Does anyone of you feel like South Florida is a dead end like a dead end street? (Miami: foreclosures, health insurance)

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by Chelsa1075

Bcreass - I never ever have said in any of my posts that Florida is much cheaper - I personally don't think Florida is the grandest state of all. What I said was that there are certain givens that you guys get there just as standard that even paying 5K a month you will not like get all of that in an apartment in NY. Do you understand my point? I know that the wages are much lower, but they won't take 36% out of my pay check the way they do here. Education is really subjective. I know some people there hate the school system and some who think it is the best thing since peanut butter.

Now as far as a car...can you live in NYC with out a car of course, can you live in a borough without a car, yes, in most areas. However, is it more convenient to have a car? Umm, YES. Guys, I get completely what you are saying, but ask someone from Howard Beach, St. Albans, Springfield Garden, Bayside, College Point, Whitestone, Fresh Meadows, Middle Village, Maspeth, etc. if they can live without a car. While I will never argue that our transportation system is better than that in SFL, I will say that your behind could wait a long time out in the cold for a bus in these areas too.

I like NY guys - I just don't want this life for my kids. There are things that you guys give your kids that are standard, sports with the schools etc. I realize there aren't as much museum's, zoo's, etc. - I'm not putting culture and diversity in there, because I think that a lot of people may leave NY trying to escape that so, for them that may be a plus. I have to say that I would never necessarily think of SFL as incredibly diverse. I think perhaps the people who have disshevled views are those people who went expecting something more than what they have gotten.

I'm not looking to live the life of gandier there. I'm a simple person with a family who wants to give my kids the life I think they deserve. It may not be the right choice, but I will have to take that chance all the same. Otherwise, I will always wonder what could have been.

Oh and yes - the things you find boring are the things I like - the simplicity of everything is my attraction. If I had my choice, I'd go to Alabama - LOL, that is right about where I want to be.

Chelsa..I'm honestly not trying to put you off or derail your plans, but I just want you to be aware of the negatives as well as the positives of South Florida.

If you can put up with the negatives here that are a major dealbreaker for me here (reckless drivers, lack of architectural diversity, lack of diversity) then I'm sure you'll be fine. Maybe the things that bother me here won't bother you as much, because you'll find things to enjoy here that'll make it a worthwhile trade off?

If I cared about 24/7/365 summer weather and if I were a "beach" person, I might be more inclined to put up with the BS here.

Oh...taxes are lower than NY (no state tax), but you really get what you *don't* pay for, if you catch my drift?

I would suggest you consider Broward county as opposed to Miami-Dade though. I've heard that schools are a lot better in Broward than in Dade and Broward is more diverse and for the most part, still a part of the USA.

[Shoegal1075]

thanks BeCreas - I was never going to Dade anyway - but I get your point.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by Chelsa1075

thanks BeCreas - I was never going to Dade anyway - but I get your point.

No problem! While personally, I do not like living in South Florida (for the reasons I've stated), you may like it, or even love it.

I have an expression that goes something like this: "one man's paradise is another man's hell".

In other words, if you can enjoy the positives there are to living down here enough (no cold, great beaches, low taxatiom), the negatives probably won't bother you that much, if at all.

See, I could happily live in NY, I'd put up with the high taxes, cold weather because I'd simply never be bored in one of the world's 4 truly "great" cities!

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Chelsa1075

Thanks RM - Thing is everyone's situation is different. I'm not packing my family up and moving away from my whole family, I'm packing them up and moving to where my family is. I guess that makes part of the difference. As I stated before, I just don't want to live in NY anymore. I'm compromising with my husban on Florida, but I would gladly go to Maryland, Virg., NC, Texas - any one of those places, but my husband would really like to go to Florida, so we are going to try and make a go of it.

and moved to Florida where her family (Mom and Dad) was. She had her sister in New York. To make a long story short, she only came here because she was having financial problems in NY. She could not make it on her salary alone. She has been here since November. When she went back to NY for her bday in February to see her friends, she said it took all her strength to get back on that plane to Florida. You know what she says? She says she is sick of seeing nothing but old people. With her job she travels around to different stores and says even at work there is nothing but old people, or people who can hardly speak English.

What sums it all up was her comment that she would rather be dirt poor in New York (almost like she was) than living comfortably with family in Florida. She originally planned on leaving before the summer started (hates heat), but now is shooting for April.

My husband is in denial that she doesn't want to stay in Florida. It is no surprise to me since I feel the same way, but the speed of her decision to leave is a surprise. Family can make a difference either way, but in the end nobody, not even a spouse of 35 years, can make you happy in a place you hate. I may just get on a plane myself one of these days and never come back.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by TANaples

and moved to Florida where her family (Mom and Dad) was. She had her sister in New York. To make a long story short, she only came here because she was having financial problems in NY. She could not make it on her salary alone. She has been here since November. When she went back to NY for her bday in February to see her friends, she said it took all her strength to get back on that plane to Florida. You know what she says? She says she is sick of seeing nothing but old people. With her job she travels around to different stores and says even at work there is nothing but old people, or people who can hardly speak English.

What sums it all up was her comment that she would rather be dirt poor in New York (almost like she was) than living comfortably with family in Florida. She originally planned on leaving before the summer started (hates heat), but now is shooting for April.

My husband is in denial that she doesn't want to stay in Florida. It is no surprise to me since I feel the same way, but the speed of her decision to leave is a surprise. Family can make a difference either way, but in the end nobody, not even a spouse of 35 years, can make you happy in a place you hate. I may just get on a plane myself one of these days and never come back.

You sound like my wife

[Moderate Guy]

Damn it! a fella can't even be down with the flu and out of action before other guys take advantage and restart their Florida bashing! lol. btw, see, it's not only in bad old florida that you can catch the flu - we get it here in nyc too. lol.

[onegreatnurse]

Originally Posted by tankev

Broward Co. seems to be very kid friendly. Don't even worry about that aspect. I live in Weston and there are kids everywhere. I am sure that it is the same in most towns around here. There are plenty of sports programs, parks and other ways for your kids to make friends. I will say that it has been harder for me to meet people. I have moved my kids quite a bit and even though I worry every time they always seem to adjust and your kids will too. In fact my kids think this is the best move yet and I uprooted a 9th grader. Put your energy to finding a decent paying job. Salaries do seem to be lower here than in the north. And I find that it is more expensive here to live. Good luck with your move.

Not sure how it could be more expensve the NY/NJ considering I have a tiny Cape Cod 1940's/WWII Era, approximately 70 yrs old and 900 sq ft and I paid $481.04 to heat this b**** last month. The utilities went up 20% and the winter months are killing me..the weather, I have been locked inside my house since December...it's almost 3 months now of what I call hibernation...my property takes are over $7K on a 50x125 property. Anyhoo, I figure it can't be any worse than here and my son can be out playing baseball more often and I can be out scuba diving and playing volleyball more often!! I'm looking at jobs in the Fort Lauderdale are in general and am considering Weston or Coral Springs..how are the schools there? I hear they're not good at all in Florida...?

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by onegreatnurse

I'm looking at jobs in the Fort Lauderdale are in general and am considering Weston or Coral Springs..how are the schools there? I hear they're not good at all in Florida...?

It's a fallacy, really. Florida schools "overall" rank about middle of the road in the country.

[onegreatnurse]

Thanks for the response...I was actually not totally convinced..I've been checking out the MAST high school in Miami online..I'm not thrilled with the schools here in town, especially the high scool, it looks like a falling-apart-at-the-seams old dump...

[fauve]

There are some stand-outs. Mast Academy certainly is one. Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland (Broward) is another.