Looking for Information! Help Me Make the Move! (Sarasota: rental, new home)

[aestes89]

Hi guys, I'd like to move from the midwest to the Sarasota area in the next year or two and was hoping to get a little education on some things from you before I make any decisions. First off, the job market. I've heard this area can be very competitive for work. I'm hoping being in the IT field will help a little with that.

I have my bachelor's and around 5-6 years of experience in various system admin type roles. Currently employed by a large company and pull between $60-70k. No real debt, car paid off, etc. I'm in my twenties, not married, no kids or pets.

Are there quite a few IT jobs in the area, and if so, who are some of the better employers for them? I notice there are some hospitals in the area, so I plan to look there first.

My goal is to get a position I enjoy with a similar salary to where I'm at currently. I'd really like to get a house with a pool and a nice backyard within a 15-20 minute drive to downtown Sarasota areas on the weekends with a budget of around $250-300k. I've been through the area many times for fun, and no matter what beach I visit or state I travel through, my heart always comes back to the gulf coast.

Can anyone offer any advice for good areas to look for a home or job? Also, if anyone has a similar background to mine, are you happy where you live and work? Thanks!

[Sunshine Rules]

In general, jobs here will pay less than those "up north" because so many people want to come here for the sunshine and beaches. In fact, they call the pay difference the "sunshine factor."

It's possible to find a pool home in that price range but it will probably be an older home, built 1990's or earlier. Especially if you want a decent sized yard. New homes closer to the beaches are being built on postage stamp sized yards.

I would suggest checking some of the employment sites to see what jobs in your specific IT field are paying.

Keep in mind that most employers here don't want to hire someone that isn't already in the Sarasota area and has a local mailing address.

So you probably should factor in having at least 6 months worth of living expenses before you move here and plan to rent before you buy. Rental inventory is low and rental rates reflect that.

Sarasota's a great place to live, has beautiful public beaches, the smallish city lives like a larger one due to the extensive cultural opportunities here. But anyone thinking of relocating should definitely plan ahead and be realistic about wages and costs associated with moving here.

[photoman_6]

since the key to you is to find a job with similar pay, I suggest you heavily research on line and maybe on the online version of the Herald Tribune for IT jobs. Also, any professional organizations you may be part of might have leads for jobs in this area.

[DdwyerK]

My wife and I moved down here a year ago for her job transfer. I am in the telecom/wireless field and it took me a year to find a decent job that pays about 20% less than I made up north. Granted, I was at my previous employer for 15 years. I noticed that there are plenty of IT jobs down here but they definitely pay less than up north.

[davephan]

I also work in IT, and so did my wife until she recently retired. I looked a little in Florida for the IT jobs there. The pay is significantly lower than the midwest. Maybe there's a select few jobs that pay as much as the midwest, but I didn't find any in server administration. I'd take a huge pay cut working in Florida. Fortunately, I only have 3 years left to work and suffer in the snow belt. I switched to IT late in life when I was about 40 years old, but you picked the right field (very high return on the education investment) when you're young. You should be able to retire when you're in your mid-50's.

If I was young like you and had 2 or 3 decades to work as you do, I'd seriously consider shifting into DBA work or database security work, which could easily pay double or more. You'll make more money then, but you'll really feel the pain of the income taxes. It's great that you don't have any debt and maybe you're living below your means. Be very careful about choosing your spouse if you think about getting married in the future, because if you make the wrong choice, that could destroy your financial future. Think about investing the savings. Over time, that could boost your income significantly.

Most of the higher pay IT jobs tend to be located in the snow belt northern states with some exceptions. You might be able to find the right IT job that allows telecommuting. Then your job could be in a state where they pay more for IT work, and you can live in a state with a better climate, and a lower cost of living.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

You will most likely take a big pay cut - sometimes the beautiful beaches and surroundings get old when you will have to work twice as hard here - called "sunshine tax"

[aestes89]

Wow, this was a wakeup call. Still, better to be realistic. The pay vs cost of living in my area is really good. I knew I wouldnt find that elsewhere. Sounds like quite a trade-off though. Live in a nice climate, but have much less spending money. Or deal with midwest weather and have more flexibility.

If I marry in the future, a prenup will be part of that future. I've seen too many "perfect" marriages end in flames, even at my young age to risk my entire financial well-being. People change, come and go. Bills don't.

How would one transition from a systems admin type role with an emphasis on troubleshooting / networking into a DBA or database security work?

Also, you're obviously older than me. You've been in IT awhile, and lived your life. If you were in my shoes, would you move? Is the cost of living and lower wages worth it? Or is it better to slave away in the snow to make enough money to retire down there later?

[blueherons]

Keep in mind that while you may take a pay cut, you will not pay state income taxes.

It may keep the take home amount close.

[mjm1204]

Plenty of older men down here willing to support a young female.. you don't need no stinkin' job!

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Yuck - what young female would want some disgusting older man touching her? Barf.