[cityseeker]

Are there just too many growing problems in Florida to bother looking into it as a relocation state? Are the problems overstated? Understated maybe? Your thoughts?

[gypsychic]

Some folks here think they are overstated, but the fact is most are telling like it is. You can't judge just by what you read on a message board. The fact is, you can see by the postings here that there are plenty of real problems. You need to weigh the pros and cons of living here, and what is most important to you in a locale. Also, Florida is a big state, so it will really depend on where you want to live.

[Ladywithafan]

...as well as why Florida sucks....

In my opinion, our biggest issue is insurance and quality of living. I've been rich in Florida and now I'm not so rich....let me tell you...for the average Florida homeowner to remain able to go out once a week, attend an event, go to Disneyland, and or see a movie...it's just not as easy as it used to be....we are a retirement state and have always been...it's not happening for us here in Florida anymore and it upsets us...it's not like we want to complain, but times are tough!

now, with the hurricane issues, we are fighting for our lives to stay here & live. Many will not be able to raise their families here due to the possibility of continuous increases. Salaries do not rise with these increases and therefore people will be forced to sell if their budgets are blown....hurricanes are a given. Rebuilding is not....Should we bit hit this year with a big one, it bears to reason that insurance will do what? Go up more....

I've basically loved living in Florida, my children were born here, I built my home on Tampa Bay here, it's a wonderful thing to wake up and see Palm Trees and the sun shining beautifully......

I live where the Tropicana plant is...Bradenton....don't you know when I went in the store this morning they had raised all the Tropicana orange juice at least a dollar per/ 1/2 gallon, gallon...whatever the container size? Our other oranges have gone up 200% overnight...tomatoes went from 1.49/lb to 4.49/lb.....hello?

We do not live a consistent way of life anymore and people who come to move into Florida, especially, due to it's high transiency rate, need to realize that....it will be different, you may love it, you may hate it......it will never cease to surprise you....and, just make sure you keep all your important papers together in easy to carry plastic containers!

[RedWingsFan]

I was recently in your shoes. I was sitting across the country reading these boards and wondering if I should make the move to Florida. The thought of it excited me. We made the move a few months ago. Here's my assessment:

Florida is very nice. It's pretty and I like the weather and love the ocean. I've found the people here to be very friendly and the community to be nice as well.

The downside: the salaries are SO low! Then you add in the fact that you pay high homeowner's insurance rates (that can increase anytime) and high property taxes and it's a recipe for disaster. While we like it here we have decided we cannot stay and live a good life. The costs outweigh the salaries and benefits of living here. I can afford the house. But the cost of insurance and taxes is scary because there's no limit, they keep rising.

So are are planning on moving away next month. If the salaries were higher I think we would have given it a shot and tried it. But the salaries are awful.

[Chimpie]

A member in another thread posted:

There is no middle class...

That is true in many areas. Unless you own a business, or work in a business that caters to the wealthy, you will have a very hard time finding a job/career that makes enough money for you to live comfortably.

I recently took a retail manager's position in Sarasota. The money is reasonable, but there is no way that I could afford a house, or the insurance and taxes that go along with it. I consider myself very lucky that I have a girlfriend who I can spend my time with that also makes good money, and we have found a one bedroom/one bath condo that we rent from a friend of a friend ($800/mo). Back home in Evansville, Indiana that is a house payment plus money left over to buy a mower to mow our own lawn, something we can't do now, considering we don't even have a lawn (HA!).

At the rate that businesses pay we will never be able to own our own home, or even condo for that matter. We do, however, have an oppurtunity to take over a business that will allow us to do just that, plus some. Whether we want to take the risk at this point, I'm not sure.

[rperreta]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

I was recently in your shoes. I was sitting across the country reading these boards and wondering if I should make the move to Florida. The thought of it excited me. We made the move a few months ago. Here's my assessment:

Florida is very nice. It's pretty and I like the weather and love the ocean. I've found the people here to be very friendly and the community to be nice as well.

