Tampa Creekers w/ Deed Restrictions?

[Russ Filtz]

I'm in the process of looking for houses in the Tampa area. After the shock of unrealistic housing prices wore off, now I get the unpleasant news that most communities have draconian deed restrictions. Everything from the type of mailbox to what you can plant in your yard has to approved by the "association". You can't even change your oil in the driveway some places or have a shed in back!

What I'm worried about is noise. Anyone have problems with this down here? Up north I used to work a lot with the garage door open. Guess I'll have to AC the garage and keep the door shut.

I think I'm in a re-run of the Stepford Wives, or been transported to some communist state.

[Marcus Ward]

May I suggest having a slightly longer commute and not living in one of those nasty communities? I think if someone is going to tell you what to plant, park, or build, they oughta foot part of the bill.

[Jeff Horton]

Understand your concerns and while each to his own. I REFUSE to live in SNOBorhood. I realize some people love it and thats great for them. Just not for me. I would be kicked out probably because I would rebel against the tyranny! Neighbors Unite!! It time for a revolt!! ..........

<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:12pt; height:12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Kudzu/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" o:href="http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/smilies/redface.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--> Woops, got carried away. :o The place I just sold had no restrictions and was not in a city limits. But it was lake front and going upscale quickly. Had neighbors move in that wanted to try to make it a SNOBorhood. She really got under my skin with her snide remarks. We moved, but not because of her.

My closest neighbors are a country Church next door to me. I am at Church when they have service so no problems there. Then there are the ones crammed in across the street in the Cemetery, so far no complaints from them. And then the horse farm behind me.... doesn’t bother them either.

Seriously, I am an Appraiser and Home Inspector and hear lots of stories. Better read the covenants carefully before you buy. You may be in for a battle if not. Just make sure there is nothing that restricts your hobby in the rules. And see if they have the right to amend the rules and if you are grandfathered in. Otherwise..... well you can see the handwriting on the wall.

[Jim Becker]

Jeff's advise is sound...read, read, read before you sign on the line for any property. It may be difficult to find a new home that doesn't have some kind of association in that area, but you can at least try to minimize the damage through due-diligence.

Personally, I'll never buy into an association...it goes against my very being. That will likely restrict "where I could move" geographically in the future if we wanted to do so, but I'm willing to take that hit.

[Pete Simmons]

I used to be a Very Independent Guy! As example - I built my own aircraft (Long-EZ)and flew it all over this great country.
Now I live in a beautiful place in Florida. With a few (read alot) restrictions. I tell my friends from up north when they start asking.. Can you _____? That just about whatever the question is the answer is NO!
Guess what? I love it!!!

I live in a 40 some Unit Townhouse Assoc. 3-5 units per bldg. My backyard is holes 1,2&18 on a beautiful golf course. Tee for hole 2 is close enough that I can talk to people on the tee. You cannot park a truck in the driveway after 7:00 but you can keep a truck in the gararge. Someone cuts the grass, paints the bldg and cleans the pool. What a deal. Yes they tell me what to do - Yes we share the cost of these services.

I have a small shop. I am cautious of the noise but I work alot out there with the door open. My neighbors all admire my work and often I make items for them. In the summer everyone is closed up for AC and that keeps most of the noise away from them.

I have friends who have large shops at their stand alone house in another part of the area which has the same restrictions and they have no problem running their tools.

If you can contain your work within the shop (no outside material storage) and use some discression when buying. I think you will find Home Woodworking in one of these controlled communities can be ok.

If you want trucks, sheds and material outside and constant noise 8 hrs a day you should look for a home outside one of these controlled areas.
For me the trade offs are more than made up for by the plusses. The main plus being it is a beautiful looking, relaxing place to be. Where else can I take a piece of 5/4 Maple over to my frieds shop, in my golf cart, edge and plane it and return in just a few minutes.

[Bart Leetch]

Quiet hours forget that I live next to a Navy base J52 jet engines roaring anytime they want.

I have a friend that lives right in the fight pattern & he has a 48' semi trailer box on his property for storage. I told him he should paint the top black & stripe it & install little aviation landing lights with a model of an EA6B aircraft coming in for a landing I'll bet the pilots would get a real laugh out of it. I do know its hard to talk to him on the phone when the planes are over his property.

I also know a fellow that lives across the road from a community with lots of restrictions they keep coming over & trying to get him to put his property under their restrictions & he just tells them to get back on the other side of the road.

