[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Ladeebug59

I am from the Hudson Valley in NY state, living in both Dutchess & Columbia County for nearly 50 years and it's about time for a change. We are looking at Citrus County or Hernando County on the West Coast. Several things attract us to Florida, but esp the Weather! I am so sick of cramming my whole life into 5 or 6 months and just plain EXISTING for the rest! My body doesn't like the cold, Every muscle hurts and I don't like having to pay an arm and a leg just to heat the house. It is an old 100 year old house and looses heat like wind blowing through swiss cheese. I want a life not just half an existence. The stress of Winter is just getting to be too much! Seasons? Who cares! I hate the seasons. We don't even have a spring anymore and although Autumn is nice to photograph, I have a hard time enjoying it knowing what is to follow. When I see the leaves fall and the world become the most awful shade of gray, I could hibernate and sleep until May. My husband could work year round and I could go to the beach at Christmas or Garden on New Years or whatever! If I need a dose of snow ( Which I highly doubt) I will visit relatives back home! I have done Lots of Research, and continue to do on a daily basis and have visited twice within the past few years. I do know some people who live in the area and continue to seek out contacts. This is what I know to be True, at my age I know what I like and what is Important to me. This is the USA, we can move freely with moderate effort if you really want it badly enough! Change is going to happen with or without your Consent so take life by the reins and steer in the direction of your heart and what is best for you & your family. I am not the least bit afraid of change, as a matter of fact, I embrace it! All that is needed is a positive ATTITUDE and a great sense of ADVENTURE! Ladeebug

my daughter played ice hockey in that area and my ancestors came there from Ireland back in the 1840s to work the Foundry. Besides those hockey games, we spend time around the area researching my family roots.

I could live there. If I could AFFORD to.

[ucfjtm]

Originally Posted by cwilloughby78

We're living in Dayton Ohio now.

We're looking at moving to Fort Walton Beach area, either FWB, Mar Ester, Niceville, or Navarre.
What attracts us to Florida? that's a long list: Family, the weather, the Emerald Coast, jobs, did I mention the weather
We've asked family down there, as well as Citi-data; we've read postings of people like all of you that are immensely helpful.
We visit family in FWB at least once a year for a week or so. Every time I go down there I become less inclined to leave
Yes we talk to our family down there often.
I would love any info anybody has personal information on the quality of Navarre schools because that seems to be our top choice for affordable housing.
[SIZE=3]Thanks to all[/SIZE]

I grew up in FWB, and my parents still live in the area (Shalimar). Although I could never live there again - Atlanta & New Orleans at 5 hours are the closest large cities, my parents aren't planning on leaving anytime soon. I'd personally stick with the Niceville area. I went to Choctaw High in FWB in the mid-90's, and the general consensus around then is that Niceville was the top high school in the area, followed by Choctaw, then FWB High. Niceville had the highest percentage of military family kids, which tend to be more serious about discipline and school than the average Floridian. The kids that your kids will meet in school does have a major effect on their education/environment. Crestview was known as very country back then, but I hear things are changing lately. Navarre High was built after I moved out of town, so I don't know too much about it.

[tabjgb]

My husband and I will be moving into St Pete with our daughter(she's 17) on October 23,2008. I have lived in Indiana my whole life. My husband lived in WeekieWachee for about a year when his mom and stepfather moved there. We have came down to the area in which we are moving, for the past 25 years. In Indiana, the winters seem to last longer and longer. The older we get, it seems that the winters get harder on us. Our daughter, also hates winters and loves the Florida weather and atmosphere. My husband has been offered a job in Clearwater and we've found a great apartment in St Pete. I suffer from acute depression and I feel like this move could help me cope better. Right now, in Indiana we live in a rural area. There is absolutely nothing to do! I can't take walks, unless I want to drive 30 minutes or more to walk somewhere safe! I havent had a chance to see what business's are available around the area which we will be living. Also, if anyone has any info on the schools, I would very much appreciate the info. Our new address in on 50th Ave, St Pete. Thanks

[RobbieG1983]

Hi Guys, I am new to this forum and apologise for any inconsistencies with any posts

Anyways, here goes.....

