[PG77]

Originally Posted by macguy

Thats is an incredible amount of time. Over 80 unpaid hours a month dedicated to your job. How do you justify that? I just would not do it. No job is worth that. You have to add to that from the time you get up in the morning till you are home, cleaned up and your time is your own again

Well, I did it for the first four months of my job. It was like having a part-time job to get to a full-time job only I have to pay to get there instead of getting paid for it. Trust me, it about killed me because I have bad knees not to mention the financial aspect of it. Many companies here pay for the transportation expense for their employees, but my company is too small to do that. However, because of my knee situation, I am working from home full time until the 18th of December and I have my evaluation. But even so, after that time I am able to work three days a week from home. That would be the only way I could continue in this job. Unfortunately, there arent many jobs here unless you're a technie or a rocket scientist so I am kinda stuck. One good thing about it though I do like the job itself.

[allfurrdup]

I moved here to Venice in 2006 from the east coast of Florida via Salt Lake City...are you with me on that? At any rate, I like the gulf coast much better. It is more laid back and you don't have so many people standing right on your heels at the grocery checkout stands. "Can you just give me my space, please?" Sheesh!!!

You're smart to have a job lined up first. It is way tough to get decent pay in this state.

When we moved here in 2006 the red tide was horrible. Couldn't even GO to the beach that year! This year is has been non-existent. There are websites that track the red tides so you can and should be up to date on that at all times. I'm hoping the pesticide companies are taking a more socially responsible approach so that the gulf can breathe better.

In neighboring Venice, the average is 67... Talk about old FL!! I know there must be young people here because there are 3 elementary schools! Venice El is a fabulous school and so is Taylor Ranch. I wasn't too keen on Garden for many reasons. We're pretty happy here, but I can see the honeymoon being over and wanting to move in 3 years. 6 years in FL will be plenty for me. We lived through Wilma and I'd take a blizzard over a cat 4 hurricane any day of the week!! Hope you don't get the same welcoming committee!!

North Port gets a ton of lightening hits that fry a lot of peoples' computers, phones, and faxes. Get yourself a battery backup with a surge in it. A simple surge protector won't help you. On the other hand, hurricanes and lightening are both negative forces and I've heard that they never meet. That is why hurricane Charley took the right turn into Punta Gorda in 2004. Add it to the Indian mounds and the shallow waters off the coast, you're probably in a pretty safe from hurricanes area. That's what I keep telling myself and what others confirm.

Not to sway you, but you really need to look on the FL pedophiles list. There are a LOT of them in North Port for some reason. Heck, there are a lot of them in FL for that matter. Watch your kids and lock your doors.

allfurrdup

[PG77]

I remember Charley was supposed to be heading straight for Tampa Bay and then it made that turn. We were fortunate. I think the worse for me was Frances, it was a rain maker and it seemed to just hang over us forever. I lost power and cable, but the telephone still worked. It scared me I must say. The lightning in Jacksonville was awful not to mention those torrential rush hour downpours. I always said that the lightning in Jacksonville would come into your house and get you if it couldnt get you outside.

[FringedNFab]

Originally Posted by allfurrdup

I moved here to Venice in 2006 from the east coast of Florida via Salt Lake City...are you with me on that? At any rate, I like the gulf coast much better. It is more laid back and you don't have so many people standing right on your heels at the grocery checkout stands. "Can you just give me my space, please?" Sheesh!!!

You're smart to have a job lined up first. It is way tough to get decent pay in this state.

When we moved here in 2006 the red tide was horrible. Couldn't even GO to the beach that year! This year is has been non-existent. There are websites that track the red tides so you can and should be up to date on that at all times. I'm hoping the pesticide companies are taking a more socially responsible approach so that the gulf can breathe better.

In neighboring Venice, the average is 67... Talk about old FL!! I know there must be young people here because there are 3 elementary schools! Venice El is a fabulous school and so is Taylor Ranch. I wasn't too keen on Garden for many reasons. We're pretty happy here, but I can see the honeymoon being over and wanting to move in 3 years. 6 years in FL will be plenty for me. We lived through Wilma and I'd take a blizzard over a cat 4 hurricane any day of the week!! Hope you don't get the same welcoming committee!!

North Port gets a ton of lightening hits that fry a lot of peoples' computers, phones, and faxes. Get yourself a battery backup with a surge in it. A simple surge protector won't help you. On the other hand, hurricanes and lightening are both negative forces and I've heard that they never meet. That is why hurricane Charley took the right turn into Punta Gorda in 2004. Add it to the Indian mounds and the shallow waters off the coast, you're probably in a pretty safe from hurricanes area. That's what I keep telling myself and what others confirm.

Not to sway you, but you really need to look on the FL pedophiles list. There are a LOT of them in North Port for some reason. Heck, there are a lot of them in FL for that matter. Watch your kids and lock your doors.

allfurrdup

Thanks for the heads up! Yeah I never leave my computer plugged in in a storm, if I'm home to unplug it! And if a bad hurricane ever came through, this pc of mine would go thrown in my backseat, before any tv of mine would, and we'd vacate to someplace safe ; ) and I've read about the pedi's, but I don't even wanna research just how many are around here in Ohio. So thanks! I appreciate all the input on Florida.

