For those who moved to Florida, tell us (Orlando, Tallahassee: housing, condo)

[Floridabound09]

The purpose of this thread is to ask the following questions.

For those who moved to Florida from somewhere else and have been there for awhile could you please answer some of these and also add your own tidbits as well.

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Florida

2. What was the most important reason you moved to Florida?

3. What make you pick the area you moved?

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move, if no, would you have chosen another area in Florida?

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Florida then where you moved from?

7. Would you recommend others move to Florida?

Many of us want and are looking to move to Florida and who better to ask them those who have done what we want, move from somewhere else to Florida then you guys.

Many posters on this board seem to be extremely happy with moving there, whether they moved 30 years ago or 6 months ago.

If you have any opinions/advise on anyone moving to Florida, what would they be?

Although I would like to keep this positive as possible, the bad is also welcome for those who have moved there, that way we all can judge for ourselves what you would consider bad or good and see if it would mean the same for us.

Input appreciated !

Please feel free to add your own info.

[121804]

Didn't really get a "choice" per se. It was dh's job promotion that if not taken would have not been a wise move professionally.

Did I want to move to FL? No.

Can I spend the rest of our time here being miserable about the taxes, heat, humidity, illegal immigrants, traffic, homeowners insurance (feel free to add)..sure...

But I am not. We are in SW FL. We will make the best of it.

We are originally from the northern states. It does take some time to get use to here, but we've been in the south for some time now.

Coming from where we were for the past 5 yrs (central TX)...this place is very nice! It has its good & bad like anywhere. We are prior military & if one has lived on a military post, most civilan places are far better.

I think that any person moving anywhere needs to know what they are moving into & what they have as backup to generate income.

It's the PERSON that makes the situation work.

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by 121804

Didn't really get a "choice" per se. It was dh's job promotion that if not taken would have not been a wise move professionally.

Did I want to move to FL? No.

Can I spend the rest of our time here being miserable about the taxes, heat, humidity, illegal immigrants, traffic, homeowners insurance (feel free to add)..sure...

But I am not. We are in SW FL. We will make the best of it.

We are originally from the northern states. It does take some time to get use to here, but we've been in the south for some time now.

Coming from where we were for the past 5 yrs (central TX)...this place is very nice! It has its good & bad like anywhere. We are prior military & if one has lived on a military post, most civilan places are far better.

I think that any person moving anywhere needs to know what they are moving into & what they have as backup to generate income.

It's the PERSON that makes the situation work.

I agree, people can about adjust to whatever suits oneself. So, in reading your thoughts you are taking the good with the bad correct?

If you could would you move out of Florida because of those items mentioned?

And what do you find that keeps you there please?

[luvthatmouse]

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Florida

North of Boston, MA/ 2 and 1/2 years

2. What was the most important reason you moved to Florida?

Weather up North/home prices up North/wanted to work for Disney

3. What make you pick the area you moved?

Really liked it/close to many things/Central-not many hurricanes

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

1 year+

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move, if no, would you have chosen another area in Florida?

No. I would have bought a time share or condo in FL and stayed up North.

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Florida then where you moved from?

Money wise we are making $25,000/year+ less than up North so worse for career/savings. We are able to be outside a lot but we were up North too. Lots of great friends here!

7. Would you recommend others move to Florida?

If they have a lot of money, no children (schools stink) and do not need a job or have a great job lined up already!

[Jammie]

This is a really good thread and I'm glad you asked those questions. So far, it appears that no one is too thrilled with the move.

[TriMT7]

Haha, I'm probably not the one this thread is geared to, but TECHNICALLY I am from "somewhere else!"

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Florida

New Jersey. Outside of Newark, not far from NYC. Lived here for 18 years now!

2. What was the most important reason you moved to Florida?

I was 7! Parents made me come along, lol. BUT, we moved because a lot of my mother's family had moved down to Florida, and we were living in a crappy apartment in a crappy town with crappy schools and my mother had to LIE about my address and say I lived at my grandfather's house in a better school district in order to get me into schools in his county!

3. What make you pick the area you moved?

For some reason a lot of my extended family had moved to Port St. Lucie BEFORE it was the "thing to do," lol. So we came for family reasons (although we left familial ties that still existed in New Jersey and I sometimes regret not having better relationships with my grandparents before they died because of the distance!)

