Florida to Minnesota, anyone else do this? (Minneapolis, Plymouth: relocating, real estate)

[whatever]

We're looking to get out of south Florida (who isn't?) and have a several friends up in MN. Any transplants from FL to MN interested in posting comments about the transition?

Yes, it gets very cold in the winter. Been there a few times during tundra season. I'm mostly curious about the cultural transition. Our family is white, likes the outdoors, boats, hunts, fishes and likes offroad vehicles. Seems like a good fit, have any other Floridians had issues that I may not be thinking of?

Thanks!

[monti]

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Florida is beautiful - have you considered moving to Miami? It's beautiful there all year round, great party scene, plenty of creative work, can go water skiing/swimming all year round on the coast..

Minnesota - GREAT but only for 3 months in the summer and uh oh yeah if you have bugspray OH and I forgot housing costs are through the roof, uhm but ya know... we have *TREES* and uh... hmm

*think positive*

uh well we have uh PARKS ...

but you dont get to use those for 9 months out of the year due to the frigid cold winds... but THEY'RE THERE...

lakes...

just make sure you don't swim in any of the polluted ones (all of them)

yep, so if you want to sit inside and post on message boards in the winter, get drunk at bars with a bunch of no-name no-ambition look alike (everybody wears the same @$#@$% outfit here) losers - go outside and sit around during the summer all while paying super high rates for your house then MINNESOTA IS THE PLACE FOR YOU

[MidniteBreeze]

Where in MN are you looking at relocating? Sounds like northern MN would be a good place for you, based on your outdoors interests. (and shhh....our lakes are nice and clean up here Of course the big downfall is most of the good jobs in MN are in the metro area.

The winter will definitely be an adjustment coming from FL, but you can still fish through the ice and it's not too hard to transition from an ATV to a snowmobile when the snow flies. The key to avoiding cabing fever is to stay active!

Housing prices (even in inflated markets like the Twin Cities) will look like a bargain compared to south FL.

Politically this is a state that wants to be liberal but is rather socially conservative. The taxes are high but the schools/social services are pretty good. The roads aren't.

People are probably more reserved here than you're used to, but they're polite. Minnesota is getting more diverse (especially the Twin Cities), but will seem very "white" compared to where you're from, I'm sure.

Oh, and you'll pay more for orange juice up here

[whatever]

I've been to Miami. The only place I would want to live even less would be Pittsburgh. I could dismantle the first reply all day and all night but the decision to leave has already been made and is well thought out.

Now back to the topic already in progress;

We're thinking about west of the metro area but a lot will depend on jobs (we work in the tech industry). I know there are people that have made this switch and I'm hoping to run across a few folks that have made a similar move and have been in MN for a few years.

[Robert P Stewart]

I've visited Florida many times, and almost died once in Ft. Meyers (another topic for another day).

And while I've never lived there, I have helped many people relocate from down there to up here. The transistions seem pretty smooth. Depending on where you live in Florida, you'll either love or hate the real estate prices up here. I've had clients buy twice the house they thought they would get versus what they were paying in a nice neighborhood in Miami. As far as restaurants, the selection up here in larger (IMHO), but the overall quality is lower. When I was in Miami, we ate WELL - and we didn't have to search for great finds either.

If you have outdoor interests, I think you'll like it here. We're (my family) avid outdoors-people and spend much of the summer without a roof.

The families I've helped relocate faired VERY well if they had kids in school. Parents, in general, love the schools here and use that as a way of meeting other families. Many folks on this board will tell you that it is difficult to meet people. Not so. My wife and I are transplants from VA/Wash DC and we are fully integrated (which is to say, Norweigan by association).

I hope this helps!

Robert
Robert@RobertPStewart.com

[ladycontractor]

Originally Posted by whatever

We're looking to get out of south Florida (who isn't?) and have a several friends up in MN. Any transplants from FL to MN interested in posting comments about the transition?

Yes, it gets very cold in the winter. Been there a few times during tundra season. I'm mostly curious about the cultural transition. Our family is white, likes the outdoors, boats, hunts, fishes and likes offroad vehicles. Seems like a good fit, have any other Floridians had issues that I may not be thinking of?

Thanks!

Minnesota has had some very mild winters in the past 5 years or more..just like so many other northern climates...I have been in Florida on occassion, only to call my sister in Minneapolis to find it was warmer than in Pennsacola Florida...29 degrees in Florida and 32 in Minneapolis...it has beautiful lakes all close in...and all very accessable..they have a tremendous park structure..Hennepin County Parks offer everything from terrific boat launches for fairly large boats, cross country ski trails, fabulous walking and biking trails, nature centers, wonderful winter programs and all sorts of all season activities..I have lived in Minneapolis for about 30 years and (albeit..the skeeters are terrible..so are they in the south!!) and have had an ice house on the lake in the winter, cross country snow ski,down hill...I taught my children in Taylors Falls...If you want culture..Mpls/St Paul offers some of the finest...lots of theaters and comedy spots..Plymouth Playhouse, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, and all that downtown Minneapolis has to offer..walking the "lakes"...Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, and Harriet offer spectacular events in all seasons..including free renditions of Art in the Park, Theater in the Park...etc...summer free concerts all over the cities in summer..and who could challenge the Hollidazzle Parade and Macy's auditorium at Christmas...we have the Aquatennial events and parade that are some of the best free entertainment in the states..the city offers usually spectacular firework displays all over the metro that are spectacular also.. eduaction is way above the norm and housing is pretty average..but the 60's homes are some of the best built I have seen..and I build and remodel them...then you deserve to be....I still have a house up there (am currently in Washington DC area) if you want to buy or rent ...if you are bored in Minnesota..then you deserve to be..ladycontractor

[ladycontractor]

