Let me clarify “intent to reside in Florida” for purposes of being a Florida resident. A caller from Tennessee owns a vacation condo in Florida where he spends time each year. He said he has put his Tennessee home up for sale, and that as soon as it is sold, he and his wife will move into the Florida condo. Therefore, he concludes, he can claim Florida residency and Florida exemptions today because he owns property in Florida and intends, honestly and completely, to make Florida his permanent home.
No way. He has to be here, and then he can assert that he intends to stay permanently. Or, this man could have previously used the Florida condo as a primary home, moved away temporarily, but always intended to sell his Tennessee home and return to Florida- that may work. Merely planning to move to Florida is not sufficient to claim Florida residency, in my opinion.