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

Haha, me personally? Immediately! Coming from a cramped apartment to our own little house on a 1/4 acre lot, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Finally a YARD, GRASS, and lots of other kids playing in the streets!

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move, if no, would you have chosen another area in Florida?

Dunno.... I actually don't mind where I'm "from" in Port St. Lucie (and yes, when people ask, I usually say, "PSL"... and then ask if they mean, "Originally originally!". Especially now since the population of PSL has doubled in 7 years people finally know where it is! I have since lived in Jupiter and Tallahassee, and find good and bad in all places, and think that either of those cities are fine places to raise a family.

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Florida then where you moved from?

I think so. I went back to my "hometown" a few years ago and felt really out of place and glad I hadn't grown up there. Of course if I HAD grown up there, I probably would think it was the greatest place in the world (being able to get to NYC in 15-20 mins by train for one!)

7. Would you recommend others move to Florida?

Actually, yes, yes I would. People just have to realize Florida isn't a 24/7 vacation. It gets hot, there's a bunch of annoying people who won't speak English when they damn well should, it's crowded in many places..... but unless you're coming from some rural area, you're probably already used to anything Florida throws at you "people wise" --- be it crime, traffic, rudeness, immigrants..... and not all of Florida is the same. People have to actually work here to live just like anywhere else. Anyone who thinks it's all peaches and cream and butterfly kisses is delusional. It's a place to live like any other state in the Union. And, one town over can be a world of difference in Florida. That's why you should come to City-Data forum, lol, and find out the nuance!

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Haha, I'm probably not the one this thread is geared to, but TECHNICALLY I am from "somewhere else!"

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Florida

New Jersey. Outside of Newark, not far from NYC. Lived here for 18 years now!

2. What was the most important reason you moved to Florida?

I was 7! Parents made me come along, lol. BUT, we moved because a lot of my mother's family had moved down to Florida, and we were living in a crappy apartment in a crappy town with crappy schools and my mother had to LIE about my address and say I lived at my grandfather's house in a better school district in order to get me into schools in his county!

3. What make you pick the area you moved?

For some reason a lot of my extended family had moved to Port St. Lucie BEFORE it was the "thing to do," lol. So we came for family reasons (although we left familial ties that still existed in New Jersey and I sometimes regret not having better relationships with my grandparents before they died because of the distance!)

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

Haha, me personally? Immediately! Coming from a cramped apartment to our own little house on a 1/4 acre lot, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Finally a YARD, GRASS, and lots of other kids playing in the streets!

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move, if no, would you have chosen another area in Florida?

Dunno.... I actually don't mind where I'm "from" in Port St. Lucie (and yes, when people ask, I usually say, "PSL"... and then ask if they mean, "Originally originally!". Especially now since the population of PSL has doubled in 7 years people finally know where it is! I have since lived in Jupiter and Tallahassee, and find good and bad in all places, and think that either of those cities are fine places to raise a family.

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Florida then where you moved from?

I think so. I went back to my "hometown" a few years ago and felt really out of place and glad I hadn't grown up there. Of course if I HAD grown up there, I probably would think it was the greatest place in the world (being able to get to NYC in 15-20 mins by train for one!)

7. Would you recommend others move to Florida?

Actually, yes, yes I would. People just have to realize Florida isn't a 24/7 vacation. It gets hot, there's a bunch of annoying people who won't speak English when they damn well should, it's crowded in many places..... but unless you're coming from some rural area, you're probably already used to anything Florida throws at you "people wise" --- be it crime, traffic, rudeness, immigrants..... and not all of Florida is the same. People have to actually work here to live just like anywhere else. Anyone who thinks it's all peaches and cream and butterfly kisses is delusional. It's a place to live like any other state in the Union. And, one town over can be a world of difference in Florida. That's why you should come to City-Data forum, lol, and find out the nuance!

Wow, awesome post !!!

Just what I was hoping for, personal thoughts.

Thank you.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

The purpose of this thread is to ask the following questions.

For those who moved to Florida from somewhere else and have been there for awhile could you please answer some of these and also add your own tidbits as well.