Where are you from?
Me and my partner live in the UK. We were both born here and have lived here all our lives. It rains a lot here, we don't really have winters OR summers and often feel depressed. We feel that all we are working for is never going to arrise, and as a result, we are taking a gamble to move to a nicer climate, within a better and more open community. Obviously, visa may well be an issue and we will need all the help we can get to find work etc., but thats for another topic altogether. We are moving out of our rented house in January, and am moving back in with my mom to reduce costs, pay offf bills and to save for the move.
We want to move by the end of next year (2009) at the latest, but are willing to wait a little longer if necessary to find the right "package" for us.
Where in Florida are you moving?
Thats an excellent and very difficult question....
We really aren't sure on where to go as yet.
Not really further than a couple of hours from the airport (by car), due to family and friends visiting (and possibly emigrating in the future).
Job's are very high on the agenda. I work in IT and comunications, and my partner really wants to do air hostessing, but admin or customer services will be a great start. (Finding a job with an airline will be difficult without US citizenship, I believe)
We are both in our mis 20's and want somewhere that we can settle down, put roots out for future kids (probably in the next few years), so good schooling and health care. Somewhere that we can enjoy our lives.
A bit of nightlife, but not to heavy. Nice restaurants and not too far from the beach.
Perhaps a nice quiet "GATED"?? group of houses perhaps, with a "desperate housewives" kind of feel to the estate, but without the stuff that goes in in the program
It does need to have a low crime rate, where we can feel safe going out at night.
I know these are the obvious, but even the US is new to us, as we have only ever been on holiday to the Dominican and my partner has been to mexico.

We intend to rent for now and then look to buy once we are settled and are on our way to gaining our citizenships, but not before we obtain our "green card".
What attracts you to Florida?
The answer to this is pretty much the same as everyone else.
"Living the Dream"!!!
Sun, Sea, Sand, Palm trees, Blue Sky, a Better Quality of Life, lower crime rates (in the right area), better economy, cheaper taxes (compared to many other places in the US), cheaper housing (compared to the UK), and anything else you can think of!!
Oh.. and DisneyWorld. Many of the friends and family want to go, so their stay will be a lot cheaper with us. But we don't want to live too close to it.
2 or 3 hours drive will be about right. But more or less if necessary.
What research have you done?
Well not that much really.
Spent a couple of days looking at the possible areas, but the state is large and with Disney not being too much of an issue for distance, we have quite a broad area to look at.
We're glad we have found this forum, It has be very imformative and we have a lot of reading to get through. Google, online job sites, florida newspapers, online TV for over there, reviews, are all being sought after by us and ANY information that we can dredge up will be useful, whether it's positive, negative or both.
We intend to do as much research as possible before we commit ourselves to anything.
We will narrow down our results as much as piossible before visiting, applying for jobs and visa's, as our cash situation is a little tight.
Did you spend time in that town in person?
Not yet.
However, we intend to make at least one visit before we commit to anything, and due to cost involved whilst visiting, we will need to make the visit count!!
Did you communicate with people who live their personally?
No!! Unfortunately, we only have very distant relatives who live in Canada. We intend to use or visit(s) to our prospective town, to "mingle" with the locals, view property and explore the areas.

We are looking to take a HUGE gamble, and from what we've read, we are the only UK based people using these forums (there may well be others, just haven't seen them yet!).
We hope to try and make a few friends that live within the area of where we decide to move to, so that helps leviate leaving all our family and friends behind "over the pond", in search of greener pastures!!


I would like to thank ALL of you for the advice that we have recieved from reading the forums, and for the advice that we will obtain from you in the future.
Oh.. and thank you for taking the time to read this EXTREMELY long thread, and we hope to meet you when we land and move into our new home, wherever and whenever that may be!!

