Want to move to Florida (Jacksonville, Miami: salary, lease, jobs)

[mkarla]

I have always wanted to live in Florida first it was Miami, then Naples now I even think about Daytona Beach.
Has anyone lived in Daytona Beach or know someone that does? I wonder if there is a way to make a living since it seems to be more of a tourist city. When there aren't any tourist around what is life like fun, boring etc? Are you better off owning a business or are there jobs available? I know a lot of questions but any help is appreciated. Thanks

[psonio7]

Lived in Daytona Beach for 4 years. Unless you can get a job at one of the schools or big companies there, expect to work in the service industry. The one thing I hated about Daytona was it was too tourist dependent. Every month it seemed something was going on tying up Int'l Speedway Blvd. And all these tourists trashing the town (bikeweeks/speedweeks anyone?).

Lived in Miami. Didn't even make the year lease and left. Couldn't stand it at all.

Try the Gulf coast, though I heard Tampa isn't doing too great lately.

[Alphaman]

Try Ft lauderdale, Orlando, Jacksonville every area is very different.

[chinesedoll]

Think once, think twice, think it over MANY TIMES before you make that move. I am here for almost 2 years and still cannot find a job despite many interviews. No one wants to hire me because they are not willing to flush out the big bucks. I have 2 degrees (1 is a graduate) and I am also from New York so they assume that because I was getting a huge salary up north that I am expecting an even larger one here. I just need a job!

Suggestion: Make sure you have a job waiting here for you. I live in Orlando in the Winter Garden area and while the weather and houses are nice, the salaries are not.

Good luck!

[lana40]

Moving to Florida from Ohio. Just want to get out of the winter weather. I am looking for a town right on the ocean, need a waitress/bartending job/safe area. Any suggestions?
I was considering Jacksonville or Palm Coast? I also was looking around the West Palm Beach area.
Where would the best area be to get into the service industry?

[PrettyMissAshley]

Originally Posted by lana40

Moving to Florida from Ohio. Just want to get out of the winter weather. I am looking for a town right on the ocean, need a waitress/bartending job/safe area. Any suggestions?
I was considering Jacksonville or Palm Coast? I also was looking around the West Palm Beach area.
Where would the best area be to get into the service industry?

This is Florida!!! Pretty much anywhere you go you're going to be able to find a job in the service industry. My entire family from my mom's side moved down here from Ohio mannnny many moons ago and never returned. They love it here!

Palm Coast is a nice/safe area. I would look at south Palm Beach County, though. I've heard West Palm beach (city) can be pretty rough, look at the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and Delray Beach. Clearwater/St.Petersburg (west coast - Tampa Bay area) is a fairly nice area. It's great here and plenty of places to find a job.

[PrettyMissAshley]

Originally Posted by chinesedoll

Think once, think twice, think it over MANY TIMES before you make that move. I am here for almost 2 years and still cannot find a job despite many interviews. No one wants to hire me because they are not willing to flush out the big bucks. I have 2 degrees (1 is a graduate) and I am also from New York so they assume that because I was getting a huge salary up north that I am expecting an even larger one here. I just need a job!

Suggestion: Make sure you have a job waiting here for you. I live in Orlando in the Winter Garden area and while the weather and houses are nice, the salaries are not.

Good luck!

Your area is also probably very saturated with graduates from UCF and other universities in the area. Not every metro area in FL is a college town like Orlando. PLUS, the economy is hitting every region and industry pretty hard right now...I've learned that just by talking to people from all over the country here on City Data forums.

I don't know much about Daytona, I've known people that have lived there and I've visited once or twice before. It seems like a pretty quiet area..but every area in Florida is a tourist destination..so you will have the seasonal snow birds anywhere you go.

I've lived and experienced pretty much every corner of Florida..except Pensacola and Jacksonville - those areas are considered "South Georgia" anyway, as a friend once put it - ha!

Message me if you have any questions, I can try to help

[mkarla]

Thanks PrettyMissAshley, I'm planning a visit to Florida w[SIZE=3]hich will include Daytona Beach, Miami and Naples. What attracted me to Daytona Beach is that a beach house is very affordable, but I’m afraid that I’ll get tired of the rowdy crowds especially during Spring Break. One thing is to party another is to trash a place, and I hate trashers. [/SIZE]

[psonio7]

Originally Posted by mkarla

What attracted me to Daytona Beach is that a beach house is very affordable, but I’m afraid that I’ll get tired of the rowdy crowds especially during Spring Break. One thing is to party another is to trash a place, and I hate trashers.

Spring break is tame compared to Speed Weeks in Feb and July (the speedway seats 168,000!), Bike weeks (twice a year), I forget when the one in the spring is, but there is also one in October. (its a pretty big crowd for both of them). And Black College Reunion. 10,000-20,000 party it up in April for 3 days.

Otherwise regular spring break season is pretty easy going and not much trouble. Daytona Police/gov't kinda killed that whole rowdy MTV crowds they had in its heyday in the late 80's.

If you want to completely avoid all the trash, crowds, and traffic and you want to live beachside, I highly recommend living south of the halfway mark between the Orange Ave and Dunlawton Ave Bridges (the area is called Daytona Beach Shores). Use the Dunlawton bridge during those events, or at least Orange Ave bridge. Avoid International Speedway Blvd (ISB) at all costs during said events.

I'd like to say that for most of the year, Daytona is a quiet sleepy beach town, contrary to its reputation it has/had. It loud during those events though.

[DBeachBoy]

I was born and raised in Daytona.
(Port Orange more specifically)
I couldn't wait to get out, now I very much appreciate it when I come back to visit family. I absolutely love the beach and if I had my way I'd buy a boat and be out on it every day.

Most of the other posters are correct, it's a tourist driven town and good jobs are around but difficult to find. There are some of the big events that drives the economy but also creates too much of a crowd for me.

If I were to move back, I'd probably set up somewhere Near Ponce Inlet on the peninsula. Perhaps even on the other side of the inlet in New Symrna.