Pros and cons of relocating to Hawaii vs. Florida? (Honolulu: 2010, rent)

[Tantalust]

I've vacationed in Miami and Key Largo. Terrible beaches in KL. Just really flat and boooooooring.

Not to mention fog-up-your-glasses humidity.

[drsmiley06]

Ha, that's good TexasCasey. No, I don't have a personal situation going on with the state of Florida and I've have visited that state more than once. I never said that PA was the perfect place to live, far from it actually. But when I keep running into people who tell me they once lived in florida and are happy to have left, red flags go up immediately. I have a brother that lives in florida, he likes it there but even says that it's nothing but retail jobs down there. And yes I've known quite a number of people that have left PA to work in other states, and yet for some reason or another they are still in the same exact state (which isn't florida). And I'll tell you what, go down to boynton beach/delray beach area and see for yourself, go ahead and see all the retail stores there. And yes the housing market is bad all across the united states, but do you care to explain why there's such a mass exodus of people from southern florida recently? Why am I all of a sudden meeting people who once lived there and have moved back to the northeast portion of this country complaining that there are no unions down there, the wages are just horrible and I'm not even kidding when I say that, I won't even tell you what some people told me they were making compared to working NY,NJ or PA.

[TexasCasey]

Hey Smiley... I don't know why, but that post just hit me wrong & I admit, I may have overreacted. Hopefully, we can call it no harm, no foul...

I have posted before my only real big complaint with Florida & that is the traffic during snow-bird season... I have spent 3 to 6 weeks there each of the past 8 years - twice in the keys (big pine area) & the other years in Ft. Myers. I have found that the weather is very acceptable to me & I enjoy the beaches in those two areas. Driving through panhandle is beautiful, but I have never spent anytime there.

However, any time from Thanksgiving-ish to Easter-ish is snow-bird season & I will never visit again during that time. The populations increase 10-fold & the all-day traffic is worse than rush hour in Dallas.

This was my deciding factor to move to Hawaii (anywhere except Oahu) rather than Florida.

Take care, Doc...

[OyCrumbler]

Have you considered moving to an English-speaking Caribbean nation/dependency instead? The cost-of-living is cheap, and some of them are first-world countries (Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago). Also, how about Guam? There's a topic somewhere in the U.S. Territories forum debating whether Hawaii or Guam were better places to stay, and so far it seems like more posters are going with Guam (not surprising given the forum).

[drsmiley06]

No worries, no foul. Just venting alittle that's all. You know it's funny you mention the traffic situation down there during snow-bird season because my brother who lives in boynton beach area says it's like a sea of grey down there. My younger brother who lived down there a few years ago with his girlfriend got T-boned at an intersection by an elderly driver. I would imagine it's quite dangerous down there when it comes to the driving. I've been thinking about moving to hawaii myself, Oahu to be exact. Got to save up alittle bit more money to consider the move and hopefully someday it happens.

[survivorqt]

i live on oahu and have visited florida. Florida is all flat, Hawaii(oahu) is mountainous. Weather: Florida is hot and humid, Hawaii has constant trade winds. Cost wise, florida is cheaper. Oahu varies, milk is now $4/gallon, you can get a studio for 800 if you look hard enough, you're gonna learn to be frugal.

[fatandugly]

Originally Posted by drsmiley06

Okay someone clue me in as to the big deal about florida because apparently I don't see it. I have never seen so many people move to a state only to move out within 1 or 2 years, and I'm not kidding either when I say this. I have a brother that lives in boynton beach/west palm beach area and it looks nice but there really isn't much there other than retail stores. I've never seen so many Walgreens in my entire life until I visited florida. But for some reason I still keep meeting people that want to go there and settle there. What is it about florida that appeals to people? The weather? Most have told me that it's horrible in the summer in regards to the humidity. The job market? Are you kidding me? I'm not even going to ramble on about that one because there's nothing no one can say to me that leads me to believe that florida has a great job market, so don't even try it! I just met up with an old friend from high school who lives in orlando and is moving back up to philadelphia because she lost her job down there and she's told me that there's nothing there. Again, someone clue me into what the big deal is with the state of florida. Is there something I'm not seeing? It's absolutely unbelievable how many people I meet that at one time lived in florida and have moved back to the northeast portion of the united states. "Oh I didn't think it was going to be like that down there, we didn't expect the jobs to be like that." Say what? Listen, and pay close attention to what I'm about to say. Unless you have some sort of degree or marketable trade there's absolutely nothing in florida, and even that's a stretch. Even a degree these days doesn't gurantee you anything. Someone give me more insight about the state of florida.

well, even though I'm complaining about the heat, the quality of life in sw fla is great. I could never live in the north...how anyone can deal with months of cold weather/snow and dreary skies if they have a chance to do otherwise, is a mystery to me. My wife is from philly and i can't stand to go up there in the winter. sunny all the time here, the winters are AMAZING (very few cold days) and the hustle bustle is not bad except in the cities. i hear the pay down here is less but it is also much less expensive to live (unless you want to live on the beach.) talented, success-minded people will be in demand no matter where you live. the people are mostly very nice, especially on the west coast. 225-250K here will set you up in a very nice house and in a great neighborhood. During the winter, i would not want to live anywhere else except HI.

