Moving to southwest Florida from Buffalo, NY (Tampa, Jupiter: houses, rent)

[sg928]

Originally Posted by barefeetinbradenton

Hello, sg928.
I grew up in the Buffalo area (first near Canisius College and later in Eggertsville.) I now live in Bradenton. My single family home is in an older neighborhood in west Bradenton. Homes in my neighborhood are now for sale from about $140,000 to $250,000. The area has a complete mix of ages. There is a lot of foot traffic - people are out walking their dogs and riding their bikes. They know their neighbors. It's about 15 minutes to the Anna Maria beaches. There are similar neighborhoods in Sarasota. As far as schools go: there are good, smart, dedicated teachers everywhere. There are good, solid, academic courses taught everywhere. If a parent values education and ensures that their child is taking the right courses, reading at home and socializing with the right kids, the child will get a good education, in my opinion, anywhere. I recommend the Sarasota/Bradenton area. (I have met several ex-Buffalonians here.)

How long have you lived in Brandenton? How old were your children when you moved there?

[Suncoaster]

Hi sg298,

I can't comment on S/W FL as I've never lived there. But a lot of people who post here seem to feel there are a number of problems with it. Before you settle on a place to live, you might also want to check out Broward Co. (Ft. Lauderdale area) and especially cities in the Tampa Bay area. Also, I think a lot of people like Lakeland. If you have time, pick a few cities that interest you and arrange to spend a few weeks there - see if it's "a good fit."

If you hate cold and just have to get out of NY, you'll probably love FL if you do your research and find an area that meets your needs. Good luck!

[sg928]

Originally Posted by Suncoaster

Hi sg298,

I can't comment on S/W FL as I've never lived there. But a lot of people who post here seem to feel there are a number of problems with it. Before you settle on a place to live, you might also want to check out Broward Co. (Ft. Lauderdale area) and especially cities in the Tampa Bay area. Also, I think a lot of people like Lakeland. If you have time, pick a few cities that interest you and arrange to spend a few weeks there - see if it's "a good fit."

If you hate cold and just have to get out of NY, you'll probably love FL if you do your research and find an area that meets your needs. Good luck!

Thanks. We'll keep looking.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by sg928

Thanks. We'll keep looking.

In Broward County you need to zero in on specific communities for your family. There are a lot of areas that appear to be "Family friendly" and nice looking at the surface, but then people move in and hate this place for life when they see who their kids are going to school with.Plantation, eastern Pembroke Pines, and parts of Coral Springs come to mind. If you ever make it down here, explore southwestern Broward County for a family,which is pretty attractive and safe, and you will actually find some decent school districts, specifically the communities of Cooper City, Davie, Weston, western sections of Pembroke Pines, and western Miramar. Oh, and this is very important- DO NOT BUY A PROPERTY IN BROWARD COUNTY, RENT! Be ready to spend at least 1700 a month as well. I will be willing to give more specifics about any of these communities, although I think you should check out Seminole or Brevard County in central Florida or St. Johns County in northern Florida before coming down here.

[canyoutellme]

Me and my family are thinking about moving to Haines City form Chicago....I've checked the stats and the city web site, but I would like a real persons outlook on the enviorment, crime, schools, etc...

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by canyoutellme

Me and my family are thinking about moving to Haines City form Chicago....I've checked the stats and the city web site, but I would like a real persons outlook on the enviorment, crime, schools, etc...

It's like a little rural shantytown south of the Orlando attractions.A cluster of poverty. Don't do it.

[canyoutellme]

Wow...that's kinda what I got from it too. Is there a high crime rate? How different is it from Seminole County?

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by canyoutellme

Wow...that's kinda what I got from it too. Is there a high crime rate? How different is it from Seminole County?

We are hijacking a thread so I will send you a direct message.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by sg928

Sounds scary. But thank you for your honesty. Here's the problem, there is nothing here in Buffalo. Unless your into football, beer and chicken wings. I'm not. We want to live in a place where people know there manners, friendly, safe, and laid back. Oh, and no long, dark, cold winters. We only get about 3/4 months of decent weather. Then it's back in the house and wait for the end of May, when it warms up. By the way, most of the houses are about hundred years old and need to be torn down. Yet, conservation groups won't let that happen. No one wants change up here.

It really does sound like Florida will be a good fit for you .

I would suggest looking into Tampa and Jacksonville. Both cities are pretty comparable on a lot of levels and both are family-friendly.

You'll find plenty of new/newer housing all over Florida, so no worries there. We have some great old neighborhoods in Jax with 100 year old houses, but they tend to be very pricey, so they can be easily avoided if you don't like old houses .

[zone8Heather]

It is so funny. We moved from Gulf Breeze, Florida to Buffalo, New York in 2001 (until 2004) and we LOVED it! The season changes, snow, lots of city parks, plenty to do, lots of culture. The people were so friendly. We called our area a "Norman Rockwell" neighborhood. There were kids riding their bikes up and down the tree lined streets, everyones yard was perfect, people brought you dinner when you were sick, we got out and socialized each evening... so much fun! We don't really talk to our neighbors here in Florida - eveyone is too busy trying to make money to keep up with the next guy. We miss New York terribly. We went from 28 school age kids on our block to our cul-de-sac here with only a couple very young kids. Don't get me wrong, Florida is awesome if you love boating, water sports and a warm climate all year. I personally don't care for the roaches, spiders, scorpions, mosquitos, rats, snakes and coyote, but I do love to take long walks on the beach and watch the dolphins jumping while the sunset sets... very peaceful. But more than that I love the change of seasons, less critters and more scenery, so we are moving to Woodland Park, Colorado in a few weeks (absolutely incredible). We are sooooo excited! If you are looking for a great place in Florida, Gulf Breeze is high on my list, it is essentially an island, very safe, best schools in the state (do an on-line search to learn more). You can leave the keys in your car and your front door unlocked at all times. We did have a sex offender story in the news recently though - no one was local - so they think??? Our eventual plan is to live in the mountains part of the year and on the beach part of the year. Best of both worlds!!! Good luck to you! You know in your heart your dreams - go for it - life is too short!

Heather

PS: We lived in Snyder on Amherstdale Rd in Buffalo! Greatest neighbors ever!!!! We miss them terribly.