Thinking of moving to st. Lucie area..should we or shouldn't we (Crystal River: for sale, how much)

[pinkdahlia]

We live in New Jersey and my husband wants to move south. We are in our mid 50's. We have a house to sell that we probably won't get much money out of when the time comes and we have NO disposable cash to put down on a house to buy. I hear nothing good about the job market and if homes are selling so cheap, to me that says people HAVE to leave for places where jobs are more available. If anyone knows where that place it, please tell me. He currently makes about $90K a year as a independent truck driver and I'm making about $32K working for our municipaity. Obviously we'd be saying good bye to those jobs and even if the house we can buy down there is about $80K how can we afford to live there if there are no jobs? Isn't that why so many homes are for sale so cheap? We would still need to buy food and pay for utilities and save for our older(er) age. I'm frustrated because every year around this time he comes down with the winter blues and all I hear about is how he hates the snow, ice, leaves, raking and shoveling, you name it. He doesn't spring back to life until he sees the buds on the trees. If anyone knows about NJ they know this could take several months. Several LONG months. We have a 21 year old daughter that works for a local bank here in town for the past 2 years, we have 3 small (barking) dogs and an African grey parrot. What would be good places to consider, where can each of us find work and how promising would our future be? Can someone tell me what they think about this situation and what they think are our options and prospects for a positive future?

[StilltheSame]

I dont think PSL is the place you should consider for the following reasons:
1. Jobs - few and far between
2. The prices are dropping - but not that low - and if you have no money to put down

there may be other places, but SFL has a bit of a tough road ahead and it does not sound as if you are well positioned at this time to relocate to this area.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by pinkdahlia

He currently makes about $90K a year as a independent truck driver and I'm making about $32K working for our municipaity. Obviously we'd be saying good bye to those jobs and even if the house we can buy down there is about $80K how can we afford to live there if there are no jobs?

You already have your answer. BTW in this economy, anyone who walks away from a household income of over $120K a year definitely has the winter blues and should buy a tanning bed.

In the 90s my company downsized & shut my location. I was offered the choice of a generous severance check or a position in Chicago. It's a long story, but I ended up in Southwest Florida. The severance check is gone. Sunshine is a great mood elevator, but you also need money to live.

[Discovery1]

Originally Posted by pinkdahlia

We live in New Jersey and my husband wants to move south. We are in our mid 50's. We have a house to sell that we probably won't get much money out of when the time comes and we have NO disposable cash to put down on a house to buy. I hear nothing good about the job market and if homes are selling so cheap, to me that says people HAVE to leave for places where jobs are more available. If anyone knows where that place it, please tell me. He currently makes about $90K a year as a independent truck driver and I'm making about $32K working for our municipaity. Obviously we'd be saying good bye to those jobs and even if the house we can buy down there is about $80K how can we afford to live there if there are no jobs? Isn't that why so many homes are for sale so cheap? We would still need to buy food and pay for utilities and save for our older(er) age. I'm frustrated because every year around this time he comes down with the winter blues and all I hear about is how he hates the snow, ice, leaves, raking and shoveling, you name it. He doesn't spring back to life until he sees the buds on the trees. If anyone knows about NJ they know this could take several months. Several LONG months. We have a 21 year old daughter that works for a local bank here in town for the past 2 years, we have 3 small (barking) dogs and an African grey parrot. What would be good places to consider, where can each of us find work and how promising would our future be? Can someone tell me what they think about this situation and what they think are our options and prospects for a positive future?

If you have to move out of New Jersey. Look for Goodyear Arizona. It's way better choice than PSL... Do some homeworks then you know what i meant.
Florida is still losing in population... Becareful.

[2goldens]

Take the time to read older threads for PSL. Not much has changed over the year. Members are still singing the same songs.

To use the search function - go to the top of the page on the upper right side. Type in your request. You will see many threads covering many topics for St. Lucie County.

Good luck!

[dbay]

You can stay in NJ, buy my house down here in Cape May county, you will be suprised how much warmer it is in the winter, almost no snow!....I was raised in North jersey and its a different world
down here..The winters are mild...I had a job offer years ago in Crystal River, Florida, and I'm glad
I stuck it out here and retired early..Just my opinion, but I wouldn't go to Florida to make a living.

[stevep111]

Just remember New Jersey is the only state that you can enter for free but it will cost you to leave. Well except for that one bridge in Trenton.

[FlaLadyB]

PSL is not the only place where jobs are hard to find. It's that way all over the United States.

Our area has a lot of home for sale at lower prices because we built a lot of homes and had the area to build them in at a less expensive prices than the counties south of us. So...we build, and they came.

Then the prices went sky high and they still bought, and the speculators bought. Now, as in every place else, we are all seeing the results of that inflated time period and trying to get back to some sort of normal.

They are not for sale because we had no jobs. We DID have jobs, but everybody is downsizing in all areas and taking those jobs away.

Do your homework since he drives a truck. The world still moves on 18 wheels last I heard and I have yet to see a lack of them on the roads anywhere.

Me.. if I had a guaranteed income like yours... I would buy foot warmers, ear plugs and stay home!

[2goldens]

$90K a year would feel like a half-million to high unemployed workers in Florida. Please reconsider!

[stevep111]

Yeah only thing 90k there is like 50k here with all the taxes and fees. Still good money though.