I have lived a fairly free life as far as restrictions on what I do where I live & would not want it to be otherwise.

I don't want to live some place where they can tell me oh no you can't park your 5th wheel trailer all 36'8" of it & truck on your property & you can't park your boat & trailer on your property & goodness sakes what do you think your doing with that lumber pile in your back yard. As far as I'm concerned I make the payments & pay the taxes the property line is over there see how fast you can get on the other side of it. You can be sure that I'll check for community covenants. Covenants are ok if you don't have anything but furniture & if you live in a area where most of the people don't anything but get their hand clippers out & mow their postage stamp yard or have someone else do it & sit on the veranda & sip mint juleps or ice tea well then covenants are fine. I just don't feel like paying for a place to live & paying for a place to put my 4 wheeled 1 bedroom condo yes I'd have a Freightliner to tow it too if I could & being told I can't have a lumber pile. Yes I'm a country boy enough said.:D :D :D :eek:

[Pete Simmons]

Not trying to stir anything up just supply a little more info. Yes there are times I wish I could do many of the things you list. Yes I do sit in amazement at my self as I type this for just 5 or 6 years ago I would have said NO WAY!

But for your info --

In a Condo Assoc. You only own your apartment from the inside paint inward. Everyone owns all the rest including the land, roof,walls etc.

In a Townehome Assoc. You own the Land your unit sits on. It is called zero lot line. Thus you will never see stacked Townehomes. Maybe multi story but all floors are part of one owners home. Rare for Florida but our units are 1,2 and 3 story homes. You own the structure from the outside paint inward.
I own my structure, roof, foundation,walls and the land under the foundation. Between the 4 homes in our building the 4 of us own the whole building. Each owning his own section. Tha Assoc has no ownership of these buildings. If the roof blows off or leaks, my problem. The common land out side the foundation is owned by the Assoc.
So if I want to tell someone to get off my land. They do not have far to go. Any outside area/parking is common area, thus the rules.

[Julio Navarro]

I live in Tampa in a SNOBorhood as someone put it and I hate the place, I hate Tampa Bay, I nicknamed it Dumpa Bay. No one knows how to drive here (except for me , of course) I hate St. Augustine grass, give me Kentuky Blue grass any day, but it wont grow here! Anyways, so much for my ranting, now I feel better.

Any-ways, I have my shop in the garage and a couple of chapters of deed restrictions, luckily they only deal with the outside of the property; grass, paint, windows, etc. I have not gotten any complaints except when I leave the lawnmower, trash cans, bicycles outside the garage when I am woodworking, lol, I get a prompt letter from the assoc politely asking for a plan of how I am going to remedy the situation, LOL.

One of my plans is to one day live out as far from civilization as I can and still have a HD or Lowes nearby.

Irronically I design SNOBorhoods for a living, is that a kick or what?!

Good luck with your house hunt in Tampa. Remember, as long as the house looks nice from the out side they cant tell you what the inside looks like.

[Russ Filtz]

Guess I'm not the only one with these problems! :p

Julio, I'm with you. I moved from Chicago, and so far I pretty much abhore Tampa. Hate the drivers, hate the way they build on top of each other, etc., etc. May have to re-think the move (stuck here for 2-yrs unless I pay back move money!)

[Barry O'Mahony]

On other forums (non-WW), I like helping people to get "revenge" on Associations when they try to enforce things that they legally can't. Case in point: TV antennas and DBS satellite dishes. Under federal law (the 1996 Telecomm Act), local restrictions became unenforceable. But alot of places still think they can prohibit them for some reason (some associations and landloards get kickbacks from the local cable company). Sometimes it requires filing a petition for a Declaratory Ruling with the FCC.

Unfortunately, there is no Federal law to protect woodworkers from busy-body neighbors. :(

[Allen Bookout]

I live in Punta Gorda, Fl. and I know that it is a whole differect world than Tampa but I live in a pretty restrictive comunity but the noise that I make is no problem so far. There is construction going on within hearing distance everyday so I just kind of blend in. Also everyting grows so fast in Florida that all of the mowers, chainsaws, trimmers and blowers make my tool noise pale by comparison.

I know that neighbors make all of the difference and mine are great. I help them when I can and they do not camplain about me. Of course I lived here ten years before most of them moved in which gives me somewhat of an advantage. To bad that you cannot asses your neighbors before you buy.

I guess that my whole point is that minor noise does not seem to be a real problem around Charlotte County and I think that in most areas of Tampa would be the same way.

