Moving to Florida from out of state: the Treasure Coast relocation guide

Quick answer: The Treasure Coast is the stretch of Florida's Atlantic side between Vero Beach and Jupiter, about two hours north of Miami and two hours southeast of Orlando. People move here from the Northeast and Midwest for the winter weather, no state income tax, the homestead property tax cap, and prices that still sit well below Palm Beach County. What they don't always expect: insurance costs more than it does up north, the summer is hot and wet, hurricane season runs June through November, and you'll want to pick a town before you pick a house. I've written a guide for most of the places people move here from, listed below, and I handle the whole move remotely if you need me to.

Start with where you're going: my Moving to the Treasure Coast guide covers every town from Sebastian to Jupiter with current home values, taxes, insurance, schools, hospitals and a first-30-days checklist, and the Moving to the Space Coast guide does the same for Brevard County, from Titusville to Melbourne and Palm Bay.

Start with where you're coming from

Every one of these covers the same things for your state: the income tax difference, property taxes and the homestead cap, what insurance and the cost of living look like side by side, flight times home, and the neighborhoods people from your area tend to pick.

• From Atlanta
• From Boston
• From California
• From Chicago
• From Connecticut
• From Indiana
• From Long Island
• From Maryland
• From Michigan
• From Minnesota
• From Missouri
• From New Jersey
• From New York
• From North Carolina
• From Ohio
• From Philadelphia
• From South Carolina
• From Tennessee
• From Texas
• From Virginia and DC
• From Wisconsin

Not on the list? The 10 feet of snow or 10 feet of sand post is the general version, and the form below works for anywhere.

The Florida things nobody warns you about

1. No state income tax, and the homestead cap. Florida has no state income tax on wages, pensions or retirement withdrawals. If the house is your primary residence on January 1, the homestead exemption takes up to about $50,000 off the assessed value and the Save Our Homes cap limits assessment increases to 3 percent a year or inflation, whichever is lower. File by March 1 the first year.
2. Insurance is the budget line that surprises people. Home insurance depends on roof age, construction year, windows and distance to the water, and it costs more than it did five years ago. Get the quote before you go under contract, not after. Flood insurance is separate and only required in certain zones.
3. Hurricane season is June through November. Most years nothing hits us. Some years something does. Impact windows, a newer roof and a plan are the whole answer; I'll tell you which houses have the first two.
4. The seasons are flipped. December through April is why you're moving. June through September is hot, humid and stormy in the afternoons; locals do everything before 10 or after 6. Don't judge the place by a July visit.
5. Pick the town first. Port St. Lucie is the big, newer, more affordable city with most of the new construction. Stuart and Palm City are the older, more established Martin County towns with the river and the boating. Hobe Sound and Jensen Beach are the small beach towns. Fort Pierce is the working waterfront with the lowest prices on the coast, and Vero Beach is the quiet, polished north end. Port St. Lucie versus Stuart is where most people start.
6. The paperwork after you land. A Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency, vehicle registration and title, voter registration, a declaration of domicile if you're leaving a state with an income tax (it helps with their audit), and the homestead application with the county property appraiser.

How a remote move works with me

1. A call about the real list. Budget, timing, gated or not, 55+ or not, how close to the beach, pets, boat, grandkids visiting, whether you're bringing a job. Twenty minutes.
2. Video tours before you fly. I walk the houses on a call and show you what the photos skip. You fly down once, for a weekend, to see the three or four that survived.
3. Offer, inspection, insurance, appraisal, closing. All of it can be done from where you are. Florida allows remote closings with a mobile notary, and I handle the local pieces: the inspection, the insurance quotes, the walk-through, the keys.
4. After closing. The homestead filing reminder, a list of the DMV office with the shortest line, and the names of the people I use for everything from AC to hurricane shutters.

Tell me where you're coming from and when, and I'll send you the guide for your state and call you. Or call or text me first at (772) 800-2274.

Questions people ask before they move

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Tax and residency rules change; confirm with the county property appraiser, the Florida DHSMV and a tax professional. William Merchant, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Gold, 140 NW California Blvd, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986. Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated.