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Married a South Shore girl four years ago, had two amazing twins two years ago, living in Central Florida, wife's parents are here, her extended family lives near Bayshore, now wife wants to move back to be near extended family.
The kids are two years old now and Grandma, Grandpa are our daycare. We would want to move in about three years, once they start school. We wouldn't need daycare at that point, and we want them to stay in the same school without having to move again.
Right now in Florida we have a very nice 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2200 sq. ft. home with in ground pool on 1/2 acre. Taxes after home exemption are about $1650 a year. We owe about $115,000 and have maybe 20-40 thousand in equity, depending on the market.
We live in a nice growing community which has quite a few NY transplants.
I was born in Germany, and lived in PA from the ages of 12 to 17. Have now lived in Florida for 16 years, I'm ok with moving up north. The weather wouldn't bother me, and we want the kids to experience four seasons which you don't get here in FL. The proximity to the city appeals to me and would be a great cultural experience. I really enjoy going into the city, but I could do that when we visit as well.
My wife has two brothers, one lives on LI, the other is moving back there soon. If we were to move, there is a good chance that the Grandparents would also move, because their friends here in FL are also moving back to LI. If we moved they would have no family, limited friends here. They are Italian and like to spend much time together.
I work in IT, and my wife is in HR, we wouldn't move without at least one job lined up and enough money saved for at least six months of living expenses. I've told my wife if we do this, we would definitely rent for at least a year or two and at the same time hold onto our house in FL and rent it. This way we could come back, if we feel we made a mistake.
I don't have any family here in FL and wouldn't mind moving, here is what concerns me about Long Island:
1. Cost of Living expenses
2. Cost of housing expenses
3. Quality of living
4. Traffic congestion/poor roads and infrastructure
5. Stress of Moving/Starting over when we'll be close to 40 years old
6. Being more stressed over money straining our relationship.
7. Kids' quality of live.
8. Having more family functions to attend/less free time
9. More hectic lifestyle
10. More Crowded everywhere you go (compared to FL)
11. Once we reach retirement age, will we be able to hold onto our house or be forced
(financially) to move. I don't want to move again, I want to retire in the house I've lived in for most of my life.
12. Kids living with us longer before being able to afford their own place
13. Moving into smaller, older house
14. Island mentality combined with NY attitude (sorry I'm generalizing, and hope to not offend anyone
personally). There are more people with an arrogant, brash "I'm too busy or important to listen to
you" attitude. I don't mean everyone; there are lots of good, pleasant people here. It's just the
fast paced life makes it hard for most to slow down to be civil. The culture is so unique on Long
Island, it's a special place, but it's also isolated a bit due to its geographical nature.
We want to move for the quality of the kids' family life, their education (which pretty much sucks in FL) and our family life. If we decide to stay in Florida then the Grandparents would stay as well, so I think they could have a nice life here as well. We come up to visit at least once a year anyway. Of course it's difficult to tell if my personality would like it here, but I'm just afraid we would make a huge mistake by moving there. Giving up our comfortable situation in FL to give it a chance on LI. Then again, we might regret it greatly if we don't give it a try. I don't know if my wife would ever be happy here in FL, regardless of how well off we are. I think once you're a Long Islander, or New Yorker, you'll always be one and feel like a fish out of water anywhere else. And if the wife ain't happy, no one is happy.
I'd stay where you are and can live comfortably. The cost of living up here is out of control. I was born and raised here. If it wasn't for my family and fiancee, I'd leave, honestly. I'm almost 28 years old, still living at home so that I can save and one day buy a home of my own. Seems almost next to impossible.
I'd stay where you are and can live comfortably. The cost of living up here is out of control. I was born and raised here. If it wasn't for my family and fiancee, I'd leave, honestly. I'm almost 28 years old, still living at home so that I can save and one day buy a home of my own. Seems almost next to impossible.
Ditto. Maintain your success down there and sooner or later everyone will join you. Don't believe the hype up here. It's a nice place and all but without making $250k plus, you're paycheck to paycheck with rising costs all around and you pay for the political malfeasance of those who came before and looted the place. It's a short flight to NYC and the week per year you visit is probably as often as you will visit if you lived here. If you are commuting to Manhattan for work, you might not want to visit there at all!
Sounds like you're a thinker and planner so either way you'll land on your feet.
Best of luck whatever you do.
I don't know how "large" you're living right now, but keep in mind the median home price is $350k-$400k and taxes are $8k-$12k, generally. That's your biggest expense. Chances are you won't be able to maintain your current level of comfort with the same salary on LI.
My house was waaay cheaper than that, but my taxes are high just like everyone else (I'm grieving them right now). As long as you are coming in with a realistic expectation on what you would be able to afford (no +2000sqft, no 4bdr 2.5bth with IGP or central air that's for sure) you won't be over your head. People say COL is out of control here, which it is but it's not crazy. Most people just want what they can't afford, and not living within their means.
The keeping up with the Jones' Rat Race mentality is very strong here. I wouldn't move up here if you're into that because competetion is strong.
I know people who live in $600k homes but struggle to pay off their CC debt. This to me is a perfect example of the Long Island mentality.
It also depends on your job and yearly salary. To live "comfortably" here you need to figure weekly/monthly/yearly costs of everything-mortgage,utilities,insurance etc.
I am the wife. We get a lot of advice about this. Many say "don't do it, it is too expensive here!". I don't see any of those people leaving the island to the sunny shores of Florida to bask in the glow of cheaper housing and Moderator cut: crude language not allowed on c.d.
The truth of the matter is that they are willing to pay the premium of living on the Island to be near their family and friends. Why is that so different from us? We want our boys to grow up with extended family just like everyone else does. Many of our friends up there have boys the same age as our boys. They have no one down here, and that makes me want to cry for them. Also the sense of apathy and contentment with mediocrity is something I definitely don't want rubbing off on them. I don't mind the competition, it will keep them on their toes....
Last edited by nancy thereader; 08-22-2012 at 04:43 PM..
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