We have a new Florida home! We have purchased property in the Florida panhandle just north of Port Saint Joe and the Gulf of Mexico. This will become our winter home and a secure spot that we can always go to; no reservation needed!

Included on the .39 acre parcel, is a 36′ x 60′ open pole barn with concrete floor and full RV hookups (electric, water & sewer). The property provides room to park the RV and car out of the elements and additional space for future development (possible screen room, shed, etc). This is not in an RV park, therefore no HOA fees or extra amenities.

We are located six miles north of Port Saint Joe close to the intracoastal waterway that runs from Panama City east to Apalachicola. The White City park and boat ramps are nearby.

So, how did we get to this decision? I guess you can say this is still fallout from Hurricane Ian that we realized forever changed the Ft. Myer Beach area. We determined that returning to Siesta Bay or the area was just not possible for several reasons.

With lack of availability and escalating costs, we ruled out returning to southwest Florida and we knew we did not want to return to inland central Florida. I had already been working on reservations to spend next Winter in the Port Saint Joe area. The “Forgotten Coast” (Port Saint Joe, Apalachicola, Carrabelle) with it’s slower pace, less commercial development and less crowds felt like the right choice for us. Being near the water is a big plus with great beaches and parks in the area, including St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, St. George Island, and Cape San Blas.

We started working on the purchase deal in April with a local realtor. She was willing to coordinate the construction and contractors to complete the job and we are very happy with the result. We drove down there in July (in the car) to see for ourselves, close on the purchase, and set up the utility accounts. It’s all set and waiting for us when we arrive in late September.

Year Six Summary: We traveled to western NY, PA, Maryland/DC, North Carolina, Virginia Beach, Charleston, SC, St. Augustine FL before arriving in the Florida panhandle for an extended visit in the Fall. Starting in December, we wintered in central Florida near Zephyrhills, with family trips to Disney and Clearwater Beach.

A fly/drive trip to Colorado, RV to northern Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula rounded out our travels before spending the summer near Saline/Tecumseh, MI. We had some challenges to work through this year, but here we are at the end of year six and ready for more.

Camping Fees/Diesel Fuel: Camping/park fees were lower this year, mainly due to our winter stay at Emerald Pointe instead of Siesta Bay. We dropped to an average of $46/per night. The purchase of the new lot should help us control this cost in the future. We will have property taxes of approximately $550/year plus utilities; but we also have a real estate investment that should provide a return in the future. A few new parks we stayed in this year include North Beach Camp Resort, St. Augustine, James Island County Park, Charleston, SC, and Carrabelle Beach RV Resort, Carrabelle, FL; all very nice.

Diesel prices were lower for most of the year and overall, however there has been a recent uptick. We drove approximate 7100 RV miles this year. TDS Fuel Program still is a great savings.

Cell Phone, Internet, TV & Mail Service: Steady costs here. We had to change our official address back to our mail service (Green Cove Springs from Ft. Myers), and will check to see if it makes sense to change again to the lot address. We are still with Verizon for phone and internet, Dish TV, and St. Brendan’s Isle mail service.

Health Care: Expense is lower thanks to a good health year and Medicare. Lasso Heathcare available to Florida residents has made some improvements in online access and continues to be a good Medicare option for us.

Repair & Maintenance: No big change in RV repair and maintenance thanks to Jim’s ability to take care of routine maintenance and repairs. Loves Truck Stop in Milan takes care of the annual fuel filter changing which is a messy job. Jim supplies the filters and Loves changes them for a $20 fee – bargain!

Small Business: First year of my small remote business was a success! Very happy with a manageable group of clients that provide a busy enough tax season and limited ongoing year round work to supplement our income. A nice balance of work with flexibility and free time.

Other Notes: No changes in our RV and car insurance. Lucky to have experienced only a small increase of our Progressive Insurance through Overland Insurance Services (Arizona). RV Trip Wizard is still my go-to for trip planning.

I joined Jim with the purchase of a new e-bike: Lectric XP Step-Thru . It is definitely a better fit (20″ tires), but still need more experience to feel comfortable. Our location last winter did not provide a good area to ride; but we are hoping our new location will give us more opportunities. Both bikes are foldable models, allowing for us to transport them in the back of the car.

Year Seven: I’m still an optimistic planner, so plans for 2024 are taking shape. Looking forward to a trip out west to a few new places as well as some that have become our favorites. Grateful for the lifestyle we love and family and friends who support us along the way.