This Florida City Considered ‘Safe Haven’ From Hurricanes

Florida real estate professionals are discovering more and more coastal residents are giving up their beachfront and other waterfront homes.  They’re fleeing inland to escape increasingly harsh weather and less frequent hurricane activity. One Florida city was deemed a 'safe-haven' from hurricanes.

Accordingly, they are also attempting to escape what is now nationally recognized as an insurance crisis in the Sunshine State.  They’re not leaving the state, just abandoning the coast.

Where are they headed?  In droves, fed-up Floridians are flocking to Ocala. The small inland town is located about an hour north of Tampa on I-75.  It’s known for being the best horse country south of Kentucky, and as home to John Travolta.  But, now, it’s also becoming known as the best place to be if you want to stay in Florida, but maybe at a higher elevation. Ocala is about 100 feet above sea level, making it very attractive to prospective homebuyers.

Insurance is cheaper, and the peace of mind that comes from being in the area of the state least impacted by recent storm damage seals the deal.  Ocala is in Marion County, which is one of the cheapest counties for homeowners insurance. Premiums averaging about $1,800, compared to $5,600 in Miami-Dade, and $7,500 in the Keys.

Ocala recently topped a study conducted for the “Wall Street Journal” that evaluated Florida cities based on government weather forecasting models, as well as the number of hospital beds, and the quality of infrastructure.

Ocala was deemed to be the Florida city with the lowest risk of coastal flooding compared to other inland towns.

Claiming the spot as Florida's city with the "lowest risk of coastal flooding," according to Climate Alpha. Ocala also easily passes as a town with a low risk of flooding compared to other inland towns. Ocala is not completely impervious to the effects of tropical storms and hurricanes, as we saw in 2017 when Hurricane Ian caused minor power outages and flooding.  However, it was nothing compared to harder-hit areas of the state, and there was no significant damage during Hurricane Idalia in August.

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It'll be here before you know it. Hurricane season is upon us and if Ian and Helene  taught us anything, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even though Tampa was barely able to avoid the worst of Ian, we still remember people scrambling to get last-minute supplies. Some waited in lines for hours for supplies only to leave empty-handed. Don't let that be you this year! In the case of a major hurricane or even a tropical storm, you should have these 5 things before hurricane season starts.

Experts say it's super important to build a storm kit before any type of disaster. Each kit may look different based on an individual's needs. These are the universal 5 items you shouldn't forget! We found all of these items on Amazon. If you think ahead and order these items now, you should be able to build your storm kit before hurricane season even starts. Anybody can remember to stock up on the essentials (bottled water, food, and batteries) but do you have these useful items in your home in case of a big storm?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has also listed hurricane safety tips and resources so you and your family can be prepared. When shopping for supplies, you should grab enough items like water, food, and batteries, to be able to last you for at least 1 week. It also seems pretty obvious that every Floridian should own a battery-operated or hand-crank radio. If you ever lose power, at least you can still be kept in the loop with your favorite radio station. And by now, everyone should have a backup portable phone charger.

Remember when everyone was scrambling all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties looking for sand bags? Most pick-up locations were only allowing people to pick up 2-3 bags per person, which is probably not enough to surround your house/belongings.

If you order these empty sandbags on Amazon now, you should have them by next week. It will make your life a lot easier to just drive to your nearest beach or causeway and fill the bags up that way.

We all know how crappy it is to lose power in the middle of a hurricane. In some cases, you may not know when it will be restored. Amazon has this really cool battery powered camping lantern with a fan for only $20. Reviews say that 1 set of D batteries lasted them over 10 hours.

If you live in Florida and don't have a decent pair of rain boots, now is your time to get a pair. If the thought of gross storm water touching your skin freaks you out, you should grab a pair of these knee high waterproof boots.

It's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it, right? Check out this mini water filtration system for just $22 on Amazon.

You don’t want to ruin important documents like social security, state issued ID and birth certificates, prescription medication, copies of insurance documents, to name a few. Bonus if you can convert other important documents to an USB flash drive! You'll want something big enough to hold all of your belongings, but compact enough to carry around in case you have to evacuate. Amazon has a great option, here.

This one may seem obvious, which is why we made it an honorary mention in case it does slip your mind. Remember how bored you were when you lost power from Ian? Some board games, deck of cards, or coloring books should help you pass the time, without killing your phone battery.