[countrykaren]

Originally Posted by snowtired14

We haven't made the move yet, still about a year and a half to retirement, but we're long time visitors and we have many friends who live there, so we know what we're in for. Context is everything, we live in metro NYC, EVERYTHING is more expensive here, taxes, food, utilities, housing, insurance, you name it. So for us, COL will be lower, but as someone said look for a COL calculator on the web. We've been down there for at least a week in every month of the year, from quite cold in February, 30's, to H&H in July, mid 90's, along with summer thunderstorms and downpours at 3:47PM every afternoon (OK, maybe not that precisely). What we're looking forward to is the outdoor lifestyle, up north I put out our patio furniture around the end of May, and by September I'm putting it away already. I'm also finding as I get older the gray and cold winters seem to hit me harder, just get a case of the blahs, (S.A.D.?). As far as moving away from family, our thoughts are that the quality of our visits will be better, they'll enjoy a place to stay for a break from winter and we can spend more intimate time together. Just like you, we can't afford to make a mistake, but don't just look at the financial side of the equation, there are other considerations of things that will change in your life. Best of luck to you!

We currently live NW of Albany. If we lived on LI or in NYC, I wouldn't be writing these posts. LOL.


Like you, I can't take the cold and gray skies anymore. It's June 6th and I'm cold. Never thought I'd consider Fla- but I'm constantly cold.


( And yes- being followed by 2 doctors- gave more blood for tests than I'd ever get back in a transfusion. Basically except for fibromyalgia and arthritis, I'm as healthy as a horse.)

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by jwolfer

If you read through the boards there are plenty of people that HATE Florida and will gladly tell you why. Some of the more common reasons

I really cant see the big deal about florida..... ITS NOT THAT GOOD!!!!!

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

Last year it stayed hot until after Christmas. Can you deal with that? Making your Thanksgiving meal and putting up your Christmas tree with the a/c on?

That's exactly why we love Florida. We are out in the swimming pool on Christmas.

[paradiselost]

Lived in Pennsylvania 15 years, Tennessee 10 years and Florida 15 years. Tennessee was the best out of the three states PA the worst. Florida has a lot of negatives and positives but things in the last 5 years have been going down hell especially from an overcrowding and pricing standpoint.

Positives in Florida would be mild winters, Good sports and after school programs compared to rust belt states, less potholes than Pa and Tenn on the roadways due to no snow. No state income tax is great. Tennessee also had no income tax, PA's was outrageous. Much cleaner state for the most part especially than most of PA. Good state and city park systems. Theme parks and beaches can be cool to go to at times. County School district system much better and efficient than small school district system such as what PA has implemented. Pretty good hospital system for the most part and lots of urgent care clinics. A lot of good fishing Lakes and boating for recreation than most states.
Dont know this is a positive but Florida did not get hit with a hurricane for over 11 years and Tampa actually didn't have a direct hit since 1921. So either its real good luck or we are eventually screwed. Prices for food and gas are about at the nation average, there is a lot of distribution centers and points in Florida.

Negatives in Florida - enormous Urban Sprawl in areas such as Tampa Bay, Orlando, Fort Myers/Cape Coral, West Palm/ Fort Lauderdale and Miami Metros. Housing and building permits get approved easy in some counties creating infrastructure nightmares including unbearable traffic and crowds at commercial areas. Not much of a feel near Christmas and thanksgiving in Florida of holidays it seems like august in December here. Property and Car insurance can be really high especially in high accident areas for car and flood zone counties for property. Terrible Transit options in some metros. Crime Could be high and increasing in even smaller cities due to changing demographics. Hard to keep friends people come and go so much here. It is very transient in some counties. Shady people move here to set up shop starting fraudulent businesses. Bugs can be rough especially if u live near a waterway and pest control can be costly. Heat and humidity isn't for everyone, doesn't bother me but some people hate it. Rent prices not keeping up with the wages big increase in last two years. Another negative I been seeing is extremely rude foreign people that moved in my neighborhood in the last year or so. Dont know if this is a statewide trend or just Tampa. Not the good mom and pop restaurants you see in PA and Tennessee down here. Everything especially in the cities is primarily commercial chains. Criminals flock to the more cheaper counties such as Pasco, Citrus, Hernando and Marion. Places with less jobs and industry get infested by the criminal element.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by LKJ1988

And Seattle is a lot closer than Yellow knife. So what does Seattle have to do with this thread?

Look at it this way.. FL, GA, etc are in THE SOUTHEAST US.

New Mexico, Arizona are in THE SOUTHWEST U.S.

Do you see the correlation?? They are both in the southern portion of the US.


The Southwest has deserts while FL is subtropical/tropical.


Seattle is the NORTHWEST US.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I really cant see the big deal about florida..... ITS NOT THAT GOOD!!!!!

It depends on where you compare it to and where you are in the state which is 65,795 sq mi.


A lot to choose from.

[Trigger-f]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

It depends on where you compare it to and where you are in the state which is 65,795 sq mi.


A lot to choose from.

No big deal but 10 million moved to FL since 1980.. must be horrible.

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by Trigger-f

No big deal but 10 million moved to FL since 1980.. must be horrible.

And between 1980-2008

9,540,000 moved out.. Soooooo......

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by Trigger-f

No big deal but 10 million moved to FL since 1980.. must be horrible.

And it keeps increasing. Lousy wages, high COL, lousy medical care, bugs, hot, humid, crowded, hurricanes, rednecks, foreigners, traffic, lousy drivers, bad schools, no seasons, unfriendly people, crime, drugs, boggiemen. It all keeps people from all over coming here.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

And between 1980-2008

9,540,000 moved out.. Soooooo......

Do you have one iota of factual evidence to back up your claim??\



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