldn't I get a auto loan before I buy a house?
Thanks and great question. When you buy a house they are going to look at your debt to income ratio. You will get a better rate the better your credit score and ratio is. If you already have a car loan, that’s ok, but you may be asked to pay down credit cards to compensate. If you don’t have a car loan, I would highly recommend waiting until AFTER you close on your house prior to even test driving a car unless you plan on living in the car. When you apply for a mortgage, your credit will be under a microscope for the duration of closing process. Do not allow anyone to pull your credit for any reason while you are in the process of buying your home. It may send out a red flag to the bank that you are about to go on a spending spree or make a major purchase and won’t be able to pay them for the loan. So for the 30-60 days it takes to apply for the mortgage and close on the home, guard your credit like Fort Knox. Hope this helps! Call me if you need help buying a home in Central Florida!
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Thanks great advice.
Hi Andrea, could you please clarify about the high costs of electricity or utilities you talk about? It is not very clear to me. Thanks!
THANK YOU, for being so real about this area and for sharing this info.
Great video, I definitely prefer the “rambling” style, it makes Your videos unique, keep up the good content 👍
Aww thank you! I'm sure I could take a class to become more of a pro...but I honestly don't mind so the rest can just be bothered. LOL I appreciate it.
My family and I have planned for years to relocate to Ocala. I'm a southern Louisiana man but wife is native Colorado. Your vids are informative and help keep the dream alive until its time. Thank you
You brought tears to my eyes. What a lovely thing to say. Thank you.
we are moving to ocala fl hopefully we have to sale my home here in iowa first im 54 and im ready to live life with out snow
Welcome! Give me a call if you need help selling your home or buying one here in Ocala! I would love to help. I don't like living with the snow either, lol.
I'm moving from iowa to Ocala also in about 2 months 😎🤙
Thank you for this. My husband and I plan on moving there next year. We are looking at rentals and hopefully to visit before we move.
You gained a subscriber. Very informational video. Keep up the great work!
Are the temps a little cooler in Ocala than Orlando?
Yes, slightly
How much could it be to clear land In silver springs shores .25 acers?
Call Mark at 352-216-0787 he should be able to give you a quote
I’m looking to eventually visit Ocala. What is the typical costs of living in Ocala like? gas, groceries, property taxes, etc. what is healthcare like there? I need endocrine doctors because I’m diabetic. Urologists, digestive health specialists. Is employment good there? Is there much hiring? If yes then that is a good sign. How is the economy? Is emergency services good there? Any recommendations for home insurance? Automotive maintenance services? Sorry for all the questions just wanted to get an idea if typical life there is good. Any online website resources I can check out? Thank you for posting your video it was good
We have land in Ocala. We purchased it a few years ago, but I'm not sure if we are going to move. I'm in NY, so I'm struggling with slowing down so much. So it will take me a while to decide. My husband loves the slower pace.
Trust me...we will keep you busy! Everyone down here is busy and running around like ants on a mission. We just make sure of the more important things. Taking a few minutes to chat with neighbors and the lady at the bank or publix. Taking time out to participate in school stuff for your kids or take them to an event at the library. It is not as big city as New York, it's definitely different...but sometimes, different is good.
@@spikemorbid7159 Thank you!! I visited three times and I can't seem to get a liking for the place. So strange though we have been getting quite a number of investors who wants to purchase the land. It makes me wonder what's happening
I’m about to move to Ocala, thanks for the help!
I have managed to move my stuff to Ocala. Next month I will be looking for a rental for me and my family. Wish me luck.
I will do better than just wishing you luck! I know how hard it is right now to find rental homes. I don't know your needs or price range, but if you give Lindsey Bockhorst our leasing specialist a call at 352-322-9497 she may be able to help you out. You can even do your application online to save time! Hope this helps!
@@GreatExpectationsRealty OMG! Thank you so much for the information. I will definitely be giving her a call tomorrow.
You are wonderful. We are thinking of buying a property there next year. We now live in Miami and we're ready too go,lol.
I would love to help you!
Hi I'm PuertoRican and I moved with my family to New Hampshire 3 years ago when hurricane Maria hit, for 2021 we are planning to move to Florida my father mentioned Ocala because he saw good reviews on this place. I have been seeing your videos a lot lately and I love your videos there's so informative.
Your family has been through a lot! Welcome to Ocala! Thank you for the compliments on my videos.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty thank you we are waiting for the winter to settle down a bit so we can start the moving process hopefully. We are thinking to take a trip first to check out the area and then hopefully if everything is good we can move, What do you recommend?
@@marisamarie09 Let me know when you are coming in and we can have coffee and chat here at the office.
I'm from PR. Worked in Texas x 30 years and bought a house here. There is plenty of things to do, plus is you like PR food , there are a few places were you can get all the goodies.