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Florida

NYC; appx a decade

2. What was the most important reason you moved to Florida?

Housing & quality of life

3. What make you pick the area you moved?

Very familiar with it prior to move & loved the NE FL beaches, river, & intracoastal

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

:( The first 3 months were so hard...I thought I made a mistake. I told myself I'd wait it out for 6 mos to a year. Made it to a year and decided to give it another year. By year 2, I had no more doubts.

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move, if no, would you have chosen another area in Florida?

Yes, I would move to FL again. This time, instead of moving to St. Aug first, I would head straight to Jax. Coming from NYC, it turns out I need to be in a city after all...St. Aug was too small for me.

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Florida then where you moved from?

Better...much better!

7. Would you recommend others move to Florida?

Yes....and I do!

Many of us want and are looking to move to Florida and who better to ask them those who have done what we want, move from somewhere else to Florida then you guys.

Many posters on this board seem to be extremely happy with moving there, whether they moved 30 years ago or 6 months ago.

If you have any opinions/advise on anyone moving to Florida, what would they be?

Be ready for something completely different. Some aspects of your home state just won't be found here. In turn, you'll find many new things to replace them. Really look around - all of Florida looks so wonderful at first, but be realistic about possibly needing a job/income, commute time, how much time you'll REALLY spend at the beach...some of the smaller cities and towns can be a real burden if you are not fully retired.

Although I would like to keep this positive as possible, the bad is also welcome for those who have moved there, that way we all can judge for ourselves what you would consider bad or good and see if it would mean the same for us.

Input appreciated !

Please feel free to add your own info.

--------------------------

[pianogal]

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Florida

From California, although I had lived my entire life in the southeast before my stint in CA.

2. What was the most important reason you moved to Florida?

Jobs and Family.

3. What make you pick the area you moved?

Jobs and Family.

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

Immediately. My husband grew up here and we had visited often so we were both quite comfortable here already.

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move, if no, would you have chosen another area in Florida?

Absolutely.

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Florida then where you moved from?

Much better than any of the other places I've lived - SC, TN, GA, CA. For us there was much more opportunity here.

7. Would you recommend others move to Florida?

It depends on the person. The economy is much different now that it was 20+ years ago when we moved here. If the person has excellent marketable skills and enjoys the lifestyle Florida has to offer - then certainly. That being said, I have extreme misgivings about the financial issues in Florida right now. The most important one being the unfairness of the SOH issue and the problem with property insurance. If SOH is not addressed this time (and it doesn't look like it's going to be), it will come back to bite in a few years.
If something isn't done about the incredible increase in HOI - even for those of us who live inland and are prone to very little damage from hurricanes, the average person isn't going to be able to live here - especially anywhere near the coasts. How many people can afford to pay an extra $300+ a month in their mortgage just for HOI?

Many posters on this board seem to be extremely happy with moving there, whether they moved 30 years ago or 6 months ago.

I do enjoy living here. There is much positive to be found here.

If you have any opinions/advise on anyone moving to Florida, what would they be?

Be sure to have your financial house in order. Don't move on a shoestring budget. Have a job lined up or money for several months living expenses saved. Rent don't buy - at least until we see what's going to happen in Tallahassee. Realize that living in Florida is like living anywhere else - it has
its problems and issues. Don't expect perfection and don't expect to feel like you are on perpetual vacation - although those weekends make you feel like it....but Monday mornings come round soon enough!

Don't worry about other nonissues such as

Traffic....everyplace has it

Heat....it's Florida - what do you expect? If you don't like it hot...don't come

Bugs, Spiders, Snakes and Gators....haven't seen anymore here than anywhere else in the south I've lived....

Hurricanes....well maybe worry if you are on the coast..but inland - the only real problem we had was a few days without electricity...inconvenient but quickly forgotten once the power was back on...

Cultural Diversity - if you are racist...don't come...here in Orlando, we have 'little china" in the Mills/50 area, we have african american culture in the Eatonville area, we have 'little mexico' in the 436/50 area, florida cracker rednecks in Bithlo.... I live in a new relatively small community of 300 homes and I have neighbors of every type.....European descent white anglo, African American, New York Jewish, Southern Redneck, Oriental, Muslim, Spanish, Islanders, British, Indians from India, etc. It's great!

[Floridabound09]

Great post everyone !!!

Gosh, you guys/gals are really putting some great info in.

Thank you!