I need some help, I'm relocating to Florida in January, need help choosing location

[Alabamy_bound]

blanesaw

I know the area around Ed Smith very well...Tuttle area is changing..the Ed Smith area is also changing...right across the street there is a set of new condos...I think it was a conversion property.,....but the cloer you get to 12th St, it ain't good !......all in all I could not recommend the area, but as I said, there has been great demand for improvements in the area...but anywhere North of Fruitville along Tuttle or off of Tuttle is sketchy...south of Fruitville has some older and smaller houses, and lots of medical condo office structures......try around the 4800 to 5000 block of Fruitville....and near McIntosh..there are a few apartments and condos that are not too expensive

[blanesaw]

i saw a list of top 100 most dangerous cities, tampa was on there, so i think we are staying away from there. anywhere else you guys would suggest?

[killian4]

If you plan on moving in January, and if you move to Destin, then you should not have any trouble finding a place to work, as well as finding a place to live within your budget. Rentals will begin to go up in late Feb, and early March. Plenty of night life for the younger crowd, and you really can't beat the beaches for the price. Good luck

[MCan]

I don't know if you have had any luck in your endeavors, but you might have some options between Jacksonville and Palm Coast--for example the St. Augustine area. I know of several apartment buildings that do have openings and for the $$ you were mentioning. Just a few minutes from the beach in the oldest city in the nation. There are 20 million people in Florida and some people actually do like to live here. EVERY state has its downfalls. If it isn't mudslides, blizzards or tornados and fires--you can't find a perfect place. It doesn't get hotter in Florida than the rest of the country--top end temperatures... it does stay hot longer, the water stays much warmer than it does in CA. When you stay in the NE side of Florida you still have 4 seasons so it doesn't seem like a complete change from up north--it is nice to have some cold during the winter--but I never seem to go past wearing a jacket or sweatshirt. It may drop to the 30's at night but still hits 40's and 50's during the day. Nice thing about St. Augustine is you are in the outskirts of South Jacksonville--nice shopping and good malls. Good area for young people--Downtown St. Augustine has more personality than any other town I have been in. Daytona is also only 40 miles away, Orlando is about 80 miles away--the whole area is growing by leaps and bounds--especially in Palm Coast which is only 20 minutes south. Depending on what your career choices are, the jobs are plentiful. The areas in Florida in most areas are of higher growth areas than in many areas up north. You aren't going to get rich overnight but there are many opportunities for young people starting off--the housing is available at that price but you will have to look a bit--it doesn't hit you in the face as you will see many 1200-1500 around--but I can give you more information to places only a few years old--five--that are very nice and right in the middle of everything...

One word of advice--if you can swing it at all. Visit the areas first before moving--helps a 100%. Know where you are leaping--measure once, cut twice is expensive. Measure twice, cut once.

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by blanesaw

I'm 19 my girlfriends 18, we are looking for somewhere nice to live, we are looking to rent, othing more than 850 a month, and not a ****ty neighborhood. my girlfriend likes the gulf coast but we are open to opinions. we are looking for somewhere with decent jobs, malls, etc. any information helps

No more than 850 a month?- you cannot afford South Florida then. A decent apt is 2k/month.

There are malls everywhere. decent jobs? Florida is a retirement state.

[bunnywabbit!]

Just curious... where can one move to in Florida and be near the beach for under $600 rent?

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by bunnywabbit!

Just curious... where can one move to in Florida and be near the beach for under $600 rent?

Well, you could live ON the beach Many homeless do.

[lolitazz]

I think you should visit here first like someone said.

There is no way you will be renting for $600.00, especially near the beach. No way Jose. I've been in ST Pete(when I went to Dali's museum) and I thought it was an ugly city. Really ugly, very poor. I wouldn't wanna live there, and I grew up in Colombia, a third world country, and that's even below my standards.

I live in South Florida (east) and I'm also starting to hate it too. Most people I know don't go to the beach to begin with, and the beaches are really not that great, they're dirty and ugly (the sunsets are really nice though, really nice) The hurricanes are not easy to deal with. We didn't have power for over a week when katrina came. It was ridiculous. Not even in colombia I had to put up without power for so long.

Housing is a mess if you plan to have a future here. I don't know how people pay their mortgages with the crappy jobs that they have out here. I don't understand how you can pay a $3k mortage with a 40k income. (assuming you get promoted as a manager in your service job)

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by bunnywabbit!

Just curious... where can one move to in Florida and be near the beach for under $600 rent?

Any young people moving down without money or a job need to realize; they will NOT find an apartment unless they can afford first month, last month and security deposit up front. If they dont already have a job, they wont get the apt. A criminal background check is also done- and if the landlord doesnt like you-you're out. This is not Pocatello Idaho.

If you dont have money and a career, you should not come to florida. This is not a 1960's spring break party. No one gets in for free.