Working Remotely from Paradise

Why Southwest Florida is Perfect for Remote Workers

Working remotely offers a lot of advantages, the most important of which is the ability to live and work from virtually anywhere in the world. Given the opportunity, where should remote workers live? What is the perfect location? 

First of all, the cost of living should be affordable, the homes should be spacious, and should be good real estate investments. You also need to be able to rely on the local tech and infrastructure. When you work from home, it’s really important to have options to spend time outdoors, as well as places where you can work from, if a home office is not an option. 

There are many options that fit the bill, and one of the very best is Southwest Florida. If nothing else, the beaches here can’t be beaten, and there’s nothing like waking up in the sound of waves. 

Tech-friendly

One of the absolute non-negotiable aspects of working remotely is that you require a tech-friendly environment. Since you rely exclusively on your device and an internet connection, you need round the clock, reliable access to stable Wi-Fi, but also to devices, device repair, etc. If your laptop breaks down, you can’t live somewhere where you need to drive two hours to get to the nearest tech shop. 

Thankfully, Florida is very tech-friendly, so you’ll never be in a situation where you won’t be able to find Wi-Fi in town, can’t get your laptop serviced, or you won’t have good internet access at home. 

Affordable Cost of Living

When most people make a big move, they do so for financial reasons. Either in search of a wider pool of lucrative jobs or in search of a more affordable cost of living. Southwest Florida is great for that because it offers all the luxuries and amenities of more glamorous parts of the country, but for a much more affordable price tag. 

Your biggest expense living in Southwest Florida will be housing. Real estate is around 50% more expensive than the median real estate price for the United States. However, the ever-increasing value of homes is good news for property owners, you can rest assured that your investment will gain in value, as this will always be a coveted location. 

Other expenses, however, including transportation, utilities, and other miscellaneous costs, are even lower than the median. 

Affordable Cost of Living

And speaking of real estate, if there’s one thing Southwest Florida has going for it, it’s great properties. If you’ve always wanted to live on the beach, this may be the opportunity of a lifetime. Working remotely means you can live anywhere you want and anywhere it’s convenient, so why not make it a home overlooking the beach?

The biggest advantage with this type of property, in addition to the wonderful view and the convenience of being just a few steps away from the beach, is that you can always rent the home, or sell it later. There will never be a time when Florida beachfront homes won’t sell well. 

In addition, since real estate isn’t as expensive as other comparable locations, like California, your money stretches farther, and you can afford a bigger home, with enough space for a home office, or a large backyard. Outdoor living has become extremely important over the last couple of years, which is why locations with good weather are so popular. 

Owning a backyard means you can safely entertain outdoors, or even build an outdoor kitchen to enjoy in the summer. Not only is it a great option to enjoy, it can also add tremendous value to your property. 

Work From Home or Out in Town

The thing with small towns or very remote ones is that there isn’t anywhere else to go. When you work from home, that can become a problem. What a remote worker wants, ideally, is to live somewhere in a large enough home that can also accommodate a home office, but where they can also find coffee shops, offices to rent, or co-working spaces if they desire more separation between their work or home life. 

Florida is the perfect location for that. Towns like Bonita Springs are small enough to retain that tight-knit, small community feel but modern enough that there are plenty of laptop-friendly coffee shops to visit or co-working spaces to work from. It’s important to have options for variety, or if you don’t have the option of working from home because of lack of space, or housemates, kids, etc. 

Outdoor Activities

One of the best things about Florida is that there is so much to do and so many ways to enjoy the outdoors. When you work from home, it becomes even more important to be able to escape your house. That creates some separation between your work and your personal life, and it gives you the opportunity to spend some time outside the same four walls. 

Hiking and biking are really popular pastimes in Florida, and it’s no wonder - the trails are beautiful and scenic, and the weather is gorgeous all year round. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to encounter some of the local wildlife, including deer and hundreds of species of migrating birds. If spending time in nature is important to you, there are also several parks and nature reserves to visit. 

Obviously, the beach is one of the major local attractions and a place where a lot of people choose to spend their time. Enjoying the sun for a few hours a day can do you a world of good. But you can also go boating or fishing. 

Final Thoughts

Faced with all the sudden flexibility of remote work, finding the perfect place to live can be a difficult task. While there are plenty of suitable locations, the perfect one has to meet a lot of requirements. Working from home means you need a lot of space, an affordable home, and reliable tech. 

It’s also important for remote workers to be able to escape outside their home for some separation from their work life. That’s where the beautiful beaches of Southwest Florida come in. Whether you want to lounge in the sun or go boating, the beach is always there for you. You can also explore hiking trails on your bike or on foot, and enjoy the wildlife that’s so present here. One thing’s certain - there is no better place for remote workers.

Considering buying a home in Southwest Florida? Key Real Estate can help you find your dream home that's perfect for working remotely. Contact us here or call 239-319-3120 to speak with one of our Southwest Florida real estate experts today!