I am in Texas and thinking about Ocala but my wife hard to get convince..thanks for sharing
Listen to your wife she is correct.
I'm from Orlando but looking for a parcel of raw land (10 acres or more) basically for my children to play and experience the outdoors. My question is, how friendly is Ocala towards people of other skin color? I only ask because my plan is eventually develop the property into a homestead/retirement for my wife and I.
Honestly, being a blonde, pink, freckled person I don’t think anybody cares what I have to say about racial hatred or bigoted stupidity. But the majority of my agents have lived in Ocala for decades and speak English as one of the two or three other languages they speak. If you asked me to sell you a skyscraper I would give you the same response: “I don’t have personal experience in that, but I can get you in touch with several people that do.”
Personally, I think too many people of all one anything makes for very boring scenery. I love my neighborhood since there is a beautiful mix of colors, languages and ages. You can also check on the census to see where there are similar neighborhoods if this is important to you. For example, the villages has 98% older white people and only 2% EVERYTHING else. Statistically speaking that is improbable without other underlying factors. Ocala does not have statistics anything like that. But feel free to check the various stats on the census or send me an email and I will get you additional information: andreaproeber@gmail.com
Thank you, this helped us in our research. Stumbled on Ocala yesterday and am intrigued. Wife loves horses so here we come! 😀
Glad it was helpful! Let me know if you need real estate help! I'm here!
We put up our house for sale, and I think Ocala would be great for my family.
Welcome home to Ocala
Each person certainly has different things they value to good to know realities so everyone can be happy where they are
Loved your video! My husband and I are home builders in Chattanooga but looking for a change and thinking about Ocala. Wondering about the homeless population (general safety)
and the mosquitoes. We get a fair amount of bugs here in Tennessee but I’ve spent very little time in Florida during the summer. How bad are the bugs ?
Lol the bugs are about the same as Tennessee I think. Why don’t you come down and stay down here for a vaca this summer? Then you can see how bad the heat and bugs get? You may be surprised how well you like it!
We moved from Miami to Ocala 3 years ago, and we love it.
Houses are way less expensive for sure.
The only thing I don't like is that we don't have a regular airport, and i hate driving to Orlando, but thank God I don't have to fly that often.
Love all the info you gave us. Very informative. So my husband and I have been looking to move to Ocala. However upon further research we are coming up with conflicting information regarding the crime in Ocala. Would you be able to give us some light on this? Was it worse and has gotten better. So many communities are up and coming, we just can’t see how that data is accurate. Thank you 🙏🏼
Do you have any thoughts on Dunnellon or Rainbow Springs.
I LOVE Dunnellon! But I have always shied away from recommending that area as a good place to invest in real estate. I also haven't recommended it in the past to move to necessarily for the same reason: There was little to no work over there. When there are no jobs, it creates less of a need for housing. If there is no demand, and you have supply...well, that's a problem.
Recently, I saw that changing drastically! In fact, as soon as I saw the change on the horizon I immediately opened our first branch office there. The change that is coming is both from the NE by way of the massive and lucrative World Equestrian Center. Also to the SE there are several of the largest distribution centers not only in the County, but possibly the State. This also brings in jobs! So we went from very little to two or three massive employees all within 15-20 mins from Dunnellon. The real estate currently is still a little less expensive in Dunnellon and Citrus Springs. As far as Rainbow Springs, I think you get quite a lot from the community for very little money. I have considered moving there myself. I'm not as much of a fan of Rainbow Lakes as I just haven't seen much new housing or updating of the housing there. Hoping that changes, but currently it looks tired and run down. For investors, that normally smells like a good deal though. So, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. Hope that answers your question. Feel free to email me anytime: AndreaProeber@gmail.com
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Thank you so much for answering. And a well thought out informative response. That is the most helpful answer I've received from talking to at least 3 realtors. When would be a good time to call you? Morning or afternoon? Thanks again.
@@grissomfire Aww, thanks. I try.
Call me tomorrow afternoon. I have some appointments that are keeping me busy already in the morning. :)
I moved to Ocala from New York, I lived in New York for twenty-seven years you I'm from SaintVincent and the Grenadines Ocala is similar to Ocala, I love it here
Let me continue SaintVincent is very similar to Ocala, I love it here and will encourage the people from other states to move to this beautiful place.
I lived in Ocala for over 20 years im in savannah Ga now . I still love ocala
My friends and family tell me the same thing,Ocala is beautiful. There are too many problems here in Miami,traffic,over populated and crazy expensive. This is a grate time to buy a property before prices in Ocala go up and becomes unaffordable.
We are looking in Ocala. My husband and I want a place to go to during the cold winters up north. You seem like a really nice neighbor . Thank you for your review.
