[pslOldTimer]

Originally Posted by bunny8176

Stay away from Prt St. Lucie - It's has the nickname "Port St. Lousy" for a reason

Please offer your reasons, hopefully substantial, for making that statement. Be certain to be accurate; I've lived in Port St. Lucie for 34 years, and I'll know whether you're right or not.

[brian_2]

lulu - remember the guy who sold pencils out front the Biscayne Cafeteria? I love Cuban food! I love good food! Stone Crabs! I think often of that humid, warmth & suave latin feeling that Miami gave me. I miss the comaraderie of Haitians/South Americans/Cubans/Dominicans/Salvadorans/Spaniards/Jewish Americans/on & on. I miss China Valle as the local Jazz disc jockey broadcasting from Coconut Grove, listening to the ringing sailboat tackle in the Dinner Key marina, golf frisbee in Kennedy Park, the great Banyan trees on Main Highway in the Grove. The Jamaican Steels Drums on top the club overlooking what is now Coco Plum. Remember when Jordan Marsh was still in Dadeland Mall? I had a stockboy job there as a kid. There was a great little place (it's still there) on 8th Street not too far down from Versailles and La Carreta called Hy Vong that serves fabulous Vietnamese food. So many good deli's used to exist in Miami - Wolfe's, Pumpernicks, Brickell Emporium. The joy of Miami was that people there were from all over. I was in food service for most of my life and Miami is where I learned the trade from the Biltmore Hotel in the Gables, to the Grand Bay & Mayfair (where I met the Miami Vice guys during a shoot) in the Grove & so many other places. Miami may be more crowded and may have changed alot from my days there, but Miamians know food & how to really enjoy themselves - always did & always will. How about that Cuban holiday spit roasted pig bathed in mojito! Oh the memories.

[Spookmeister]

Indian Shores! I don't live there...yet....

[katie0623]

Can you tell us more about Citrus County?? We live in PA with a 5 year old & a 7 year old and would love to move to Florida. However, alot of these posts are scaring me! Are the schools good in Citrus County? What town are you looking at? I would love to do away with winter, but I don't want to make a mistake as my daughters' happiness, safety and education are top priorities.
Thanks for any info.
Mish in PA

[amax41]

Originally Posted by falisamarie

My husband and I were both born in Orlando and we can not wait to move. FL does have its good points but the bad outweighs the good IMHO. The cost of living is outrageous and we realized that with the COL increasing our children would never be able to own anything on their own. As far as a nice area Lake County is pretty and quiet. Good Luck to you

falisamarie

Here's some news.... that doesn't just apply to Orlando it applies everywhere. The cost of living is far outweighing the income. As for your children the ONLY way the would never be able to own anything is if they are lazy.

It's bad out there, it's not defeating. Moving solves nothing it's just running away.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by amax41

Here's some news.... that doesn't just apply to Orlando it applies everywhere. The cost of living is far outweighing the income. As for your children the ONLY way the would never be able to own anything is if they are lazy.

It's bad out there, it's not defeating. Moving solves nothing it's just running away.

That is not completely true. I live in Fort Lauderdale and my water bill (sewer and garbage included) is around $100. a month. The tax millage here is about .25, as opposed to say Jackson county where it is .145 owner insurance is $4500. a year and going up. I was told by my agent my health insurance if I move to north Florida will drop for my wife and I by $200 a month. and my auto insurance will also go down. The cost of housing in others areas is lower, $200,000 buys you a great house on several acres in northern Florida, that is about the value of my guest cottage here.

There may be some sacrifices but there may also be a better quality of life in general especially if you have children. There are no guaranties what ever you do but if one feels they want to make change in their lives they can improve it possibly by just moving. To be honest, just selling my current house even at what would be a bargain I can buy as good if not better house somewhere else, pay cash and have hundreds of thousands left over.

[bamboosmom]

The area around the Peace River is beautiful!

[drvnmrscrazey]

It is really funny how those of us (florida natives)the ones that I know, want to move out of florida. I am looking in the chipley to montgomery area

[MiaDolFan]

It's bad out there, it's not defeating. Moving solves nothing it's just running away.

Probably the best advice I've seen given on this forum.
Personal deficiencies are gonna follow you anywhere--if you're a reject in Miami, you're gonna be a reject in Heehaw, Georgia also. And vice versa. I run into a number of Northerners who move down here hoping the sun and palm trees will change their ways.
Cheaper areas are cheaper for a reason--either worse location/weather or lower wages/low level jobs. Much of Florida is expensive because much of Florida is desirable. Desirable ain't cheap, and you get what you pay for.
So much posted here is "I can buy so much more house in XXX". Well duh! The three most important determinants of price are Location, Location, and Location. Don't fool yourself into thinking you won't be giving up something of value.

[LongIslander]

...the number one lesson I learned in economics was that you get what you pay for. Lesson number two, there are no free lunches. Only one thing holds true. If you were successful before (and I do not care where you lived), you will be successful again. A change of scenery can help, but it is up to you to change your fortunes... palm tress and beaches cannot do that, only you can.


P.S. For those who are only looking at the palm trees and beaches, and then are wondering why they cannot afford anything, perhaps are looking at the wrong things.