[ChrisA70]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

I get flipped off every single day of the work week on 270 outerbelt in Columbus, Ohio. If I am going to get flipped I would much rather it be in warm sunny Florida!

You have that right!!!!

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

You have that right!!!!

Hey BacktoFLA !

How the heck are you? How is sunny Fla ?

Bet you have been couped up in the house havent you?

[OREGONRAIN]

I have wanted to move to Florida as I get older but my concerns about that state make the decision so difficult. I am concerned because I lived their very briefly some years ago, and the same problems are still there, just much bigger. I am concerned about the constant driving in Florida cities, without any access to transit or walking anywhere one needs to go. Im not talking about small hamlets far away from metro areas, I mean the big metros. Its senseless as gas approaches $4.00 not to have some measures in place to address this problem in Florida. I don't see how people can fill up a gas tank twice a week or whatever, and not face the reality of why nothing is done in Florida's cities to help out with other means of getting around, besides the damn car. So for me I would love to move to Florida but its lack of reality on matters that needed to be addressed long ago scares me from moving. I would not want to be counting the pennies out of a pension to pay for gas with no other or cheaper means of getting around there. Now none of this is an insult to the state, I really do like the area but I have not seen one area of that state I would want to live in, that I was not strapped to a car for every aspect of living there. So Im afraid it may always be just wants to move to Florida. This may seem like a trivial matter to many, but its a sign of how the changing times in our economy and how states and populations deal with them ,that can make or break peoples dreams and decisions.

[Bubba Cue]

Originally Posted by Chicken Wing

People are individuals. Some are more stressed than others. Saying that "newcomers" bring their stressful way of life and lumping them all together is ridiculous.

You're right. It is. That's why I said MANY newcomers, not ALL.

And once again, It's a pretty good bet that someone who flips you off in a car with an OUT-OF-STATE LICENSE PLATE is probably from, well, another state?

[ladyabruzz]

Originally Posted by iluvflorida

Finally a positive Florida post I was beginning to think they didn't exist! I am from Michigan, was born here, but lived in Florida for 3 years when I got married. First, I lived in Tallahassee, and I loved it there...such a great place to raise a family...I then lived down in South Florida, Hollywood, and it was great to be right near Hollywood Beach. I got divorced and moved back to Michigan, but I realize now I am a Florida girl at heart and miss it there. I just got my teaching certification and plan on moving back down to Florida because there are no jobs for teachers here. I am thinking about Tampa because I have lots of friends and relatives there. I was happier my 3 years in Florida than I have ever been in Michigan. Can't wait to move back

I would love to see you move to Tampa area. Our Family moved here from MA and I will never move back. I had been trying to move here since my College years. I finally was able to see that life is too short. Loss of important loved ones, finally give you the answers you look for to say open your eyes and do what ever you have to be happy. Since they were the reason we stay and didn't move away.

We need good teachers. I have twin boys in 3rd grade. Our first year here the boys had great teachers. One of them had a very young teacher form MI her second yr teaching. She was wonderful, the other teacher was a seasoned teacher, I don't know where she originally moved here from. but she too was good. This year one of my boys has my good friend who moved here the year before us. I was excited one of them got her. My other son has a nice teacher but, I feel that she has a lot of outside stuff going on and can't focus on her job. Granted she too just moved here from up north. I don't think she was going to teach anymore, but needed to work. So, she took a teaching job, b/c we need teachers.

So, when I say, please come to Tampa area, I mean it. We love our area and we have some of the best rated schools in the Tampa area. Our family struggles in with business but I am so much happier. I am determined to make our lives here. Our family first looked at the Naples area when we finally decided to leave MA, b/c we have some family relations there 1/2 the year. But, the Tampa area is so much better for young families. I pray daily that our business will get better so we can continue to live in our area. It's a great time to buy.

So, please come we love our new home and I wouldn't change our new lives for anything. Don't look back only look forward and enjoy the view along the way. Good luck with your move and please concider contacting a good realtor when you move. I can recommend one check out Come Home to Tampa Bay He is a really good Agent.

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by ladyabruzz

I would love to see you move to Tampa area. Our Family moved here from MA and I will never move back. I had been trying to move here since my College years. I finally was able to see that life is too short. Loss of important loved ones, finally give you the answers you look for to say open your eyes and do what ever you have to be happy. Since they were the reason we stay and didn't move away.

