[Songbird42]

Been here over 20 yrs, in that time I have lost both my parents, my husband and several close friends to sickness. Being an only child, and no other family around or friends for any support, I have done it all by myself and with every year I grow more bitter, any neighbor that moves in, moves out just as quick, I am the only original person on my block now, everyone else has gone either dead or moved. Its a very lonely existance, it tried volunteering at the local elementary school but I wasn't in the "click". Churches are very "clickish" too. The heat is a killer for me, I can't stand it. The maintence of my home is unreal, pay for this, pay for that... the battle of mold on the lani, lani furniture, roof.......lawns hundreds of dollars to keep it green, hundreds of dollars to keep bugs out of home.......pool service.....I added it up and what I can save in maintence I can pay in taxes somewhere else...and have lower HOI.....I'm tired of people running me off the roads, especially snowbirds, they run for the early bird specials and sit and sit for hours...I live in a neighborhood where NO ONE will talk to anyone else, no one will help anyone out, my mailbox broke, I asked the gentleman across the street if I bought the mailbox and stand would he help me, told me he was too busy and shut the door in my face. I'm tired of downright rude people, had my fill of neighbors parking 60' tractor-trailers on residential roads, tired of dogs crapping on my lawn..........now that I can move, house is in tip-top shape......the housing market collaspes and I'm stuck here for awhile. I refuse to give up, I will somehow, someway get out of here and I don't care where I go......I want to see flowers bloom/leaves fall......I want to hear the laughter of children playing and watch as the snowflakes fall........I want peace in my life, nothing more.............

Sorry for the rant, but you said I could vent.............Going North hopefully soon......

[ChrisA70]

Moved out of Fl. went to homestate of MA. hated winter after I really thought I missed it, came back to FL. 7 months later, I would rather deal with the heat....

[ChrisA70]

Originally Posted by Songbird42

Been here over 20 yrs, in that time I have lost both my parents, my husband and several close friends to sickness. Being an only child, and no other family around or friends for any support, I have done it all by myself and with every year I grow more bitter, any neighbor that moves in, moves out just as quick, I am the only original person on my block now, everyone else has gone either dead or moved. Its a very lonely existance, it tried volunteering at the local elementary school but I wasn't in the "click". Churches are very "clickish" too. The heat is a killer for me, I can't stand it. The maintence of my home is unreal, pay for this, pay for that... the battle of mold on the lani, lani furniture, roof.......lawns hundreds of dollars to keep it green, hundreds of dollars to keep bugs out of home.......pool service.....I added it up and what I can save in maintence I can pay in taxes somewhere else...and have lower HOI.....I'm tired of people running me off the roads, especially snowbirds, they run for the early bird specials and sit and sit for hours...I live in a neighborhood where NO ONE will talk to anyone else, no one will help anyone out, my mailbox broke, I asked the gentleman across the street if I bought the mailbox and stand would he help me, told me he was too busy and shut the door in my face. I'm tired of downright rude people, had my fill of neighbors parking 60' tractor-trailers on residential roads, tired of dogs crapping on my lawn..........now that I can move, house is in tip-top shape......the housing market collaspes and I'm stuck here for awhile. I refuse to give up, I will somehow, someway get out of here and I don't care where I go......I want to see flowers bloom/leaves fall......I want to hear the laughter of children playing and watch as the snowflakes fall........I want peace in my life, nothing more.............

Sorry for the rant, but you said I could vent.............Going North hopefully soon......

Sounds like you live in Naples.....

[gdblauvelt]

I've already ranted so...333333333333333333333333!!!

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by PATRAIN

I see lots of people are reading with no replys. please reply 1 if your here and staying. 2 if your wanting to move to fl, or 3 if you want to get the heck out.

So, is it curtain #1, 2, or 3

just takes 2 seconds to reply...thanks

p.s. feel free to spill your guts.

OK, I fall under the category of Number 2. I've wanted to move there for a few years already, but had to wait until DH is 62. That will be happening in one more week so I hope to be living there in a few months if everything works out well.

We've checked out several areas and although many had their positives, we still just kept coming back to Fla. I need the warmth both emotionally and physically. Our winters are COLD up here. This season the worst for me was waking up one morning to 37 BELOW zero windchill. And keep in mind that they changed the windchill charts in 2002. In the past it would've probably been about 55 below. Most people think it's strange, but I love the feel of the humidity, too. It just makes my skin feel so good.

We have several relatives down there and we've visited often. I do realize that it is not the same as living there, but we've lived right here our entire lives and it's just time for a change.

I don't know if it's just how individuals fit in OR if people in some areas are just nicer then in other areas. You know, the domino effect? Anyway, we felt the Tampa/St Pete and surrounding area was very friendly. We felt like we fit in that area of Fla. more so then elsewhere.

As you can tell on my profile, I'm from So. Dak. and our relocation site will be the Lakeland area.

[hiknapster]

Not all of Florida is the same. I think that's a GREAT area to check out, Jammie! Best of luck!