Welcome to Ocala! I hope I am a good neighbor. Although my next door neighbor just gave me the sweetest gift and I haven't dropped off a thank you card yet! Yikes! There are some great new construction deals you can get your hands on down here. Let me know if you want to go house shopping!
Hi my parents says there’s no bugs or alligators up in ocala is this true?
According to some reports read Ocala has a higher crime rate. Are there some areas to avoid?
What are your thoughts on the spring wood village 34471? Is it safe?
I love spring wood village! I like some of the buildings better than others, but it’s an awesome location. Close to hospitals and to Publix
I'm actually pretty terrified of moving to Ocala next year, I am in the real estate business here in Miami FL and although I hate the city and love the country my mother only speaks Spanish, I'm wondering how she will fair up in Ocala with me once we move next year in Jan. 2022 Thank you for the video, I highly appreciate it.
I remember moving to the mountains in Puerto Rico as a 15 year old and didn’t know a word of Spanish...it was scary, but I learned a lot about myself and people in general. There are quite a few people I know here in Ocala that don’t speak a word of English. Including an incredibly good friend. He doesn’t speak English and has lived her for decades and my husband doesn’t speak a word of Spanish but they are still pretty good friends! Lol just tell her to keep an open mind and if you like I’ll introduce her to some people she can chat with.
Tell your Mom to learn English.
I moved from Kendall and believe me there's a lot of hispanic here in Ocala now.
I liked your video you have a great personality & I appreciate your honesty
Oh, wow thanks! I appreciate the encouragement to keep doing these videos.
I have questions. I live in Roanoke VA and feel nothing's changed since I moved here 10 yrs ago. My live has stayed the same. I'm single 54 female. I'd like to move into an over 55 community. I would like to work in the school system. I'm fine with not busy. I do like some growth. I'd like to know if there is a decent sized amount of retirees or 55+. I've done research and it looks like a mix.
Congratulations on reaching such a huge decision. Come on down, the water's warm and the sweet tea is iced. Send me an email and we can talk details: AndreaProeber@gmail.com
Thanks for the information! I do have a few questions. First, how easy is it to find fresh fruits and vegetables (do you have any farmers markets there?) And are they expensive? Second, I heard there aren't many vegan options there from another video but is that just in terms of restaurants or does that apply to vegan goods at the grocery stores too? And lastly, how's the homeschooling/alternative schooling system there? Thanks a bunch!
How funny, I was just talking about all the farmers markets and when and where they are here: ua-cam.com/video/xrMP1ySaQic/v-deo.html
There is also Markets of Marion which is a flea market that has an entire wing just for a farmers market that wasn't mentioned in the video. I have mentioned how incredibly homeschool friendly Marion County is and how much I love the homeschool options for my kids.
If I can remember which video that was in...lol. I guess I will do another one of those! Thanks!
@@GreatExpectationsRealty I appreciate the response. Glad to hear there are thriving farmers markets there as well as a strong homeschooling community (I look forward to your next video on the topic!). I currently live in southern Chile with a toddler but I'm itching to return to the US as things have become too oppressive here since the pandemic struck. Florida is looking like the best choice right now and Ocala really appeals to me from everything I've been learning so far. Anyway, thanks again and have a great evening!
Thank you for this video.. We live in California and we are not like your usual Californian family, and that says a lot when my wife was born and raised in San Luis Obispo CA.. We are planning on visiting Ocala FL this summer.. I am planning on retiring in the next couple of years so we have been looking at places and trying to get some ideas on where we would like to move.. We are tired of CA and it’s politics and just all of it.. So thank you again for this video and making us even more curious on Ocala🤗
Make sure and leave me some time while you are here! Come in and sit a spell and have some coffee over at my office.
When I heard Slocala I was like oh Slocal but an extra la lol
Ocala gets an extra 10 points for NOT having a PF Changs nor Cheesecake Factory! Good video, thank you :-)
Come to Gainesville we have one now end we are on 30 to 1hour away
Thank you for all your super honest and natural review. Loved it I felt a friend was talking to me about Ocala! I drove by Ocala some years ago by accident on my way back to Miami from NC. Anyway got off an exit and didn’t realize it was Ocala driving around and feeling how beautiful it was. All the oak trees and horse country was so nice, I’m actually debating about moving there now, reason how I ran into your video. Just sold my property in Miami, yeah people that’s think Ocala is expensive , we’ll come to Miami and you will take that back! 😂 Thanks again🙏🏽❤️
You sound like some of my friends! Let me know if there is anything in particular that you want to know or need. If you are in the area sometime soon, give me a heads up and we can do coffee!
I'm moving soon to ocala!! It sounds perfect and you definitely helped me feel great about my decision. It sounds like my hometown here just with better weather and the critters are poisonous. Lol.
Just hoping I can find a place to rent if this job offer pulls through.
Call my office and ask for Alex. He will do what he can to help you find a rental. 352-817-9160
@@GreatExpectationsRealty thank you, just waiting on my callback. I'll be in touch for sure! Your videos have been very helpful!
