[D-R-B]

Originally Posted by MaineFirefighter

Yeah but when you have no quality of life and below zero and snow, Florida looks very good. Unless you are living under a rock, you would know the economy is the same everywhere. There is crime everywhere...even here in Portland Maine in the last year we have had a security guard at a hospital shot in the parking lot. People get shot all the time here now. Even 3-4 years ago you would never hear about anything like that happening here in Maine. Times are tough everywhere. Drugs are everywhere. The northeast is one of the most economically depressed areas in the country. Try Detriot...murders and closing auto plants.

The way I see it, if I am going to end up jobless and homeless anyway, it might as well be a place where the weather isn't going to kill me.

Seriously though, I do agree with the people who say don't move to Florida if you don't have a job lined up. But I would also say don't move anywhere if you don't have a job lined up...unless you are independently wealthy or retired and a job isn't necessary.

I love how people who have no idea what it's like to live with snow and below zero for 9 months of the year are telling people to stay and deal with this crap. I got a better idea...how about you leave the state you hate so much and come up here to the arctic tundra if you think life here is so much better?

The economy is not "the same everywhere" NOT EVEN CLOSE.

So does that mean that New York City is as bad as Flint, Michigan? NOPE.

Detroit is located NOWHERE NEAR THE NORTHEAST- check a map.

[D-R-B]

Originally Posted by MaineFirefighter

There is crime everywhere...even here in Portland Maine in the last year we have had a security guard at a hospital shot in the parking lot.

Gee, that sounds real bad.

That's like 15 minutes worth of news in Tampa/St. Pete or Miami.

[Retiredcoach]

I would love for my kids to have the opportunities that I had available to my generation (and me). I have/had to work very hard in the good jobs that grew into great careers. I am considered a valued employee, and in turn, I value and greatly respect my employer (despite our occasional disagreements) I have been a member of a union for most of my life, and because of this, I have been able to save for my kids' college educations, the weddings, and our retirement. I have been able to pay off all debt and own my homes and rental properties outright. I do not have to worry about health insurance for my family or me.

One of my best friends would like to retire after many years of working in Florida. His "pension" is the equity that he has in his rapidly devaluing house. He tells me that he does not have health insurance and is greatly worried that he will soon lose his job because of his age and cost.

Life in the Florida workforce is the antithesis of what I had/have available to me, and it appears that it will be considerably worse for the generation of my children. It has been said that "it is tough all over", but having and sustaining a job in Florida ( generally poor wages, security, opportunity, benefits) transitions from "tough" to "downright brutal".

[mhladik12]

As a Vermonter (we are very close to Maine and no where near Detroit since Detroit IS NOT a part of the northeast) I have to completely disagree with MaineFireFighter. Yeah, it's flippin' cold up here but this is the first few weeks where it's been below zero for any stretch of time. Winter is normal and natural for the northeast... if you haven't figured that out, perhaps it's time you move.

Also, real quick, since you seem to hate Maine so much perhaps you should change your name from MaineFireFighter to MaineHATER.

To the original poster, although I don't live in Florida, I would recommend staying away from Orlando and perhaps looking into moving to the Tampa area. Living expenses are very reasonable and depending on what you do for a living, finding a job shouldn't be too difficult if you give yourself plenty of time to job hunt before the big plunge. Also, the gorgeous ocean and beaches don't hurt...

[D-R-B]

Originally Posted by retiredcoach

i would love for my kids to have the opportunities that i had available to my generation (and me). I have/had to work very hard in the good jobs that grew into great careers. I am considered a valued employee, and in turn, i value and greatly respect my employer (despite our occasional disagreements) i have been a member of a union for most of my life, and because of this, i have been able to save for my kids' college educations, the weddings, and our retirement. I have been able to pay off all debt and own my homes and rental properties outright. I do not have to worry about health insurance for my family or me.

One of my best friends would like to retire after many years of working in florida. His "pension" is the equity that he has in his rapidly devaluing house. He tells me that he does not have health insurance and is greatly worried that he will soon lose his job because of his age and cost.

Life in the florida workforce is the antithesis of what i had/have available to me, and it appears that it will be considerably worse for the generation of my children. It has been said that "it is tough all over", but having and sustaining a job in florida ( generally poor wages, security, opportunity, benefits) transitions from "tough" to "downright brutal".

great post!

[D-R-B]

Originally Posted by mhladik12

As a Vermonter (we are very close to Maine and no where near Detroit since Detroit IS NOT a part of the northeast) I have to completely disagree with MaineFireFighter. Yeah, it's flippin' cold up here but this is the first few weeks where it's been below zero for any stretch of time. Winter is normal and natural for the northeast... if you haven't figured that out, perhaps it's time you move.

Also, real quick, since you seem to hate Maine so much perhaps you should change your name from MaineFireFighter to MaineHATER.

To the original poster, although I don't live in Florida, I would recommend staying away from Orlando and perhaps looking into moving to the Tampa area. Living expenses are very reasonable and depending on what you do for a living, finding a job shouldn't be too difficult if you give yourself plenty of time to job hunt before the big plunge. Also, the gorgeous ocean and beaches don't hurt...

Another GREAT post!

[TeeJayMaJay]

Ya know - you have to "EMBRACE" the area you live in- whether it is warm, sunny, cold, snowy, whatever! FL does have great winters (for us that is) but the summers are very muggy and hot. Sure they are hot and muggy eleswhere but for not as long as FL. That is the main culprit - the length of how long it stays hot here. But we head over to the ocean, walk it, take in the nice cool breezes and enjoy it - so you just have to find one's own "coping" mechanism. We just hated the cold and gray ...so we HAD to find sunshine.
In regards to the schools they are really doing well.... look at the latest rating: Flagler County Public Schools
There are many children here - we were building schools nearly one a year here until the economy took us back....there are many afterschool activities but NOT as many as I recall when I was a teacher in the Midwest. Not sure why? Budget perhaps. There are new businesses with after school activities but it does seem like not like it "used to be" up in the Midwest. Maybe they all go surfing more. In fact, I went out to the beach today (10 am) to walk it and there were over 30 surfers out there. It was chilly but with their full gear on I am sure they were ok, there were a lot of smiles!!.....fun to watch that, to think it is JAN 19 and there was sunshine and surfers. Like I said, just need to find out what ONE WANTS OUT OF LIFE and then go there and EMBRACE it! Have fun with it!

[valleygal]

We chose Palm Coast and are moving here in March, from Pittsburgh. We are renting first to make sure we like the area. We originally looked at Anastasia Island/Aug Shores but a nice sized house with the sq footage we are used to in the north was too expensive too epxensive to purchase, and home rentals were limited.

Other posters are right about the job market, it is tough right now. But that is balanced by the low cost of real estate. One thing we realized in our "check it out" trip is that it is too difficult finding a job when you don't live here. Many ads say right up front FL residents only, sow e said ok - we'll become Florida residents. And if that doesn't work, we'll open a business. There are many, many opportunities here in this growing area, and we can hardly wait to get here.

The only bright spot in the packing drugery is the Super Bowl: GO STEELERS!

[Liberty911]

Originally Posted by rpmx1000

We are a family of four from suburban Chicago. My wife hates bugs. Will this be a problem?

First or all my girlfriend is from Chicago and came here 8 years ago. She would never go back there and will never leave Florida.

As for the bugs, yes that will be a BIG problem. Your wife better get over it fast or don't bother coming to Florida - seriously! She will be miserable.

[beachmouse]

The bugs aren't as bad as some suggest. You just need a good Bug Guy to take care of the first 99% of them, and then be okay about squishing the odd roach that's ended up coming into your laundry room to die.