[sunrico90]

I had the opportunity to read about housing and jobs in other states. The situation is about the same, jobs are limited, housing in the situation as Florida (some areas better, but not all).

If you are planning on leaving do your homework, jobs should be your first consideration and also evaluate the market on your trait. Saturated markets might not allowed you to get in a job ASAP, try to diversify your skills if you can. If you have a home business you re ahead. Housing should be your second concern, look at renting until the market stops dropping.

Get a real view and evaluate, for many the option is to leave for other might be to hold tight until we turn the multiple markets around.

Best of luck in your decision...

[Sunshine Chick]

Originally Posted by Jammie

OK, I fall under the category of Number 2. I've wanted to move there for a few years already, but had to wait until DH is 62. That will be happening in one more week so I hope to be living there in a few months if everything works out well.

We've checked out several areas and although many had their positives, we still just kept coming back to Fla. I need the warmth both emotionally and physically. Our winters are COLD up here. This season the worst for me was waking up one morning to 37 BELOW zero windchill. And keep in mind that they changed the windchill charts in 2002. In the past it would've probably been about 55 below. Most people think it's strange, but I love the feel of the humidity, too. It just makes my skin feel so good.

We have several relatives down there and we've visited often. I do realize that it is not the same as living there, but we've lived right here our entire lives and it's just time for a change.

I don't know if it's just how individuals fit in OR if people in some areas are just nicer then in other areas. You know, the domino effect? Anyway, we felt the Tampa/St Pete and surrounding area was very friendly. We felt like we fit in that area of Fla. more so then elsewhere.

As you can tell on my profile, I'm from So. Dak. and our relocation site will be the Lakeland area.

I am also looking at the Lakeland area. Like the location to everything and it has everything else I was looking for. Not too far south to burn up and not too far north to ever get cold. Reading allot of gyps and other postings and seems like the perfect fit.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

I had the opportunity to read about housing and jobs in other states. The situation is about the same, jobs are limited, housing in the situation as Florida (some areas better, but not all).

If you are planning on leaving do your homework, jobs should be your first consideration and also evaluate the market on your trait. Saturated markets might not allowed you to get in a job ASAP, try to diversify your skills if you can. If you have a home business you re ahead. Housing should be your second concern, look at renting until the market stops dropping.

Get a real view and evaluate, for many the option is to leave for other might be to hold tight until we turn the multiple markets around.

Best of luck in your decision...

This is right on.

Also, be careful if you are moving to an area where generations of families have lived. You can quickly run into the mentality of "You're not from here, are ya?" It makes finding a job VERY difficult. Add the state of the national economy into the picture and you find yourself in a worse situation.

In Tennessee, we've also seen a lot of huge land developments that are overpriced and marketed to Floridians.

Buyer beware.

[texdiver]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Left Fort Myers two-plus years ago.

Quality of education. My child's teacher was left with half of the class that could not speak English. She did not speak Spanish. All of my child's work was sent home because the teacher could not teach. One child was sent to the principals' office the first day of school. This was Kindergarten.

Lack of museums. You are going to charge that for homes, I expect a decent art museum, for crying out loud.

Hostile retirees that made a drive to the convenience store a ulcer-inducing experience.

The drive to the beaches. I went four-times as much in New England.

Service jobs were the norm. They didn't support homes that went for $250,000.

Lack of friends. My co-workers and neighbors were angry retirees, or older teenagers that wanted to escape Florida.

The creep factor. When you are surrounded by retirees that are whining about the price of the early bird special, just might run you over in their Crown Vic because they can't see, hate you, or both, the drug addicts are casing your house out and the pedophile on the corner is eyeing your kid, well, I say it is time to blow the clambake.

You want good weather? Have at it. Oh, and about that good weather, I give all you great weather seekers exactly two years before you hate it.

I haven't looked back since.

Lived in florida for over thirty years...only return to visit my mom.
Couldn't pay me to live there again.(fly down1-2x year)
Born and raised in SOFLA. The scuba diving and my parents living
there were the only things that kept me there. Be advised...it's
not only hurricane alley, it's also skin cancer land!(melanomaland)
And it's as dangerous as ever. The sinister undertone everywhere
is creepy and inescapable.

Visited Austin with a friend in 1985....thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Moved instantly. It's been pretty much a pleasant surprise
a year for the last twenty plus years.
Texas has a coral reef system...the Flower Gardens.
Yes hot in summer, but cold in winter....perfect contrast!
80+ miles of 100% UNDEVELOPED beach...Padre Island National
Seashore. Avg beach 2500 ft. to ocean. There are some other
things that are too good to believe or talk about!(shhhh!)
One caveat....it has been discovered and there a lot of
people from FL/Cali/Chicago/Tenn. etc and they ARE
bringing their rude ways (that don't fly here)here.
The areas around the universities(and there are plenty of those)
here are the place to be. When this place goes down the
tubes, and if history is any guide it will at some point,
I'll probably leave the country.