My great aunt livers in ocala. I went there last year.
Very cool man. What did you think of our little town? *holds bated breath*
@@GreatExpectationsRealty pretty cool, and warm! (I'm from Chicago) she has a house farm just outside of Ocala.
@@greekmythdude9053 I'm so glad you like it here. Hopefully everyone was as warm as the weather. We are freezing right now, it's 36 degrees outside right now! I am not setting foot outside until the frost is gone tomorrow morning! LOL
@@GreatExpectationsRealty wow! Pretty cold for Florida. Although for me its 19 degrees outside in Chicago.Mabey if I'm lucky il get to go back to Ocala next year.
I enjoy you! Keep up the good work! This 60 year old gal hopes to move there w/i four years or so!
OH MY! Thank you! I have spent a lot of time getting lots of videos this week for ya'll. So I am editing that and you will have a gob of new videos next week. Lots of good stuff!
Andrea, I'm considering moving to Ocala. I think you said you never need to evacuate Ocala because of weather, hurricanes don't reach Ocala to an extent to cause any damage to a house; is that right? I'm looking at real estate for sale there on the Internet, it looks like I need to look at the information on the listing to see if the property could be in a flood hazard area.
Your videos are helpful.
I'm glad you like my videos. I'm still shocked to my toes that anyone watches them. lol
I would never say never on a hurricane because I honestly would not be shocked at anything anymore. Nobody would have thought a hurricane would hit New York of all places but they got whacked pretty bad by Sandy in 2012.
But if you look at all the hurricane prone areas, (and trust me, insurance companies do this regularly) that would be anywhere near the coasts.
If you want to stay as safe as possible from hurricanes but still want to reap the benefits of being a Florida citizen, inland Florida near the northern border of Georgia is the best place to live. Making Marion County one of "the least hurricane-prone areas in Florida".
Last hurricane that came up this way, our house was where all of my South Florida relatives evacuated to. I had 7 people, one dog, a fish and 10 baby chickens at my house. And we were on call/standby to care for my mother in law (just in case) even though she lives in Ocala and has no trees in her yard but just worries.
As far as flooding we have a lot of sand here, so if we do get a lot of rain, it disappears pretty quickly. Marion County is actually high ground and somewhat hilly. If you go over to our neighboring Citrus County, you will see a huge difference in the terrain. While they still have the hills in some places, most of it is lower ground and more places are prone to flooding. (You will notice a slightly higher home insurance rate, but only by about $50-$100 per year). Any Realtor worth the name will be able to tell you if a house/property is in a flood zone and which part of the property and what type of flood zone. (100 yr, 500 yr etc). Your Realtor should also be able to easily pull up the most recent FEMA map and show you the entire area along with retention areas. You will see a lot of retention ponds here. They are big manmade basins that are designed to capture and keep any flood waters away from homes. All recent homes (the last 20-30 years) are designed to keep any and all rainfall flowing towards these neighborhood basins. Normally they are just big grassy areas that people wonder why we don't turn into a park or do something with, lol. We are doing something with them, in case of emergency crazy amounts of rainfall, they keep homes safe. :)
Can you redo this ? Talk about tornadoes, sinkholes, high property taxes, etc..
“High” property taxes??? My mother in law pays $78 a year in property taxes and most of my friends and other family pay about $2,000 or less in property taxes for the year. Plus we have no state income taxes. I think of our low taxes (compared to other places) as a pro not a con.
I really liked your video about Ocala. We are from California and we are so excited to leave after living here most of our lives. We are looking forward to retirement and we were thinking about Florida. I liked your pros and cons about Ocala. It looks like we will be taking a trip there to check it out. We have watched many videos about Florida and many people have commented that Floridians don’t like Californians!
So sad to hear 😒. So We really like your video because we could relate to you. I look forward to watching more videos. Thank you again
Awww, how nice! That's funny about not liking Californians, the only comments I have ever heard are about New yorkers! Normally regarding to their driving habits and direct way of speaking that takes a bit of time to mellow out of them. Things tend to go slower here...think trudging through molasses. But as long as you know what to expect you should be fine. We don't like uppity or fake. We deal best with kind and down to earth which you seem to be.
If you are driving through Florida on I75 stop in Ocala, go to mojo's for lunch or stop by my office and we can chat and have some coffee. I always keep coffee and tea and cold bottled water on hand for friends stopping by.
If you’re bringing your liberal views and voting habits from the blue states to Ocala ( and most of Florida ) then I can totally understand why Floridians don’t welcome you. Keep your blue-ness in the blue states.
Thank you for the video. What about major hospitals? Are their hospitals in ocala?
Is Ocala safe?
What is the rating on the public schools there ? And also what kind of jobs are usually found in Ocala or do people usually commute ?
