moving to ocala florida from NY HELP!!! (Wright: to rent, insurance)

[going2ocala]

I live in wny and am moving to ocala in one to two months I have been looking for places to rent and have found many reasonable single family homes for under 750.00 I noticed the closer the homes are to the city of ocala the more expensive does that mean its a better area? would anyone recommend living close to the city? my kids are going to go to cfcc so I want to be closer for the commute. Also how are the jobs in the human services-social work field? as far as it being boring there it looks like theres malls and stores about the same amount as where I live now are there movie theaters? and things like that? last thing is the area very ethnically diverse? im leaning towards the NE area.

[Buzz00]

there are hostile indians in the NE ocala, I am one of them,

stick to the malls and the all you can eat buffets,
but don't try to bring your own food into the thousand movie theatres in Ocala the Indians don't like that, we police the movies..............LOLOLOLOLOL
welcome to florida, now close the door behind you.

[emi__]

There's two movie theaters and two malls, but your kids probably won't find it very interesting here. It's rather boring for teenagers and young adults who can't go to bars.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by going2ocala

I live in wny and am moving to ocala in one to two months I have been looking for places to rent and have found many reasonable single family homes for under 750.00 I noticed the closer the homes are to the city of ocala the more expensive does that mean its a better area? would anyone recommend living close to the city? my kids are going to go to cfcc so I want to be closer for the commute. Also how are the jobs in the human services-social work field? as far as it being boring there it looks like theres malls and stores about the same amount as where I live now are there movie theaters? and things like that? last thing is the area very ethnically diverse? im leaning towards the NE area.

stay in WNY, you will hate it here! There are no jobs........

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by going2ocala

I live in wny and am moving to ocala in one to two months I have been looking for places to rent and have found many reasonable single family homes for under 750.00 I noticed the closer the homes are to the city of ocala the more expensive does that mean its a better area? would anyone recommend living close to the city? my kids are going to go to cfcc so I want to be closer for the commute. Also how are the jobs in the human services-social work field? as far as it being boring there it looks like theres malls and stores about the same amount as where I live now are there movie theaters? and things like that? last thing is the area very ethnically diverse? im leaning towards the NE area.

My daughter and her husband moved to Ocala in July of 2007 and love it there. I visit frequently and find it much more likeable than New Jersey.....they recently purchased a 3 bedroom 2 bath home in the South East section of town for $160K and the taxes are only $1500....you can't purchase a condo here for that kind of money and the tax burden is incredible. I am currently trying to get my semi-retirement ducks in a row to get down there myself.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by FlyersFan

My daughter and her husband moved to Ocala in July of 2007 and love it there. I visit frequently and find it much more likeable than New Jersey.....they recently purchased a 3 bedroom 2 bath home in the South East section of town for $160K and the taxes are only $1500....you can't purchase a condo here for that kind of money and the tax burden is incredible. I am currently trying to get my semi-retirement ducks in a row to get down there myself.

We're doing the same thing. We've got a 53-year-old 4-1/2 room house on a 50 x 100 lot in Bayonne -- and we pay nearly $8200 a year in taxes on it. We're doing the research now, and I'll be flying down the first week in June to look at houses.

[dmccauley]

Originally Posted by KathyA11

We're doing the same thing. We've got a 53-year-old 4-1/2 room house on a 50 x 100 lot in Bayonne -- and we pay nearly $8200 a year in taxes on it. We're doing the research now, and I'll be flying down the first week in June to look at houses.

I am from NJ and moved to Florida. I am not going to try and talk you out of it because its obviously your choice, but there are things you may want to consider when picking a particular place to live. I believe I read you wanted relaxed quiet atmosphere. You can have this lifestyle pretty much any where in Florida. You just stay in your home. However if your from NJ then most likely your use to being able to run to the grocery store when ever or drive to the movies jump on the parkway and hit the malls(all 20 min away, lol)....There are quite a few places in Florida you may have to drive a distance to get these amenities or drive to another town. You may say you don't want them now but having them available to you is really important. Being stuck out in the boonies takes a toll on you. If you have children consider they will get bored with the pool and need activities to entertain them. Will they be available in the area your considering. One final note rent rent rent. I know its a pain in the a** to pack and move but you will find that people have chosen the wrong location and or neighborhood and now can not sell their homes and are stuck in an unhappy situation. Good Luck

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by dmccauley

I am from NJ and moved to Florida. I am not going to try and talk you out of it because its obviously your choice, but there are things you may want to consider when picking a particular place to live. I believe I read you wanted relaxed quiet atmosphere. You can have this lifestyle pretty much any where in Florida.

At a more expensive price, however -- and we don't want to be near the coast because we don't want to live in a resort area, pay higher homeowner's insurance due to the proximity to the coast, (Marion County is the lowest), have eto deal with a lot of transients in season, or deal with potentially evacuating with 4 dogs and 3 parrots because of a hurricane.

You just stay in your home.

We pretty much do that now. We have a nice quiet life -- once I walk in the door after work, I'm in for the rest of the day.

However if your from NJ then most likely your use to being able to run to the grocery store when ever

I could, if I wanted to -- but I choose to do all of my errands in one day on the weekend, shopping in the stores on the highway (Wal-mart, Costco, Barnes & Noble, Shop-Rite). I don't go to the local grocery stores, anyway, but to two different stores -- one in Lyndhurst (when I choose to go north), one in Woodbridge (whcn I choose to go south). Our hometown of 65,000 residents is a peninsula, and has one small mall area -- with no major stores other than AJ Wright and Ston & Shop. The only reason I go there is to go to the movies a couple of times a year.

or drive to the movies

Ocala doesn't have movie theaters? No matter -- I have an extensive DVD collection.

jump on the parkway and hit the malls(all 20 min away, lol)....

The only one that close is Newport Centre in Jersey City -- and I wouldn't shop there on a bet. And I'm nowhere near the GSP (the Tpk has an exit here, but to get from one end of my town to the other, it takes 10 minutes, thanks to a traffic light on every other corner and a multitude of one-way streets).

There are quite a few places in Florida you may have to drive a distance to get these amenities or drive to another town.

It's not much different than here, then.

You may say you don't want them now but having them available to you is really important.

Being stuck out in the boonies takes a toll on you.

Ocala is the boonies? Maybe compared to NYC, it is, but we're not from Manhattan. We're not moving to the Ocala National Forest, either.

If you have children

None -- and at our ages -- 53 and 57 (soon to be 54 and 58, married 29 years last Sunday), there is less than zero chance of any, too.

consider they will get bored with the pool and need activities to entertain them. Will they be available in the area your considering. One final note rent rent rent.

Not with our menagerie. Four dogs, three birds? No, not an option, and I don't think too many landlords would want to rent to us, either.

know its a pain in the a** to pack and move

Very much so, especially when your initial move is from northern NJ to central Florida, with said menagerie in tow.

but you will find that people have chosen the wrong location and or neighborhood and now can not sell their homes and are stuck in an unhappy situation. Good Luck

Thank you. We hope not to be in that situation.

[okee]

there is a lots places to have fun. been her for 15 years and is been great

[kshe95girl]

"Ocala is the boonies? Maybe compared to NYC, it is, but we're not from Manhattan. We're not moving to the Ocala National Forest, either."

I live in the Forest, and am 10 minutes away from a Walmart, and a Winn-Dixie...... its not all a yawning black hole out here, ya know.........