[PghTom]

Anybody live in Naples or has lived in Naples? What do you think about the place? Contemplating a move there from Pittsburgh - thanks.

[Tarastomsgirl]

I lived there for 24 years, I recently moved away in June of 07 but I'm trying desperatly to get back in the next couple months.. I like Naples obviously or I wouln't be moving back ..Naples is one of those towns on this board where either they love it or they hate it.. there seems to be no inbetween so take every post with a grain of salt and come up with your own conclusion.

Have you visted there?

There's lots to do, lots of resturants, entertainment, nice beaches, its affordable to live there now. What do you do for work. Give us some more info on what you're looking for

[RMD3819]

Originally Posted by PghTom

Anybody live in Naples or has lived in Naples? What do you think about the place? Contemplating a move there from Pittsburgh - thanks.

We need more information.

What is your employment status? Retired?

What price range for housing?

Kids, spouse?

[novanative75]

I live here now and as many here know I do not like it. However, there are many people that do, in fact we have friends that do. I personally do not like the lack of seasons changing and the heat in the summer, I much prefer cold to heat and enjoy snow! But, that is me.
I work in the education field and had a terrible time finding a job, it took me over a year and I have a Masters Degree and a lot of experience. The employment issue is a big one here, depending on what field you are in. If you are in hospitality, you will be fine, otherwise, it might be a challenge and that is simply a fact here.
Also, I am not a fan of the school system, which I am currently working in so I do have first hand experience. I will say this as well, the school system is currently headed into some rocky waters in the next few months with regards to budget cuts and teacher cuts, issues with the superintendent and the school board. We actually had a meeting the other day at school telling us to 'hang in there' because things are going to get rough. So, although that might not effect you if you are not in education but if you have kids, I worry about the trickle down effect that it is going to have on the kids. There have been a lot of debates on the education here so read them and take everything as it is. I personally have been in places where the education was much more impressive and the offerings for the kids were greater so I have seen better. Others have not and are very happy with the schools here, it is matter of where you have been, what your experiences are and what your expectations are. Mine are high with education.
The road construction is endless and is wearing on a lot of out last nerves!
It is an interesting area, a lot of snowbirds, those that come down and live here only in the winter so in the summer, you see a lot of houses unoccupied and boarded up. Now depending on where you live, that can be depressing. I happen to live in a neighborhood, which I do like, that is all yearly people so I do not see that in the summer here, although no one is outside since it is so hot!!
There are nice restaurants here and great beaches if that is your thing, it is not mine. There are great opportunities on the water, boating, etc. but most of us find that when you live here, you tend not to do the vacationy type things. However, we do have friends that belong to a boat club where they can take out a boat on the weekends. Of course, life gets the best of them, as it does all of us, and they rarely go.
I have not been personally impressed with the shopping and do know a lot of people who go to the east coast for shopping opportunities. We have a few nice shopping areas, Waterside Shops, Coconut Point and a great outlet mall but there are some things lacking. We are getting a Nordstrom here in 2008 so that will make it better.
Hmmm, what else can I say. Healthcare is a point of mention. I have personally found some good doctors but the word around the town is that the healthcare system here is not great. Let's put it this way, you might be fine on a day to day basis but if you have something major wrong, you might want to head out of state!!

There are people here that love it and people that hate it and I agree with PP that it is either love or hate. I used to be on the hate side and am pretty close to remaining there although I have recently found out that we are staying here for at least another year, thought we were moving, so I am trying to be positive. I do think Naples, with the exception of education, is only getting better but I will be ready to leave when we do.
Let me know if you have more specific questions and I agree with PP, let us know more specifics about you and we can help!
Oh, great time to buy a house here, as it is everywhere, although if you have to sell first, you might not be going anywhere for awhile!!

[PghTom]

....visited Tampa area many times - have a brother that lives in Safety Harbor. Have an interview set up - salary is same as here in Pittsburgh (mid 40's) - in education field.....single, no children......of course, the obvious reason is the weather......but would I be making a decision just based on weather? I like the job I'm at now - is it worth giving that up to escape the winters and lack of sun? What made you leave Naples?

[PghTom]

My gosh people helpful on this!.......what about insurance rates?

[novanative75]

Originally Posted by PghTom

My gosh people helpful on this!.......what about insurance rates?

The homeowners insurance is higher because you have to have hurricane insurance but remember there is no state tax so your take home pay will be higher than if you were making the same salary in PA. It kind of evens itself out.

