I am leaning toward "go" but the house sale and availability of doctors in the new location would be important to think about.

We have awful traffic here, and I just get out to the stores early and get home before it gets too bad. Rarely go anywhere after about noon.

Being near family is a big plus. I don't know how far you are from them now, but I know I wish I were nearer my grandkids, and they are only an hour away.

Finding new doctors is a big deal, though. Is Pinellas a large area with lots of choices for doctors? That's important to think about.

Having no idea how old you are, in the next few years would it be possible that you would need family help for health or other reasons?

Just some ideas off the top of my head. I know others here will have more to add.

Patti, if I had close family in Pinellas County and no ties in Ocala, I guess I would be gone in a heartbeat.

Make a list of the pros and cons.
You say "move back". Why did you move away from the area? Is this reason still a valid one?
You seem to be conflicted. I would give it some more time.
I think it is wonderful that you have sisters and a daughter that all want you to be near them.

Move, Patti!

Thanks, Socks. Plenty of doctors there and I know my doctors here would steer me in the right direction.

I'm 70 and in great health except for the cancer. I know I would get used to the traffic. I drove in it for 20 years before we retired. I've just gotten used to not quite so much of it up here. Just need to remember how to drive like a maniac :-)

This won't be happening any time soon. I don't have the strength to list this, go down there and shop for a new place and then cross fingers this house will sell quickly. I have some stuff that needs fixing here, too. And a few simple updates. I'm thinking mid to late summer. But right now I haven't even decided whether or not I want to move. There are so many things to do in our community that would be enjoyable.

So I'm looking forward to hearing from others, too. Maybe others who have been in my situation and can share their experience. I don't want to get back down there and be terribly homesick for Ocala.

I used to live in St. Petersburg. I liked the area but had to move in 2008 due to the economy down there. I couldn't find any jobs so I moved up north. I left my family which was very hard.

Moffit cancer center is in Tampa and it's very highly ranked. My mom was treated there and had nothing but good things to say.

Family is so very important. I would move.

I would so hate all the work involved in selling, buying and moving, but I would go. Even if you don't see your family members every day, just knowing you can see them often would be huge for me.

Then maybe the answer is to try to visit more often. You can rotate between your daughter and sisters.
This should be a no brainer, yet it isn't.
Remember too that this idea originated with your daughter not you.

Your health care providers may be very helpful in referring you to colleagues in Pinellas County.
A good realtor, and a lot of patience, should get you nestled in a perfect little place for you.
Be near your family.

Go, you have family there and my son lives there. lol I would go in a second. Your family is there and the bonus is your grandson is there too. We have considered moving there from Georgia. As a child we used to vacation in St. Pete. We loved it and still do.
Mary

If I were in your shoes, I'd go to be near my family. I guess I'd advise you to keep weighing the pros and cons and pray about it.

It's hard to say. Do you have real close friends where you are or are they more just like acquaintance type friends? Sometimes close,close friends are like family. I know people who have moved to be closer to family only to find that the family is so busy with their own lives that they don't see them that often. On the other hand, your sisters probably would have a lot of time for you and you seem to really enjoy their company. I would get my place ready for sale regardless because you will enjoy the updating, too when it's done. During that time, you have plenty of time to think about it. Is it possible to spend a few months living back in Pinella County before making a permanent decision? Maybe two weeks with each sister and two weeks with your daughter than back again with sisters? It might give you a better feel for what life would be like. Just getting together for holidays for a week doesn't quite paint the whole picture.

Perhaps you could go and use a rental for a month and see if you like living there before you go to the extreme. For me, I'd want to be near family. The best times of my life, even now, are spent with family.

I would go if I were you . It is easier to move now at your age then to wait until you are older, each year we age seems to bring different problems and and things seem to be more difficult. There is nothing like the security of family around close to us. Friends and neighbors are wonderful but family is best. Thats just my opinion.

do you need a separate residence or are sisters married? call a realtor, and have them do a check of your home...it won't cost anything and will give you a goal...you can start purging, ect now in case you have to downsize...and as hard as our winters have been this year, you can be sure anyone who can, will move south! lol. or what are the details of renting your existing place out? (income property?)

