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My husband and I are in our late 20s/early 30s and we've been considering a move from NJ to Florida for about 2 years now. Like gatorblueyes, we're looking for a "younger" area, preferably near the beach. I see that some have mentioned Delray Beach. I have a couple of questions if anyone would be so kind as to offer some advice. We do not have jobs or family in Florida. We prefer the Southeast Coast. We love South Beach, but are well-aware that the average person can not afford to live there, but we like that sort of a place, with an active, walkable, downtown, lots of entertainment options and a fairly active nightlife. Also, we definitely need to be in an area with a good job market. I work as an Executive/HR Assistant, my husband works in the casino industry, but has restaurant experience. Can anyone recommend some areas based on this? I've been reading the posts on the Florida forum long enough to know that Florida has some problems, particularly with affordability and cost of living vs. salaries. What would be helpful to us in making the decision to come to Florida is... how much would you estimate a working couple with no children yet, but the intention of having them would need to make annually to support an average lifestyle? By average I mean that we'd rent initially, but we'd eventually want to purchase a home, probably a small 3/2 home since it would be our first home purchase. We don't need to be in an exclusive, gated community. We do not need to have all the top of the line amenities and upgrades in the home. It can be in an area where the homes may be older or need some cosmetic work, but will still be a good investment. All we really insist on is that it's an area where you can safely get out and walk your dog, even in early evening and it's close enough to entertainment and jobs not to make for a dreadful commute each time you need to get out in the car.
Basically the main 2 questions are:
1) what areas do you recommend for a couple like us; and
2) what do you think would be the minimum income we'd need to make as a couple to be comfortable?
Ditto on Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Ft Lauderdale is much bigger, more bigger city issues etc. Once again, the rule of thumb, is the more eat you get the more expensive. (was not like that years ago when many people were moving way out west)
Boca is fairly wealthy, but has many middle class areas and is very nice. Delray, near i-95 is yucky, well most parts of SE Florida is not nice along the highway. However, Downtown Delray has gotten many awards for beautification and such. The neighborhoods surrounding downtown are mostly restored houses that were once quite cheap. Now, it is expensive. Downtown Boca (used to really not be a real one) is now booming, so I think it's a great area to look at.
Where did you get the $60k - $70k salary range? That seems awfully high for a recent grad. Is that a FL estimate? Have you looked at MonsterJobs or CraigsList to know IF you can make that kinda cash down here??
Enjoy the beach during the upcoming hurricane season and enjoy paying between $6,000 - $12,000 year on homeowner's insurance.
You will have plenty of money to buy sodas and enjoy at the beach after paying all that!
Wow what a positive post lol...and I have researched the salary range for my profession. The least I will make is $60,000. I will be a mid level practicioner and if I specialize, which I intend to do, I will make more according to specialty but thank you for your concern.
I don't want to live ON the beach for sure. Just close enough to get to it when I want. I don't mind hurricane season. I have lived in florida and coastally for almost 20 years so I know what it entails.
I gather you didn't completely read all of my posts but that is ok. I appreciate your input!
To apply your recommendations for salary searches here is a monster example...and this is for a bachelor's degree. I will be finishing my master's in June.
http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=55779164&JobTitle=Physician's+Ass istant&fn=2990&q=Physician+Assistant&lid=378&cy=us &vw=b&AVSDM=2007-04-02+09%3a51%3a00
Generally I stick to salary.com and payscale.com as well as the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants as they have the salary info I need and many jobs are posted through the AAPA and FAPA.
Next time nirvana-guy please feel free to answer my questions instead of insinuating that I don't know what I am talking about. Thanks
Last edited by gatorblueyes; 04-02-2007 at 04:14 PM..
Are you looking to buy or rent initially gatorblueyes? If you're going to rent no sense in worrying about HOI!!!
Well buying right after graduation isn't a likely possiblity although I wish it could be. If I get a job in certain areas, I will be able to live with friends for a short while so I can save to buy. If not, I will have to rent until I get myself settled. Eventually I would like to own a home though.
Wow what a positive post lol...but thank you for your concern.
gatorblueyes, you will learn that people who have not acheived cannot figure out how others do it.
I agree with your decision to not return to St. Lucie County right now, although I disagree with your stated reason. No other area in Florida can keep their infrastructure up with the population growths, either -- that's why there is so much road construction in Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsboroigh and Pinellas counties, for example, all places you mentioned.
I don't think you would be any more comfortable in Martin County, either, at least judging by your stated interests ("...options for entertainment/enrichment (theatre, jazz fests, outdoor activities) and access to the water for fishing/scuba/boating.") You might actually be more comfortable in Fort Pierce than in Martin County when it comes to jazz or theater, now that the Sunrise Theater is renovated, but if I were your age, I'd want to be somewhere in southern Palm Beach County. Likewise boating is better in Fort Pierce than Martin County because the inlet is safer, but the water is much more clear for diving from Palm Beach south, and I think the boating is probably better.
