I moved to Florida for cheaper housing and lower taxes, plus I'm avoiding downsides like traffic and crowds

• Tony Stanol moved to Sarasota, Florida from California and prefers the East Coast oasis.
• He now pays $2,400 in rent compared to sky-high property taxes on his $1 million Calabasas home.
• He said some complaints about Florida's popularity, from traffic to crowds, haven't bothered him.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tony Stanol, 66, about his life after moving to Sarasota, Florida from Calabasas, California. 

Stanol runs a advertising recruiting firm that operates in both California and Florida.