People who moved from Connecticut......please! (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: insurance, hotel, houses) - Florida (FL) -Broward County - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

CTGirlNoMore · 02-17-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hat456

CTGirlNoMore,

I couldn't agree more. But when people say, "It's gorgeous today!", I say to myself, "These people are polar bears! I'm still freezing!" But, yes, the sunlight makes my day that much better. Oh, wait, I just looked outside and the sun is gone again. Damn. Are you still looking to move down to FL?

While today IS gorgeous, it's still not my cup of tea. Warmer, please. LOL

Yes, I am still looking to go. Right now I am trying to save up money. My car will be paid off in a couple months and I wanna wait until that is done at least. Plus being winter, it's not a good time to chance moving. I am trying to be realistic and say I may have to stay another year, but at least I've got a plan getting in place.

hat456 · 02-17-2011, 11:33 AM

Agreed, us too. And we have 3 kids in tow, so we want to do this in the best way possible. I did spend time in Orlando and Tampa for 3 months in the summer, a few years ago, but we were not comfortable with any areas we saw, so we came back. We are now ready to start actively looking again. It was hot but doable. Yes, you had to spend time inside, but it was green and beautiful every time I looked out the window. Then its over and the rest of the year is great. If you have no kids, now is the time to try a move. Maybe you can get a job lined up before going??

CTGirlNoMore · 02-17-2011, 11:59 AM

I don't have kids. It's just me and 2 cats (okay, so I do have "kids", LOL). I am tryig to fidn a job, but I am fidning they want you there, which I can understand.

My father did just buy a place, so once he gets it settled, I know it's a place I can go and stay and scope jobs out.

hat456 · 02-17-2011, 01:32 PM

Good luck to you! May we both be living in the sunshine soon!

MiamiLIFE · 02-17-2011, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hat456

CTGirlNoMore,

I couldn't agree more. But when people say, "It's gorgeous today!", I say to myself, "These people are polar bears! I'm still freezing!" But, yes, the sunlight makes my day that much better. Oh, wait, I just looked outside and the sun is gone again. Damn. Are you still looking to move down to FL?

MiamiLIFE,

Thanks for the info. Actually, I will visit PBG, and Jupiter also. But for some reason, I'm getting the sense that Ft. Lauderdale has some more pep to it?? And it seems Weston has some great schools, rated higher than my schools here in CT. But I am taking my time and researching because my children are entering high school and don't want to move them during these years, if I can help it.

Also, taking note of the difference in education level. I lived in HI a while ago and the same goes for there. Everyone coming there to escape life, get lost for a while. But, CT is not all Ivy League, and with everyone grumpy for a big chunk of the year, I might prefer happy people to smarter but miserable people. Don't get me wrong, CT people are good and solid, but many don't seem like they want to be here all that often. Its just something about "Old Man Winter".

Weston is a great community for families. A lot of corporate executives live out that way. Weston, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I don't know that is has anymore "pep" than PBG, but it is a more established area IMO. I love FL and would move there in a hot second if I could find a job comparable to the one I have on Park Avenue...unfortuately, the payscale is radically different.

hat456 · 02-17-2011, 03:59 PM

MiamiLiFE,

We own 2 pizza/restaurants in NYC, and am hoping to do the same in Ft. Lauderale area. We would be OK if we make 70% of our income here because the housing has become affordable again in FL. Hopefully, the numbers will work out. It's hard to give up the money here in the NYC area, but we have a child entering high school soon, and believe it or not, it makes you start to think about retirement! I don't want to move away from my children. If they move away from me, I did my best!

ruski · 02-17-2011, 08:43 PM

Bring over good pizza!!! We could always use more good pizza places. Although we do have a couple of good ones right in Weston.

BTW the thing about Weston is that it is equally easy to get from Weston to Palm Beach, Boca, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and all places in between. And even to Naples on the other side of Alligator Alley.
From Weston, I used to commute to Delray (Palm Beach area) and I also used to commute to Miami.

If you live in Palm Beach... you won't be visiting Miami very often. And vice versa.

MiamiLIFE · 02-18-2011, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruski

Bring over good pizza!!! We could always use more good pizza places. Although we do have a couple of good ones right in Weston.

BTW the thing about Weston is that it is equally easy to get from Weston to Palm Beach, Boca, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and all places in between. And even to Naples on the other side of Alligator Alley.
From Weston, I used to commute to Delray (Palm Beach area) and I also used to commute to Miami.

If you live in Palm Beach... you won't be visiting Miami very often. And vice versa.

Those are good points on Weston. It does have nice locational advantage. However, if move to FL, I will be living near the water.

MiamiLIFE · 02-18-2011, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hat456

MiamiLiFE,

We own 2 pizza/restaurants in NYC, and am hoping to do the same in Ft. Lauderale area. We would be OK if we make 70% of our income here because the housing has become affordable again in FL. Hopefully, the numbers will work out. It's hard to give up the money here in the NYC area, but we have a child entering high school soon, and believe it or not, it makes you start to think about retirement! I don't want to move away from my children. If they move away from me, I did my best!

Agree about the affordability. Home prices are very attractive in FL now. It won't stay like that forever.

hat456 · 02-18-2011, 07:50 AM

I hope to take advantage of the home prices in FL. (If everything works out up here for me.) I am losing my deposit on my house here, but am willing if I can make up that loss in FL. My mother will also come with us, and the prices are better for her now also. She used to live in Spring Hill, but her husband passed away, and she came back up to be with most of the family. P.S. - Everyone's so busy, that she is alone most of the time and misses FL and her friends there.

Ruski - I didn't realize that Weston is so central to those different areas. This is a great plus because if all works out well, I can expand into different areas with minimal commute time. Right now, I'm commuting 1 1/2 hours, each way! This is not a plus for my family or quality of life.

Right now on NPR, they are talking about people leaving CT because of the coming tax burden, quality of life, weather, and other states luring young people and corporations away from this area. I can understand the exodus that may come.