We need good teachers. I have twin boys in 3rd grade. Our first year here the boys had great teachers. One of them had a very young teacher form MI her second yr teaching. She was wonderful, the other teacher was a seasoned teacher, I don't know where she originally moved here from. but she too was good. This year one of my boys has my good friend who moved here the year before us. I was excited one of them got her. My other son has a nice teacher but, I feel that she has a lot of outside stuff going on and can't focus on her job. Granted she too just moved here from up north. I don't think she was going to teach anymore, but needed to work. So, she took a teaching job, b/c we need teachers.

So, when I say, please come to Tampa area, I mean it. We love our area and we have some of the best rated schools in the Tampa area. Our family struggles in with business but I am so much happier. I am determined to make our lives here. Our family first looked at the Naples area when we finally decided to leave MA, b/c we have some family relations there 1/2 the year. But, the Tampa area is so much better for young families. I pray daily that our business will get better so we can continue to live in our area. It's a great time to buy.

So, please come we love our new home and I wouldn't change our new lives for anything. Don't look back only look forward and enjoy the view along the way. Good luck with your move and please concider contacting a good realtor when you move. I can recommend one check out Come Home to Tampa Bay He is a really good Agent.

Thanks for your info. What town did you buy a home in?
We are looking heavily into a large radius of this area and appreciate the input from other who have already made that move.

[joe aloha]

For anyone who may be interested in learning about the cape coral area and fort myers I have some information.I agree with Siren Song 100% I got so fed up with the whiners and negativity on this thread so I thought I would do a little research on my own. I bristled at some malcontent who argued facts are facts and cannot be disputed. For those who want a balanced approach here it goes. The number one and two drawbacks about the southwest area is growing crime and property taxes. I researched 7 counties on the west side of Florida and found that Sarasota and north have low crime in most areas and their property taxes for homes priced between 199000 to 250000 run between 3500 to 5000 per year. These are figures I gleamed from the county commissioners office and sifted through the proposed 2007 budget for the county. I reviewed a web site news-press.com for the Cape Coral/Fort Myers area. In it it has recent crime statistics and it earmarks areas where the complaints originated all or most crimes were being committed in the built up north fort myers downtown area, the same applies for Cape Coral. I looked into real estate.com and got many listings that are outside these areas and are priced extremely well and virtually no crimes are reported in those areas. There have been several tax initatives on the books for the last 3 years as a response to growing property taxes throughout the state and as far as I can tell the new homestead tax reform gives you 25 to 50,000 dollar discounts on the market value of your home when assessing your home for property tax. Florida's unemployment rate is at about 6.5% which is slightly higher than my home state of Pennsylvania but it is in no way a "depressed area". Lee county for example which Fort Myers and Cape Coral fall into is only at about 3.5% unemployment. Florida had more people leave the state than move into it last year which was a first in quite a long time, however it still remains one of the top destinations for people who move out of their areas of origin. In response to the nay sayer that self righteously declared the facts are the facts I say these are the real facts as I understand them to be. As for me I am debating between Hawaii and Florida however it appears Florida is a good destination for a couple that would be termed an "empty nester" which we are except we will be bringing 2 adult children with us. People that have families and children that require constant entertainment it could be a challenge. But fun is what you make it I cannot imagine what people are doing in Maine right now.I really want to say goodbye to 50 years of freezing my butt off every December through April. For me the heat will be a welcome change although I may not say that in August of next year when I am in Florida but then Iwill go swimming in my built in swimming pool with a waterfall!

[MrTudo]

Joe, take it from someone who loves places like New Hope, Bucks, the Hideout in Wayne Cnty ( BRRRR ! ) and who grew up 30 miles outside of NYC, that you're gonna love Fla.

Welcome whenever you get here and remember to stock up on short pants

[New England Yankee]

I mentioned this before but I almost nixed Florida due to all the negative comment here.It does seem a bit odd though,people coming on here who live in Florida,just to complain about there State.It makes you wonder why they stay.
I love the state I am in now,no complaints except the our cold weather.
Bradenton bound.

[New England Yankee]

Bradenton here we come!