We have all kinds of jobs and at the moment I think EVERYONE is hiring! Restaurants, equine, medical, hospitality, industrial, construction...you name it, there is somewhere here hiring for it. What kind of work do you do? Would you like some recommendations?
You are awesome...thank you! Answered all my questions without an agenda!
I'm looking to retire in Ocala in a couple years
Welcome home soon!
Ty 4 the info.
Hello! We are currently considering moving to Ocala and would like to know what you would say about the homeschool community. This is the 1st year we have homeschooled our middleschooler and would like to have an idea of the support groups that could be found in Ocala.
Very cool, I was homeschooled my whole life! My daughter homeschooled 100% for middle school and is currently doing a half and half at the local high school. The city offers a weekly “home school day” to give you a bit of a break on Wednesday at brick city park and there are several other programs. In other words, Ocala is VERY homeschool friendly. There are a lot of groups for support for you and your children. Send me an email at Andreaproeber@gmail.com and I’ll send you details! Welcome home!
Thank you Andrea! Just sent you an email☺️🙏
Hablas español?nosotros también somos de Puerto Rico ..that’s great!!we are thinking about moving to Florida and we are checking Ocala ..God is putting this in our hearts so we are waiting to see what’s God’s plan for us since we still have around 7 years before I retire but in five years we are starting the process of selling here in Virginia where we live and move to Ocala buying a home..Plese tell me you can help us!🙏
Hola Luis,
Gusto en hablarle, mi nombre es Cindy y me encantaría ayudarle en lo que pueda. Ocala es un lugar lindo y muy familiar. Estoy a sus órdenes para cual quier pregunta q tenga. Me
Puede llamar or enviarme un correo electrónico a Cindysellsre01@gmail.com o (954) 870-0790
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Gracias Cindy ..como ya es un poco tarde y acabo de llegar a mi casa del trabajo ,mañana te envío un correo electrónico para que sepas nuestro plan..Gracias y verdaderamente me encanta ese lugar..Buenas noches..
From Houston; my buddy lives there already. Looking to open a food truck out in Ocala area. Looking for more info. Let’s connect
Im trying to find a house in Ocala and almost seems impossible !! Ive moved from CA to NC and now want to move to Ocala I have been researching the area for a year any advice
Give me a call, there is something not right here. Let’s see if we can get you into a new home.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty I sent you a quick message on FB
Serving Uncle Sam took me first to Pennsylvania in 2008 from Puerto Rico then there Ocala, Florida in 2010☝🏾I have nothing to complain I used to go to "Mary's Cuban Kitchen" on State Road 200 which is Awesome ☝🏾 Bravo Supermarket is like shopping in Puerto Rico where I returned after Retirement in 2019☺️
Ocala has Beautiful Springs which are "Caribbean" looking☺️🌴💚 For Florida I only like those areas both Alachua and Marion Counties ☝🏾
Is this a good place to retire? How far do you have to drive to see specialist and go to hospitals?
There are some retirement communities here that are 4 mins away from the hospital. It just depends on where you decide to live I guess. There are gobs of great doctors all over Ocala.
Hey ! I have a question how much the rent and the school
My wife and I a quickly approaching retirement and we are exploring where to start our next adventure in life. As i browse your site I wonder what neighborhoods would you recommend for seniors.
It really depends on what you want from it. If you want a lot of activities and a superb golf course and indoor and outdoor pools etc. Do you want the lawn maintenance included? Do you need it to be gated? Guarded? There are many, many 55+ neighborhoods here in Marion County, and the HOA rules and regs reflect the desired living conditions for the people in that community. I am attempting to create videos for every community in Ocala, but for now, I would say just give me a call, let me know what you are particularly looking for, and I can easily recommend a few communities that you will love: 352-817-1600
Thank you for your great info, my husband is thinking on retirement and we are considering Ocala, we have heard great things so far ... I have a question, how far is the nearest international airport?
I just talked about airports! How funny! ua-cam.com/video/GNulamAWIKE/v-deo.html. Feel free to skip to minute 8...lol
Great video! You did a great job explaining what it’s like thank you!
I live in Michigan and am thinking of moving to Ocala, your videos are super helpful---thank you!
Awww, thanks! I try! Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will try to get those answered.
Begrudgingly moving from Minnesota, I honestly heard no negatives.
I hope you love it here as much as we do. Let me know if you’d like to come in and have coffee or something once you are in my neck of the woods.
@@spikemorbid7159 why?
Hi there, thanks for the video. What are your thoughts on Sevilla estate neighborhood in Ocala?