My son, who is 36 and single, has almost the same interests and chooses to live in Boynton Beach. He rents an apartment in a complex on Gateway Blvd. He makes a little more than your initial expectations (with which I agree) and has no problems affording anything in the area. He grew up in St. Lucie County, also, although there is probably just enough difference in ages that you didn't know each other. He was in the last class of Port St. Lucie seniors to graduate from FP Central, just as PSL HS opened. He spent one year in college in NC, then transferred and graduated from Stetson U. From you login name, I have to assume you went to UF...bet they made you happy, last night.
gatorblueyes, you will learn that people who have not acheived cannot figure out how others do it.
I agree with your decision to not return to St. Lucie County right now, although I disagree with your stated reason. No other area in Florida can keep their infrastructure up with the population growths, either -- that's why there is so much road construction in Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsboroigh and Pinellas counties, for example, all places you mentioned.
I don't think you would be any more comfortable in Martin County, either, at least judging by your stated interests ("...options for entertainment/enrichment (theatre, jazz fests, outdoor activities) and access to the water for fishing/scuba/boating.") You might actually be more comfortable in Fort Pierce than in Martin County when it comes to jazz or theater, now that the Sunrise Theater is renovated, but if I were your age, I'd want to be somewhere in southern Palm Beach County. Likewise boating is better in Fort Pierce than Martin County because the inlet is safer, but the water is much more clear for diving from Palm Beach south, and I think the boating is probably better.
My son, who is 36 and single, has almost the same interests and chooses to live in Boynton Beach. He rents an apartment in a complex on Gateway Blvd. He makes a little more than your initial expectations (with which I agree) and has no problems affording anything in the area. He grew up in St. Lucie County, also, although there is probably just enough difference in ages that you didn't know each other. He was in the last class of Port St. Lucie seniors to graduate from FP Central, just as PSL HS opened. He spent one year in college in NC, then transferred and graduated from Stetson U. From you login name, I have to assume you went to UF...bet they made you happy, last night.
Hello! I guess what I was really meaning by infrastructure too for PSL was a lack of a true "downtown" and I also question the job market there as the influx of people has grown. Although I am just guessing really because I haven't been back in a while and I have heard St. Lucie west is just growing by leaps and bounds now.
Thank you so much for the input regarding my intrests. That is very helpful and a big part of my consideration. I do have family in Boynton but they seemed to want to steer me away from Boynton giving me the impression that they don't like the area for young singles (they are settled and rasing a family with three children). Has your son indicated either way how he feels about the social scene there?
I was a John Carroll graduate. I lived in N. PSL near 25th Street off of Airoso blvd (??) and I think I was zoned for Central so my parents stuck me in JCHS. I love UF and it has only gotten better with academics and sports. I was very happy although I am a football girl through and through...Go Gators!
Hello! I guess what I was really meaning by infrastructure too for PSL was a lack of a true "downtown" and I also question the job market there as the influx of people has grown.
You are rigtht to question the job market, but not for your profession -- anything health-related is going to do very well just about anywhere in Florida. My DW is a home health physical therapist, and it's been very rewarding.
As for the lack of a true downtown, that's an interesting point. The city was designed to be "inside out", with the residents at the center and various commercial businesses on the fringes. It's a valid point for debate, but considering the econimic state of many downtown areas, I don't miss it.
What we do NOT have is enough culural "stuff". However, the city is rectifying that by constructing what they consider to be a downtown, called "City Center", in the area of the old Village Green shopping center, which has been demolisihed. When complete, it is supposed to be on the order of City Place in West Palm Beach. The first building under construction is a performing arts center. The new Crosstown Parkway will "land" in that area at the east end and go all the way past I-95 at the west end, tying the entire city together for the first time.
As for my son, his position originally involved management in Boynton Beach. In the past couiple of years, he has moved to a North Palm Beach office, and recently added a Port St. Lucie office. He owns a home in Port St. Lucie (which he rents out), and I wondered if he was considering a move back to PSL. Instead, he renewed his lease in Boynton Beach, even though it's not really close to either office he manages. I don't think it's specifically because of any great social scene in Boynton, so much as it's because Boynton is perhaps a little less expensive, yet is in between Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
All I know for sure is that he was stuck with a couple of old high school friends in PSL and they mostly sat around, but has made tons of friends and is always on the go down south. Bad for me, because I'd like him to settle down and produce more grandchildren...
Have they demolished Beall's Outlet and Dollar General yet along with the rest of Village Green?! I sure hope they get around to doing that, lol, as those aren't the best anchors for a revitalized town center, in my opinion! (My mother used to buy basically all my school clothes at Beall's Outlet when I was younger... so many bad memories, lol).
I think a lot of young people like gatorblueeyes and myself who grew up and went to school in St. Lucie County (I went two years at Ft. Pierce Central and graduated from St. Lucie West Centennial thankfully) and then go "off" to college resist coming back to Port St. Lucie (or "The Pizzle" as the young people often call it) for a variety of reasons. I don't know a single person who left for college that wants to go back to PSL..... but I know many who want to come back to the area generally and will settle anywhere around it! Maybe it's rebellion!!
Shame, too, I think, because cost of living is cheaper there than points South! Maybe when we all get older and want to start families or something!
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