[cadoavo]

On a more serious note, you Floridians get all those curvy figures to look at. Here in CA we really don't have that. As much as I like Mexicans, they don't have the same shape as your Cubans and South Americans. It almost makes me want to give up the perfect LA weather, but no.

[senea]

Interesting comments from everyone. I am Married with 2 young kids and I am trying to figure out where to live. From Sacramento, CA and hubby is in consulting industry so we can live most anywhere in Florida. I just want a place with real people, artsy ( we used to have a 2nd Saturday Art walk downtown Sac every month with Bands playin on the streets and Art vendors) Cool funky boutiques (Unique) Good food, all kinds!. Anyways, is there a place similiar here without going to the places where it is Spring Break designation for drunkin kids? Hey, I love a party and not nockin anyone but I got little kids and need a bit of some santuary to call home and a place to go and experience some diversity and fun. I can be happy pretty much anywhere. I found Florida's weather and house prices to be beneficial. In Sacramento, it is half a million for a good home in a cool area. I know we own one! (We didnt pay that much for it, we got it 7 years ago for half that price) We are currently in Jacksonville, Fl. Seems a bit shady and very spread out! When I turn a corner not sure if I am going to get shot or see a beautiful beach! I do like it here but it seems hit or miss on areas. I love St John's Town Center! Good food, nice outdoor shopping mall. Very neat! Still commercialized and I am more into the funky shops with high and low prices where you find unique items versus what everyone else has. Sooo we are going to Sarasota and towards Tampa to look for houses to rent. I don't really know what I am doing! Any Thoughts as to what might fit our lifestyle? BTW, Florida is pretty amazing when you grow up somewhere that only has one lake and it would cost you 2 million to live 3 miles away. Not such a good lake. I will miss waterskiing without worrying about the alligators

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by senea

Interesting comments from everyone. I am Married with 2 young kids and I am trying to figure out where to live. From Sacramento, CA and hubby is in consulting industry so we can live most anywhere in Florida. I just want a place with real people, artsy ( we used to have a 2nd Saturday Art walk downtown Sac every month with Bands playin on the streets and Art vendors) Cool funky boutiques (Unique) Good food, all kinds!. Anyways, is there a place similiar here without going to the places where it is Spring Break designation for drunkin kids? Hey, I love a party and not nockin anyone but I got little kids and need a bit of some santuary to call home and a place to go and experience some diversity and fun. I can be happy pretty much anywhere. I found Florida's weather and house prices to be beneficial. In Sacramento, it is half a million for a good home in a cool area. I know we own one! (We didnt pay that much for it, we got it 7 years ago for half that price) We are currently in Jacksonville, Fl. Seems a bit shady and very spread out! When I turn a corner not sure if I am going to get shot or see a beautiful beach! I do like it here but it seems hit or miss on areas. I love St John's Town Center! Good food, nice outdoor shopping mall. Very neat! Still commercialized and I am more into the funky shops with high and low prices where you find unique items versus what everyone else has. Sooo we are going to Sarasota and towards Tampa to look for houses to rent. I don't really know what I am doing! Any Thoughts as to what might fit our lifestyle? BTW, Florida is pretty amazing when you grow up somewhere that only has one lake and it would cost you 2 million to live 3 miles away. Not such a good lake. I will miss waterskiing without worrying about the alligators

I think you will love the Sarasota area. Very artsy town, lots of museums, great little downtown with unique shops and restaurants, but also has mainstream shopping as well. Several smaller colleges in the area as well. Included in Sarasota are the Keys - Siesta, Lido, Longboat and on up to Anna Maria Island. There is so much to love in this area. We just a bought second home here (we lived here many years ago, but it's SOOOO much better now!) They are building a huge mega-mall on the northside which is going to be fantastic - a lot of "green" elements included, little mini-parks a lake and even living roofs!

We also live in Lakeland and love it very much as well - it's a different feeling here - it is quiet, clean and beautiful, has the charm of a smaller town, but bigger city amenities. There are probably not enough funky shops here for you, though (although we do have great antique and gift shops and a GORGEOUS open-air mall) and it is not on the coast; although we have numerous beautiful lakes throughout the town.

My rec for you is Sarasota area. Have fun in your search!

[senea]

thanks for your suggestions. Any help is appreciated!