I would "commute" for awhile since it's only roughly 2 hours away...maybe go twice a month and spend a night or two.

You could also perhaps rent your place to snowbirds next year and rent a place in Pinellas...that will really give you a sense if you want to be be back there if you can spend 2-3 months.

I don't know how old your grandkids are, but is it possible your daughter is also wanting you to help with babysitting...and how would you feel about that?

I haven't read any of the other responses. But I can say for me, absolutely, I would go. I would give anything to be near my kids and siblings.

Are your sisters married? Could you live with one of them? Like a Golden Girls type deal? My sisters and I made the "loosely spoken plan" that if it turns out in our lives that we are all widowed, we would live together.

Good luck to you Patti. I know it's easy to just so, oh yeah go, but I also know it's not that easy to just pick up and go.

That being said, I would GO!

If your current place is paid off I would certainly consider keeping it as an income property and not selling it right off now. You can have a management company handle all the work of renting it and collecting rent etc. Then should you decide you really want to go back there you can but in the mean time it is earning you a nice little sum of money.

I would go there, near family, and get a rental for a few months. This will allow you time to see how you are adjusting to the area and if it is really what you want. Plus you can try out the medical doctors there. Once you are sure it is what you want you will have had plenty of time while renting to look at neighborhoods and have a better idea of where you would prefer and also have had time to look at real estate and prices.
You could always decide to go back to your original home and not really have lost anything other than the actual moving.

Lots of things to consider for sure. And stay away from the sink holes!! lol

Yes I would go....Right now I am trying to encourage my own daughter to retire to our area...it's always good to have family close..I vote yes, do it...

Thanks to your encouragement, I do think I will move. I won't be seeing my relatives every day because I'm looking in the Dunedin area and that isn't close to any of them. It would be nice to be close for holidays and an occasional get together. Plus I would be close if I needed help or if one of them did.

It sure is fun looking for condos on-line. Right now I have a list of 18 condos in my price range. I wrote them on 3x5 cards with a description of each and the name of the condos. I know the ones I'm liking now won't be available when I'm ready to buy, but maybe something better in the same condos will be.

I do have a mortgage on this villa, but the payments are cheap even when you add in the HOA fee. OTOW requires a 30% down on your mortgage. Not sure this is entirely legal for them to insist on, but they do. There are some incredibly good deals right now in Pinellas. Getting financing won't be a problem.

What I want is a 2/2/1 car garage with washer/dryer. At least 1100 sf and a screened porch first floor unit. I can either buy one already updated or buy one cheaper that needs updating. What do you think about that? The difference seems to be about $30,000 and I could do a heap of updating with that!! I don't want a water view because the taxes and insurance would be incredibly high. I can go look at the water whenever I want--beaches are always close down there.

Would you buy one ready to move in or get a contractor and get it the way you want it?

Dunedin is a beautiful area. We considered it when looking for a home in Florida.
If you love the idea of renovating than by all means go for a fixer upper.
Are you interested in this area because the traffic isn't as hectic as where your relatives are?
Since you are not in a rush, you can get an even better deal off season.
Keep us posted.

Ellen, we lived in Dunedin before we moved to the boonies when Harry retired. I just loved walking to the farmer's market on a lazy Saturday morning or going to the jazz and wine evenings downtown. We lived about 3 blocks behind Mease Hospital so we were close to downtown.

Yes, it isn't as hectic as the Clearwater-Largo area and even when you can't tell when you've left Clearwater and entered Dunedin, you can "feel" it. Very calm and small town feeling. I always felt at home and safe there.

Personally at this point I think I would prefer it all ready to move into and not a fixer upper.
We have been considering some of the same questions. If we want to move closer to my family, if we want to get a place at the beach, do we want to fix up, or just stay put and do everything to this house we have been wanting to do.
I think we have decided to stay put and do the stuff to make us love it as our forever home. But I dread the mess and turmoil. So we shall see. The great medical community here is one of my deciding factors, it's essential.

But if you think you can deal with the fix up ordeal then it might be OK but I know $30,000 doesn't go nearly as far as it should these days.
The quotes for a new roof are already giving me hives lol.