[SF2FLL]

I have been looking through these posts and wow, what almost hatred for Florida! I guess I'm at a loss as to how so many people don't have anything better to do than complain about a place where so many people enjoy to live.

There are complaints about traffic: You have traffic everywhere you go, NY, SF, LA, Boston!

It costs so much to live there: I currently live in San Francisco and let me tell you, Florida is much cheaper than the Bay Area!

The weather: WHY DID YOU MOVE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Florida is a good place to live for some people and for others its not, please stop bashing Florida and let the rest of us enjoy it! (When we get there)

(I'll gladly take your place in the Sunshine!)

[ellie]

A lot of the complaints are facts. A large number of the problems in Florida have been compounded by population growth. The more people who move here, the worse it will get.

The Bay area is expensive, but must be worth it, or people wouldn't pay the price.

[mcbadhair]

i think most of this hatred stems from people moving from the northeast because they were tired of same conditions(traffic crime etc..) and now they are having the same problems again. They moved to florida to remove themselves from all this and now all these florida cities are have big time growing pains.

[SF2FLL]

Originally Posted by ellie

A lot of the complaints are facts. A large number of the problems in Florida have been compounded by population growth. The more people who move here, the worse it will get.

The Bay area is expensive, but must be worth it, or people wouldn't pay the price.

The Bay Area is worth the cost, for awhile, just not long term (for me). I took a few months off last year and lived in South Florida and absolutely loved it, hard to say goodbye to the Bay Area, but I guess its time for Florida to add one more to "Population Growth"

(Note: New resident will work and will not use Public services )

[riverviewnative]

I was born here and love it. I hate what the government has allowed the developers to do to it. It is not the people moving here that are the main problem. If the money hungery county would not let builders put 6 houses on an acre of land it would be much better.

[OREGONRAIN]

I noticed all the complaints myself, and it does make it difficult for people that may be researching the state and think about relocating there. I also noticed when I visited there, many of the problems are well founded. Not everyone can afford to move to fla any longer, and perhaps that was intended I don't know. From the lack of infrastructure and overpopulation, maybe fla needs to take a rest from growth and catch up with itself. I know wishful thinking, people will still come and still complain, but there are alot of good things about fla, but I think alot of us have to put relocating there on hold for awhile and see how things are going to go there for awhile.

[jhlcomp]

You are quite right - this forum has it's share of complainers and in some respects I think they enjoy complaining for complainings sake. However, at the same time, some of that isn't without good reason because of our increase in taxes and homeowners insurance. Salaries are low and not catching up to the cost of living - a common problem in other states as well - historically a given in Florida.

You've read the various posts and are now armed with the pros and cons of living here. We enjoy living here and find that trips to see the mountains, other parts of the US and Europe provide the "fix" we need.

We are very concerned about the insurance rates. We now pay $8765 a year.

Regarding property tax. For those of us who purchased our homes many years ago we are finding ourselves "trapped" in that we can not afford to purchase another home of similiar value due to the taxes. Example: current taxes $3700 if we now moved to a home of comparable value of $650000 = $12928 in taxes.

Please remember that I live in south Florida. Still - we enjoy living here. Good luck in your move and enjoy your life here!!

[riverviewnative]

Now you are just the type of person that we would love to have move here. Someone that takes a real look at things and sees more than just sunshine. If you are not here all ready get packin and come on down.

Originally Posted by OREGONRAIN

I noticed all the complaints myself, and it does make it difficult for people that may be researching the state and think about relocating there. I also noticed when I visited there, many of the problems are well founded. Not everyone can afford to move to fla any longer, and perhaps that was intended I don't know. From the lack of infrastructure and overpopulation, maybe fla needs to take a rest from growth and catch up with itself. I know wishful thinking, people will still come and still complain, but there are alot of good things about fla, but I think alot of us have to put relocating there on hold for awhile and see how things are going to go there for awhile.

[riverviewnative]

It it they way that the goverment has sold out to the developers and there is no ballance to anything here any more. As you state the taxes and insurance are insane. Yea we have sunshine and always have had it. Now we see our lifestyle and way of living going down the toilet and are supposed to be happy about it. Four years ago it took us five minutes to get to town. Not it can take up to thirty. Everything is overcrowed from stores to school to the roads. And all we here is "If you don't like it leave". Thank you all for your solution. Being run out of where I was born and raised. Thank you Hillsborough County. I am sure that the $12,000 in property taxes we pay each year make this county better for someone. Not us.

Originally Posted by jhlcomp

You are quite right - this forum has it's share of complainers and in some respects I think they enjoy complaining for complainings sake. However, at the same time, some of that isn't without good reason because of our increase in taxes and homeowners insurance. Salaries are low and not catching up to the cost of living - a common problem in other states as well - historically a given in Florida.

You've read the various posts and are now armed with the pros and cons of living here. We enjoy living here and find that trips to see the mountains, other parts of the US and Europe provide the "fix" we need.

We are very concerned about the insurance rates. We now pay $8765 a year.

Regarding property tax. For those of us who purchased our homes many years ago we are finding ourselves "trapped" in that we can not afford to purchase another home of similiar value due to the taxes. Example: current taxes $3700 if we now moved to a home of comparable value of $650000 = $12928 in taxes.

Please remember that I live in south Florida. Still - we enjoy living here. Good luck in your move and enjoy your life here!!

[doggiebus]

I have driven in three of the four places you listed. What seperates South Florida from these places, is the drivers they are just plain rude in Miami for some reason.

The cost of living in San Fran or NY have traditional always been high, but the people that have lived in Florida have not been used to these high property taxes, HOI and housing prices. For many to downsize to their retirement home they face higher property taxes on a smaller home usually. For the first time home buyer to find anything decent under $200,000 and that is for a decent 1br, 1bth, townhome in west Miami, is hard to find. The salaries and the cost of living don't match in Florida The salaries need to come up or the cost of living needs to go down. In SF they have at least higher salaries that help.

One of the reasons we are leaving South Florida is the weather. As I am a born native Miamian (I know I am a novelty here) after many travels we have decided that we want to live in a place that has a Fall, Winter, Spring and a short summer...I really can't stand the heat and humidity for six months. If I could be a snowbird I would, that is the best, be here in the winter and leave at the end of April and come back in December.

I agree everyone is entitled to their own opinions. And we all will not see everything the same, thats what makes this country so great, if we all liked the same things it would be boring...If you only saw positive comments on these threads it would be really suspicious, a place with nothing bad said about it? And for the most part the "bashings" about Florida are warrented, and people should not just ignore these comments. As a native its sad, but Florida isn't what it used to be, to many northeners their memories as kids or vacationing here are what they expect Flroida to be like when they move here. But Florida isn't the same when you are not on vacation here...