Coming from Florida.... (Boston, Springfield, Walpole: rent, crime, house)

[BombDiggity]

So I was born and raised in MA until age 15. Grew up South of Boston. Moved to Florida in 92 because my parents wanted to relocate. Entire family is up there. Now I am 32, married and have a 9 year old son living in Sw Florida. I want to move back and have for a loooong time. Life here is like groundhog day and I hate seeing my son grow up without the childhood that I had. My husband is employed as a manager with Whole Foods Market (which there are plenty of up there). I am trying to convince him to transfer so we can move up! He has never even seen snow!! EVERY single person he talks to says it will be the biggest mistake ever and that everyone up there is trying to get out! My family is of course biased. My son is in the gifted program and very smart. I want to live in a great area, have him go to a great school and enjoy the best the boston area has to offer! I have read many posts on here but wanted to post my own. We are coming to visit in 2 weeks and I hope it seals the deal! Anyone that has left Florida and moved up there reading this??

[holden125]

I certainly never left Florida since I never lived in Florida, but you can put me on the list of those who love Massachusetts. I'd hardly say "everyone" is trying to get out. In some respects the Boston area has suffered from the opposite problem: there are plenty of people who have been trying to get in and the place is expensive due to high demand.

I wonder who your husband is talking to. People like your parents who left? People from Florida? A lot of people I talk to up here speak in hushed tones about someone moving to Florida and what a big mistake THAT is, for the exact reasons you mentioned. My personal impression is that people who are struggling financially to make it in eastern Mass. (it is a lot more expensive than many places though cheaper than others like New York or San Francisco) are most likely to want to leave. While there are a lot of Boston-area people of all economic situations who wouldn't leave for anywhere else in the world, there have also always been those who dream of tropical weather in January.

I know people who left and never looked back, and others who left and almost immediately regretted it despite the cheaper house and warmer weather. Many of those came back. In the end there are "Boston people" and "Florida people" or "Texas people." I'm a "Boston person" and I'd rather put on my gloves in January and pay three times more for a house in Mass. than move to Florida. I love what the area offers, but it's not always easy, especially for families without a very high income. I'd give it serious thought before making the move, but if you love the area it might well be worth it. Tough sell for a guy who's never seen snow, though.

If you wanted to seal the deal with a visit, the winter might not have been the best time. Maybe you'll see some pretty new snow!

[haberstroh]

We are a transplant family in MA: Husband grew up in Southern FL, I grew up in Germany. As adults we moved all over the US and Europe. We live now in Walpole, MA. We absolutely LOVE MA! And although my husband gets a little "seasonal depressed" by mid March he would not move back to FL so easily. I like that it feels very European here. One big factor are the excellent public schools. Also there is so much to do here: the cape, the islands, Boston with all its culture, history and tradition, VT, NH, Maine, the Berkshires, the Northshore, Plymoth, Providence...there is public transportation, good restaurants, you can choose between city living or suburbs..to much to mention. But you already know all that. I'd say it will be hard to convince your hubby. My bol is a true Floridian and would never move up here. But maybe your husband has an open mind and sees what the Northeast could offer your son. I wish you all the best.
PS: Did I mention that we just came back from skiing in VT. Awesome!!!

[BombDiggity]

thank you. thank you.
i love these responses. read them to the hubby.
i have been looking into walpole, westwood, needham and quincy. rent has gone up quite a bit since i last looked!
COL is higher there but the pay is also i am sure.
cant wait to get there.....i settle for the pats in miami and red sox spring training every year for now!!

[south-bound]

I grew up in FL, and moved to MA in 1995. I hate it here! I'm trying to get my hubby to move back! In defense of MA, I live in Springfield, which is very depressing. But for us, it is the only place in MA that we can afford to live. The cost of living in FL is waaay cheaper, even if we bought on the ocean (which is what I'd want to do). That being said, even if I could afford to live in a nice area of MA, for what I'd pay, I'd rather get more house and land for my money by going to FL.

Also, I hate to say it, but South FL is going downhill. It is very overcrouded and crime has jumped up significantly. When I say that I want to move to FL, I mean either coast of Central FL, or anywhere in Northern FL. I would stay away from South FL and the Orlando area. Any of the areas of FL that I want to move to are cheaper, by far, than Springfield. And the education is comparable to Springfield as well.

I just thought that I should offer a different opinion. If you can afford to live in a nice area of MA, and your hubby is on board, I say: Go for it! Different strokes for different folks!

[south-bound]

Also wanted to add: the pay is not that much higher here in MA, at least not in my field or in the field that I am going back to college for. If you want to find out wage data in different areas of the country, go to the Federal Government's Bureau of Labor Statistics: www.bls.gov. They will give you accurate wage data info by the areas of MA that you are looking to move to, so that you can plan your finances for the COL adjustment.