[BucFan]

Originally Posted by smarino

"We are DEFINITELY moving to Florida, but we are not familiar with the area."

Oh oh. Call me crazy, but wouldn't you want to be familiar w/ an area BEFORE moving there?

how many threads have you seen over the years about people who suffered because they didn't investigate the area better?

[MattMN]

Originally Posted by hsoler

DEFINITELY moving to Florida, but we are not familiar with the area

... Hubby needs to find work right away.

...We plan to rent for a while (HATE losing alllllllllllll that money)

Some very concerning statements here. There have been toooo many families that have had horrible experiences moving to Florida, and based on your comments, it sounds like you may be setting yourself up for a potentially bad experience.

One, be sure you are very familiar with Florida and the area. Spend a lot of time on this forum, but you also MUST visit and really check it out. Be sure you understand the year-round climate (hot and humid summers) and other FL things.

Two, jobs aren't just falling off trees, but they are out there. He definitely should have something lined up before you move here. Depending on what your husband does, that may decide locations for you. Traffic is so bad, that I would not recommend living very far from where you work.

Three, renting does stink and is expensive in FL. You really need to be sure you have several (6+ even) months of living expenses saved up before a move. But renting first is definitely the way to go. That will give you time to really explore the various areas, see where your husband's job is, then focus on appropriate locations to buy.