[headendtech]

HELLO ALL,ok heres my story a while ago last year we decided to sell our home on long island and move to flordia,we even had our house almost sold and we backed out.im not sure if it was the right thing to do..i have a wife and 2 kids,i was just thinking the schools a better up here??and they might have a better life,im not sure if its the right descision.??the taxes and costs are killing us up here...though i have a pretty good job its tough..im very stressed over this and am hoping to get help ...thanks!!!!

[daniellefort]

Well i think the schools are better up north. I attended all my school years in NH and compared to here in FL i don't think they compare but then again, i have a special needs child in school. I'm looking to get back to NH soon for her to do high school up there at least. I think there's more for kids to do up north than down here. I don't know, that's just my opinion and only if your kids like to do things outdoors. Good paying jobs are hard to find down here too. If you find one, you have to hang onto it. Of course we're still in the high insurance and tax crisis that seems like it won't ever get resolved. I would suggest moving from where you are now since it's so expensive but i wouldn't come to FL. I'd stay up north somewhere just go somewhere that's not so expensive to live but that's just me. I was born in NH and lived here in FL 14 years and i'm ready to go back. Then again, i'm the only one down here in my family too as all of my family are still in NH so that's something else to consider. If you leaving everyone you've known for so long behind, your going to miss having them around. I know i do.

[Obrero]

Schools in Fl don't even begin to compare to those on Long Island. Even the A rated schools in FL suck. English proficiency rates at 46% in 10th grade - a total disgrace. Anyway we were considering the move to FL from NJ but decided to stay put mainly based on the need to pay for private school if we moved there. Once we factored all that in with the increase in property insurance / lower wages we weren't going to be any better off even with no state income tax.

Now we are just looking for a vacation condo.

[CJFlorida]

What is your family into? Are you devout outdoors people? Would your leisure time be spent scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, beach walks, tennis, golf, etc? If so, then the trade offs would be worth it.

You need to move to Florida only if your lifestyle would include what Florida has to offer that most places don't....these types of activities I listed above. And you have to be really into it, a vacation activity is much different than a lifestyle.

Our family lifestyle is built around these activities so Florida's problems don't get us down.

Schools are better overall up north...but, and a huge but....doctors have come from ghetto schools and bums have come from great schools. In the end, the parents can make up for any school issues by supplementing the children's schooling at home.

So you need to decide whether your lifestyle would include what Florida has to offer. Some folks are sedentary people and move to Florida and get angry at the problems. Well...sure...their lifestyle does not include the things Florida offers so what is the point of moving here?

[headendtech]

thanks for replying i have 2 girls, 7 and 5 ,thats second and kindergarden now..the schools there in now are rated very good in my area.its very tough uno..if i didnot have my kids i think i would of moved years ago..just every thing is going up where im living ,sure im making a good salary and been working with my company for 12 years.im just trying to think what would be best for my kids..the one thing that really scares me is that uno in 20 years i they going to move cause they cant afford it here??as you cann see im very stressed and confused.

[bcfarmlady]

So what do you want help with... making the decision to stay or go?

Depends on lots of stuff... like, can you get a job somewhere else that is going to maintain your lifestyle OR better your lifestyle. To determine that, what kinds of things are important to you and your family... like what do you like to do. Golf, Tennis, water sports, racing, birdwatching. How old are your kids, what do they like and what kinds of services do they need. What about allergies, medical requirements, schooling? Define a better life.

Many people will give you opinions based on their own experience, which will not be like your own. So with that being said, here is what I can tell you.

I live in Florida now. I used to live in Massachusetts. There are many nice places in Florida and each one has it's good / bad points. How you choose and how you deal with them is up to you. If you are the type that likes lots of cultural activities, arts, sciences, plays, theater, major league sports etc. Then you should look into the large metropolitan areas such as Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, Gainesville. If you want rural living and don't mind commuting to those kinds of things once in a while.. then look to other areas such as Lake or Polk county on the west of Orlando and you will have easy access to Orlando and Tampa. OR you can look to Seminole or Volusia county on the East side and still be 45 minutes from Orlando, but about 2.5 hours from Jacksonville and closer to Daytona.

Schools are what you make of them, I've never really been impressed with the schools here in Florida, but my kids were basically lazy and had special needs, which i had to fight for... and in the end they both dropped out.

The schools in Seminole County are good, better than Orange County(Orlando). I live in Brevard County and they are pretty good here. Schools are crowded, there are TONS of people here with kids.

Taxes are not cheap here either and are rising. Thanks to a little thing called the Save Our Homes. BUT this may change next year if they vote in the transport rule that allows you to take your savings with you when you move within Florida. Keep in mind that if you buy here, you will pay double to triple the amount in taxes that the current owner pays for any home. Insurance is rising also with many companies pulling out of Florida. The coastal areas are the worst with higher prices and less choice of companies.

I'm leaving... going to Kentucky. My house in Brevard county is for sale.

[headendtech]

yes we where looking in citurs springs fl. everything seem nice...the way long island used to be 20 yrs ago alot of open land,but heres my issue
moving my kids how that would affect them there only 7 and 5 but have lots of friends here and activities. i feel horrible moving them...

second i grew up here been here all my life scared to leave..

third ive been with my job for years but u never know..

reason why id like to leave
get away from my highhhhh taxes 10,000 a year,.
everything is very expensive here not like it used to be when i grew up..houses here that cost 40,000 are now worth 6-800k

[headendtech]

any help?????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????

[CJFlorida]

Originally Posted by headendtech

any help?????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Your posts are confusing us. What are you asking?

If you only want to leave up there because of high taxes than why not go somewhere dirt cheap, the midwest, where ever. Are the only two options Long Island or Florida?

I asked you before why Florida? Is your family into certain outdoor activities that only Florida offers? Does your family hate the cold?

If not, there are tons of other places to move if your only reason for moving is cost of living.

[Obrero]

Originally Posted by headendtech

any help?????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Your taxes might be 10K a year in LI but what will your house insurance be in FL? Property tax ain't dirt cheap in FL. What type of work will you get and how much will it pay? I think if you really sit down and do the math, it's not that much cheaper in FL, all things considered.


If your main reason for moving is to save money, why not go somewhere like the 'burbs of Nashville? No state income tax, low property taxes, great schools and a booming job market. Plenty of other places will be cheaper than FL with much better schools also.