[themadpoet1]

Sounds like a super cliché to move from the north to the south, but I have my own reasons. I have lived in Nebraska most of my life, and I lived in Florida for a year when I was younger, also northwest Arkansas for a short amount of time, and since 2009, Columbus Ohio has been my home. When I first moved here, the impressions for the first couple years I had of this place were more positive. It was very affordable when I first moved there; groceries were cheap, rent was fair, electricity was a little high, wages were decent. In the last 3-4 years, rent has skyrocketed and everything is getting super expensive, and the electricity is a monopoly with out of control prices. If you own a 3-4 bedroom house here, it will cost you 200-250 dollars a month for electricity and 75 for water. There is local income tax here(2.5%) but I see little return for city services. The city is getting more trashy and more dirty every year. Yes there's nice areas here but they are becoming less affordable to live in. There's a shrinking happy medium of affordable yet nice places to live. The ghetto is expanding outwards from the city while the center of the city is being revitalized into expensive houses and luxury apartments. Sales tax has gone up as well. The amount of people on welfare here is absolutely horrible. I realize that each city and state faces its own problems but I feel like this city is headed in a wrong direction and quite fast. I look back and realize how much I miss living in Florida. I lived in a smaller town called North Port. I'm not sure I will move back to that area specifically, but I'm willing to check out a few areas on my travels.

[Not_liking_FL]

Lol. You have it made in Ohio. I'd give your half-baked plan some more thought.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by themadpoet1

Sounds like a super cliché to move from the north to the south, but I have my own reasons. I have lived in Nebraska most of my life, and I lived in Florida for a year when I was younger, also northwest Arkansas for a short amount of time, and since 2009, Columbus Ohio has been my home. When I first moved here, the impressions for the first couple years I had of this place were more positive. It was very affordable when I first moved there; groceries were cheap, rent was fair, electricity was a little high, wages were decent. In the last 3-4 years, rent has skyrocketed and everything is getting super expensive, and the electricity is a monopoly with out of control prices. If you own a 3-4 bedroom house here, it will cost you 200-250 dollars a month for electricity and 75 for water. There is local income tax here(2.5%) but I see little return for city services. The city is getting more trashy and more dirty every year. Yes there's nice areas here but they are becoming less affordable to live in. There's a shrinking happy medium of affordable yet nice places to live. The ghetto is expanding outwards from the city while the center of the city is being revitalized into expensive houses and luxury apartments. Sales tax has gone up as well. The amount of people on welfare here is absolutely horrible. I realize that each city and state faces its own problems but I feel like this city is headed in a wrong direction and quite fast. I look back and realize how much I miss living in Florida. I lived in a smaller town called North Port. I'm not sure I will move back to that area specifically, but I'm willing to check out a few areas on my travels.

You just described much of Florida as well, and trust me it's not the place you remember while living here for one whole year while younger. If you're looking for a place with a lower cost of living, reasonable wages and less obvious income inequality check out cities like Nashville, Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham or Charleston which are attracting a more balanced population of working professionals versus what we're seeing here in Florida which is largely people who can't cut it elsewhere in terms of skills or education (as documented by the brain drain studies), plus of course retirees and empty-nesters.

[vaughanwilliams]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

You just described much of Florida as well, and trust me it's not the place you remember while living here for one whole year while younger. If you're looking for a place with a lower cost of living, reasonable wages and less obvious income inequality check out cities like Nashville, Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham or Charleston which are attracting a more balanced population of working professionals versus what we're seeing here in Florida which is largely people who can't cut it elsewhere in terms of skills or education (as documented by the brain drain studies), plus of course retirees and empty-nesters.

Bingo. Other than the income tax, the OP could substitute Columbus, Ohio with Anywhere, Florida.

[Icemodeled]

Many of the things you talked about will be the same in Florida or anywhere really concerning crime, welfare, ect. It's going to be in any large city.. And smaller one also.

I live 40 min from dayton(very high on crime and much less to offer then columbus) we are planning the move to south florida within the year once house sells. We mainly are moving for several reasons, family, climate and more things to do. North Port is a possible place on our list still. As well as englewood, venice, sarasota, tampa bay, vero beach.. Yes we are still narrowing it down. Will be visiting soon to each location and see what they offer and see which will fit us best. Just know that many things will still be the same in FL.. Like cost of living and crime. We have to tweak our budget some moving to FL. We will not have a mortgage/rent to pay which will help us tremendously. Just really think things over, decide which areas fit you best then visit them to narrow it down if possible. Good luck!

[themadpoet1]

I don't have any half-baked plans. I have a bunch of money saved up and I'm planning to go to college because the universities are double the cost here. I may reconsider Florida however because I've seen how much the rent costs there. Is it normal to spend 800-1100 dollars on a halfway decent apartment that isn't in the hood?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by themadpoet1

Is it normal to spend 800-1100 dollars on a halfway decent apartment that isn't in the hood?

Very much so.

[Restrain]

Yep, but that is the same with Texas, etc. Just the cost of rents. But if you are thinking college, consider sharing an apartment or house with roommates. That is common around colleges.

FGCU is in Fort Myers/Estero area, lots of growth and employment there. Then there are several colleges in the Sarasota area, again a growing area. Just check the cost of college (out of state vs in-state), if you have to live a year, etc, and what you want to major in.

Just gut it up, do your research and go for it. Now, North Port has grown significantly and is not the small town of 10 years ago. Same with the other cities along the SW FL coast, but still a great place to live.

[cfbs2691]

You're going to have to pay out of state tuition and that's a giant expense.
Also, in South Florida, if you want a decent apartment not in the hood you're looking at a minimum of $1100-$1200.

Please say you have at least $15-$20K you'll be bringing with you.

[Mgordon18]

Check out Palm Coast. Here is a link to a YouTube video showing the life here in Palm Coast. Can't promise cheap but it is one of the most affordable cities in Florida and it prides itself on it's beauty and cleanliness.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AKPL-8n5xU&sns=em