I know down here if you get east of I 75 a lot of people live on a few acres with horses or livestock or orchards ect. and nice barns or workshops. I wonder if there is some area around Tampa with the same sort of set up?

I suppose that it is a requirement that you live around Tampa. If not come on down to Charlotte County. It's a whole different country.

Allen

[Julio Navarro]

Sounds like a plan Allen. I might just start considering that. How far are you from Sarasota? I handle a division in Sarasota for my company.

[Allen Bookout]

About an hour, give or take. There is also Venice and Englewood that are closer to Sarasota that might be worth a look.

But the way, I do not know what is going on north of here but in Charlotte and Lee counties property has cooled off for the time being. Not much is moving so you may have come at the right time to buy.

Allen

[JayStPeter]

There's not always a reasonable choice but to live with a HOA. I want a nice neighborhood with sidewalks where my kids can play with the other kids. Unfortunately, that requirement is pretty limiting to 'hoods with HOAs around here.
Read the restrictions carefully with what you want in mind. We rejected one neighborhood because they didn't allow sheds. When I did build my shed, I had to either paint or side it the same color as my house. That's something I would've done anyway, so no big deal. Also, just look around and see if others have done the things you want to do.
The people who run the HOA are just your neighbors. For the most part, they just want the place to be nice and keep the resale value up. Some of the restrictions are good for that, others are just painful.
For some reason, the larger HOAs seem to be more brutal than the smaller ones. Why those large 'hoods keep electing the people they all complain about is beyond me. My advice is to pick a smaller (ie < 100 home) one as you always live closer to the elected HOA officials so they are less likely to dictate from several streets/miles away. More improtantly, they have less money for lawyers and can only fight the big stuff. Tight budgets = loose rules. When it comes down to it, who is going to vote to pay an extra $100 each this year for lawyers to fight someone building an out of spec shed on their property.
Unfortunately, if you want to build a big shop in the back yard you'll have to pick a possibly less desirable 'hood without a HOA. My kids come first and my shop second, so I had to do what I had to do. I've volunteered to be on the Architectural comittee in my HOA (the ones who approve sheds and such) to ensure there is a voice of reason there. Fortunately, it's a good group and I don't have to speak up much.

Jay

[Michael Ballent]

HOA are a double edge sword IMO. A lot depends on the people that live in the HOA. Like Jay, it's pretty difficult to find a home that is decent and does not have an HOA associated with it. Read the rules before you buy and make sure you know what you can and can't do. I have lived in 2 communities with HOA's The previous one was horrid... They would nickle and dime you to death. Also they were self managed so if you happened to get on someone's bad side you could get reported for the smallest infraction. The current one has a company that manages things, and so far it has been almost pleasant. (crossing fingers) I know that my neighbors actually like the idea that I WW, since I have the garage up and get to watch all passers by especially at night. Sorta puts you into a neighborhood watch situation :D

[Bart Leetch]

Its really to bad you can't have a nice community to live in without being controlled so tightly. Of course as we know what one person considers a nice comunity another person wouldn't consider living in. I live in a small town where you can go outside of town just a little ways & buy 5 acres for between 85 thousand to 100 thousand depending on location.

Here is one on 5 acres that we have been looking at.

1500 Sq. Ft. manufactured house & 30'x 60' shop woo hoo.

$300 thousand.

[JayStPeter]

Its really to bad you can't have a nice community to live in without being controlled so tightly. Of course as we know what one person considers a nice comunity another person wouldn't consider living in. I live in a small town where you can go outside of town just a little ways & buy 5 acres for between 85 thousand to 100 thousand depending on location.

Here is one on 5 acres that we have been looking at.

1500 Sq. Ft. manufactured house & 30'x 60' shop woo hoo.

$300 thousand.

Looks like a nice place Bart. I'm guessing no HOA either ;) .

BTW, I have a decent amount of F-18, V-22, and H-60 traffic over my place. I'm far enough from base that I don't usually get the am wakeup blasts, but still get low flyers scaring the little ones. Lots of my neighbors used to be near you also.
Prior to having kids I was the guy most HOAs were trying to keep out :eek: . Now I live in an ~80 home nieghborhood that fills most of a bus with elementary school kids that my kids can play with. It's good for them ... and me :cool: . Once the kids are grown, I'll be looking for somplace I can excercise my inner redneck again (which will also make my wife very happy as she loved having a barrel of race gas in the driveway ;) :D ... now a HOA violation) .

