If you moved away, where did you move? Do you like it better? (Homestead: real estate, health insurance)

[FrankieDNY]

I've been talking to many people lately and they all seem to be moving away from South Florida to a variety of different places.

I was curious if anyone can share their particular experience:

How long where you in South Florida?

Why did you leave?

Where did you relocate to?

Is it better or worse?

Major difference?

Just curious to see where people are going to.

Thanks for the information.

[butercup]

I'll bite. Grew up in S Fl my whole life (except college in G'ville). Wanted to move for many years, finally escaped at age 42 to the SF bay area of CA. First, I hate the heat and the humidity. Second, wanted nature - green spaces, trails, woods, bike trails in the woods, hiking, hills. Third, really didn't like the unfriendly, harsh culture.

It is MUCH better. People here (and this is a major metro area, not NC or Tenn!) are, for lack of a better word, civil. They let you merge on the highway. There is almost NO horn honking. When they open a new lane at the grocery store, people let the next person go rather than bum rushing the open lane or sneaking in. There are so many biking trails and green spaces and areas of nature. And of course, the weather is fabulous. Cost of living is much higher where we are, but if you go an hour away, it's comparable to Broward.

So that's my story.

[StreetSmarts]

People are going to NC/SC/TN/GA.

[harry chickpea]

We were in south FL for about twenty years. I think what it used to be moved away first, and if it hadn't we might have continued to live there. Many of the reasons for moving were changes that happened over that period.

Insurance costs - initially we just needed homeowner insurance and the price was fine. Then we were forced into getting flood insurance. Then windstorm insurance got broken out as an additional insurance. Car insurance - over $1K for the state mandated minimum with one older car and clean driving. Health insurance - cost ended up many times more than original for an absolute minimum of coverage.

Taxes - real estate speculation drove prices artificially high, and taxes followed. The "save our homes" saved us for a little while, but the writing was on the wall. Taxes were on utilities when the services were provided by governmental agencies and they were already allowed to charge what they wanted. The one that just made me steam though was the city tax on satellite tv dishes. That was a tax "just because we can." There was NO infrastructure cost involved, no relation in any way to municipal costs, but yet they were taxed.

Citrus. Jeb Bush kept the citrus conglomerates in check. When he left office and they came and cut out trees without compensation to benefit a for-profit billion dollar industry, it rankled.

Water. Banning water use - from our own well about ten miles inland - to prevent the seawater from encroaching on the watering systems of the rich idiots who built on the beaches was infuriating. To then compound that by emptying Lake O - because of a specious "**** failure" fear, thus exacerbating the water issues, was a slap in the face to all south Floridians. Water bills ran us around $100 a month once sewer and taxes and such got added.

Increasing zoning restrictions. When FEMA paid to have stumps removed in the swales from hurricane downed trees, and the city signed off, I really did not expect to be cited next year for still having the remains of those same blessed stumps. The swales are no-mans land anyway, since the city dictates what few things can be in them.

Helicopters. Seeing and hearing them overhead every night began to feel like living in a Blade Runner movie.

Traffic. Sometimes it was just unbelievable. Having the Sawgrass go from a little traveled fast trip around the mess to yet another blocked up road was discouraging. The drive down to Homestead on U.S. 1 used to be a delightful drive with open fields and traces of the railroad.

We looked at a lot of possibilities of where to move and spent a couple of years at the task, making road trips and doing research. We ended up "somewhere in North Alabama" in a lifestyle change. The last time I wore a suit was to a funeral, and I had to buy a pair of pants from Walmart. They fit so bad I took them back after the funeral and haven't bothered getting a replacement pair. The costly swimming pool out back in Florida became a year-round creek out back up here. Sometimes I do target practice off my back deck. The traffic jams here are tractors and combines on the road. If you drive a pickup or big van, there is a farmer's wave that you are supposed to give to drivers of other trucks and vans. No, it is not the finger, it is a friendly raise of the first finger or two off the steering wheel or a nod. When you go to a store and go to check out, the cashier will ask "How are you today?" to which you respond "I'm fine, how about yourself" (Those are the minimum greetings. They get more complex.)

Yeah, it is a little different up here.

I'm glad that I was able to live in south Florida when I did. It really had some nice nice times. I am also glad to be gone from there now.

[JohnD_fla]

Originally Posted by FrankieDNY

Just curious to see where people are going to.

Do people who are planning to move away soon count?

There was a map published some time aback that gave a pretty good visual on the exodus from South Florida. I tried to find it but couldn't. For a while, up until about the late 2000s or so, most were moving to the South---particularly Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Now, people are moving out to areas all across the country...for better jobs and opportunities, lower cost of living (relative to income), and for a whole bunch of other reasons. The first sentence in Harry Chickpea's post pretty much sums it up for most who I've personally known who have left. A few are still in Florida, but quite a bit further north of here.

I suspect that after say another 5 or so years, many more middle class people who live here now will also be forced to leave because they simply will not be able to afford it.

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by JohnD_fla

Do people who are planning to move away soon count?

There was a map published some time aback that gave a pretty good visual on the exodus from South Florida. I tried to find it but couldn't. For a while, up until about the late 2000s or so, most were moving to the South---particularly Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Now, people are moving out to areas all across the country...for better jobs and opportunities, lower cost of living (relative to income), and for a whole bunch of other reasons. The first sentence in Harry Chickpea's post pretty much sums it up for most who I've personally known who have left. A few are still in Florida, but quite a bit further north of here.

I suspect that after say another 5 or so years, many more middle class people who live here now will also be forced to leave because they simply will not be able to afford it.

Believe me, its still the same...

[Tulippsy]

I'm still in south Florida, but deep in the planning stages of our escape. After my husband retires next year, we're relocating to Oregon. We've been here since the 80's. We are leaving for many reasons - we are sick of the weather and don't want to stick around to see how much worse things will get as climate change accelerates. We're also tired of the rampant crime, rude and crazy people and horrific traffic. The COL is terrible. Oh, and the Republican state government, last straw.

The beach is nice, though.

[FrankieDNY]

Yes those who are planning on moving out of SFL please reply if you'd like. Sorry I should,of mentioned that before

[EUPL]

Not to troll on the thread but I am in CT and I am thinking of moving down to South Florida and read your forums, people keep saying I will get sick of the weather but after the winter we had on the east coast I cant imagine not loving warm weather and beaches. I am however having trouble finding employment with a similar salary but that is a diff story.

[FrankieDNY]

Hi there,

It's ok to troll to gain information right? LOL. I mean the grass is always greener as they say but like anything you want to do your homework. Yes it's cold where you are but if you have a family, it may be a better place to raise your kids etc. However, taxes are high and winters are brutal in CT. I guess at the end of the day whereever you will have a better quality of life will be the way to go.

Let us know if you have any specific questions about South Florida :-)