[backtofla]

and take the other northerners down here with you!!! well, not all...just the ones who complain and say, "this isnt the way we did it up north, " and all that crap. please. i know some of you are from ny/up north, and i am not speaking to you all if you are on here for reasons other to complain... but enough is enough already. i am sorry fla has to much traffic, it's too hot, the jobs dont pay well, and housing prices are through the roof. my suggestion to those complaining and doing nothing about it:move to a small town, in northern fla, be your own boss, and build your own house...

ps- you never heard of portable trailers in schools??? they are everywhere, not just fla.

[bamboosmom]

Hey Smokey, are you kidding?????
Me a realtor??? Ha...I own my own company, thank you very much!
We are videographers and also sell products on line to other videographers worldwide. Not a realtor at all. Seems like you need to just go to where you will be happy. Why sit around and sulk???

Gosh, like I said, you can pick up and go anywhere in this country. Nobody is stopping us from leaving wherever.
I don't know what people are looking for in housing, but there are affordable homes where I am. Just look in the local papers. Some starting in the low $100's. You don't have to be a realtor to look in a paper or online and see homes that can be purchased for a reasonable price.

So, if you think I am a realtor then look me up...you won't find my name anywhere in any office. Just telling the facts of how many people feel living in Florida. Some people just won't be happy no matter where they live, period.

Also, I don't have to pay to go to the parks in Punta Gorda. We enjoy the sunsets, the dolphins, manatees, turtles, etc. There are many places where you can just enjoy the beauty of Florida. Remember, it's a big state and all who are crying about how they don't like it, must be openminded and check out other areas of Florida too. The Peace River is just what it's called. Peaceful and beautiful. I never had to pay to go and sit and enjoy it either.
SW Florida has alot of wonderful hiding places that you can enjoy. Please, if you are so miserable here then go home wherever that may be. Nobody is stopping you. There are many people that can afford the great Florida Lifestyle. Even if you can't have the biggest house or the most expensive cars, you can still live in Florida if you want to. You need to look for a home that is not beyond your means. Plain and simple. If somebody wants something badly enough, they will do whatever it takes to get it.
Stop knocking Florida if you haven't been to every single town, city, etc. to see the different amenities that they have.

[RAINBOWWAVES]

We don't have any pay parks here either...everything is free free free! At least the air in Fl is pure still, not toxic wastes and acid rain. I especially like the gun laws here, at least one can defend ones self and property. Fl is brutal on pediphiles and no homo marriages are allowed. Florida has the best weather...sun, sun and more sun. Until northers started coming here in droves, the price of lots and houses were unbeatable....this is Heaven..no matter what.

[bamboosmom]

People that don't like it, can leave...are we holding them down, saying
"stay, please stay!" No...
So why not stop B * * * *ing Rymes with Itching... LOL

[ready2move]

Originally Posted by RAINBOWWAVES

and no homo marriages are allowed.

Is that wording really necessary?

[smokytbear]

To all,

It is amazing what a few comments from an “outsider” can bring to light. I learned that visits to STATE parks and recreational areas are free! Those people at the pay booths must have been scam artists. I can also buy a HOUSE for 100k. This is all so amazing to me. And this is precisely the information that “northerners” need to be aware of.

Listen, none of what I have said is, or was, meant to offend. I’m just tired of all the deceit by omission dished out by the media and apparently by many of the folks on this board. It is true that one man’s prize is another’s garbage. But before one chooses, the information gathered should be current, complete and accurate. It is one thing for an individual or family to undertake a major life change such as moving when all the facts presented or discovered are accurate. It’s quite another when these decisions are made on hearsay, misleading data or omitted information.

I agree with backtofla when he said that “fla has to much traffic, it's too hot, the jobs don’t pay well, and housing prices are through the roof”. But I’m making the best of it while I can. It’s not been all doom and gloom. I met the woman of my dreams here, and hopefully one day we’ll be gassing up my vehicle and heading north on I-95.

[bamboosmom]

Smokey, good for you. Hopefully you will find your perfect place.
If you choose not to purchase a home in the low $100's that's your choice.
I still haven't seen any toll booths at the parks where I am. You picked the wrong part of Florida, my friend.

[pslOldTimer]

Originally Posted by smokytbear

...I learned that visits to STATE parks and recreational areas are free! Those people at the pay booths must have been scam artists.

Good sarcasm. Look, folks, smokey is correct on this. Folks are talking about different kinds of parks. Most city parks, for example, are free. In my experience, county parks are about 50/50 on fees. But, most state parks charge a fee. Google "Florida State Parks"; the first link that comes up is the official link for the state parks department. There is a list of districts. Click on a district (I chose "Southeast" because that's where I live).

There are 24 state parks in the SE district. One is listed as free; it's the newest one, and I suspect they will add fees when it becomes better known. The rest either have a specific fee schedule listed, or say, "Please call park office". I know for a fact that several of the "Please call" parks have fees because I've paid them, so I have to assume that all of them are fee-based, or they would say they were free. The "Please call" is most likely because the fees change seasonally.

The fees are not always high; I saw $3 per car load, $1.50 per person, and one park in Stuart accessible only by boat that charges $2.00 per boat load. You can also by a year-long park pass that gets you into most parks for no additional charge.

Some of these parks are really tough. We drove into Sebastion Inlet State Park one time to take a look at the camping sites; they wouldn't let us in, even for twenty minutes, unless we paid the day fee. We refused and left. A few days later, we were in the vicinity again, and tried again. Different ranger; she let us drive in for a quick look. Nice place; I plan to take the RV there one of these days.

Do the search yourselves, look up the parks in your section of the state, and let me know if they're all free -- I think you'll be surprised if you think they are.

[elfyum]

Um, is there anything that's free?! Of course the state parks aren't free! Neither are national parks! Do you pay for tv? Do you pay for movies? Do you pay for internet? I GLADLY support my state & national park systems! What's the prob?

Also smokey-dude! Do your research, make your decisions & that's that! Why do you think people on this board have "hidden agendas"?! I guess a few here & there are realtors, but most of us are just people who like to shoot the sh@%!

Oh, and a big to rainbow!!! C'mon! "homo"?! That's quite juvenille! I suppose you use other derogatory names as well. Please refrain from insults-this is a place for FRIENDLY discussion/debate/chit chat etc.!
Thank you!

[RAINBOWWAVES]

I take it there are a couple of libs here. I call a spade a spade and i enjoy being honest. I don't see shortening the word homosexual as being derogatory in any way and the last i looked, i have freedom of speech and if i choose to shorten a word, i will, whether it makes someone "MAD" or not. I also don't appreciate the insinuation that i use "other" words. Homo is an accepted usage of expression as is redneck, hillbilly and so forth. So get off the lib high horse.