Jay

[Julio Navarro]

HOA's really are double edged sword as someone put it.

[Mac McAtee]

I wonder if there is some area around Tampa with the same sort of set up?

Allen

Look North to Pasco county. My parents lived there for about 25 years. You still may find some places that you can live your own life and own.

[Ed Blough]

Guess I'm not the only one with these problems! :p

Julio, I'm with you. I moved from Chicago, and so far I pretty much abhore Tampa. Hate the drivers, hate the way they build on top of each other, etc., etc. May have to re-think the move (stuck here for 2-yrs unless I pay back move money!)

Russ I have one word for you run!!!!!! I moved here 28 years ago for 2 years after swearing I would never live in Florida. However those 2 years turned into 1 more, then the oldest daughter was in high school and I couldn't move her and make her miss her high school. By the time she got out then the other was in. Then they both went to college here and we couldn't leave leave them behind. Now it is granchildren.

I have told my kids if my wife dies before I do don't stand between me and the north at the cemetary because when the dirt goes in I'm gone.

The govenment is the good ole boy network, the school system has teachers that brag they never read a book in their lives, the people drive like they lose their minds before getting into the car and between bugs and heat you will love the place. And wait for a huricane first you sit in the house for a day or so wondering what will blow off first then you can go a week or two with no power. When Floridians retire they move out of Florida, moving to the Carolina's, Tenn, and points north.

The only thing is good is zoning laws. Without them you would Buba's hunt camp on one side of your house and Goofy Lou's down south fireworks factory on the other. I live north of the city where they pretty much let you alone if you stay within reason. In fact there is a house for sale on my street. I have a workshop in my garage and I never hear a word about noise. Of course I have to listen to the neighbor play moto cross on his son's 80cc motorcycle and usually awaken every Sat to the roar of an outboard motor running to flush the engine.

I love Florida! If I was going to give the world an enema I know exactly where to stick it.

[Tony Falotico]

ED, I'm a little offended (OK, a LOT offended) by your negative remarks about Florida........

One of the beauties of the great United States is your freedom to live, work, and be happy (or miserable if you prefer) wherever you wish to live. There are many different lifestyles to choose from, many different climates, and each location has it's good points and drawbacks. There are many places I would not live for various reasons, but those are MY reasons and my choice. BUT, I don't fault or badmouth anyone who chooses to live in a place I wouldn't. To each his own.

I don't mean to offend, nor do I wish to start an argument, but your remarks just hit a raw nerve. I guess I better finish my coffee before logging on next time.

The gate is OPEN, anyone can come and go as they please.........

[Larry Klaaren]

I happen to have to live where I do because my employer owns the house. They bought the house because it's in a good school system.

Of course, I have the neighbor with four cars that do not run in his driveway, so he parks on the street. One of the cars in the driveway is a rusted out yellow Charger with flat tires. This guy is right across the street, straight out our window. He came over one night and complained about my son throwing snowballs at his cars and house a few minutes before. My son was sick in bed. Guy next to him has a dog that breaks his chain all the time. He runs around our house at eleven at night calling for his dog - and he's not in a good mood when this happens. The dog's name is Lucky. Guy behind us won't hook into city sewer. Hasn't treated his septic tank for some time either, at least it seems so by the smell, and his drain runs into a low spot on his property. These are the guys telling me they live out here because they couldn't live with all those rules in those subdivisions. You've still gotta be a good neighbor.

OK, I've vented now. I'm better. I'm also moving this summer. Give me a shed.

Thanks!!!!
Larry

[Mac McAtee]

This is the view out of my workshop window. My lathe sits in front of the window. I don't care what my neighbors do. And they better not care what I do, cause I ain't gonna change my ways for them.

[Julio Navarro]

Any chance for a meet and greet of Tampa creekers? seeing as how we all love the place! LOL

Maybe we can cheer each other up at a local watering hole?

[Mac McAtee]

And another view.

[Julio Navarro]

And another view.

OK, now I am jealouse!

[Robert Mickley]

Well my views aren't as good as Mac's. But I'll take life on the farm anyday. Could you see me trying to saw logs in the driveway with HOA looking on?
:D :D Or maybe a cow or horse in the back yard? yeah that would go over like a turd in a punch bowl :D

I for one could never live in a place like that. I would take a lower property value anyday to being ruled by some one who thinks they know what is best. Here my neighbors are all family and can't see the neighboors who aren't family. Just the way I like it ;)

[Ed Blough]

ED, I'm a little offended (OK, a LOT offended) by your negative remarks about Florida........

