[techs]

Hello All,

I'm considering re-locating to Florida from Erie, PA. I'm sick of the cold brutal weather here and the constant horrible road conditions. I'm single and I can get a job pretty much anywhere (insurance industry).

Considering Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando only as they are major cities. I'm not concerned if I live by the water or not. My current apt is about 500 sq ft, no dishwasher and no washer/dryer. So my needs are simple.

My biggest concerns are the crazy heat Florida gets in the summer, will have to get used to that and an area that is affordable.

Here in PA, the rent is about $800/mo for a small 1-bedroom, car insurance, electric for example are fairly low, if i stay another year in PA, i'll prob go berserk. We get so much snow, I feel trapped at times and it seems like every day the sky is gloomy. From November to March, i think the sun was out 3 times.

Sure, we have spring/summer here,but it's very short.

Anyway, I just started my research and wanted to ask in general where is a good place to look.

Have considered other states like North Carolina, but i have a friend who lives in Miami and he seems to like it there -- although he tells me everyone speaks Spanish.

Thanks very much for any advice.

[unquiltom]

There are people like you coming on here every day who want to live in "paradise", but are not aware of the real truth of living in Florida. You're biggest concern shouldn't be the heat, it should be the availability of jobs, and if you can afford to live here while being paid significantly less than what you're making now.
Apply to some employers in places you want to move to and see if you can get an offer and for how much, then you'll be in a better position to seriously consider moving here. Do not, and I can't express this enough, do not move here without a job! It doesn't sound like you're in a position, financially, to be able to survive for a few months without work. Good luck in your search.

[OptimusPrime69]

$800 for a one bedroom? Sounds like a bargain to me. In Miami I couldn't get a 1-bedroom in a decent neighborhood for less than like $1200 or $1300....and thats just for a standard one-bedroom, nothing fancy located in a neighborhood that is not the ghetto.... Other areas of FL may be different.


Orlando seems like the worst choice if u ask me. It's utterly boring outside of it's theme parks. And to be quite frank...it's ugly. It's literally nothing but shopping plazas and fast-food chains everywhere the eye can see. I'm not really exaggerating either. It's just nothing. Also, no beach access... why live in FL if you're not near the beach?...

Jacksonville has some pretty areas and so does Tampa. You should come down and visit....maybe fly to Jax...rent a car... drive thru Orlando on ur way to Tampa and check out all three cities....

[02blackgt]

If i had a dollar for every person who thinks moving here for no snow will make them happy........... In all seriousness though think it through more. Come down this summer for 2 weeks. Don't be one of thousands who pack their car during winter b/c they think Florida will be just like when they vacationed here. Here some realistic things to think about

- Can you deal with being 1000 miles away from home with no friends of family? (I'm assuming your from the northeast somewhere)

- Can you deal with 94 degree plus weather with higher humidity then you've ever experienced for months on end?

- PA is very safe crime wise compared to Fl, know what your getting into

- Do you have kids? MOST not ALL schools down here suck compared to the northeast

- Can you handle snakes, tons of insects, alligators and such?

I am not saying don't do it, I am saying really think it through. People who move here thinking it will be like vacation are a dime a dozen and many leave shortly after they realize palm trees don't change much of anything. I am not trying to insult you, I am trying to make you think. Living in Fl and vacationing in FL are nothing even remotely similar for 99% of people.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by techs

My biggest concerns are the crazy heat Florida gets in the summer, will have to get used to that and an area that is affordable.

.

I'm sure you get some days where you are now that have the occasional days or week with temps in the 90s and crazy humidity, how do you cope with it,do you enjoy it? In Florida it will be like that from May through October.As an ex 20 year resident of Florida i could never adapt to the heat and humidity, i moved up north and now dont mind the cold the snow and winter and find Florida a fine place to go for a few weeks vacation in January or February .

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by techs

Hello All,

I'm considering re-locating to Florida from Erie, PA. I'm sick of the cold brutal weather here and the constant horrible road conditions. I'm single and I can get a job pretty much anywhere (insurance industry).

Considering Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando only as they are major cities. I'm not concerned if I live by the water or not. My current apt is about 500 sq ft, no dishwasher and no washer/dryer. So my needs are simple.

My biggest concerns are the crazy heat Florida gets in the summer, will have to get used to that and an area that is affordable.