Ya'll are going for tough questions tonight. Sevilla estate is a basic NE quadrant City of Ocala neighborhood. I like that you can get a well built home for a fair price. What I don't like is how patchy things are. One block is well maintained and the homes are updated, the next block looks forgotten in 1979 shag carpeting inside and original roof outside. If you are considering buying over there, I think it's a good investment and one I would possibly make myself. However, DO NOT buy sight unseen. Because if you buy a home and update it, but your neighbor has never mowed their yard and is confused as to what constitutes lawn ornamentation (Hint: Living room couches are not lawn ornaments) then your home value will never increase no matter what you do.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty 😄thank you so much for your speedy reply! Truly appreciate the feedback.
@@fluent_In_finance This is the only quiet time of day I can edit these videos and upload for the morning release. (My home and office are rarely quiet) You will love the video for tomorrow. It will hit at 10am, grab an Ocala map before you watch it.
Looking into ocala.
Schools good?
I'm looking at ocala for the farming.
@@spikemorbid7159 I'm seeing that now. Any suggestions?
How is it there far as diversity? My husband is Puerto Rican and I'm African American. We are thinking about moving from Miami. Prices are constantly going up. Do you know of anyone to help us start off with a rental?
Diversity is an issue that keeps popping up, I will do a video on that. It’s so scary because I am very open and honest but am so worried about hurting someone’s feelings or offending someone.
Alex is our newest property manager and he even has a video we did together on here somewhere. It’s the only one that I made y’all suffer through my terrible Spanish! His phone number is: 786-587-6765
I have some personal questions. Can I please email you? Thank you great videos!
Of course! My email is: AndreaProeber@gmail.com
Better opportunity outside slocala that’s why we moved just north of Tampa much better here met a lot of people here from Marion county and they told me the same thing.
What the crime rate? We are planning to move there hopefully in soon
Good question! I had absolutely no idea. So I had to google it, lol. Then I went down the rabbit hole of statistics like crazy. It was really interesting reads.
www.fdle.state.fl.us/FSAC/Data-Statistics/UCR-Offense-Data.aspx
It shows the entire State by County and what types of crimes. There is also an interactive crime map that is available from Ocala Police Dept. which was also kinda fun to look at. It probably helps to know the town too though. Like there were a couple car burglaries on the map...right where most of the car dealerships in Marion County are. There were multiple assaults right near my office which freaked me out for a second...then I remembered there are 4 massive apartment complexes behind my office so out of the thousands of tenants in there, there's bound to be some room mates getting into fights and the cops being called. Still, it's an interesting read so I figured I'd share. Hope you find it interesting too!
Thankyou So much that was really helpful. Also what part of Ocala would you suggest we stay away from? We live in a really small town in PA so it would be a huge change. Sorry if I am asking too many questions.
@@fletch9117 I get asked questions like that so often I created a video just for that! ;)
ua-cam.com/video/GzgDolZWwvs/v-deo.html
Loved your video! We want to relocate from Rhode Island and checking out your area!!! Would love to work with tou
Awesome! Thanks!!!!
Let’s set up a zoom call so we can chat:
calendly.com/andreaproeber/30min?month=2021-07
How about Latino restaurants?? Great video btw thank you! We planing to move there and we are thinking in buying a house ...but we dont even know how the communities are......or how the weather is all year long
we went to a cuban restauran called vaca frita, omg sooooo good!
Hi I’m high school and my family told me this is one of the options we might be moving to so I decided to do a little research 1)are kids nice there and 2) and if you have teenagers do they like it there
Welcome to Ocala Cara. Moving to a new place can be really scary but it can be awesome too! I know a ton of teenagers since my son just went off to college this year and my daughter just started in high school. I think teenagers are pretty much the same everywhere, but the ones my kids brought home as friends are super super nice and I really like them. In fact my son ended up moving into an apartment with three of his friends from high school. Aside from the fact that they drink too much red bull and monster, they are great. LOL
Once your parents decide for sure on Ocala, ask them to call me and we will meet up. Don't worry, it will be great, you will see!
How is the job market
Very strong and getting better every day! I did a video today about being #1 in the nation for small businesses! We all really try hard to support our local small businesses. That brings in jobs and allows for every day people to own their own business.
you forgot one other con that I'll say is more of a regional thing than a city thing and that is, ALLIGATORS!!! EVERYWHERE!!! They're like the mountain lions over here in Colorado.
We don’t really have alligators everywhere here in Ocala. I think that more in the Everglades or something. We do have them over in Silver Springs attraction and in the Ocala national forest...but for most of the county...not so much
waooooo nice Puerto Rico my home town we plan to move to Ocala
Wow! Que Bien!!! En que parte de la isla? Estamos de las lomas de Canovanas primero, y despues en Laguna Gardens de Carolina.
Bienvenidos a Ocala. Si necesita ayuda, me aviso. (Sorry, I know my spanish needs work, lol)
GreatExpectationsRealty ohhh que bien de acuerdo
Please speak louder or closer to the mike; at times you trail off when off subject. Very interesting video; thank you.
