moving to ocala (Gainesville, Lakeland, St. Augustine: for sale, real estate, apartment)

[kennethfitz1]

hi there everyone,i am looking for some information and am hoping ye can help.my family and i are hoping to to move to ocala from ireland in the next 12-18 months,we are moving because we are sick of the irish weather 10-11 months of bad weather every year,we have enough of it,we also have family in ocala who emigrated to america 10 years ago.we want to know where is the nicest area of ocala to live in,and best schools as we have a 7 year old daughter,also what is the work situatition like,my wife and i are in our early 30s,(33 and 31).i am a qualified painter and decorater and tile setter, my wife is a qualified home carer who looks after the elderly and she also works for the irish wheelchair assocation of ireland.we are hoping to move within the next 18 months so please who ever reads this reply with some info,all is welcome

[Honeycrisp]

I'm not in Ocala or even the state of FL but I understand there's a ton of red tape and paperwork coming from another country, have you checked into it at all?, would want to get everything in order before immigrating, also have a definite job commitment here in writing (read some of the posts, I think the unemployment rate is 12.2%).

[kshe95girl]

I'm an interior designer, there is NO work here in the fields you are interested in.......everything I am doing is out of state.

[SantaFeSandy]

Originally Posted by kennethfitz1

hi there everyone,i am looking for some information and am hoping ye can help.my family and i are hoping to to move to ocala from ireland in the next 12-18 months,we are moving because we are sick of the irish weather 10-11 months of bad weather every year,we have enough of it,we also have family in ocala who emigrated to america 10 years ago.we want to know where is the nicest area of ocala to live in,and best schools as we have a 7 year old daughter,also what is the work situatition like,my wife and i are in our early 30s,(33 and 31).i am a qualified painter and decorater and tile setter, my wife is a qualified home carer who looks after the elderly and she also works for the irish wheelchair assocation of ireland.we are hoping to move within the next 18 months so please who ever reads this reply with some info,all is welcome

Hi kennethfizt1,

While I'd like to be optimistic about your future endeavors to relocate here, given the current economy, it doesn't look good for such a big move, especially with a child. However, what does your family that is here have to say on this matter and y'alls job qualifications. Certainly they would know best what you'd be in for given your cultural and societal norms based on their experiences here. Will they allow you all to live with them until you get situated, even if it takes 6 months to a year?

Contract work like tiling is always competitive, so I'd think that if you got with the right contractor, you'd gain employment. However, low wages or even minimum wage is typically not enough to support oneself on, let alone a family...unless you all are willing to take an efficiency apartment and live dirt cheap in the lesser areas of town.

As for "elder care," FL licensure is often "over the top" or antiquated so to speak, and coming from another country may complicate matters tremendously for your wife. Then again, the way our country is headed right now, foreigners may well gain permissions in licensure compliance where US citizens can't...

If you all are people of faith, I'd highly recommend that you both take time, fast & pray on the relocation ups and downs, and then act in obedience according to whatever God's will would be, regardless of the possible hardships.

What I'd also want you to consider is that the weather here is not all glorious, nor the bugs, molds, humidity, weeds etc. We have various poisonous snakes, scorpions, black & brown widows, centipedes, lots of ants, tons of fleas and ticks, mosquitoes that look like state birds, etc. Not to mention the elements of hurricanes and power outages, and lonely, dark back roads. And lack of high speed Internet connections in the various counties or cellphone signals being dropped.

As a woman, ones hair and makeup is subject to humidity, as is the house. I live in air conditioning, so be ready for an electric bill. If you have pets, you spend tons on vaccinations, wormers, heartworm preventatives, and West Nile preventatives. Flea & tick meds are very expensive.

Commuting from one city to another gets to be a real drag. Count on a minimum of 30 miles one way for whatever you need to do (which really equates to about an hour drive for one way given the terrain)...even grocery shop...unless that is you're planning on buying or renting in the more congested areas of Ocala or Gainesville.

Just wanted to throw some facts at you, as while the cost of living is less here, to buy a home...the wages you get are also lower, but all bills remain fixed. And as mentioned above, the unemployment rate is around 12.2% and FL is one of the top 5 states with the highest mortgage failure rates too.

But...by the way, North Central Florida is planning on developing 1 or 2 new nuclear reactor facilities here in the very near future, where jobs will be in high demand. The locations will be one on the coast by Inverness, and one inland by Morriston (I think) which is just west of the Ocala area. So you might want to Google this information to find out about dates and contractors and see if you can link with a job ahead of time.

[Central Illinois 1]

From the perspective of an outsider (an objective outsdider I might add) who has only stayed in Ocala a few times, it seemed pretty boring to me and alot of areas looked pretty rough. The surrounding horse country is beautiful, but I wouldn't go out of my way to spend time in the town again. Having spent time in Lakeland as well, I would say the same thing about that town. In fact, Lakeland and Ocala seemed alot alike - boring, a little dismal, and rough around the edges.

[SantaFeSandy]

Originally Posted by Central Illinois 1

From the perspective of an outsider (an objective outsdider I might add) who has only stayed in Ocala a few times, it seemed pretty boring to me and alot of areas looked pretty rough. The surrounding horse country is beautiful, but I wouldn't go out of my way to spend time in the town again. Having spent time in Lakeland as well, I would say the same thing about that town. In fact, Lakeland and Ocala seemed alot alike - boring, a little dismal, and rough around the edges.