[Ellwood]

Originally Posted by fatandugly

well, even though I'm complaining about the heat, the quality of life in sw fla is great. I could never live in the north...how anyone can deal with months of cold weather/snow and dreary skies if they have a chance to do otherwise, is a mystery to me. My wife is from philly and i can't stand to go up there in the winter. sunny all the time here, the winters are AMAZING (very few cold days) and the hustle bustle is not bad except in the cities. i hear the pay down here is less but it is also much less expensive to live (unless you want to live on the beach.) talented, success-minded people will be in demand no matter where you live. the people are mostly very nice, especially on the west coast. 225-250K here will set you up in a very nice house and in a great neighborhood. During the winter, i would not want to live anywhere else except HI.

For you SW FL is paradise, for others, it is hell. Recent trip to Ft. Myers and Key West proved I still dislike FL. We have the cold and snow, but some of us prefer that to the heat, humidity, bugs and critters. The view over the water is very lovely, but the land is flat and boring. We pay heating bills, you pay air conditioning bills. Its all relative and thankfully people enjoy different climates. I would rather spend 12 hours flying to HI than go to FL again. We found the areas crowded, traffic was horrendous, and people were rude. Amazing the area has a large population of Canadians and Europeans. Accprding to reports, Ft. Myers has highest foreclosure rate in the nation. We could have bought a lovely house for $75K.

[Native Man]

I have lived in both places, and still live in Florida. The islands are great but as with everything there is much you don't get to know unless you live there a while. No brochures or talk is really spread about the bad things and some problems living in either place. Definitly go for a long fact finding visit and conduct a little research before you move there, you will be soooo glad you did. Hawaii is different seen as a visitor than as a resident. Employment is a definite state you want to explore unless you are wealthy, I was stationed there in the Military so didn't worry about money so much. But there are definite prolblems with "Da Bruddah's" and whites, I could go on about the politics and particulars but thats another post. I also want to share with you, once you discover all that the islands have to offer and mind you take part and enjoy all of it as is with any new discovery, you might start to get "island fever" I mean feeling boxed in and disimiliar but it can take a little time. Yes expensive and not as convienent as the mainland, try a visit first and then decide but take your time as the islands aren't going anywhere.
Now Florida...As a native im sorry if i offend anyone but we have to many people down here and not enough jobs even in a good economy. Like example from 1999 until 2003 people came from everywhere that worked in Information Technology just to get a job in Florida and now that the field for IT is like skeleton crews all companies have cut down on people the pay isn't what it used to be, plus if you live in Florida and do not live on the beach enjoying all the ammenities you are living a metropolitian lifestyle why not do that in an area that gives you the benefits of a metro lifestyle, yes Florida is FLAT and we have destroying hurricanes, plus much unemployment, Horrible humidity heat in the summer from May untill November only two seasons HOT and some form of Cold. Too many people came here for various reasons and seemed not to contribute to the state but became a leach. Husbands running from Child Support, Alimony, Murder who knows what else. And the same for other people, like the land developers selling off any little square inch of property just for a buck no matter what impacts the local community. Its a great place but since we have no backbone of industry "when its great working and making money its really great, when its down trodden it really sucks" Buying fish isn't cheap or any seafood, actually people have told me its more expensive to live here than other places, please take time to make a choice for yourself, remember you can visit either place anytime you want, do all of the Tropical, Hawaiian dooings that you want, but don't get stuck without a way to get out....I need to get off the soapbox, more to come...

[Native Man]

You're right, but don't forget you had it all...Just like Bogie and Becall...sailing away to Key Largo...
BTW Bertie Higgins was busted for DWI several years ago...
Try Captiva Island better than Key Largo and Key West or just jump a hop to de islands mon, they're close and with the economy, not really expensive, you will probably spend more money vacationing in Florida. Plus stay away from Jamacia unless its in an all inclusive plus has a fenced in compound, times are hard, Jamacians are poor don't get me wrong I love all my islans peoples but you can't really enjoy nosing around and shopping if every few minutes someone is begging money from you..
My recommendations are St. Croix, Bermuda, Cancun, St. Maarten also if theres a dutch side always stay there as the french sides are usually more dirty just like the "French" OUCH! but true..Enjoy