[jerseygirl25]

Hey everyone,
My husband & I are seriously considering leaving NJ, by this spring/summer. We love it here, we live in a beautiful suburb, about 35 mins from NYC, but it's sooooo expensive. The houses start at 500k & I hear everyone in FL complaining about taxes, but here they just went up to 7k a year. That's an extra $800 on top of a 2K mortgage a month!!! Add up all of the other bills & it's just crazy. I feel that with his salary we could live a pretty decent life almost anywhere else.

I've never lived in FL, but we go almost every summer for vacation & I know that living there is not the same as vacation, but I have ALWAYS felt very much at home there. I think it's beautiful, your able to be outside all year, where as here you spend much of your life indoors & it gets so depressing when you don't see the sun for weeks at a time.

So my main question is...What exactly is the BIG problem with South Florida? Crime? Corruption? Is it the same in the suburbs? I really like the Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Sunrise area. Does anyone have any real life info on those areas? How are the public schools there? Any info would really help. We are considering either this area or North Carolina. Thanks so much

[MB2]

Well, I live here in Port Saint Lucie/ FL.
We live here now for 3 years, coming from PA. Well, our house is on the market, and we can't wait to move back to PA.
Yes, granted, for you it sounds cheaper down here....but, all I can say is this, you better be sure you will find the right job here, to support your lifestyle. Because, FL is still "a right to work state"..... and you better look up, what that means. Also, look at wages paid out here, and compare them to up north. Come to your own conclusions, and you will be so surprised!
Good luck!!!

[doggiebus]

Well, I will start, if you are deciding between So. Fla and NC, NC is your better option for sure, Cary, NC is always ranked in the top 5 places to live in the country. So what is the problem, it is all subjective. Remember what I might find as a negative, hey you might find that it is a positive. Cixel on here likes hurricanes, I however after going through hurricane Andrew are scared of even a cat 2 storm.

This is what bothers me in So. Fla. FYI, I live in one of the nice areas of Miami. Crime (a neighbor of mine bought a brand new Maxima, and the next day he went to go to work, they had put his car on blocks and stole all four tires and rims, he didn't have time to put an alarm on the car), Safety (at one of the nicer malls in the county a woman was abducted/raped a few months ago while she was putting her child in the car seat, I look over my shoulder even when I walk out my door today), over crowded restaurants (the norm is probably 1-2 hours wait time on the weekends), unpolite drivers (it would be nice to get a thank you wave when I let people in front of me, 8 out of 10 times don't wave), the weather (I want more than just summer, I would take Fall too). I wish I could put decorations in the front yard (my neighbor told me she saw a guy steal a bike from the yard, he had stuff in the back of his truck like potted plants, bikes, benches, he was probably driving around and stealing them). I hate that Christmas I am usually in shorts sleeves, it is just not Christmas when it is 75 degrees. I have to say, my neighbors are pretty good.

Florida schools are not known to be that great. There are a handful only that get ranked in the top 100 in the country. But they are few and far between.

I hope this helps.

[doggiebus]

I forgot about the property taxes and HOI. A neighbor bought in 2005 a 1970 sq.ft home, major fixer upper (he gutted the house) for $439,000 and his property taxes are $8096.22, not sure what his HOI is, but we just got Citizens (the company we had closed, since no one is righting new policies in the state other than Citizens we had to go with them) and it is $6000 for a 1800 sq. ft. house. So it may not be cheaper in So. Fla, I think other parts of the state like Ocala will be cheaper.

[rkumar3]

Being a long time resident of South Florida and having traveled extensively (nationally and internationally), I haven't found any place that is better than Sunny South Florida... Sure enough no place is perfect and they all have their problems including South Florida. What I personally is like is the cultural diversity, year round sunny weather, tons of activities from fine dinning to theater, major sporting events, golfing, water sports as well as Great nite life.

I think you will do just fine down here, I am pretty sure taxes and not any higher than NJ, infact if I am not mistaken NJ has higher property taxes than FL. As fas as HOI is concerened, you should not have a problem getting a policy since you are looking to move to suburbs and not closer to water.. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions (including housing costs, availability etc) or need further info and I will be glad to answer any queries to the best of my knowledge.

[jerseygirl25]

Thanks for everyone's input...it really helps to speak to people that actually live there.

[motoracer51]

I'm leaving this place after 12 years. I feel like I'm in a war torn, third world nation at times.

High crime.
Oppressive humidity.
Traffic.
Weather that tries to kill you.
Crazy housing/taxes/insurance.
Mean people.


Good luck.

Last American that leaves, please take the US flag with you.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by jerseygirl25

Thanks for everyone's input...it really helps to speak to people that actually live there.

Just so you know, one of the posters sells real estate

[sickfromredtide]

Originally Posted by rkumar3

Being a long time resident of South Florida and having traveled extensively (nationally and internationally), I haven't found any place that is better than Sunny South Florida... Sure enough no place is perfect and they all have their problems including South Florida. What I personally is like is the cultural diversity, year round sunny weather, tons of activities from fine dinning to theater, major sporting events, golfing, water sports as well as Great nite life.

I think you will do just fine down here, I am pretty sure taxes and not any higher than NJ, infact if I am not mistaken NJ has higher property taxes than FL. As fas as HOI is concerened, you should not have a problem getting a policy since you are looking to move to suburbs and not closer to water.. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions (including housing costs, availability etc) or need further info and I will be glad to answer any queries to the best of my knowledge.

I totally agree with this post. My wife and I came from Philly 10 years ago and moved to the Keys, and would not move back to Pa. We are 43 and 33 with a 2 year old. The crime is worse in Philly and parts of Jersey. Your never going to find crime free anywhere. As far as taxes FL is not even close to Jersey, I have a 1100 sq. ft. home on a 10,000 sq. ft. lot worth about 250,000 and the taxes are about $1200.00 Insurance right now is not great but managable. The only advise is make sure you have work before you move, in some parts of the state you can find work but it doesn't pay much. I would check out the Port Saint Lucie or Ft. Pierce area. I would stick to the Atlantic side or the Keys, I know its expensive down here in the Keys but there are people making great money working in the bars and restaurants. It all depends on your life style. We are not getting rich but we love it down here. Hope this helps with your plans.

[badgertim]

After living in Chicago, Milwaukee, Montana, and Connecticut my
spouse and I moved to NC in 1976 ..

We do like it here most of the time but am quite tired of people asking
where we are FROM? and of course what Church we attend? after 31 years
here ... they never let you forget it ... FROM?

It's probably a little less intrusive, but much more crowded in the Raleigh/Cary/Chapel Hill/durham area than central NC where we live..

The Northern Mountains are spectacular and still affordable.

But for jobs Raleigh-Durham is certainly the best. Charlotte is a very
close 2nd but traffic is worse than Atlanta at times...

Good hunting to you!