Life’s a Beach – The Pros and Cons of Life on the US Coast

The beach is one of those things that you either love or hate. For those that love it, living next to the coast is a common aspiration. If you are thinking about moving to the coast, here’s what you need to know beforehand.

Pro – The Tan

Who doesn’t love a tan?! Whether they’re on us or on other, more attractive people, a tan gives our skin a healthy glow. Not only this but if you tan naturally in the sun, never on a sunbed, you will also enjoy the benefits that come from a healthy level of exposure to the sun.

Exposure to the sun is important for regulating our hormones and moods – without sunlight, our bodies are unable to produce vitamin D and depression can result. Of course, if you overdo your tan or don’t protect your skin properly, exposure to the sun can be very harmful. When most people think of the US coast, they think of Florida and California, places where the sun is always shining.

Con – The Mosquitos

It’s not just the sun’s rays that you need to keep your skin protected from. We mentioned Florida above. Florida protrudes out from the mainland US into the Caribbean and is home to many of the organisms that we usually associate with Caribbean islands. There is a whole range of tropical viruses found in Florida, for example.

Mosquitos are everywhere in Florida; if you want to survive here, then you are going to need to be prepared. You will find a similar problem in most of the southern US coastline. Further North – New York and Washington State, things are much milder.

Pro – Easy Access

Coastal properties can sometimes be quite literally on the coast, with the beach essentially serving as your yard, or they can be a little way inland. But even if you are a 15-minute drive from the beach, that’s still a heck of a lot closer than most people. Casa Fina Realty is one of the best realtors Tampa has to offer and their website demonstrates the range of properties available in Tampa. Note that not only are their properties available at many different price points, but you can get yourself a place near to the beach without having to incur a huge premium.

Con – The Traffic

Not everyone can live by the beach! Those that don’t live right next to the shore need to get there somehow, and this is America – anything less than a fully loaded SUV is going to be inadequate for transporting your family to the coast. When the weather is good, it can feel like you have the whole city filtering past your home to get to their destination. 

Pro – There’s Always Something to do…

Popular coastal towns and cities in the US are perpetually chasing those tourist dollars. This means that there will often be events on and things to do throughout the year for those who live near to the action. Many properties near to the beach are also near to a plethora of other services.

Con – …Unless it Rains

People go to the beach to relax, sunbathe and swim – not to get wet! You don’t know what funny is until you’ve watched a beach full of holidaymakers panic and scatter from a beach like insects as soon as they feel a drop of rain. If you’re ambivalent when it comes to precipitation, the beach is all yours!

If none of that deters you then it’s time to find yourself a realtor and start searching for your dream property. Don’t rush into anything, there are plenty of options out there for you to choose from.