Mansions for Sale in Florida

General
Florida is located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama and Georgia to the north. Much of the land mass of the state is a large peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

It is nicknamed the "Sunshine State" because of its generally warm subtropical climate. Florida has a few large urban areas, a number of smaller industrial cities, and many small towns. Florida is the fourth most populous state in the U.S.Tallahassee is the state capital and Miami is the largest metro area. Residents of Florida are properly known as "Floridians".

Economy
Florida's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2007 was $734.5 billion. It's GDP is the fourth largest economy in the United States and per Capita personal income was $38,417, ranking 20th in the nation.

Tourism is the largest sector of the state economy. Warm weather and hundreds of miles of beaches attract about 60 million visitors to the state every year. Amusement parks, especially in the Orlando area, make up a significant portion of tourism. The Walt Disney World Resort is the largest vacation resort in the world, consisting of four theme parks and more than 20 hotels in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; it, and Universal Orlando Resort, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, and other major parks drive state tourism. Many beach towns are also popular tourist destinations, particularly in the winter months.

The second largest industry is agriculture. Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the U.S. ? in 2006 67 percent of all citrus, 74 percent of oranges, 58 percent of tangerines, and 54 percent of grapefruit. About 95 percent of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing mostly as orange juice.

Taxes
Florida is one of the nine states that do not impose a personal income tax. The state had imposed a tax on "intangible personal property" such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, money market funds, etc., but this tax was abolished after 2006. The state sales tax rate is 6%. Local governments may levy an additional local option sales tax of up to 1.5%. A local's use tax rate is the same as its sales tax rate, including local options, if any. Use taxes are payable for purchases made out of state and brought into Florida within six months of the purchase date. Documentary stamps are required on deed transfers and mortgages. Other taxes include corporate income, communication services, unemployment, solid waste, insurance premium, pollutants, and various fuel taxes.

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