[sunnitb]

I lived in Florida off and on for the past 11 years and in various locations. I now live in S.C. in a relatively small town. Yes, Orlando, is a lot of traffic and high crime. But if you move out of Orlando, just 30-40 miles you end up in some nice, family communities with a decent crime rate and no traffice ( to speak of). I've lived in Fl, SC and Tn and find that all communities have their ups and downs. Like, for instance, TN and SC are just as hot and even hotter in the summer months than most of Florida. And the crime rate in my "small" town is very high. The winter months in Central and South Florida areas are amazing, if you don't like snow and ice. If you like to boat and be outdoors 12 months per year than Florida is the place for you. If you enjoy the cold and like being indoors then I do not recommend Florida. The schools are not the best but there are communities with good schools and some with bad schools; just like any city and any state. So to say that Florida is a "bad" place to live is just not true. I loved living in Orlando in the mid-90's but would not live in Orlando any more, due to crime. But Melbourne, Merritt Island, etc. are great areas and close enough to commute to Orlando. The bit about rude drivers is true but only in the cities. I lived in Brevard County and found a great sense of community and absolutely zero road rage.
So my advice about moving to Florida is to consider your lifestyle options and decide what is really important to you and your family.

[ambi007]

I attended a wonderful training seminar today dealing with affordable housing in Florida. (I work in a non-profit sector where most of our clients are near or below poverty level). We were given two websites that could be very useful to anyone looking to move to Florida or needing to relocate:

Affordable Rental Housing: Florida Housing Search - Socialserve.com 1-800-677-4548 English/Spanish

To rent or to own: The CEPR Housing Cost Calculator

We were also provided statistics of the counties that have the best ratios between wages and affordable housing: Holmes, Jefferson, Calhoun, Gadsen - I know I'm missing a few, but the general area seems to be in the Panhandle.

Hope this helps someone! I just wish I had information on employers that are hiring... ;-)

[Pizza Hun]

Originally Posted by ambi007

I attended a wonderful training seminar today dealing with affordable housing in Florida. (I work in a non-profit sector where most of our clients are near or below poverty level). We were given two websites that could be very useful to anyone looking to move to Florida or needing to relocate:

Affordable Rental Housing: Florida Housing Search - Socialserve.com 1-800-677-4548 English/Spanish

To rent or to own: The CEPR Housing Cost Calculator

We were also provided statistics of the counties that have the best ratios between wages and affordable housing: Holmes, Jefferson, Calhoun, Gadsen - I know I'm missing a few, but the general area seems to be in the Panhandle.

Hope this helps someone! I just wish I had information on employers that are hiring... ;-)

Loving the cost calculator, thanks!

[MichaelNYC]

Wanting to move to FLA with my Wife and new baby...
Plan to move down there in late '09 looking at the Treasure Coast
Rent before we own.

Question on this posting as well as others...
Way many people say the job market is bad in FLA ??

What job market are you referring to ??
Are you skilled craftsman.... plumbers, electricians, mechanics
Are you in the medical field... Dr's, nurses, pharmacists (which I am)
Are you teachers, laborers etc etc

What job market is depressed ?
Sounds with this posting as well as others here.. there is rampant unemployement ?

Just curious ..

Thanks

[marymoore]

FL is not that Bad?? I am a native? If you like theme parks, and beaches, it is well worth it, certain parts have bad traffic? the closer you are to torist area are worse. The pay is not great buy you can get by. Of course Ft. Lauderdale is one of the most expensive places to live. You can rent a decent place in central florida for about 550 a month, a really nice 2bed for about 800. Tampa is a slight more. about 600-650 for a decent area about a 1000 for a nice 2bed in a really nice neighborhood. All in all it is not that bad i know many people from other states and they love it here. The only bad bad about it is HURRICANE SEASON? Good insurance is all i can say. But you have to get points of views from all types, find out from natives, and others. but its up to you for your final decision.

[DDPandJPP]

Hello Everyone, We are moving to FL this spring. We have been living in the DC area for 12 years. I used to live in Daytona Beach for 10 years (middle school and high school included). I don't want to go back to my old life. I want to have new experiences with my family. Our requirements are that we live with in 30 minutes of an international airport, and be around diverse, educated people--and a beach would be nice! Some place with Character......We don't have to live in a McMansion neighborhood. We have been considering Cape Canveral, Melbourne, and Sarasota............any suggestions....??? Are there any places I should include in the search?