The downside: the salaries are SO low! Then you add in the fact that you pay high homeowner's insurance rates (that can increase anytime) and high property taxes and it's a recipe for disaster. While we like it here we have decided we cannot stay and live a good life. The costs outweigh the salaries and benefits of living here. I can afford the house. But the cost of insurance and taxes is scary because there's no limit, they keep rising.

So are are planning on moving away next month. If the salaries were higher I think we would have given it a shot and tried it. But the salaries are awful.

Oddly enough, I looked for a job on monster.com and careerbuilder and the salaries for what I do are 20k more than here in NY... What is your profession if you don't mind me asking...

-rich

[rperreta]

Originally Posted by Chimpie

A member in another thread posted:

That is true in many areas. Unless you own a business, or work in a business that caters to the wealthy, you will have a very hard time finding a job/career that makes enough money for you to live comfortably.

I recently took a retail manager's position in Sarasota. The money is reasonable, but there is no way that I could afford a house, or the insurance and taxes that go along with it. I consider myself very lucky that I have a girlfriend who I can spend my time with that also makes good money, and we have found a one bedroom/one bath condo that we rent from a friend of a friend ($800/mo). Back home in Evansville, Indiana that is a house payment plus money left over to buy a mower to mow our own lawn, something we can't do now, considering we don't even have a lawn (HA!).

At the rate that businesses pay we will never be able to own our own home, or even condo for that matter. We do, however, have an oppurtunity to take over a business that will allow us to do just that, plus some. Whether we want to take the risk at this point, I'm not sure.

See now I don't understand that... My close and dear friend moved from NY with nothing but his car, wife and 6 kids to West Palm Beach. He was hired by Rent-A-Center as a delivery guy. After 1 year he was able to buy a house! There is no way you could do that here in NY! Now he's working for some tax company tracking down tax debt and is doing very well. He has since sold and relocated to port st. lucy.

Another story, My wifes best friend Carmen moved to Lakeland because she just couldn't do anything right here in NY. She's working in Geico as a customer service rep. She has 3 kids and just closed on a house 3 months ago with no help from the loser dad! How can that be? I'm confused...

[Chimpie]

Originally Posted by rperreta

See now I don't understand that... My close and dear friend moved from NY with nothing but his car, wife and 6 kids to West Palm Beach. He was hired by Rent-A-Center as a delivery guy. After 1 year he was able to buy a house! There is no way you could do that here in NY! Now he's working for some tax company tracking down tax debt and is doing very well. He has since sold and relocated to port st. lucy.

Another story, My wifes best friend Carmen moved to Lakeland because she just couldn't do anything right here in NY. She's working in Geico as a customer service rep. She has 3 kids and just closed on a house 3 months ago with no help from the loser dad! How can that be? I'm confused...

I'm confused too. As a customer service rep, what is she making a year? 28k? 30k? 35k? And how much was her house?

Good condition condos here in the Sarasota, East Manatee, Lakewood Ranch areas start at 180k and go to 220k to 250k. Brand new condos are way overpriced at 275k-300k. Good condition homes in this same area are usually around 200k -250k, and again, brand new homes are overpriced at 250k-350k. Add that to raising three kids, I don't know how she can afford to do it either, but I'm glad Florida has worked out for her.

[forgottenbutnotlost]

I have lived in florida all my life and i have struggled as a single parent and it was hard but i made it through and that was back in the '90's. However you have two parent families struggling to make ends meet today,and most people we know make about 75,000-90,000 a year combined.Don't get me wrong, florida is great if you want to go to the beach for the day or hang out at the parks. Financially unless you are rich it will be a struggle to find affordable housing or insurance. Even utilities in some areas have insanely rose.Most people in our area pay about 300-350 for electric a month.The thing is the cost of living is not proportionate to the pay rate.

[ElkHunter]

Oh crap. I gotta move to Pensacola. I currently live in Wyoming and love the mountains, and I know that Florida has hills that are 4 or 5 feet tall. I'll miss the snow. But I will get a pay check and be able to put beans and weanies on the table. I'm here to tell you that beans and weanies are important. haha