Orlando area economy and jobs (Miami, Tampa: real estate, home, job market)

[gmagg]

Hello, quick question. How is the general economy and job market in Central Florida? I am in the Marketing and Advertising industry, with some experience working in real estate. I am looking into attending UCF for a graduate program. Also, I understand that Orlando is more suburbanized, which areas would you recommend for a mid 20's person. A an area where it will be easy to meet people, get involved and generally have access to urban amenities. Being car dependent I would prefer to have minimum commute- I'd entertain a bus if its reliable down there. I have family that live in Longwood, FL that is too family orientated and suburban for me. A different animal altogather, my other options are Boston, Phila and Wash DC.

[Wilshire81182]

I would say that the Orlando market is more depressed than those other two and because of the size and transient nature here may be just as competitive. The walkable urban areas of Orlando are vastly outnumbered by those in Boston or DC. Orlando as a whole feels like a smaller more suburban city and smaller than the others. Some urban and walkable neighborhoods include Winter Park, Thornton Park, and College Park. Just like others I would advise that you move here if you like the weather, the entertainment options, proximity to beaches, etc. over the urban aspects and well paying jobs. They are definitely available but harder to come by. If you can line something up before moving, it will definitely be to your advantage. I have not spent a lot of time in Boston, but have in DC and can tell you the feel is much more urban and professional in nature where Orlando is much more family oriented. All three have a large student population though.

[gmagg]

Because of the size and transient nature, would you say it would be more challenging in meeting people or getting involved here? The weather would not bother me and I do like the proximity to the beach. What I like over the northern locations is the housing- a lot more affordable. My concern is over the job market, professional and social aspect of the area.

[Wilshire81182]

The housing is more affordable because the pay is lower here. If you are moving from a more expensive area it would be easier to buy a home and get settled. If you are coming from TX it will be difficult and the pay will not help. The weather and entertainment options make it a great place to live for me. I do think that it is hard to meet people and network down here by the way people are in general. I do love it here but I think that your concerns are legitimate. I also think that Orlando is much worse in the transient nature than the other metro areas even within Florida and some of those areas have a more urban feel. I do love Orlando, don't get me wrong and I am not trying to sway you from moving here. I get the vibe that the other options may match your description better. The Tampa area is more urban and closer to the beach and less transient to some degree and may be a better fit.

[gmagg]

Thanks, I value your feedback....based on that, I think I might see what UCF has to offer in terms of the grad program, before considering Orlando. Tampa on the other hand I have visited twice within the last three years, to me it felt a bit more laid-back, possibly to the absence of the Disney complex. However, I did not perceive the area to have more singles compared to Orlando at the time. In addition, I did not see any colleges that would offer the same program as UCF.

[Wilshire81182]

UCF and USF generally compliment each other in that they do not offer the same programs as their strong suit. Tampa and Orlando are both family oriented. If I had to say one has more students and singles, I would say it is Orlando.

[lana7311]

I just wanted to say that I moved to Orlando 4 years ago because I wanted to switch colleges and meet cool people and have that whole fun college life thing you seem to be interested in. However, I found that it is more difficult to get to know people in Orlando than other college towns. Mainly, because Orlando really isn't considered a college town. Also, the UCF area is good for college parties and a few restaurants but that's about it. For the really cool bars, clubs, and restaurants you will have to drive downtown or into the tourist area near Int'l.

Also, make no mistake about it, THE JOB MARKET IS TERRIBLE HERE! As you already know, the job market is terrible everywhere but especially bad here b/c of the reasons the previous poster mentioned. Orlando has a very large population, many who hold degrees and have mucho mucho experience.

I have actually read that USF is ranked higher than Orlando and that is a very friendly and diverse school. There is also a strong college life at USF and Tampa has several other colleges (one private) as well. Also, there is a lot more water there and beautiful beaches can be reached quickly.

OVERALL, when I moved from North Florida, I was deciding between Miami, NYC, Cali, and Orlando. Let's just say I think I made the wrong choice. =(

I would just advise you to do more research then I did. I was basing my views of Orlando on the areas I had visited which were clean, bustling, and touristy. I should have driven around the entire town and gained a detailed understanding of Orlando (pros and cons)

Hope that helps you a bit.

[gmagg]

Yes, thanks it helps very much. Although, I am not looking for the undergrad college life, I am seeking specific program that UCF offers at the graduate level. However, based on my research and the responses, I feel that Orlando may be a tough nut to crack, especially for someone in their twenties coming from up north.

[JSnFla]

i would stay up north for a million reasons.....florida is a very strange place....its mostly transients fighting eachother to find their "paradise" that they remember from vacations past. real life here is no joke, no fairy tale and for most extremely difficult. people leave 100k careers up north to move down here and find career suicide. some adapt, get creative and make something else work, many if not most either run back to their hometowns or live paycheck to paycheck in misery in florida. if u would be getting some specialized degree from ucf (ie-medicine, physical therapy) then u may have better shot at employment due to the elderly population here, otherwise its not worth the sunburn

[mdesler]

I think it all boils down to your level of education and field of work. I work in IT and I'm constantly hounded by recruiters in the area. On the other hand, service level jobs (retail, restaurants) are really hurting in this economy.