[I found this blurb by this person to be rather amusing...if one is bored in Minnesota..then they deserve to be!!!!!!!!..dressing for the weather any place you go makes all the difference in the world...true cold it is, but of the late years, has been warmer at times than Florida has been..If this person chose to be a couch potato, that is he/she's fault....northern Minnesota is spectacular in the fall, (so is the metro and all other lake areas)there are winter carnivals and lots of cultural things to do..and not sitting in a bar!!..has this person never heard of any of these places..Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Orpheum, Plymouth Playhouse,The Guthrie Theater, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Lake Harriett, Winter Carnival, Mall of America, Hennepin County Parks, roller blading, indoor ice arenas, bicycling paths, down hill skiing right in the metro area, fabulous walking, cross country skiing and shoeshoe paths, indoor shopping and a fabulous skywalk network, Hollidazzle Parade and Macys Auditorium at Christmas,..great supermarkets like Lunds and Byerlys, casinos for gambling, buffet meals and well known entertainers....Minnesota Science Museum, Swedish Institute,..constant marothons, fishing , boating, local high school and college plays and entertainment on a budget, small town festivals, art in the park, Shakespeare in the Park, summer concerts in the parks, firework displays.... and the list goes on and on and on and on...maybe lardo is that person's lifestyle,,but some of us have made the effort to enjoy life..even in Minnesota...





QUOTE=monti;326427]Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Florida is beautiful - have you considered moving to Miami? It's beautiful there all year round, great party scene, plenty of creative work, can go water skiing/swimming all year round on the coast..

Minnesota - GREAT but only for 3 months in the summer and uh oh yeah if you have bugspray OH and I forgot housing costs are through the roof, uhm but ya know... we have *TREES* and uh... hmm

*think positive*

uh well we have uh PARKS ...

but you dont get to use those for 9 months out of the year due to the frigid cold winds... but THEY'RE THERE...

lakes...

just make sure you don't swim in any of the polluted ones (all of them)

yep, so if you want to sit inside and post on message boards in the winter, get drunk at bars with a bunch of no-name no-ambition look alike (everybody wears the same goddamn outfit here) losers - go outside and sit around during the summer all while paying super high rates for your house then MINNESOTA IS THE PLACE FOR YOU[/quote]

[Yorkie_Mom]

Minnesota is a very pretty state, if you don't mind the cold you will be just fine. Like the other people have said, you have to dress for the weather, then you can do whatever you like. Our fall time of the year is beautiful to say the least, winter has been ok due to it being mild until now, below zero temps, if you can handle that.
Spring is like just waking up from a good long nap, the birds are chirpping, flowers are blooming, and everything comes to life. Summer is a little on the hot and humid side, no different from Florida, and the mosquito population, has been under control and not bad the last two years.
I think you would fit right in, the people here are friendly, I have lived here all my life, and I have always made others fell welcomed, even if it is just for a visit, I have also helped a family move that came from Montana, they are not related to me, it is the way some of us here have been raised.
If you can handle the winters, I think you would be able to get along with the rest of our seasons. Good luck, and take care.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by monti

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Florida is beautiful - have you considered moving to Miami? It's beautiful there all year round, great party scene, plenty of creative work, can go water skiing/swimming all year round on the coast..

Minnesota - GREAT but only for 3 months in the summer and uh oh yeah if you have bugspray OH and I forgot housing costs are through the roof, uhm but ya know... we have *TREES* and uh... hmm

*think positive*

uh well we have uh PARKS ...

but you dont get to use those for 9 months out of the year due to the frigid cold winds... but THEY'RE THERE...

lakes...

just make sure you don't swim in any of the polluted ones (all of them)

yep, so if you want to sit inside and post on message boards in the winter, get drunk at bars with a bunch of no-name no-ambition look alike (everybody wears the same @$#@$% outfit here) losers - go outside and sit around during the summer all while paying super high rates for your house then MINNESOTA IS THE PLACE FOR YOU

monti--I've lived in both Miami (while growing up) and MSP (as an adult). Take it from me, Miami is not some kind of paradise. If you want to hear from others who live there, go to the Florida forum and watch for the themes: congestion, crowding, lack of community spirit, poor schools, crime, high costs, low pay, racial and ethnic friction, third world conditions and lousy weather! Yes, I said weather. Thnk about one of those days we have here in July or August when the temp is in the 90s and the humidity is so high the temp is still in the 80s at midnight. That's what it's like in Miami, 9 months of the year! Our beautiful summer compares favorably with their beautiful winter, but their spring and fall cannot compare to ours! And losers? Believe me, there's no comparison between the two cities! The relatively small group of losers here are mostly home-grown. Miami's a loser magnet, and they come from all over the world!

Sorry if I went off topic, but just had to respond to this!

[Imissthefall]

Originally Posted by whatever

We're looking to get out of south Florida (who isn't?) and have a several friends up in MN. Any transplants from FL to MN interested in posting comments about the transition?

Yes, it gets very cold in the winter. Been there a few times during tundra season. I'm mostly curious about the cultural transition. Our family is white, likes the outdoors, boats, hunts, fishes and likes offroad vehicles. Seems like a good fit, have any other Floridians had issues that I may not be thinking of?

Thanks!

Whatever,
I think you'll be fine and really enjoy MN...I grew up there and always thought I wanted to live in CA or FL when I grew up because no snow etc..well now that I'm an adult I have lived in both FL & CA as well as PA, CT, AZ and in another month I can add Maine to that list ( my husband is in the Navy so we have moved around to other bases)
My husband retires in 7 years and we can't wait to retire in MN, well so to speak..we'll be in our mid/late 30's so we'll still be working and our kids will be in school...needless to say I thought the grass was greener somewhere else but the truth is I have really come to see MN in a different way and love it..
Good luck on your move!!!!!!