You mentioned you were in education and that your salary here would be the same?? Are you sure about that?? I know I took a $12,000 pay cut from Virginia and work with someone who came from PA with a Masters +30 and took a $20,000 pay cut.
I work in Collier County Schools, let me know if you have questions about that.

[RMD3819]

Originally Posted by PghTom

....visited Tampa area many times - have a brother that lives in Safety Harbor. Have an interview set up - salary is same as here in Pittsburgh (mid 40's) - in education field.....single, no children......of course, the obvious reason is the weather......but would I be making a decision just based on weather? I like the job I'm at now - is it worth giving that up to escape the winters and lack of sun? What made you leave Naples?

Now that we have more information.....

Naples is a town designed for wealthy retirees run by wealthy retirees. The economy and political climate reflect this fact.

I think you would have a hard time in Naples living on just that salary. The cost of living is higher in Naples than other parts of the state. Housing is coming down but Naples has always had high housing costs. Gas is also more expensive in Naples, partly because there is a local gas tax set at the maximum.

If you do come to Naples, rent first and do not, do not, do not move to Naples without a job.

If I were you I would consider Tampa over Naples considering your situation.

What is your age?

[Tarastomsgirl]

Originally Posted by PghTom

....visited Tampa area many times - have a brother that lives in Safety Harbor. Have an interview set up - salary is same as here in Pittsburgh (mid 40's) - in education field.....single, no children......of course, the obvious reason is the weather......but would I be making a decision just based on weather? I like the job I'm at now - is it worth giving that up to escape the winters and lack of sun? What made you leave Naples?

I left Naples because at the time my husband and I thought we had no chance of ever buying a house as the market had be high for YEARS. We waited and waited and after 5 years we left. 3 months after we left the market took a huge poop and its the chance we've been waiting for.. YES it is worth the weather to leave this miserable cold snow winter greyness. There is LOTS to do in Naples for all incomes.. I mean do you really think every person in Naples is making over 70k a year? It is survivalble now to live there..2 years ago forget it. If you got in on a condo or even a house, which btw you can find some now for under 200k you're golden.. Taxes are lower there (property). Hurricanes, bah, Naples is a hard town to hit, they have to come up the west coast of the state and do a hard right as they come around the keys.. we're more likely to get the outter bands than anything..

My husband will be making mid 40k's when we move back, we'll be able to live just fine, and thats supporting two people. I'm sure if its just you you'll be great. There's lots of rentals and even decent home rentals. Some are going for as low as $900 a month. I've found several. There's always something to do on a Friday night, and week days also so you shouldn't be bored. You'll love not having to shovel your car out in January, and seeing the sun shine in Feb. The summers will be hot, but to be honest, they are comparable up north, at least what I've found... It was just as hot here as it was there, and up north gets Haze.. Naples does not get haze, and haze really does make it worse. There's a seabreeze in Naples.. Also the sky is much more blue there, because of the sun reflecting off the ocean... Its beautiful town, it has construction, but what town doesn't I mean Boston has the big dig right? There's always some highway somewhere dug up.. There aren't any tolls there to pay! YESSS... the only one is to hop on the alley to get to Miami.. But how often you doing that, and its like a $1.50 or something. One major highway, so no interlinking confusing byways to routes to more turnpikes..

You can catch Hockey games right up the road in Estero, go ice skating there, and they often have concerts there. You can jump up to Bonita Beach, or Ft. Myers beach for a weekend of fun, music, pier etc. Or try Marco's beaches. Sanibel Island. Lots of shopping, waterpakrs, malls, shopping centers etc. Its a great town, and I think you'll enjoy it a lot. Give it a try, see how you like it. You'll always find people who don't like where they live, but more and more people are moving BACK to Naples that left and all of Florida for that matter, and millions of people move there a year, so it must have something right with it.

[novanative75]

People love it here, people hate it here, you will find both. I am sure we could debate on and on, each to his own. No one can tell someone they are wrong or 'crazy' for feeling one way or the other.
What I would be concerned about, for the OP, is that fact that you are a single person, this is NOT a good area for singles. We have a few friends that are single here that are headed out of here as soon as they can be, they are here for jobs. The singles scene here is an interesting one and hard to break into from what I hear. There are some singles activities downtown but they are a lot of the extremely wealthy of Naples, out for nights of drinking and meeting men/women. It is a lot of 'who's who?' That is something to think about socially.