One of the beauties of the great United States is your freedom to live, work, and be happy (or miserable if you prefer) wherever you wish to live. There are many different lifestyles to choose from, many different climates, and each location has it's good points and drawbacks. There are many places I would not live for various reasons, but those are MY reasons and my choice. BUT, I don't fault or badmouth anyone who chooses to live in a place I wouldn't. To each his own.

I don't mean to offend, nor do I wish to start an argument, but your remarks just hit a raw nerve. I guess I better finish my coffee before logging on next time.

The gate is OPEN, anyone can come and go as they please.........

Tony
I guess my attempt at humor went wrong and I'm sorry if I offended you.
Much of what I said was true but I allowed my attempt to make it funny color it perhaps to much. Your right the door does swing both ways and believe me I would love to leave Florida but that would mean leaving wife and kids behind as they are here. One other thing. Up your direction is a totally different than central and southern Florida. Florida is made up about 4 states the western panhandle, northen, central and southern part. All are totally different that the others.
Again I did not mean to offend and I apologize to you and the great state of Florida for my totally wrong attempt at humor. Sorry
Ed

[Bart Leetch]

Well I don't have anything against Florida I lived in Georgia for about 3 years not counting the time I lived in Saudi Arabia & Iraq (Army 89-92). I would gladly take Florida over Saudi Arabia & Iraq. I was (Navy 74-86) & based on the Saratoga for 1 work up & almost went ashore but as I came out of birthing into the hanger bay I got drenched & it wasn't from rain, I turned around & went back into birthing took a shower & laid down & read a book.

Later when I lived in Georgia I had to get used to the humidity but the LOML could not handle hot weather & certainly not hot & humid weather. I'd be visiting her in the hospital not something I want to have to do. Besides that webbed feet are quite common in Washington state:eek: but I've not seen them anywhere else:D .

I just don't like HOA's. Its sad that some people can't understand whats the right thing to do without being under someones thumb "HOA". I feel for the most part HOA's are the result of having to build houses & house lots of people in an area that in the past would have only had a few families & had wide open spaces. As we all know the farther away someone lives the less what they do on their property will generally bother or effect you.

[Joe Pelonio]

Its really to bad you can't have a nice community to live in without being controlled so tightly. Of course as we know what one person considers a nice comunity another person wouldn't consider living in. I live in a small town where you can go outside of town just a little ways & buy 5 acres for between 85 thousand to 100 thousand depending on location.

Here is one on 5 acres that we have been looking at.

1500 Sq. Ft. manufactured house & 30'x 60' shop woo hoo.

$300 thousand.

Bart, we're planning to go up that way in a couple of years, and that place looks pretty good. I'm glad they are still available. We're considering
Whidbey but also Bainbridge, Poulsbo, and Sequim and eveything in between. Looking for acreage and a bit less rain. Where we are now is just outside Sahallee Country Club with not only a ton of restrictions but guarded gates. When we bought in '93 we checked and while there are restrictions on the deed the association disbanded in '86 so there's no way to enforce them.

[Tony Falotico]

. Up your direction is a totally different than central and southern Florida. Florida is made up about 4 states the western panhandle, northen, central and southern part. All are totally different that the others.
............Ed

Thanks for the reply Ed, I wondered most of the day if perhaps I over reacted.

You are correct; North FL is a different world than the Florida most people know. For years I've referred to Lake City as a 'redneck encampment midway between Tallahassee and Jacksonville'. It’s changing, very fast, as the old south Floridians are moving up here to escape the northerner’s moving down there. Kinda vicious cycle, isn’t it?

My daughter and son-in-law live across the bay from you in St. Petersburg. I love to visit, but would not want to live there. The shopping, amenities, and selections are great compared to Lake City (Super Wal Mart and Lowes,). I especially like the St. Petersburg restaurants where they actually bring the food to your tables (private joke in our house :D ). But the congestion and traffic I can do without!

Again, my apologies if I over reacted, next time I’ll finish my first cup of coffee BEFORE posting !!

BTW: They used to have a woodworkers show at the state fairgrounds, but I haven’t seen it advertised for years. Does it still come to Tampa ?? If so, maybe we can arrange a Florida Creeker gathering at the next one.

[Ed Blough]

Thanks for the reply Ed, I wondered most of the day if perhaps I over reacted.

