[TANaples]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Guess, what - go look on those forums where wages are supposedly "higher" - the residents admit they are but a starter home costs a mil or more! And gas, and everything else costs more in California.

Anyhow, I'm a native, my husband was born in the midwest, grew up in Belgium and has traveled all over the world and there is no place he would rather live than right here. Not saying everything is perfect here because it's not, it's not perfect anywhere. But for overall quality of life, for us it can't be beat.

for $475,000. The house next door to me here in Naples sold in June for $460,000. Please tell me how taking a major pay cut in Florida, as opposed to the almost double salaries in NY, is going to help paying for that house like that?

[Nomadicus]

FL is not Miami, Naples, Jacksonville, Tampa, St. Peterburg, Ocala, etc. FL is a lot more that just includes these places. True a lot of people do leave. If they didn't we would really be just that much more destructive of the wetlands and woods. So much of the native landscape around me has been bulldozed and now is more concrete and asphalt. The building bust is not all bad. There's a reason that land prices have risen so much and it's not because people are mass migrating from FL. I have friends who have left for NC, SC, TN, KY, AR, CO, etc. I too will retire to another place that has the things to offer that FL doesn't have but not because it's not a good place to live. I've seen recession first hand living in the indusrialized north and when it hits it hurts. I moved from MI back to FL when a recession hit once and went right to work making more than I could eak out in MI. It's a blessing to live in a country where you can locate and relocate until you find your dream. For some that may be impossible but still home is where the heart is. I truly believe that a lot of people come to FL thinking they will find paradise only to be bitterly dissappointed. It's not always for everyone. It's made up of sand, water, swamps, farms, concrete, etc. Just like most other places. The finer things of life in FL cost just like those in NY. I'm sure a lot of those in NY wouldn't give a hoot about living in NYC but love the upstate areas. Just my 3¢.

[Granny Sue]

I've come to the conclusion that there are some people that won't be happy where ever they go.
There are people who come to Florida thinking every day is going to be like going to Disney or a day at the beach.
When they find out that it really is the real world with real world problems they sulk and complain.
People do work here, they do make more than $8.00 per hour, they do live in nice houses and they do have money left over at the end of the paycheck.
And guess what?? We have the opposite also.....brace yourselves......like every other state.
I do feel for people that get excited about a whole new lifestyle and it doesn't work out. I've had this happen to me too. The difference was I didn't just sit around and complain, I did something about it. I either moved or made the best of it.

[mikey2]

Yes, those things are in almost every other state, HOWEVER... they are nowhere near the scale that they are in Florida.

People tend to believe what they want to believe... but that statement is just not true.

On a recent visit up north this is what my son (and others) told me:

1. Oil heat is $4.59 a gallon...people are fearful they won't be able to heat their homes. Many are scrambling to find wood or pellet stoves as alternatives.

2. The water authority in the region my son lives in was just approved a 30% (that would be THIRTY PERCENT) increase.

3. Electricity was approved a 20% increase.

4. There are no jobs anywhere. My coworker told me the Sunday paper had less than a page of help wanted ads. Years ago there would be 10 pages plus of ads.

5. Wages are not higher than Florida... if anything in many cases they are lower.

This is truely a National recession/depression and this winter is going to be ugly.

The only thing stopping more people from relocating is that 1. they can't sell their home up north, 2). They can't find a job down here (or wherever they might think of relocating).

For myself and my family, I'd agree with most of the posts... Florida is big and diverse (and has its share of problems) but the quality of life is better in Florida ... and my cost of living is much lower.

Mikey

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by mikey2

People tend to believe what they want to believe... but that statement is just not true.

On a recent visit up north this is what my son (and others) told me:

1. Oil heat is $4.59 a gallon...people are fearful they won't be able to heat their homes. Many are scrambling to find wood or pellet stoves as alternatives.

2. The water authority in the region my son lives in was just approved a 30% (that would be THIRTY PERCENT) increase.

3. Electricity was approved a 20% increase.

4. There are no jobs anywhere. My coworker told me the Sunday paper had less than a page of help wanted ads. Years ago there would be 10 pages plus of ads.

5. Wages are not higher than Florida... if anything in many cases they are lower.

This is truely a National recession/depression and this winter is going to be ugly.

The only thing stopping more people from relocating is that 1. they can't sell their home up north, 2). They can't find a job down here (or wherever they might think of relocating).

For myself and my family, I'd agree with most of the posts... Florida is big and diverse (and has its share of problems) but the quality of life is better in Florida ... and my cost of living is much lower.

Mikey

I agree with your post 100%. And people can and will believe what they want to believe.

[FLBob]

I love living in Florida. My wife and I quit corporate jobs and just moved to Naples in 93.
While vacationing in Florida the prior year, Johanne and I were standing on the beach. With a tear in her eye she turned to me and said "I don't want to leave". We went back to Maryland and started the process of relocating.
Life probably would have been easier had we stayed in the DC area. But we don't regret our decision. We've moved twice since we first arrived. First to Punta Gorda in order to live on the water and then to Venice to once again be near the beach.
Florida is a great place to visit, and a great place to live.
The diversity within the state keeps me here. Getting away from the tourist destinations, many of my days bring me joy.

[compelled to reply]

Where is the "it depends" option? Without that option, I am going to have to vote yes, even though I find it a decent place to live, only because it varies so much by individual.

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Where is the "it depends" option? Without that option, I am going to have to vote yes, even though I find it a decent place to live, only because it varies so much by individual.

Yeah, I thought about adding a third option such as this one, however, I wanted a more definite answer from forummers.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by Kali's Grandma

I've come to the conclusion that there are some people that won't be happy where ever they go.

Yes

Originally Posted by TriMT7

I think ideally I would like the snowbird lifestyle.... but if I never get to do that, I'm more than happy to live here.

Yeah, if I were rich, I'd probably spend every August in Maine.

Sure it's a bit weirder and hotter than most places.... but Florida, like the US, is a big state with an infinite different ways to live. It's problems can be found in many/most other states as well.

So true.
This is my 3rd summer here, and the second one in my new home.
I really love it.

[lilaclady]

Originally Posted by Rwarky

Native Floridians and Transplants, do you consider Florida a good or great place for a vacation or to visit, yet a bad place to live year-round?

My turn to answer even though I am late. I never visited Florida prior to moving here and I will never leave here.

I moved here to basically escape the cold. That one day in 1991 when the day time high was -18 I knew then it was time to pack up and leave.

It took me another 4 years but I did it and I don't regret it and if I had it to do all over again .. .. I'd have moved when I was 29, not 39

No more snow,ice,sleet,shoveling, starting the car 15 minutes before time to leave, scraping windshields etc.

Oh, I see I still remember it all too well.

Now it's sun, sand and beaches all year round' I'll never go back.
Some people say, don't ever say never.
When I say never, I mean never!!

Been there, done that, don't want the t-shirt.

I also want to add. The cost of living anywhere follows the pay scale.
My son lives in South Carolina and rents a 2 bedroom home with his friend.
The rent on that home is $450.00 a month. He makes less than $8.00 an hour.

I pay more rent on a one bedroom and I make, well .. .. .. .. more than he does.