[PeachInTheCity]

I really dont understand threads like this.......no everyone is not going to like where they move, nor will everyone have the same experience good or bad.

But....

For the life of me, I can not and will never understand how any adult, seemingly in their right mind would get up and move two miles, much less half way across the country or anywhere for that matter without doing any research, sight unseen and with no job. ( and no im not speaking about those who are coming out of a bad situation and seriously had to get up and go ASAP or people who were offered job/needed to come take care of family etc and really didnt have time to do any research).

I also dont understand the mentality where people claim to dislike or in this case hate something so much yet every chance they get they are discussing the very thing they hate.

[Sunny-Days-in-Florida]

Originally Posted by Ken E

There are many reasons why a person would move back to where they moved from. Family, fantastic scenery,overall quality of life, much better income are the things that brought us back to pretty much the same area that i lived my whole life. You can do all the research in the world and wont really know what it is like to live somewhere until you actually do it. We lived down there for ten years, both had our own business,two Harleys in the garage and a boat in the Gulf. That stuff has a tendency to get old quick. Still came no where close to the quality of life i found when i moved back to N.H. I can understand why a lot of people on here are so passionate about living there . Especially when they say where they moved from. It definatly is a upgrade from a lot of places but it is also a definate downgrade from others. Ya got to live where your happy.

Your situation is different then most.

Retired. Have Grandkids who missed you and needed you etc.

Many of these people are not prepared to move to Florida or have a back up plan.

Most, NOT ALL, move from an area because they want to change their lives only to find out they made a bad move and was not prepared.

You cannot compare your situation with others.

If I left Florida I would not go back to the exact same town I grew up in. And most would not.

Anyone, or most who say this only do it because it is a safety net for them to go back to where they came from and know.

You moved smartly because of your kids and Grandkids, not because you had money issues etc.

Most post here are not in your boat and did not make good sound decisions like you did to prepare to move if you wanted.

[Spring Hillian]

Yes, changes. For the better. Road widenings, more retail, more restaurants, more shopping centers on the drawing board.

Originally Posted by Ken E

Didnt want to make any rash decisions. I kept thinking that it was getting better but it wasent. Had a business to sell,had a house to sell. Have you tried to sell a house around there latley. I still have quite a few friends in Spring Hill that i talk to on a regular basis. They keep me posted on how not much has changed around there.

[Sunny-Days-in-Florida]

Originally Posted by Florida Vince

How about instead of complaining, maybe be responsible for ones own actions and realize what your getting into BEFORE you get into it? Or is it just easier to show up, fail and then complain after the reality doesn't meet your expectations that were never researched in the first place before coming here?

This is a sad situation for many.

Many of us like Spring, Ken, ( I can provide a huge list of these members ) myself and many others who moved here researched our moves, had plans, directions, back up plans, jobs or money in case things did not work out.

So many think they will be handed a better life here for some reason and when they show up all they have is warm weather and then start having issues.

I have read it for years here, its someone elses fault. No, it is not someone elses fault.

Like anything else if you dont have a plan in place, dont have the research done and make a huge mistake in towns, schools etc you will most of the time fail and then blame everything and everyone other then yourself.

Again, we all need to understand that some make decisions based on things other then what most of us who have moved here successful did.


* If you plan to move to Florida please be prepared first. Make solid decisions, have a back up plan, have a job that can support you and also save money at the same time.

Do not make a bad decision or run from something elsewhere and think moving here is the fix all.

[Otherside1]

My wife always says in regards to running from your problems..."where ever you go, there you are"! Meaning they will just follow you unless you fix them.

When we moved I had over a year in reserves of living at my level of lifestyle. I also sold a few assets just for extra cushion. I cringe at the thought of picking up a family and moving on the "faith" plan. Florida can be so hard to break into with no margin for error.

[Spring Hillian]

It is true .... no matter where you go... have a plan.. anywhere is hard to break into with no margin for error.

Originally Posted by Otherside1

My wife always says in regards to running from your problems..."where ever you go, there you are"! Meaning they will just follow you unless you fix them.

When we moved I had over a year in reserves of living at my level of lifestyle. I also sold a few assets just for extra cushion. I cringe at the thought of picking up a family and moving on the "faith" plan. Florida can be so hard to break into with no margin for error.

[Ken E]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Yes, changes. For the better. Road widenings, more retail, more restaurants, more shopping centers on the drawing board.

Like there wasent enough traffic on RT 50 already.If your overall quality of life depends on wider roads, more traffic more shopping centers thats sad. Most native Florida "old timers" that i met while working down there said that's what was ruining that state. Do you remember when the only way to tell where you were on RT 19 was when you went by that dinosaur that is now a auto mechanic.

[Spring Hillian]

Ah yes, the dinosaur. What these things show, widening roads, shopping centers in the business districts, yes, these things show growth and prosperity. It shows a liveliness, economic growth. All of these things are good for the community as a whole.

I remember driving up 19 and seeing nothing but the KFC and the dinosaur, very little else. Times change, places grow. It increases the tax base so the county can provide better services to its residents.

[Sunny-Days-in-Florida]

Bottom line---



BEFORE you move to Florida.


1. Have a plan in place.

2. Make a list of towns that would fit your needs, wants etc.
Visit those towns that are on your list.

3. Jobs, school and crime. Research them deeply. Do not come here without a job.

4. Money. Do not come here with no reserves.

5. Back up plan. Have one in place in case things do not work out for you.

6. Do not listen to all the naysayers who constantly post nothing but negatives. We all know every state has negatives and positives. Some will never post a positive mainly because they made mistakes, wrong town, wrong job, no reserves and will post nothing but negatives. If you look at the post you and see no one single positive then in most cases they are not the ones to follow.

7. Research more then just here or other online places. Do your homework.

8. Read the success stories thread.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/flori...have-been.html

9. Wise choices of moving are a must no matter where you move to. So if you want to move to Florida and do it successfully make wise choices in a variety of areas. Income, towns, school, demographics, weather, transportation, family etc.

10. Please do not move to Florida and blame the state, the people and everything else under the sun if you do not like it, have financial issues, did not have a plan or a back up plan, miss family and other posted reasons. You have a choice in life and no one forces anyone to move to another location. Sure some jobs require it. but if it were me, no job for no amount of money is worth moving if you cannot be happy.

11. What I did a lot is talk to people who I know, met or communicated with personally. I ran a business for many years and several of my former employees moved to a variety of places in Florida so I was on the phone with them. Also, many antique dealers I have dealt with over the years live all over Florida so I was talking with them. A few family members who live or have lived here, I called them.
Communicate this way and ask questions.

12. There are many ways in Florida to make some extra cash if you look around.

For us, we wanted to be close to the ocean but chose central for many reasons. We can drive to the ocean in a short time period so it work out well for us. Being ocean loving people it was a hard decision but it has worked out perfectly as we can do all the other things we enjoy. Give and take.
Getting to enjoy my hobby of collecting, treasure hunting antiques, buying and selling them as a hobby has been amazing here. I can go any direction and find treasures that I can not only get a pit in my stomach for finding something no one knew what it is but it is paying off with cash for me. Not many people can have a hobby, do it when you want and actually make money at it too! I can add to my own personal collection for certain items I collect and this past year my hobby ( not a job, a hobby ) has paid me a crazy amount of money.


If you pick the correct town, neighborhood and research you will find yourself in what I believe is a wonderful, beautiful, warm place to be. Where else can you swim in your own in ground pool on New Years Day and Christmas? You will never run out of things to do here, that is for sure.

[Spring Hillian]

Another great post Sunny. That should be a sticky!