Thanks for letting me know. I had no idea. I’ll try to use my external mic more often.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Thanks Andrea; I was also going to comment in the Summerfield to Ocala video; your voice would fade, probably due to your head turning to observe traffic. Kind of an ugly stretch of road; once drove 27 from the Tampa area all the way north; not something I plan on doing again.
Those with kids realize that High Schools are not very good.. The best rates at a 6 out of 10 and one was rated at 2 out of 10..
We have been extremely happy with the results of the local public schools. Our son graduated h.s. with an associates degree from Central Florida College and was accepted at UF based on his cello playing which he had never played until high school. He also made all state choir every year. He opted out of UF and is instead currently at FSU for computers. In other words, his Marion County public school education proved to be one of the best in the state. He was not the only one in his class to go to all state annually either. His class was chosen a few times to perform at Disney. Our daughter is currently enrolled in Westport and is two grades ahead of her age. She is on pace to nearly get her bachelors degree upon graduation. But yeah...sure...it’s all about the ratings. What school did you (or your kids) attend? What was your personal experience?
@@GreatExpectationsRealty That's wonderful. Congrats to your son. However, I just wanted to mention the schools there are not the best in Fl. In Ocala, Forest HS rated 4/10, Dunnellon High School rated 2/10, Vanguard High School rated 4/10.
The best I've seen was West Port High School rated at 6/10
@@kenndecareaux149 Thanks! We are really proud of our kids. Have you heard about that new school they are building in Calesa? I almost wish we could have more kids just to go through that school. I’d have a breakdown and my husband would have a heart attack if I got pregnant at this point. But I’ve heard some really great things. The kindergarten through second grade starts taking applications this fall to begin next fall and they are going to continue building the charter school all the way up to high school. The developer for Calesa and on top of the world is funding the entire thing.
Cuanto paga una casa de tax al ano de 300.000. Con un puntaje de credito de 771 score.De 4 cuartos ,2 banos.
I loved the video...I am recently retired and looking for the perfect place...from San Diego...now living in Oregon, but this is not going to be my final resting place...I do not like the beach in Cali or Oregon...so That is not an issue for me...is it affordable for seniors?
How is the night life anywhere too mingle have a beer just wondering.
This time of year it's a constant party downtown on the square. They have restaurants and bars and the square is all lit up with lights. Lots of parties and people downtown. There is one place that you can't get in unless you know the password, which is on their Facebook page lol. It's a lot of fun.
@@GreatExpectationsRealtyGreat being single important things too know .Thanks
Pro big little town, everybody knows your business, con, EXACTLY!
Wow you have traveled alot I have only been from Southern California only* and Vegas. 😔 trying to do some research on Florida wanna retire somewhere warm thats NOT Vegas.
Well Ocala just made number 3 on a list of best places to retire in Florida. Here’s the article: www.floridaforboomers.com/25-most-popular-retirement-cities/
I was going to share it in my vid for Monday too!
Love it thank you
PR si que esta buenooo
You should see the video of the guy that wrestled his puppy out of an alligators mouth down by Fort Myers and NEVER dropped his cigar!
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Ocala national forest is not a safe place after dark. We are trying to move back to Florida permanently and I can not find a safe place outside the gated communities. I lived in :
Tallahassee - outskirts
Orlando - subs
Lakeland - sticks
all nice area's until you have to go to town and it made me feel like I was back up in my hometown of Flint !
My ex-wife and I lived in st. Pete in a nice area but once you leave the area to do anything we actually felt safer in flint.
Right now we are considering flipping a coin between Florida, Arizona,Utah, Colorado but the more I read and talk to family who lived all over Florida I am beginning to lean more towards desert and mountains rather than tropics for my warm weather.
I really like the Ocala area but IM an outside guy and IM trying to get away from the shootouts not move from one extreme to the other. Can't seem to find any place affordable down there that doesn't rank with an F on the crime boards and all these realtor channels on UA-cam are trying to do business, so they are not mentioning the bad stuff. I have to actually contact all my cop buddies LOL.
Ocala seems to be my last hope at Florida life redemption but I must be honest...IM getting seriously discouraged because it has gotten so bad in so many places down there.
This is our last move so it has to be good and full time RV life style is out of the question with all the new regulations. So, if you can sell me on Ocala you may have a new client.
OCALA HOODS...what is happening in florida = ua-cam.com/video/T-gQq9SdzS8/v-deo.html
@@mediaanarchy-captaino8961 Why don't you come for a visit and see for yourself? There are some great hotels and airbnb's here. I dont live in a gated community, but I absolutely love my my neighbors and feel very safe. I have an awesome friend/coach/mentor over in Surprise Arizona and he loves it there. To each their own. I love Ocala and can't imagine ever leaving.
