While I was away on vacation this week I had some time to do some serious thinking and planning about the future of Florida for Boomers.
I came away with the realization that I am as committed to writing great articles and providing the Florida retirement information people are looking for as I have ever been.
But I was curious precisely what content was resonating with people the most.
While not exactly a scientific way of measuring, I went back and took a look at my website stats since the beginning of 2012 to see.
To my surprise, the most popular content was not the 40 or so community reviews on the site. In fact, no community review was even in the top 20.
So what are the most popular articles on Florida for Boomers? Here’s what the top 5 look like:
5. 5 Questions You’ve Asked About The Villages
Not a huge surprise that an article about The Villages would make the top 5, especially since it is the most popular Florida retirement community in existence today.
Because of my other website dedicated solely to covering The Villages, I get all sorts of questions about the community.
This article answers some of the most common questions about The Villages.
4. Florida CDD Bonds: What You Need To Know
Community Development Districts (CDD’s for short) are very prevalent in Florida but they’ve recently come under scrutiny during the real estate downturn of recent years.
The Villages is actually under investigation by the IRS for its use of CDD’s, and Florida governor Rick Scott in January ordered a review of all special districts in Florida by the Office of Policy and Budget.
If you are considering a Florida community that involves a CDD you’ll want to check out this article.
3. The Downsides of Oceanfront Condo Living
This was a fun article to write, especially as it came from my own personal experience. Having lived in an oceanfront condo full-time since August 2011, I came up with a list of things that I do not like about condo living.
I actually wrote a follow-up piece a few weeks later detailing a few of the things that I do like about condo living, but it didn’t get as much love as the downsides article.
Maybe people are more interested in reading about the negatives than the positives. What do you think?
2. Anatomy of a Short Sale: A Guide for Buyers
I wrote this article (also from personal experience) back in January, and sadly, there is still no resolution in my short sale. Apparently these can drag on for much longer than I even thought.
Anyway, if you are looking to buy a resale home in Florida, odds are that in some cases you may come across a home that you love that is a short sale. If that’s the case, this article should help you understand some of the ins and outs a little better.
1. 7 Florida Communities Make 2011 Top-Selling List
This article actually had DOUBLE the amount of readers as the #2 article.
Again I think the reason this one is so popular is that The Villages is mentioned as the #1 top selling community, but it’s also a great article because it highlights some of the other Florida communities that are selling really well despite the real estate downturn.
So, thats it. The top 5 articles so far in 2012 on this blog. If you missed any of those articles when they were first published I hope you’ll go check them out.
Based on this little investigation, you can expect more articles like the above from me going forward. But I’m also interested in hearing what YOU would like to see me write about. Let me know in the comments below.
What I find most difficult to determine is the total cost involved with each of the Various communities. Bonds, golf memberships, taxes, community fees, social fees, water fees, golf course frontage fees, exercise fees, condo fees, maintenance fees, clubhouse fees. The lists are never ending. It is next to impossible to get all the fees up front without contacting sales agents, who then place you on their radar. However, determining total cost is necessary and must be done at some point prior to purchase.I have made spread sheets for several communities and am amazed at the total differences.