Moving to Fort Lauderdale area from MA (Gainesville, Sunrise: 2015, apartment)

[mabell228]

Hi!
I am looking for answers to a couple of questions:
1. My husband will have a job when we move down this summer in the Oakland Park area. We will sell our home up here then rent for the first year down there because I won't have a job, I will have to look for one. I have read on here in some of threads that it is hard to find a job down there, is this true? I have been working for the school system up here for 16 years as a secretary.
2. What areas have the lowest crime?
3. And is the crime so bad that we would need to carry a gun around?

Thank you!

[TreeZoo]

#1. The further east the better the neighborhood. There are pockets here and there in Pokeland Ark that are nice, but by and large the eastern section is better.

#2. It is easy finding a job. It is not so easy finding that "perfect" job in your preferred career path. If your husband has a good job, that takes a lot of pressure off you so that you can get any old job right away while searching for a better one. If you have already had a job in government, that is a big step up on getting a job in government here.

#3. There is nothing wrong with getting a CC permit, but it is not the wild west here. Most people don't carry, but anywhere you go you can be assured that there are people around you that do. There are crime areas but anybody with any awareness of their surroundings learns to avoid them. I would imagine that Oakland Park is about at the national average for crime.

[mabell228]

Thank you for those answers TreeZoo. We don't necessarily need to live in Oakland Park area. What about the west side towns from Fort Lauderdale? As in Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, etc. We are a couple in our mid 40's. Our 24 year old son will be coming with us also.

[ruski]

No, you don't need to carry a gun.

THE best areas to live that are withing commuting distance are Weston, Cooper City, Western parts of Davie, Western Parts of Plantation.

But what's your budget?

[mabell228]

ruski we are looking to rent a house (with dogs) the budget we are looking at is around 1500/mth

[wizrap]

Originally Posted by mabell228

ruski we are looking to rent a house (with dogs) the budget we are looking at is around 1500/mth

I think that is low for a house in those desirable areas. As an example, when we moved to Gainesville in 2015 we rented our 4/2.5 in Weston to a family with dogs for $3000 a month.

Good luck. You've got a nice list of cities to work with but might have to rethink your budget.

[mabell228]

Originally Posted by wizrap

I think that is low for a house in those desirable areas. As an example, when we moved to Gainesville in 2015 we rented our 4/2.5 in Weston to a family with dogs for $3000 a month.

Good luck. You've got a nice list of cities to work with but might have to rethink your budget.

What abut an apartment or a townhome?

[wizrap]

That's more doable if you also downsize # of bedrooms to 2. Two places that hit your hot buttons in terms of safety is the Bonaventure section of Weston (mostly villas, townhouses & condos that would primarily be for rent by owner) and Pine Island Ridge in west Davie (mostly condos & the rentals would be the same there--by owner).

Rented & then bought a condo in Pine Island Ridge as a single woman & always felt safe. Sold it to another single woman when I moved to Weston. Good luck!

[ruski]

A two bedroom townhouse in Weston will be between $1,700 and $2,000 asking.


P.S. re-reading the original post, the why is it that many people from out of state are so scared that they think they may need to carry a gun? Does the media up North portray South Florida as such a violent place? It is not the first time someone from MA has asked me similar questions.

[mabell228]

[quote=ruski;46927903]A two bedroom townhouse in Weston will be between $1,700 and $2,000 asking.


P.S. re-reading the original post, the why is it that many people from out of state are so scared that they think they may need to carry a gun? Does the media up North portray South Florida as such a violent place? It is not the first time someone from MA has asked me similar questions.[/QUOTE

Because from reading on here people are saying to stay away from a lot of the areas that the crime is very high. Also we have some family that lives in the Fort Lauderdale area that said they got a license to carry.
Just trying to get information and tips on here from everyone. I want to be well prepared. 😊