Sarasota vs. St. Augustine

[Big House]

Originally Posted by swhmetta

Thanks Big House and Peter the Brit! I just lost a 6 figure job today in Wisconsin. Really bummed. Your debate is making me smile though! I grew up in Orlando and haven't lived here since 1995. I want to come home. However, I am not sure about coming back to Orlando. I am pondering St. Aug. I am open though. I don't mind hearing the pluses and minuses from Real Estate agents. Generally, they are in the "know". What is crime like in both areas? Just curious.

Peter and I are both pretty long term posters, and occasionally we like to get after each other. He is a real estate agent, I am not. I like offer advice, and help people, and inject humor when I can.

Sorry about your job, that one will be a tough one to replace especially in these economic times.

I used to tell myself, "if I were broke, where would I rather be broke?" In the ice and snow, or on the beach somewhere warm. Heck, many people in the NE pay a fortune to go vacation on the islands where the locals are broke, and barely have running water. Kinda funny, but true.

[mrs.cool]

Sorry to hear about your job loss. We live in Wisconsin too, and it's better here (job-wise) than a lot of other places, but as you found out, even us 'sconnies are not immune to the economic downturn!

[Peter the Brit]

Sorry about the job loss
Crime is much the same here as in Sarasota and not an issue unless you go to the wrong side of Jax.
The more I live here the more I see it is the change in seasons we have here including a constant breeze plus the historic buildings which makes me conclude I prefer it here. Also it is cheaper here !

[cmxchuck]

Well, I don't agree with Peter the Brit. I live in St. Johns county 30 minutes from St. Augustine. I do have a house on the Matanzas River close to Bridge of Lions. If you live in the City limits, you pay approx another 7 mils on taxes besides the St. Johns County approx. 15 mils. So depending upon where you live in Bradenton or Sarasota and where you live in "St. Augustine" can vary widely for millage rate.

Of course there are many other aspects to living cost. Location, type of house, utilities, etc.

Actually we are looking to move to Bradenton area.

[sarojane]

So here is a link to Florida Beach water quality as tested by the state of Florida.

Florida Healthy Beaches Program

[Tiger Beer]

I don't know either city that well, but have spent a little time in both.

St. Augustine is quite small. Filled with tons of tourists poking around looking at everything. It's also on the Atlantic Ocean side of Florida, which just isn't as pretty to me.

Sarasota has a much larger range of things to do. It also has tourists, but as it's bigger, so they have a lot more ground to try to cover. Mostly though, Sarasota is on the Gulf of Mexico side, which is just so much prettier, in my opinion.

On top of all that, I'd much rather be closer to Tampa Bay than Jacksonville any day.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I don't know either city that well, but have spent a little time in both.

St. Augustine is quite small. Filled with tons of tourists poking around looking at everything. It's also on the Atlantic Ocean side of Florida, which just isn't as pretty to me.

Sarasota has a much larger range of things to do. It also has tourists, but as it's bigger, so they have a lot more ground to try to cover. Mostly though, Sarasota is on the Gulf of Mexico side, which is just so much prettier, in my opinion.

On top of all that, I'd much rather be closer to Tampa Bay than Jacksonville any day.

An old thread that I responded to before, but I don't mind agreeing with this again! ^^^