You are correct; North FL is a different world than the Florida most people know. For years I've referred to Lake City as a 'redneck encampment midway between Tallahassee and Jacksonville'. It’s changing, very fast, as the old south Floridians are moving up here to escape the northerner’s moving down there. Kinda vicious cycle, isn’t it?

My daughter and son-in-law live across the bay from you in St. Petersburg. I love to visit, but would not want to live there. The shopping, amenities, and selections are great compared to Lake City (Super Wal Mart and Lowes,). I especially like the St. Petersburg restaurants where they actually bring the food to your tables (private joke in our house :D ). But the congestion and traffic I can do without!

Again, my apologies if I over reacted, next time I’ll finish my first cup of coffee BEFORE posting !!

BTW: They used to have a woodworkers show at the state fairgrounds, but I haven’t seen it advertised for years. Does it still come to Tampa ?? If so, maybe we can arrange a Florida Creeker gathering at the next one.

Tony for the last two years or so they haven't had one here in Tampa. They still do a show in Orlando but at today's gas prices I would burn most of my spending money getting there and back. There is a woodcrafters club in Tampa and they usually lease a bus and go to the big show in Atlanta. The wives travel along and they go shopping.

Yes it is nice to have everything near but I lived in Cleveland Ohio for years and got use to a real big city. When they had wood show they had wood shows. I still miss all the woodworking stores like, Rockler and Berea Hardwoods.

I hope i;m out of the hot water with you. ;)

[Tony Falotico]

I hope i;m out of the hot water with you. ;)

Issue closed, still friends, look forward to meeting you one day :) :) :) .

Tony.

[Allen Bookout]

Actually there was a Tampa woodworking show at the Fairgrounds a few months ago. Sounded like that it was going to be an annual event again.

[Paul Turner]

The govenment is the good ole boy network, the school system has teachers that brag they never read a book in their lives,

I can think of,oh, 49 other states that match this description...

[Ed Blough]

Actually there was a Tampa woodworking show at the Fairgrounds a few months ago. Sounded like that it was going to be an annual event again.

Allen your right, I forgot about that one. That was some new group that organized it. Did you attend how was it? I wonder what kind of vendor turn out they got? I talked to a few vendors about whether they were going and they said they hadn't even been made aware there was a show.

I kind of took it from that, that the show was going to be much smaller and not worth attending. I would be interested in knowing how it was.

[Allen Bookout]

Ed,

You are correct in your assesment. The vendor turnout was very light and I was dissapointed. I am hopeing that the resason is that it was the first year start up blues but who knows. A lot of the companies that were shown on the brochure were not even there. Maybe next year it will be better.

I sure wish that the Orlando show was in Tampa as that extra hours drive each way really adds on to a long day. Would make it tougher for the Florida east coast guys though.

Allen

[Bob Weisner]

Is it any better down in the Keys? What about Key West?

[Allen Bookout]

Is it any better down in the Keys? What about Key West?

MAN!!!! --- Talk about a whole different country. I wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole. I will let someone else get into this discussion.

Allen

[Bob Weisner]

$10,000,000.00 FOR A HOUSE ON KEY WEST WITH LESS THAN A HALF ACRE OF LAND WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!???????!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I would not want to know what a 2,000 square foot house with 5 to 10 acres of land on Key West would cost!!!:eek:

[Allen Bookout]

And I don't even like it very much down there. If you are an avid fisherman, boater, diver or homosexual I suppose that it is OK. For anything else, as far as I am concerned, it is pretty much of a waste.

[Tony Falotico]

While I got your all's attention, are there any good used equipment dealers in the Tampa area --- I'm looking for a good used bandsaw with a decent resaw capacity.

[George Kretschmann]

Heck...I like any state that has a "Lottery":D

[Bill Lewis]

...with 5 to 10 acres of land on Key West would cost!!!:eek:there's no such thing, it doesn't exist.

[Dick Latshaw]

While I got your all's attention, are there any good used equipment dealers in the Tampa area --- I'm looking for a good used bandsaw with a decent resaw capacity.
If there are any, I sure haven't found them. You may want to try Redmond in Atlanta.

[Allen Bookout]

If there are any, I sure haven't found them. You may want to try Redmond in Atlanta.
I don't know of any south of Tampa either. Must not be much of a market down here.

Sure would be nice to have a Redmond and Son somewhere around here.

Allen

[Tony Falotico]

Thanks for the replys Dick and Allen, A friend at work and I are planning to take a day off and run up to Atlanta and check out Redmond & Son...... probably be a few weeks before we go.