Noticibly "happy" vibe on the Jacksonville forum (Miami: sales, crime)

[compelled to reply]

It seems as people must LOVE Jacksonville. I happen to think its a really nice place to settle, but I have noticed that there is a lot less negativity on these forums than the other Florida forums and subforums. What is your secret to a great quality of life, Jacksonvillites? . Is it the lower cost of living?

[riveree]

Aw, thanks for the nice comment, Fort Lauderdale .

Yeah, some of the negativity on other parts of the Florida forum really get me down sometimes.

Most of the posts and posters here on the Jax forum tend to be positive, even if we all don't agree 100%. I'm not sure what the reason is, really. I know I've gotten snappish a few times lately when I feel a post is getting too negative or dwelling on unhelpful discussions, but I try to be as nice as I can while still 'tellin' it like it is' .

I don't know if the reason could be economic......historically, Jax had been a pretty poor city for many, many decades and while some of that has shaken off in the last decade or two, we've now sort of zipped straight into being somewhat of an expensive place to live (I'm primarily speaking of housing which has zoomed up in price).

I know one of the things I find different about Jax is just how much natural beauty there is around and how accessible it is. Just driving around you end up crossing water a lot, or driving past a park or a preserve, and of course the ocean and the Saint Johns River are right here. So, these things make me happy and probably make others happy too .

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by riveree

Aw, thanks for the nice comment, Fort Lauderdale .

Yeah, some of the negativity on other parts of the Florida forum really get me down sometimes.

Most of the posts and posters here on the Jax forum tend to be positive, even if we all don't agree 100%. I'm not sure what the reason is, really. I know I've gotten snappish a few times lately when I feel a post is getting too negative or dwelling on unhelpful discussions, but I try to be as nice as I can while still 'tellin' it like it is' .

I don't know if the reason could be economic......historically, Jax had been a pretty poor city for many, many decades and while some of that has shaken off in the last decade or two, we've now sort of zipped straight into being somewhat of an expensive place to live (I'm primarily speaking of housing which has zoomed up in price).

I know one of the things I find different about Jax is just how much natural beauty there is around and how accessible it is. Just driving around you end up crossing water a lot, or driving past a park or a preserve, and of course the ocean and the Saint Johns River are right here. So, these things make me happy and probably make others happy too .

Yeah, Jacksonville has a lot of natural attractions that we don't have down here (even being on the everglades and all!). I have became a little snappy on the exact same things,like people saying "need to commute to Miami within 45 minutes, have 400k to spend on home" and everyone just says "oh there is not a single good area in Dade County (I happen to SOMEWHAT agree) go away from here". Gheez, Broward County is one county up and most of it is fine and relevant to those posters, but when I mention that, they know its true, but it seems as if a lot of the posters ignore it and just have another whine session about Dade County. I think Miami-Dade County has a lot of problems, but the constant whining without meaning becomes annoying and even cliche. I always enjoy reading this fourm, though, because it seems like such an accurate and intelligent representation of Jacksonville. Some of the other sub forums could learn a thing or two from the Jacksonville forum!

[JB77]

I'll agree with Ft Lauderdale!

I'm set to move to Jax here in December, and have been searching the internet for information on the city. Mostly, I find words like 'ghetto' and such, which were beginning to get me down. Lo and behold, I stumble across this site and have been really taken aback with the cool vibe of the posters on here!
I'm sure it'll take some time to adjust from city life to a more 'suburban' lifestyle, but the postings have made it fun to think about (and the beach won't hurt)

Cheers to my soon-to-be neighbors!

[MsJax313Atl]

I hate to say it...but I have to: I dont like Jacksonville at all; its very weird to me. I like for seasons to be noticeable. Plus there is nothing to do in Jacksonville - very boring. I could go on but I don't want to offend. And I hope that you have a totally opposite experience. Best wishes!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by JB77

I'll agree with Ft Lauderdale!

I'm set to move to Jax here in December, and have been searching the internet for information on the city. Mostly, I find words like 'ghetto' and such, which were beginning to get me down. Lo and behold, I stumble across this site and have been really taken aback with the cool vibe of the posters on here!
I'm sure it'll take some time to adjust from city life to a more 'suburban' lifestyle, but the postings have made it fun to think about (and the beach won't hurt)

Cheers to my soon-to-be neighbors!

You're arriving at a good time - lots of changes in the last few years that make the "suburban" aspect a lot more livable .

Welcome to Jax !

[David in JAX]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

Is it the lower cost of living?

When I moved here 18 months ago I was actually shocked at the high cost of living here. I know the cost of living here is lower than in South Florida, but compared to most of the country the cost of living here is outrageous (not compared to California and large cities in the NE obviously). And it’s not just housing. My grocery bill went up 25% day one, my non covered medical expenses (like the dentist) doubled, and housing costs are completely ridiculous considering the prices and what little you get. I still can’t figure out why a 12 pack of diet coke costs double here considering sales taxes are relatively low. Why is toothpaste so expensive here? I really can’t figure it out.

But, other than that, I think JAX is great. I love the friendly people, lack of traffic, the palm trees and the year round warm weather.

[BlueWillowPlate]

I can't speak for housing, I think Florida is a special case there.
But when it comes to rising prices, gas, grocery and medical expenses are going up all over the USA.
People are paying more, and getting less.

[titaniummd]

I think you just put have to put things in perspective: I just came from the DC Metro and everything was expensive, people were not as warm/friendly and helpful, you get high strung and have a type A personality, crime is high, but there were a LOT of things to see/do/visit. So much of the land was developed and aside from the protected parks, there weren't as many trees and open fields, as you would usually expect.

Moving down here, to me, everything is a lot more affordable, people are nice/warm/kind/laid back/helpful, and crime is relatively low. The surroundings are nice and there is a lot of undeveloped land. I am happy to be here.

[mawipafl]

I wonder if Jacksonville is different because it's not tourist-driven? And I suspect there aren't as many Snow Birds here as in more southerly metro areas. That's not to say that Jax doesn't have its share, nor am I saying that tourists and Snow Birds bring a negative vibe wherever they go. They don't. Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, etc. are great places to plant roots to live and work, but I wonder if the proportion of permanent vs. temporary residents is so different in the aforementioned locales than in Jax that it creates a different mindset and culture? Please note I use the word "different" which denotes neither negative nor positive - it's all relative to individual likes and dislikes as far as mindset and culture.

I really like it here in this part of Florida and I find it far from boring! There's tons of stuff to do from "high brow" activities to "granola girl" events and everything inbetween for all types and ages. Since the pace of life appears slower here, perhaps that's construed as a lack of energy? Not the case - Jax has its own energy and excitement.

Plus, being such a large area means there's a great mix of opulent new mansions and quaint older ranches, and I think there's a good blend of people in various economic levels. Regardless of the demographics, the one thing I've noticed here is a sense of pride. Yes, there are the few houses with the Barka-lounges on the front porch and knee-high grass, but even in the less-affluent neighborhoods you can see that people take pride in their homes.

Generally speaking, and for whatever reason that perhaps will eventually be discovered, most of the Jacksonville residents on this forum are very happy and proud to live here, and I think that mindset comes through loud and clear. I also think they are quite openminded and realize that people do have different tastes and that other cities may be more palatable to others even if it's not their particular preference.

Now, why prices are higher and coke costs double is something I can't even begin to explain.