Moving out of Florida (Jacksonville, Tampa: transplants, for sale, real estate)

[Parrotrosie]

I concur!!! Just there in Harrisburg at the Capitol building today! Just beautiful!

[dramamama6685]

Originally Posted by Parrotrosie

LOL...I disagree....It is not cloudy for 8 months... Of course I live East of the mountains...I understand West of them there is more precipitation (ie Pittsburgh). But yes, those three months of winter many , many people suffer from SAD ( seasonal affected disorder) and I think I am beginning to as well. Its gloomy and cold, no doubt for three months... Its just really beginning that here now. It has been nice an temperate so far , interjected with a couple bitter cold days (in the 20's), and I must say, unseasonably so....like your couple days in the 30' that y'all had so far.

So I guess my vote for Maine is not the popular opinion, but that's okay I'm used to being the oddball...umm..errr..I mean odd one out!

[Sweating in Florida]

Check out Washington state. Somewhere in the Seattle surrounding areas or near the industrial valley in Tukwila/kent. Summers are dry and mild. The winters don't get much snow in the Seattle areas - no need to own a shovel. Of course you occaisionally have a freeze but it is gone soon. It can be rainy at times, but it is light rain and mostly cloudy. I lived there for ten years after I got out of the military(Ft Lewis). Very green and that is why they call it Emerald City. Research the jobs compared to the rent there on craigslist.org or other sites you trust. We plan to move back there this summer.

[Sweating in Florida]

Originally Posted by SinDonor

I just moved to the Seattle area for a job with an IT company based out of Redmond, WA. Let me tell you: This place is beautiful! Don't listen to the haters who say there's too much rain here. We only get 36" per year compared to Orlando's 49". We do get a lot of gray skies over the winter, but we also get seasons, and it even snowed today and was beautiful. It's very affordable to live here as long as you don't want a 3bdrm condo in the upscale area of downtown Seattle. I have a 1200sqft apartment in Redmond for $950/mo which includes utilities.

Seattle has beautiful mountains nearby and a huge lake in the middle of the city. The city has many amazing local bars and restaurants and a great music scene. There are a few questionable neighborhoods around the greater metro area, but they're easy to avoid and most of the criminal element stays in their locale. It's still a big city, so you have to use common sense like avoid dark alleys at night and don't leave valuables visible in your parked car, etc.

If you can find work up here I would highly recommend the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle Areas: I agree 100%. We are planning to move back there this summer from Florida(hate it) and my family and I can't wait! The industrial valley in Tukwila/Kent/Renton and Auborn are good for finding jobs. A lot of well known food production, manufacturing, technical and distribution jobs going on there and still strong. Teamsters are strong and very progressive there. Minimum wage there is $8.07, right?

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by Sweating in Florida

Check out Washington state. Somewhere in the Seattle surrounding areas or near the industrial valley in Tukwila/kent. Summers are dry and mild. The winters don't get much snow in the Seattle areas - no need to own a shovel. Of course you occaisionally have a freeze but it is gone soon. It can be rainy at times, but it is light rain and mostly cloudy. I lived there for ten years after I got out of the military(Ft Lewis). Very green and that is why they call it Emerald City. Research the jobs compared to the rent there on craigslist.org or other sites you trust. We plan to move back there this summer.

I grew up in Washington and absolutely hated it. The economy is better because no one wants to live there and there is less competition for the jobs, but the cost of living is high and it is very isolated from the rest of the country. I know there are pros I may be overlooking, but I know it is not the place for everyone and just want to warn you of that. The weather is gloomy and drizzly about 9 months of the year and there is ice in the winter more than actual snow, so it is dangerous without the beauty or coziness of snow. I say all these things because I like visiting my family there and there are some cool things to do in both Seattle and Portland, but the climate is unbearable. Also, the area that the poster is referencing is horrible and I would not advise you live anywhere like Kent, Tacoma or in the lower valley if you did move there. If you moved to Seattle, you want to pick somewhere in the city (pricey but nice!) or on the east side (Bellevue, Issaquah) or north of there (Lynnwood). The biggest advantage though is that crime is still really low, especially violent crime. Auto theft and crime is among the highest in the country though. The schools are great, but there is no diversity. If you want to know more, I know so much about WA and OR (lived there about 20+ years). I do not want to sound negative at all, but it is definitely somewhere you visit first. I would much rather live in Denver or the like than this area if you are into the scenic aspects but want a much nicer climate.

[Jonotastic]

Someone who loves living in Florida would hate living in Seattle. People still don't realize that many people love the heat in Florida. They love that your house will come with a pool if you pay $200,000 or more. They love having easy access to a beach you can actually swim at. They love being able to go cruising in the Carribbean an hour drive away. etc

Minimum wage you can't really talk about it because the cost of living is higher. I also lived in San Francisco where the minimum wage is about $9.50, they pay $12 per hour at fast food...does that means it's more affordable, no.

[Wilshire81182]

I did not mean to sound negative at all, but the Pacific NW is not the place for everyone, just like Florida is not either.

[Suericio]

i would try some place around California. ive heard during the winter time u can go to the mountains and go skiing and also go to the coast and go swimming all in the same day. without all the hassles of dealing with the snow like shoveling and such. but then again u cannot beat the fall time in the northeast........

[darstar]

Living in Florida , for most of us , is but a lesser of two evils. Unless you are very rich ,Florida is an escape from something , be it the cold in the north , the hope for a better life in a less demanding place, or a retreat to enjoy golf , water sports , or what ever , in the winter months.
Old Florida is best left to the Crackers , the cowboys , and the South Americans. All the rest is but temporary. You ether at some point move back north , or " half back" as living in the Carolinas has come to be so popular. The extreme summer weather is a killer , there is a reason , Florida was once considered uninhabitable . Some like it , and adapt , but for many others , they long for a way out , after a few years. Some get so entrenched they can't leave , or can't afford to move.
I fore one did not like living in a place that was mostly full of old people , wishing they were some where else , or waiting to die. Today , I may think differently a bit , cause , now......i am old too , how depressing !

[santafe37]

Originally Posted by lucara

My fiance and I want to move out of Florida. I've lived here my whole life and hes lived here most of his.
We both hate it here and we're ready for a change.

What we are looking for:

A place that either up north or out west.
Nice snowy winters with warm/mild summers.
A large, lively city close by with quite small towns around it.
LOW LOW LOW crime rate
Decent job market
Decent price of living
We LOVE outdoor activities
Mountains would also be a plus

Places we DONT want:

Texas
Georgia
Alabama
Vermont
New Jersey
Illinois
New York
Florida (Obivously but just incase)
Arizona

Let me know what places you think would work best with our list!

Boy, wouldn't I love to be living in Flordia right now. I live in Fort Wayne.
I hate the weather here! Infact, I would not mind living in Seattle since I
have family up there too.