We really can't wait to move to the sun!!!
Thanks, Rob and Michelle.

[nsully38]

What are you from? NW New Jersey
Where in Florida are you moving? Lake County, not sure which town yet
What attracts you to Florida? No snow and ice, Warm weather, great fishing and boating, two coasts to choose from, Gardening, a more relaxed life style
What research did you do or have already done to pick your city or location? Spent the last year and a half visiting most of Florida checking out communities. Also from real estate mag, the Internet, especally City Data
Did you spend time in that town in person? Yes
Did you communicate with people who live their personally? Spoke to a few people we have met, and visited a real estate agent

Thank's to every one who has posted. You all have been a great help

The end of this March we will be starting to look for a house. We'll make our choice of which Town at that time.

[The Floridian]

Come on down people!!! Welcome to FLORIDA... and don't forget your $$$$.

Make me richer!!!

Smiling all the way to Forbes 400.

[faithfulFrank]

Originally Posted by nsully38

What are you from? NW New Jersey
Where in Florida are you moving? Lake County, not sure which town yet
What attracts you to Florida? No snow and ice, Warm weather, great fishing and boating, two coasts to choose from, Gardening, a more relaxed life style
What research did you do or have already done to pick your city or location? Spent the last year and a half visiting most of Florida checking out communities. Also from real estate mag, the Internet, especally City Data
Did you spend time in that town in person? Yes
Did you communicate with people who live their personally? Spoke to a few people we have met, and visited a real estate agent

Thank's to every one who has posted. You all have been a great help

The end of this March we will be starting to look for a house. We'll make our choice of which Town at that time.

nsully,
First, welcome to the forum. I bought a home in Lake county, and think it's a great place to retire. Good luck!

Frank D.

[capejake]

To FaithfulFrank, I just want to say your posts are very informative and well thought out. You bring up so many meaningful aspects of a situation like starting with being thankful for what we have as blessings in our lives. I am a New Englander and cannot wait to relocate South for many reasons. I will share them sometime with you and the other people in the forum. I have to word my thoughts carefully because I tend to get negative quickly ( something that I am working on ). Right now I am staring out the window looking at 10 inches of hard packed snow and thinking of Florida. My wife and I ( and family) are really tired of the attitudes of the people, the dog-eat-dog mentality, not one neighbor offering to help a few nights ago when the battery died and wind-chill at zero degrees. Neighbor is mechanic and watched out window! We live on a dead end street with twelve homes and have not been invited to any! Nor have we had anyone come over for bbq, etx. Everyone is just to themselves. I have pondered this for 22 years on the same street! It's the same all over the town, people just don't care about one another. We want to move to show our children that there is a better way of life with better people. My job has kept us here but now I will be retiring ( unfortunately due to serious illness ) but I want to do something positive for our family of five before I no longer am able to. I'll stop here for now because I have just skimmed the surface and the post will be real long if I continue. Keep up the interesting posts and I will stay in touch also.

[capejake]

FaithfulFrank, When you get a chance go to page 21. I posted a comment to you but being new I do not know how to get the reply on the same page as your post.-Thanks

[Sunny-Days90]

Originally Posted by The Floridian

Come on down people!!! Welcome to FLORIDA... and don't forget your $$$$.

Make me richer!!!

Smiling all the way to Forbes 400.

I wont be spending mine in Daytona so you wont be getting any of my money. I can honestly say it is one town that I do not like in Florida.

We want to move to Florida, lived there for a very short time many years ago and made the mistake of moving back to central Ohio because of family.

Wont happen again, we are working on the our plan to sell both our homes here and get the kids set up and move to good ole Fla baby!

We want our kids to finish growing up with a life. They love being outside and playing at the beach, something we cannot do here.

I will trade the ice storms, no power, dead grass and trees, cold and snow for the heat, sand and palm trees.

Oh yea, the sun. We have not seen in a month or so here.