[Floridabound09]

I know many of you by name and by reading your post but for me and hopefully others I would like to know who has moved to Florida from other states in the years 2006 and 2007 and what your experiences were like.

Such as where did you move from and to?
Did you make the right choice of towns?
Would you do it again? Wish you did it sooner? Wish you wouldnt have ever done it?
Did you research the town you moved to?
Are you happy? unhappy?
What about cost of living compared to your former state?
Did you get excited to move and are you still excited to be there or not?
Just some general idea of what you think, both the good and the bad.
Did City Data info/post help you in your choice?

You are the people who can provide important information to those of us who are moving to Florida someday soon, its important because you have lived somewhere else and now live in Florida and have the experience of what it was like before in another state and after you moved to Florida. Sure many others can provide great info but its you guys and gals that have been there and done that recently.

Your input is appreciated !

[Floridabound09]

Just wanted to add for Jen and the others, we had snow flakes falling today !!

Snowballs are coming to you guys/gals via Fed Ex soon............

[Sueilp]

I moved at the end of 2005 (October) can I add my input lol

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by Sueilp

I moved at the end of 2005 (October) can I add my input lol

Sure...why not.

[Gareee]

We are waiting to sell our house on Long Island ( on the market) to move into our home in Rockledge. This selling market sucks.
Can't stand the winters up here anymore ( and the cost of living). Right now I'm paying for 2 mortgages so you can see what I'm going through. Once this is sold, we are out of here! I am retired which helps.
We closed on the Fl. home in Aug/07. If we waited any longer, we would have lost closing cost breaks and the type of house we wanted. Thank God we have good neighbors on both sides of us to watch the house until we settle in.

[Margel]

We made settlement the summer of 2007. There isn't one thing, so far, that I don't love about Florida. I was told the traffic was horrendous, and while it isn't wonderful, it is no worse than where I came from (Philly). No crime, no rude people, no awful insects thus far. The weather was hot the summer..just like Philly and now it is cooling off nicely and the air conditioner is off. So far, so good. I am in Odessa and really happy with my choice.

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by Margel

We made settlement the summer of 2007. There isn't one thing, so far, that I don't love about Florida. I was told the traffic was horrendous, and while it isn't wonderful, it is no worse than where I came from (Philly). No crime, no rude people, no awful insects thus far. The weather was hot the summer..just like Philly and now it is cooling off nicely and the air conditioner is off. So far, so good. I am in Odessa and really happy with my choice.

Awesome, We acutally looked at some homes in Odessa last time we were down to Florida.

Thanks for your input.

[giddyup]

I lived in IL every day of my life until we moved to Florida this year in March or so... we moved from a small town that we lived in for 10 years (wife, 2 small kids); when we first moved to the small town the population sign said 150 (It was actually around 1000, but hadn't been updated).... when we moved out it was probably around 3500-5000.

We love it here, for us at the time it was definitely the right decision and I would do it again. I grew up in Aurora, IL and to me Ocala feels very much like Aurora, only with a lot more sunshine which for mental health I need!!!

Today is a gorgous day with blue skies and no clouds, a bit cooler, but the sun is still warm. I do miss the fall colors, however I did just travel back to Chicago 2 weeks ago on business and it wasn't a fall to really behold this year, so I would have missed them even if we were there. I am quite sure Christmas will feel a bit odd without the possibility of snow, but still worth the tradeoffs

Do I wish I had moved earlier? Well of course I do, however we all get one chance to live each moment and cannot change the past, so we must go forward and enjoy each moment that God has gifted us with.

You mentioned "Are you happy"... indicating the possibility you are not happy where you are... I would caution that moving will not create happiness.... most people that I meet and have talked with who are not "happy" are lonely... lacking any deep meaningful relationships with people. The "happiest" people I know live in some sort of a community with other people.

I might just have to go for a walk now

[giddyup]

In Illinois we had a 3% state income tax, FL has zero... so that has saved me quite a bit of money alone; our property taxes are about $2500 cheaper here as well. Groceries are about the same, possibly slightly higher here.... but it seems like the cost of food as slowly been on the rise so it could be higher where we used to live now as well.... Milk is quite pricey here at over 4 bucks a gallon....

We do not have natural gas in our house, however our total electric bill is on average quite a bit less than our combined Gas + Electric in illinois... our highest electric bill this summer was $229 compared to our highest gas bill of around $350 during a chicago winter (plus whatever our electricity was).

Gasoline prices are about the same as back north, and if you drive to orlando the tolls are much higher than you'd pay around chicago.

So overall our cost of living is lower, but not drastically lower than where we were.... the other thing to consider is jobs... I work from home for a chicago based company with chicago based pay, however if I needed to find a job around here it would be difficult without taking a 50% pay cut.... some day I will have to do that, and possibly soon.... they have a saying around here that they "pay you in sunshine"

[karlking85]

It is refreshing to read more than one positive comment in a row. I am so used to hearing all the negatives and "Why oh why would any sane person want to live HERE?!?!?!?!?!'s" that it sometimes seems like nobody in Florida is happy.

I believe there are highs and lows anywhere in the world, and all the same, happy and unhappy people, as well. I am planning to move next spring/summer to the Daytona area and I have talked with many who have raved about how happy and proud they are of their home by the sea.

When I first came to this forum, I almost reconsidered my move entirely after the first few posts I read, but I have learned to take it all in stride now. It seems some of the folks who have lived in Florida (and elsewhere in the country, as well, I'm sure) that were unhappy with their personal lives have blamed all the misery on the state. And in my own defense, I am sure some of it is due to the state, high insurance, homeowner's costs, lower pay, etc. But that does not control every life and every city within a state either.

Where I am now, in East Tennessee, around the Smoky Mtns. the cost of living is quite high, we have a very high sales tax, though no state income tax, horrid traffic, and rough job markets. But I am very happy here nonetheless. Despite the job market, I am very happy with my work, have been for years, and despite the traffic, it doesn't bother me too much, because I live just minutes from work. And when traffic is truly rough, I just don't leave town.

Aaahhhh, sorry for the rant of sorts, I just hoped that any other newbies that visit this forum, will see this and realize that every city or state is not right for everyone, and just because you read a few bum reviews, that doesn't mean you should replan your move.

Either way, best of luck to everyone out there!