Keep in mind, I have lived in Texas, Puerto Rico, Michigan and Alaska. They all had good points, and bad points. For me personally, I hate being 🥶 cold. So that was limiting. I love being outdoors, so in Michigan there were very few months out of the year that I could go fishing and not freeze. In Florida, fishing is not only year round...if you do it on the ocean it can be an extreme sport. Lol the fish out there can fight back. But again, some people prefer being cold to being warm. Just ask my family up in Michigan.
I choose to be a positive person. I am upbeat and honest and try to always look at the bright side. If you are looking for someone to sell you on a place, that's probably not me. I make videos to show what I like, but for some people, they may not like Ocala and then it's all my fault. Nope, check it out for yourself and see if its a good fit for you. Have a lovely conversation at the publix with people, stop at a bank and chit chat, go into a restaurant and have a long chat with people you don't know. It's totally small town vibe here.
@@GreatExpectationsRealty i hate what michigan has become and as a retired research investigator i know more than most whats happening to this country. all i want is to find a warm place with NO hoods near by, safe places to hang out wile outside. Park side and west side make flint look like paradise LOL and i have rvers who have had personal experiences in the ocala national that was pretty scary. Sure, there is going to be good block bad block anywhere we go but i should be able to leave my neighborhood and feel safe. i guess if i stay within my community ANYONE can feel their town is great until you get outside of town then its a different story. problem im finding in my investigations is florida as a whole has gotten divided to the point everyone i knew left because of crime and hoods.
i didnt understand until i started talking to locals everywhere. michigan has - detroit, flint, zoo, sagnasty, pontiac and warren. everywhere else is nice and safe but when i compare it to florida, talk to locals and the shariffs its much darker story. NO town is "medium" they all have a run down hood and all have a C- crime report. 4 corners is starting to look much more appealing unless i can get rich over night and move to sarasota ....LMAO
I just dropped in to say Ocala sucks. I moved here last summer, and regret it. High crime rate, I see sketchy people everywhere I go, and I've had 4 shootings just in my neighborhood within the last month. If anyone sees this.. Don't move your families here. I want to move to Summerfield or Lady Lake area
What neighborhood do you live in?
@@GreatExpectationsRealty Silver Downs
Soonnnn I'll be moving to ocala so I'll be giving you a call 🤙🤙
I just subscribed. I also have a channel. It’s all family friendly minus the music section. Our content is broken down into categories in the playlist section of our channel
I will check it out
Ok, not really my style...but you do you man
Hows the crime?
I have never had an issue. Aside from some guy stole some of my plants at my Dunnellon office and I did see that on my security camera. I was not thrilled. If he had have asked, I'd have given him some cuttings.
I do know that if you leave your car unlocked the sheriff's dept is warning of people trying to steal pocket change and valuables out of your unlocked cars at night. I asked Sheriff Billy Woods to do a video with me and talk about the crime stats and he said he wasn't interested. He about broke my heart. I'm such a fan of his. But he does an awesome video that I couldn't find for the longest on youtube, but that's because he posts it to Facebook. Look up videos: Billy Woods Wanted Wednesdays. He goes over Marion County's most wanted for the week, what they are wanted for and best yet, his personal thoughts of them! I die laughing sometimes!
I think u should have kept that a secret
I moved here in 1988 from upstate, NY.. you're pretty much not qualified to give ocala tours or information,
🤔 ok, what qualifications should I get? If there is training on what it’s like to live here, I’d be happy to get certified. I have lived here for many years, I own a local business that is state licensed to sell Ocala. I own properties here. I also manage around 200 rental homes in the area. My children were born and raised here and are currently in high school and college. Is there something I’m missing? If you feel more qualified, I don’t doubt you, at all. I wish more people would do videos about what a special place Ocala really is.
I'll lived in Vegas for 30 years I want slow and boring. Sorry but that's how I found Ocala lol.
Bwahahaha! I will take “slow and boring” over traffic jams and stress any day of the week. I’ve found Ocala to be a great place to raise a family and that’s what I was looking for at the time. I’ve grown to love it and I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.
Thinking about relocating from California to Florida. Very informative 😁
Please , we just want to hear about Ocala.thanks
Oh dear! Kevin, then this whole channel is definitely not for you. I am very Southern and I like people and I love hearing about them and sometimes wrongfully assume they want to hear about me. No worries, I'm ok with not being everyone's brand of tea.
I would recommend another Ocala Realtors channel if I can be so bold. His name is Stephen Billington and he moved here not too long ago from New York. He was over at Ocala Realty World then Globalwide Realty and now I think he's over at EXP since they just opened up an office in our area. He doesn't tend to ramble, he gets right to the point with no touchy feely getting to know me/you stuff: ua-cam.com/video/HwmqEL5v8Vo/v-deo.html He's way too commercial for me, but it might be more of what you are used to. Have a good one.