Moving to Florida and need your help (Miami, Orlando: mortgage, real estate)

[LoveFL]

Hello everyone,

I need your help very badly. I am a single female and have lived in Fl-Miami and Orlando for a total of 8 years. Last year I moved here to NY and now I am ready to move back to Fl but don't know where. And that's my problem-where to settle and how to go about it. I am a teacher and want a nice, quiet, relaxed, close to the water and parks place. I love nature and like to be outdoors. I don't want Miami nor Orlando -both are opposite and I guess I am in between.

Please advise. I will be in Fl, fly in to Ft. Laudardale at the end of the month for about 5 days and will rent a car and drive around. Hope that you can help me out with your advice on nice, quite places for a single female who wants a tranquil lifestyle.

Look forward to your replies. Thank you.

[NatureCoastFL]

How far away are you willing to drive? Spring hill is about 5-6 hours(~300 miles, 1 hour north of tampa on the west coast) from ft lauderdale, but we always need good teachers and there are some nice quiet areas around.....

[bale002]

If you plan on renting, you can still find nice quiet places in the tri-county area of southern Florida, Boca Raton and Delray Beach in Palm Beach County to name a couple. But there may also be towns in Broward County with a more dynamic young population. Do you speak Spanish? It's a big advantage, even in Broward. Haitian French is helpful in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. Also, you need to live near to your place of employment, otherwise dealing with southern Florida traffic is no day at the beach, as the saying goes.

If aspire to buy a dwelling of some sort, you probably need to go way further north than even Orlando, perhaps northwest, unless you have a significant stash that allows you to buy outright.

If you aspire to buy and need a mortgage on a teacher's income, then, it may be worthwhile to read through some other threads on this forum for information on some areas in northern Florida.

[Need_affordable_home]

Let me warn you that Florida arent cheap. Teachers also are underpaid there. north Florida is less expensive and you may be able to make enough for a 1 or 2 bedroom condo or if you share a detached house with a couple other people, you can combine incomes to pay.

[FloridaAnn]

I would think you need to look north of Orlando, away from the coast, but Spring Hill is good location, Crystal River, Lake city, outside of Gainesville, maybe even inland St. Augustine. You will have quite a drive from S. Florida to visit any of these areas.

[adevlisharies]

Hi,

I have to agree that south FL is VERY expensive to live.

In 2002, I moved from Boca Raton to Bucks County, PA after 17 years
in West Boca Raton. Since my return in 2004 my expenses are rising so fast that I am looking to move away. The real estate TAXES, homeowners fees, and insurance is a real problem in this area.

Pensacola has the most affordable real estate, but I wouldn't recommend it.
I also heard that Vero isn't too bad, but I would go more north. I am researching more affordable places in the state too. Some of the people I know have just moved to GA and NC.

Best of luck!

[LoveFL]

Thank you so much for your help. I noted down all the cities you've mentioned and I'll check them out when I go to Ft. Laudardale at the end of the month. Yes, I do speak Spanish and I am sure it will come in handy. I am also single and would want to have other people to socialize so that's important as well.

Thank you again and will keep searching this forum-it's very helpful.

[patd718]

I live in North Fort Myers and we have a great need for teachers here. Lee county is also making sure that you can afford housing here. In fact there is some being built for teachers.
I moved here from upstate NY and like it very much, just over the river to the city but yet in the woods. Patd

[firemed]

Originally Posted by patd718

I live in North Fort Myers and we have a great need for teachers here. Lee county is also making sure that you can afford housing here. In fact there is some being built for teachers.
I moved here from upstate NY and like it very much, just over the river to the city but yet in the woods. Patd

If you go into the military you would get housing also but your stuck there. Why get stuck in an area where you can't afford to get a home. Lee County has a great need for teachers. Why ?

[patd718]

Because Lee county has grown so fast. Naples has priced itself out of the market and Lee is far more affordable, thus more kids. We have a greater number of families here all yr round also.
The military is not the answer.