Here in PA, the rent is about $800/mo for a small 1-bedroom, car insurance, electric for example are fairly low, if i stay another year in PA, i'll prob go berserk. We get so much snow, I feel trapped at times and it seems like every day the sky is gloomy. From November to March, i think the sun was out 3 times.

Sure, we have spring/summer here,but it's very short.

Anyway, I just started my research and wanted to ask in general where is a good place to look.

Have considered other states like North Carolina, but i have a friend who lives in Miami and he seems to like it there -- although he tells me everyone speaks Spanish.

Thanks very much for any advice.

Your expectations don't seem high unlike many who think they're going to find something grand for a fraction of what it costs in their current location. Orlando has very disproportionately high rents versus salary due to the fact not many here can afford to buy, versus rent (not to mention the area continues to lead the nation in foreclosures, so there's a good number of displaced homeowners stuck here). The average rent is around $865 a month in Orlando. South Florida (Miami/Ft Lauderdale/West Palm Beach) is similarly expensive but often an uptick or two higher in salary. You'll find more affordable options in the Tampa Bay area (which is also a good bit larger than Orlando) and has more opportunity typically for those in professional sector jobs. Jacksonville is another option and more affordable (yet with a healthy, diverse economy) though bear in mind it's less Florida-like than you may be looking for and has much more in common with Georgia than it does the rest of the state....which is either good or bad depending upon one's preferences.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by jambo101

I'm sure you get some days where you are now that have the occasional days or week with temps in the 90s and crazy humidity, how do you cope with it,do you enjoy it? In Florida it will be like that from May through October.As an ex 20 year resident of Florida i could never adapt to the heat and humidity, i moved up north and now dont mind the cold the snow and winter and find Florida a fine place to go for a few weeks vacation in January or February .

Strange obsession people have with humidity and for some unknown reason think FL,South FL, is terrible). I moved from So Cal to the Outer Banks of NC. Yes from dry to humid was a shock. I moved to other areas where humidity existed, but not as bad as NC. Now I live in Eastern TN and the humidity is high in the Summer, BUT aside from a bit of seat it bothers me not at all and my skin loves it and my muscles do as well. I have been to FL multiple times and in every season including July/Aug and the humidity ain't that big a deal. If someone just moved to FL from So Cal, AZ, NV or similar it will take a few years to adjust. But if from NY, NJ etc it won't be much of a change at all. Unless of course they have a medical condition that is aggravated by it. On the other hand some conditions are helped with it. Then of course there is AC and the beach.

[UKWildcat1981]

Florida economy is not the best, lot of family moved to Florida because its a great state to get a job in health care. Florida is not as expensive as people make it out to be but it depends on your comfort of living, if you can spend 1200-1500 a month in a place you can get some good buys in Broward county or Palm Beach country if you want a cheaper lifestyle you can try Jacksonville and around the Tampa area. Good Luck. Weather is not a factor for most people, you get used to the heat and humidity after a while personally I don't love it but all my family says you get used to it like like living up north in the cold for a winter or two. Good Luck

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Strange obsession people have with humidity and for some unknown reason think FL,South FL, is terrible). I moved from So Cal to the Outer Banks of NC. Yes from dry to humid was a shock. I moved to other areas where humidity existed, but not as bad as NC. Now I live in Eastern TN and the humidity is high in the Summer, BUT aside from a bit of seat it bothers me not at all and my skin loves it and my muscles do as well. I have been to FL multiple times and in every season including July/Aug and the humidity ain't that big a deal. If someone just moved to FL from So Cal, AZ, NV or similar it will take a few years to adjust. But if from NY, NJ etc it won't be much of a change at all. Unless of course they have a medical condition that is aggravated by it. On the other hand some conditions are helped with it. Then of course there is AC and the beach.

Merely shows different people have different tolerances to heat and humidity,its not a strange obsession,what is a strange obsession is thinking that because you arent affected by Floridas heat and humidity then no one should find Floridas heat and humidity uncomfortable.,i'm glad you seem to not be bothered by it but many are bothered by it and its an issue one needs to discover before selling the farm and moving to Florida,

[jauerbac]

I tend to agree. Florida's humidity isn't much different than other parts of the southeast (Georgia, SC, NC, heck even Pennsylvania is really humid in summer!) so if you are coming from the east coast, it won't hit you as bad as from out west. That said, it's more of a person to person issue. I like to be outside and hike so it's hard to do that in Florida summers haha