[SunBug]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days90

What reason could you give that you ended up in Lakeland if you do not mind sharing. It is nice to know how others picked the towns they moved to.

For me, Lakeland is close to work, close to Orlando's and Tampa's attractions, and a reasonable drive to the beach. The part I'm in is quiet, the rent isn't too bad, and alot of good fortune led us here.

I'll admit that we wanted to be in FL in general, but the right conditions for us back in NY to leave at that time, and the work and house presented themselves at just the right time, so in a cosmic sorta way, Lakeland picked us.

[Sunny-Days90]

Originally Posted by SunBug

For me, Lakeland is close to work, close to Orlando's and Tampa's attractions, and a reasonable drive to the beach. The part I'm in is quiet, the rent isn't too bad, and alot of good fortune led us here.

I'll admit that we wanted to be in FL in general, but the right conditions for us back in NY to leave at that time, and the work and house presented themselves at just the right time, so in a cosmic sorta way, Lakeland picked us.

Thanks for sharing. Lakeland picked us is a great line.

Glad things worked out well for you.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days90

Won't need employment in Florida and we want to be in the heat.

Our situation exactly. My husband has been retired since November of 2006 (I told him to put his papers in the day I lost my mother -- he worked in a hellhole of an inner-city supermarket, and was miserable, and having health problems from working in a freezer most of his life -- I wasn't about to lose him, too), and I have 41 calendar days/14 working days left until I am no longer a municipal employee (after 31 years, 9 months, and 4 days -- but who's counting?).

We're both in our 50s (with pensions), and we can't wait to go. No more snow, no more frigid air that freezes your sinuses the second you walk out the door and makes your back feel like there are knives stabbing into it from your neck to your tailbone.

Now all we need is a house. The two houses I found on the Internet are both marked as sale pending, but I'm sure there's a house out there that meets our specs (Central Florida, larger lot, not in a community with a restrictive HOA, no CCD/amenity fees, paved roads, at least 3 bedrooms). I'm heading down in 10 days to look around with an agent.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by SunBug

Check out what contracts you're going to break by moving (cell phones, DirecTV, Propane, etc.) Some companies, like DirecTV, are going to bend-you-over-the-counter and you already agreed to it. Plan for it, and it will go smooth.

You don't have to break your contract with DirecTV -- you can bring your receivers and have a new dish installed. The information is on their website.

Before you go, talk to your cell provider. My contract has another year to go, since my husband got a new phone late last winter, and I've already called them (AT&T). They told me that if I have no service in the new area, I can get out of the contract with no problems.

Get a place with a pool if you can. It's a cheap place to hang out after school or work.

And almost a necessity in summer, from what I've heard.

[Js81]

Shoot, even moving locally can cost a fortune! My wife and I moved 3 MILES when we bought our house and it still cost us over $600 (for a one-day, in town truck rental, hookups, etc.). Even though I am crazy-excited to move to Florida some day, the cost of the move terrifies me.

[Sunny-Days90]

Originally Posted by Js81

Shoot, even moving locally can cost a fortune! My wife and I moved 3 MILES when we bought our house and it still cost us over $600 (for a one-day, in town truck rental, hookups, etc.). Even though I am crazy-excited to move to Florida some day, the cost of the move terrifies me.

I know it does, can be scary but in the end it will be worth it.

I can see us with 3 of the largest U-hauls running down the highway heading to Florida full of our stuff and the cost will be crazy. I will not use a moving company!

But you know what, we are heading to Florida no matter the cost of moving. Or I will have one huge yard sale!

All we need is the clothes on our back, personal mementos and the kids stuff anyway.

Tanks and flip flops is all we will need. Besides I am thinking of ditching all my furniture for the all new tropical island look you cannot buy in Ohio.

It will pay for itself 10 fold in time to have a real life in Florida!

* Edited to add, someone posted in another thread Ohio gets 136 days of sunshine per year.
I see it the other way around, we get 229 days of pure gray skies and boring days with nothing but clouds.

A day without sunshine is a day without a smile!

[mango23]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days90

I know it does, can be scary but in the end it will be worth it.

I can see us with 3 of the largest U-hauls running down the highway heading to Florida full of our stuff and the cost will be crazy. I will not use a moving company!

But you know what, we are heading to Florida no matter the cost of moving. Or I will have one huge yard sale!

All we need is the clothes on our back, personal mementos and the kids stuff anyway.

Tanks and flip flops is all we will need. Besides I am thinking of ditching all my furniture for the all new tropical island look you cannot buy in Ohio.

It will pay for itself 10 fold in time to have a real life in Florida!

* Edited to add, someone posted in another thread Ohio gets 136 days of sunshine per year.
I see it the other way around, we get 229 days of pure gray skies and boring days with nothing but clouds.

A day without sunshine is a day without a smile!

It is fun to go to garage sales down here. You find loads of winter cloths and winter coats people brought with them. They may have paid like $300.00 for a coat they can't get $10.00 for at their garage sale. Even business men often don't ware business suits. I go to my attorneys office and he is sitting there in a tennis outfit. It is a different culture and one that can be fun to get used to. I love the tropical stuff. My wife is very colorful in the way she dresses. And yes, most of my shoes are sandals. I love Earth shoes. In fact if you are in a store and look down, you would be hard pressed to see a closed pair of shoes on anyone beyond maybe a sneaker. I haven't worn anything but shorts in maybe 40 years. I think you will fit right in.

[OrlandoRE_Miracle]

I'd worry about the many scam moving companies out there than the cost, if I were doing a long distance move.

Originally Posted by Js81

Shoot, even moving locally can cost a fortune! My wife and I moved 3 MILES when we bought our house and it still cost us over $600 (for a one-day, in town truck rental, hookups, etc.). Even though I am crazy-excited to move to Florida some day, the cost of the move terrifies me.

[OrlandoRE_Miracle]

If my career involved working in a freezer I'd want to move to Florida as well. I did that for a while when I worked at a fast food restaurant a long time ago.

Originally Posted by KathyA11

Our situation exactly. My husband has been retired since November of 2006 (I told him to put his papers in the day I lost my mother -- he worked in a hellhole of an inner-city supermarket, and was miserable, and having health problems from working in a freezer most of his life -- I wasn't about to lose him, too), and I have 41 calendar days/14 working days left until I am no longer a municipal employee (after 31 years, 9 months, and 4 days -- but who's counting?).

We're both in our 50s (with pensions), and we can't wait to go. No more snow, no more frigid air that freezes your sinuses the second you walk out the door and makes your back feel like there are knives stabbing into it from your neck to your tailbone.

Now all we need is a house. The two houses I found on the Internet are both marked as sale pending, but I'm sure there's a house out there that meets our specs (Central Florida, larger lot, not in a community with a restrictive HOA, no CCD/amenity fees, paved roads, at least 3 bedrooms). I'm heading down in 10 days to look around with an agent.

[TANaples]

When the winter nights and early mornings get down into the 40s and 50s, only tourists and die hard transplants walk around in shorts and flip flops. No, you don't need down with those temps, but most of the natives and transplants of many years ARE wearing parkas, hats, and gloves. I guess the Florida weather must have thinned their blood.

Maybe this is a "negative" post to those on this thread, but it is the truth. No point in perpertuating a myth that it NEVER gets "cold" in Florida and you will never have to wear anything BUT shorts and flip flops.

But thanks anyway for the tip on the winter gear. Never thought about garage sales to find winter clothes. I remember Walmart selling parkas, but didn't see them this year.