Tampa area VS Ft Lauderdale area (Miami, St. Petersburg: relocation, work, housing)

[ejp823]

This website has been most helpful in reading the different threads about Florida from schools, apt, housing to areas best to live in. I am on the fence about 2 areas my spouse and I have narrowed our possible relocation to. We are seriously looking at pinellas county tampa area and Ft Lauderdale area, does anyone have advise, pros VS cons or anything helpful to pass along. We have 2 elementary children so we dont want to invade on the snowbirds and my spouse is in the automobile industry so he would need to find work in the finance department of a good car dealership. We would love to have more information to go on, we have been in upstate NY with family all our lives so this is a big decision and we dont want too many regrets, thanks all.

[compelled to reply]

Well, the pros for Pinellas are that the people are friendlier, it has more historic/charming areas like Safety Harbor and Dunedin and St. Petersburg, it has better winter weather.

The pros for Ft. Lauderdale would be that this is generally a much cleaner/more polished looking place, there is more diversity (if you like that), there is less crime (however they are closing the gap at Broward is increasing and Pinellas is decreasing)

They are both the first places in Florida to reach buildout, so they are both crowded and have crowded roads, however Broward roads seemed to be planned better for buildout. Pinellas has no highway system, so it takes forever to get anywhere. In Ft. Lauderdale you can get almost anywhere in 20 minutes thanks to the relatively efficient highway system.

If you pick the right area you won't be overrun by snowbirds in either place. In Pinellas, stay north, and in Broward, stay west. The schools are significantly less overcrowded in Pinellas, however performance wise they are about the same in that it depends on the area.

[axeltr]

I moved from Miramar to Tampa last year and me and my wife love it. We actually live in Brandon which southeast of Tampa. We like the area because it has easy access to I-75, I-4, Crosstown Expressway. We looked all over Tampa and we like the convenience that this area gave us. Yes it is somewhat crowded and Broward definitely has a better highway system than in Hillsborough. Me and my wife don't have any kids yet so I can't say on schools. So far we're not looking back.

Good luck on you search.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by axeltr

Yes it is somewhat crowded and Broward definitely has a better highway system than in Hillsborough. Me and my wife don't have any kids yet so I can't say on schools. So far we're not looking back.

Good luck on you search.

Hillsborough is actually much less crowded than Broward IMO (although you live in Brandon so you might not feel that way). I was more speaking for Pinellas. And as far as the highways, at least Hillsborough has them. The OP was talking about living in the Pinellas County area.

All and all I would probably pick Tampa if you can live close to work. It's a more down to earth/relaxed place in general. Helps that it's also a bit cheaper (day to day expenses, rent, taxes, almost everything is cheaper).

[fauve]

We moved from Miami to Tampa for about 9 months and then moved to Broward. Of all 3 places, I have liked Broward best, and Tampa second best, altho I liked living on Miami Beach best of all (really did not like Miami suburbs). Tampa would have been okay, except I really did NOT like the mosquitoes (sounds minor, but they drove me nuts - must have been allergic to the breed or something becoz they dont bother me here on the east coast at all). I also did not like all of the ugly signs along the streets in Tampa - they have the worst sign zonage of any place I have ever seen! As for people, I actually find the people in Broward to be friendliest. We had young kids while we were in Tampa, and I dont think the kids had one playdate the entire nine months - everyone sort of kept to themselves..

[ejp823]

Wow, thanks for the feedback, we are glad to have more information to base our decision on and we will need to plan a couple of visits over the summer and check out some of the areas you all have mentioned. Much appreciated !!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by ejp823

Wow, thanks for the feedback, we are glad to have more information to base our decision on and we will need to plan a couple of visits over the summer and check out some of the areas you all have mentioned. Much appreciated !!

If you have elementary aged kids and you plan on using the public schools you are going to want to look into Weston, Cooper City, Davie, Plantation, Pembroke Pines, WEST Miramar, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Parkland, a few sections of Sunrise, and SECTIONS of Ft. Lauderdale proper (Bayview Dr. area, Rio Vista, a few others).

If you plan on staying for a while and using public middle and high schools, you should pretty much eliminate all of them except for Weston, PARTS of Pembroke Pines, Parkland, Cooper City, Davie and PARTS of Coral Springs, although there are excellent magnet programs county wide for middle and high school aged children as well as excellent (and expensive) private schools.

[happymccamper]

This is a nice thread....we moved for Michigan to Broward and have been here for 6/7mos, Coral Springs area. But we may have the opt to transfer to the Tampa area. I am afraid to move there and think, man should have stayed in Broward! So far I like the weather here...I think Tampa can be a bit cooler....and I like the heat....maybe after another summer or two here I ll change my tune, I don't know....keep in mind I am still a newbie...but so far so good...it hurts to see how many people live here and have such bad things to say about it, but again....we are new...I just hope I don't feel that way later....I mean we see a few things we are not use to yet...or we liked in Michigan but don't like here...but that goes both ways too....its just a shame...