HI IL! Yes, Ocala is recognized as "the Horse Capitol of the world," and the racing farms and facilities are indeed breathtaking to behold. As are the majestic creatures that make it all possible. As a former pro-jockey myself, I can truly say that having traveled the country and the world extensively, Ocala's horse country definitely fills one's soul with peace, tranquility and wellness unlike other farming communities.

Depending on what a person is seeking, this region of Florida can represent a "safe haven" where one can find refuge from the storms of life. On the other hand, if one finds it difficult to relax within themselves, and find peace and prosperity doing farm chores and hanging out with finds, colleagues, family, animals and the land, then certainly this region of FL would be lacking.

Personally, while I do long for the day to return to the great Southwest, nonetheless, this season of my life spent here in FL has offered me a time to find contentment in little and just enjoy life among God's wonderful creation.

The woodpecker population here, not to mention Kites, Eagles and Hawks is phenomenal. For nature enthusiasts, FL offers tremendous opportunities to be up close and personal with the flora & fauna.

You can't beat being a hour in either direction from a coast either. We have the Atlantic on one side, with St. Augustine being the oldest city in America, filled with history, and the Gulf coast on the other side, with quaint Keys to be explored and photographed, not to mention fished, clammed and crabbed.

[catster]

OMG--DO NOT move to Ocala. There are no jobs here and people are losing their homes left and right. Anyone that tells you differently is LYING. The jobs that are here are extremely low paying. It IS the poorest county in the state of FL. OMG, please don't move here from Ireland. The weather is awful. We have 6 to 10 months (Depending on the year) of awful heat and humidity. It is also FULL OF BUGS. We have GIANT flying COCKROACHES here. It is an awful place to live, like living in a swamp. Most of us who live here, only do so because we can't afford to move.

[MoveNo8]

Hello

I have been living here in Ocala for a year and i love it. It depends where you situate yourself. EVERY STATE and EVERY TOWN has it's ups and downs. If I would've listen to fourms, I would have been missing out. I sometimes read forums and wonder if some just don't want anyone moving into what they think is only their town or they are so unhappy that they think others will be too. You make of any situation what you want it to be.


As for lack of jobs this is in EVERY WHERE too. The job situation is horrible all over. I would make sure you & your wife have a job set before moving anywhere, if not at least one of you.
We did and wouldn't have made the move otherwise. That is the key to moving where you want and making your own happiness. Never move on a whim. Never move until you have saved enough.

Ocala is fast growing and some don't want the big businesses that are coming in, they want to keep it low key meaning slow, boring which leads to not many job openings and low pay. So then it becomes, don't complain when there aren't any jobs then. A job is a job as long as you get paid. Bills don't pay for themsleves. Everything has a turn over in life and other businesses open all the time, not take over. If buyers are going to these new businesses it's because they want something new & fresh and the older ones just aren't doing something they want period. Sometimes when we have been doing something for too long, we fall into a funk and can't see how much things have changed. A new business opens everyday because that owner needs a job too. If you can do that, hey it's your world too. The medical field is always looking, so your wife may have more luck. Prepare resumes and send them out a head of time. Ask a agent to give you info on Hospitals and such for your wife. They can do that for you too. They are working for you and they need to get paid as well. Don't be forced or pressured in getting something you don't feel comfortable with. If you can I would come for a visit and check things out too. I did this before deciding and it help a lot. The internet is a great start also and you can also look at the newspaper online, Ocala.com has jobs posted onliine.


Do your homework on the area. I would for certain talk to Real Estate Agents before moving to get better options of neighborhoods. I first did my homework on where I would want to live and told our agent what we were looking for and what we didn't want and she was honest to tell us where it was good and bad, it's ups and down. She drove us around to show us all different kinds of neighborhoods and gave us information left and right and we are in a GREAT neighborhood now and it's not a horse farm either. Trust me I would never situate my famiy anywhere, nor would I want any less then what I already had. My piece of advice and it has ALWAYS worked for me, if you are going to buy a home don't buy a home with low taxes. Otherwise you will get what you pay for, so to speak. People tend to fall for the low tax bracket if they can afford more, thinking they will be saving and those are usually the neighboroods that aren't what you would like to live in. If you can afford it look into that. Make sure you can afford what you're buying too. There are homes for sale in really nice neighborhoods for a great price still. If you are renting maybe consider renting a home instead of an apartment. Just remember that there are always good and bad everywhere. Your agent should help with this, just speak up and tell them what you are looking for. Make a list too. Don't move until you are certain in every way.

[MoveNo8]

Oh and it's Florida, it's going to be hot here. ; )

[Jlivan]

Originally Posted by catster

OMG--DO NOT move to Ocala. There are no jobs here and people are losing their homes left and right. Anyone that tells you differently is LYING. The jobs that are here are extremely low paying. It IS the poorest county in the state of FL. OMG, please don't move here from Ireland. The weather is awful. We have 6 to 10 months (Depending on the year) of awful heat and humidity. It is also FULL OF BUGS. We have GIANT flying COCKROACHES here. It is an awful place to live, like living in a swamp. Most of us who live here, only do so because we can't afford to move.

Are you just copy & pasting this quote to every thread?