[observer]

Sunny dog,

Someone making $12.00 living as an independent adult(not living with mom or a roomate)I mean self supporting independent adult hoping to buy a home or even a condo cannot afford it in South Florida. Even a 1 bedroom condo in a half way decent neighborhood will cost at least $150,000. So someone making 12 an hour will earn about 1900-2000 a month before taxes.
So even with a low interest rate and minimum down, the mortgage will be about $1,000 a month, plus at least $200.00 in H/O association, plus property tax, plus bills. Get the picture. Listen, I am not trying to sound rude or negative, but one needs to see and understand the real picture and be realistic.

$12.00 may be enough to buy a nice condo and pay for the bills in some areas of this country. Unfortunately, South Florida is not one of those areas today.

[goldenpixie1]

I moved to South Florida from New York some time ago. Yes, it's really difficult to find a satisfying, well paying job here. It's near to impossible to find an apartment when you're only making $12.00 or less an hour. So I share a place. And I feel I keep more of what I earn here because there's no state and city tax. In NY, I would lose $450 a paycheck in state and city taxes on top of the federal tax.

I AM thankful that I don't have to worry about being blown up on the subway on my way to work each morning. (I've been evacuated from trains numerous times for bomb scares) I don't have to arrive at my place of employment and find police in full riot gear strolling the streets to "prevent anything from happening". (I worked near the twin towers and I vividly remember that day and also lost a co-worker in the collapse.)

I don't have to see drunks lying in doorways and on street corners. I no longer have to be standing in the train with people pressed against all sides of me because there are more people commuting by train than there are trains running. Forget getting a seat for your hour ride into the city.

And I'm thankful too that I don't have to shovel my car (that I would pay $2000 in insurance for and it was 20 years old!) out of the snow and then have it plowed under again by the sanitation's truck.....I don't have to try walking through knee-deep or higher snow at the corners of streets because while the roads are clear-ish for driving, they're horrible for walking...and I don't have to worry about falling on the ice and snow that half the homeowners don't bother to shovel off their property...Having dislocated my shoulder once this way...I'll be happy if I never see snow and ice again.



So all in all, whether or not Florida (or anywhere else in the world) works for you depends on what you're looking for or getting away from. There are tradeoffs everywhere.

[mrkool]

2 yrs in Tampa, 2 yrs in Jax. Had some good times in both, but don't miss the heat/humidity, and fairly bad crime and traffic.

[RAINBOWWAVES]

Yes you are so right...no INSPECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!! That in itself is worth every minute here! LOL...and yes, a permit to carry and have the same options as the criminal is worth it....I have a sign, it says, FORGET THE DOG, BEWARE THE OWNER!!! I adore sunshine and so this is the place to be...alot less suicides in the sunshine state!!! LOL...

[Jammie]

Interesting thread. I guess we can be thankful we don't have the interest rates of the 80s. I remember financing a car and having to pay 19% interest on it. We bought our home and financed it through the owner so I really can't remember what mortgage rates would've been in the 70s since he charged us very little interest.

One of the things that we have to remember when looking at what our ancestors achieved at young ages. They didn't have a lot of the expenses that we now have. We have washers, dryers, microwaves, colored tvs, VCRs, DVD players, computers, land phones plus cell phones, at least two vehicles, and the list goes on. Most of those things weren't even invented when our ancestors scraped and bought their homes and the things that were invented were considered luxuries and the average person had none of them. They actually were cautious about using electricity, gas for their vehicles, buying only necessities at the grocery store or clothing stores, etc. They were very conservative people and met their goals not only by working hard, but also giving up things in order to attain their homes.

[Tjam]

Originally Posted by mrkool

2 yrs in Tampa, 2 yrs in Jax. Had some good times in both, but don't miss the heat/humidity, and fairly bad crime and traffic.

were you ever mugged in fl. i wonder how many of the people talking about crime in fl were ever mugged. i've lived in philly for 20 years and never was the victim of a crime. and philly crime is higher than miami.
murder in 2004 for miami was 18 per 100,000 population for 68 murders total in miami population of 385k (2004).
robbery was 614 per 100,000 population for 2,333 roberies total in miami population of 385k. people are getting robbed but not many get killed in the process- only 68 murders. those probably did'nt want to give it up, like the man a month ago in coconut grove who resisted the robber and got shot. he was a tourist and didnt know he was in a bad part of town. people who stay away from the drug and gang areas, especially at night, are not likely to get mugged. and if stats for murders and other crimes were available by zip code i am sure that the low income zip codes will account for more than 2/3 of the crime. and subtract domestic dispute killings, gang on gang killings, drug related killings, and the number of crimes that are a real threat to general public will fall sharply.
in 2004 miami crime for murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault occured on only 17% of the population. i did not factor in burglary and auto theft because those can be easily avoided with the use of loud, inexpensive alarm devices that will send the would-be culprit beating a hasty retreat. personal alarm devices carried on a key chain or elsewhere on your person, will also send would be muggers and rapists fleeing. there is much that people can do to protect themselves and feel empowered as they go about in any big city. Moderator cut: [url]

[otrova]

We moved from Orange County CA in 1997. To Boca Raton, 1 hour north of Miami.

Great place to live! Much better that Laguna Hills, CA!! Now, after 9 years, we have 5 single family homes (4 rented), great jobs, great pay. The School our kids went (public) is also one of the best!

We moved 4 years ago to Parkland, South West of Boca Raton and love it!

Crime? none that we can see.

rds
otrova

[mk1116]

I live in the village of Wellington in Palm Beach County and I love it here. I am off the beaten path and the air is clean. Our schools are some of the best.
I don't think things are higher here then any other metropolitan area. The housing market is also not that bad if you consider what people in CA and NY pay. I think people who have lived here a while are looking at what it used to be before becoming so popular. Yes, I agree the wages are lower.
Winter in FL though is FABULOUS.

[LS1DAN]

Originally Posted by fladude

For all of those people who are considering moving here it's no longer the Sunshine state it use to be. Crime, Cost of living, Traffic is going through the roof. I moved to Central Florida when it was still a nice place to live (Just 8 years ago), but from what I hear the life is like up North. There is really not much difference except that it does not get cold and you don't get paid like you do up North. The dream is over and I am one of many who is getting out.

+1 also florida has a failing school system and highest dropout rate in the nation.

[LS1DAN]

Originally Posted by fdmedic39

Florida has the worst education as well as high taxes, insurance and high crime. The Cocane problem is out of control and it is now in the elementry schools. The weather conditions are getting worse as is the rate of electric. I own a home in Fla, N.C and just bought 22 acers of land with a 4 bedroom 2 bath farm house in Kentucky for 50,000 dollars. N.C is also flooded with Fla people which raised property.

well saiid i agree 100%.