[smucha123]

Hi! I know there are many threads on where to live, but most are for couples with higher income, so I thought I would try out a thread of my own. To better help with what areas I would more likely enjoy I will tell a bit about myself. I am a 30 year old single female looking to move to FL in the next few months. I will be looking to rent a home, condo, or apartment that will accommodate myself and two dogs (3 and 12). I love being outdoors kayaking, hiking, and diving. I will be working on getting additional dive hours, so I would like to be in an area with good water clarity. I was thinking that south FL would have the best water, but I am conflicted about living around Miami. Moving from Greenville, SC I live only about one mile from a main road and 20 minutes from downtown, but it is still very suburban. I would prefer to be in a medium sized town or on the outskirts if it must be a large city. I don't mind living up to 30 minutes from the ocean, but of course would prefer to be closer. As a single female I realize that most areas aren't "safe", but I would like to be able to grill out and not have to worry about being mugged (although my German Shepherd will probably help with that). The reason for my relocation is purely for enjoyment purposes. I am thirty with no man and no kids, so I would like to be where I can dive on a regular basis, enjoy the ocean, play with my dogs, and make new friends. Also, I should note that I am TERRIFIED of snakes, so I am leery about living in areas near the everglades. Any help with potential areas is greatly appreciated!

[kyle19125]

South Florida is probably a good bet and would recommend neighborhoods in/around Fort Lauderdale like Poinsettia Heights or Victoria Park plus neighboring Hollywood's east side (east of US1 primarily between Hollywood Blvd and Sheridan Street).

[8to32characters]

What do you do for a living? What is your annual income? Do you already have a job lined up in Florida? Are you skilled/certified in a certain field? Are you educated? If no, do you have intentions of going (back) to school? We need more info about you to help you choose a locale that would best suit your wants/needs.

Living in Florida *ISN'T* one big beach vacation like it may *SEEM* to those on the outside looking in. Competition for employment, esp. lower-wage employment requiring little to no skill, is very fierce. Also, there are very major employers in the state, and the COL (on the high side) is completely out of whack with salaries (low to very low). I caution you from moving to Florida without both a job lined up *AND* a safety net to cover at least 6 mos. of living expenses.

[smucha123]

Thank you for the replies. I will be interviewing for jobs before moving. I have degrees in Management and Marketing with over 10 years experience in Operation Management. I do have savings that would cover approximately six months worth of expenses.

I realize that Florida is not one big beach party, but would like to relocate to a nice beach area. I lived in Wilmington NC for a year and the water quality was not very good for diving (as most of the east coast). I vacationed for a month in CA last year to look at the area and jobs and decided to stay on the east coast to be closer to family. I have noticed the COL issue, and I am prepared to spend time finding a job before relocating permanently.

[projectmaximus]

Key West? Great for diving and it's a slow, small city. Of course, not a lot of jobs to be had.

There are plenty of areas in the South Florida metro that are suburban.

[Kayaker13]

My recommendation, if you can afford it, is to go to the Keys. Otherwise, I would suggest the west coast of Florida -- Fort Myers, Sarasota, all the way up through the Tampa area. The area around Orlando is, for one, about an hour's drive from the ocean and, two, becoming really congested and crime-ridden. Bikers and NASCAR fans are happy with the east coast.

Also, there are a number of great German shepherd groups -- clubs and rescue groups -- throughout the state.