[121804]

And you'll be employed in what thriving economic & professional organization in SWFL???? Are you aware of the job situation in SW FL? I see little mention of it. Great, you don't have to shovel snow. Ok, now, how about paying your bills? What job do you have lined up to make up for the change in cost of living?

[FringedNFab]

Originally Posted by 121804

And you'll be employed in what thriving economic & professional organization in SWFL???? Are you aware of the job situation in SW FL? I see little mention of it. Great, you don't have to shovel snow. Ok, now, how about paying your bills? What job do you have lined up to make up for the change in cost of living?

Well I try to be as open as I can, without letting just anyone know what corner my desk is gonna be in when I get there.... and I'm also thinking of working from home. I may get that going before I even head out from up here. Geez you Floridians make it seem like theres no one in Florida. Do you live on Planet Earth 2007? it's rough all over really. But people somehow manage to live.

[sunshine girl]

It's great to have an upbeat attitude about moving to NP. But I don't think I'd call it old Florida style by any means. It's a continuous series of "affordable" houses beside each other. Street after street, after street. I admire your determination to make it work, and wish you good luck, but must echo the caveat of perhaps visiting before moving. And make sure to check out your home's water quality before buying.

[allfurrdup]

The gal that cuts my hair got struck by lightening while inside her bathroom! Don't know if she was actually done peeing at the time. She survived and was slightly injured. Scary!!! It zapped all of their stuff except the washer/dryer and the stove. For all other appliances, AC, etc. they needed receipts to get reimbursed by the insurance. It was a real hassle. These days I go around and unplug everything when a storm is approaching!! I've heard the loud zaps in my neighborhood. Gone are the notions of it only strikes the highest object on a hill!!!

I feel there's still a huge amount of open space in NP, so you're not really on top of your neighbor in most of the newer subdivisions. Still lots of wildlife out there. Heck, there's lots of wildlife in my backyard!! I think they were going on the assumption of if you build it, they will come. They will come only if there are jobs to sustain. Jobs situation in SW FL is deplorable as has been stated before.

[LewLew]

FringedNFab--
Don't let all the negativity get you down. I was born in Clearwater Beach, raised in Shaker Heights Ohio, went to college at UC, then moved all over the country (NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, back to Tampa Bay, Jacksonville now)....I can tell you a couple of things....
Clearwater Beach is overcrowded and probably not like you remember it. My husband and myself are childless at this point, and 33 years old. We are looking at relocating to North Port/Venice area asap. We don't like Jax at all.
If you are single, there is not much "night life" in the North Port area, but depending on what your idea of "night life" is, there are things to do. To tell you the truth, after living all over the country, in some of the US's most vibrant cities, there is something to really be said about low crime, peace, quiet, friends, and sanity. We've "been there done that", so we are looking for a safe place to raise decent children, and have some "close" friends to have over for dinner, grab food at a beach bar, (my husband is a captain) so fishing is great with friends on our boat as well. Truly, you have to dig deep and think of what you are looking for. Florida is still a great place to live. Why do you think the market is so soft? Too many people moved here and bought investment properties!!! This place is flooded. Thus, jobs went away, construction stopped, and now all the negative people are coming out of the wood work. Trust me when I tell you that nothing is Florida will stay depressed for long. It is still a place where people want to come. Follow the "real" investors who look for long term gain, not the flippers. The flippers lead people into the woods. Any city that is on fire with growth right now, will be in the exact same place as SW Florida in several years...it's inevitable.
You are correct to think that Boca Grand is gorgeous..it is.
Traffic will be an issue no matter where you are; unless you are in some podunk town. Jobs are out there (I work from home) depending on what you do, or want to do. The income level in Florida is out of whack for it's home pricing, and that is probably the biggest negative. I would just say...buy what you can really afford, or less. You'll be fine. Charleston Park, in North Port, has lots of young families, and young couples...I don't think many singles though.
I wish you the best of luck, and don't think you are making a bad decision. It doesn't sound like you want the party central cities like Miami/Lauderdale, parts of Tampa, parts of Orlando..and therefore, I think you are making a good choice for yourself. With SW Florida being so flooded and depressed in the housing market right now, it's a great time to buy...get a steal. If you are in it for the long haul...you will have made a good investment once you allow time for all the speculators to get rid of their inventory. See you in SW Florida someday!

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by sunshine girl

It's great to have an upbeat attitude about moving to NP. But I don't think I'd call it old Florida style by any means. It's a continuous series of "affordable" houses beside each other. Street after street, after street. I admire your determination to make it work, and wish you good luck, but must echo the caveat of perhaps visiting before moving. And make sure to check out your home's water quality before buying.

I agree about the water quality. Try to find something with at least public water, even if you have to have septic. However, assessments might be high someday when the city decided to tap your street into the public supply. Research that for sure. Also, Sunshine girl is right about it not being "Old Florida". Old Florida is really St. Aug, and parts of the pan handle/Keys. North Port is scrub brush, which is typical Florida, and then lots of "new" landscaping which is tropical feeling. The housing is the "Florida" ranch style. Some are prettier than others....more Mediterranean. Venice/Nokomis/Osprey has a little more of the Clearwater Beach look...1950's-1980's ranch homes (some have been redone) with a mix of newer tile roofed homes.