Possible move to Tallahassee!Help Needed!!

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by 1sunlover

So tell me more about the southeastern part of town. What is Southwood? I like the idea of being more conveient to downtown Tallahassee. I have heard the NE communities are nice but very busy...and pricey. We are trying to downsize and live as cheaply as possible so am looking for less expensive real estate, whether in the city or out side the city. Any ideas as to where we should be looking?

As Cil said, Southwood is a new-urbanist planned community, with nature trails, a little "town center" with businesses, and mixed use development (including doctors offices, drug stores, banks, etc. all within the development.) It's less busy here than the NE part of town, and they are widening the roads to make traffic flow even better. In about a year it will be probably one of the most convenient places to live, in my opinion (skewed, maybe, because I live here.... but I will be leaving soon).

What is "expensive" to you? In Southwood there are rental apartments, and nice Townhomes with backyards and 2 car garages start at about 210k (which to me, coming from South Florida, is a good deal). There are Southern style single family homes starting in the upper 200s and above, and then custom homes that cost into the millions. Plus everything in the community is less than about 7 years old, so the homes are newer.


If "cheap" is your only criteria with no qualifications for amenities of neighborhood beauty, Crawfordville has some cheaper homes and a more "country" feel to it. I am a fan of new urbanist development, however, so I am biased!! In Tallahassee you have to be wary of the neighborhood you move to. There are some sections that are very undesireable for most (basically most properties on the Western part of the city are "iffy" and I wouldn't buy there.... SW is industrial and more of the "ghetto," and NW has a looooooot of college kids with their partying ways!)

I'm not a realtor, but if you give me some more specific criteria, I would be more than happy to help you or anyone else looking for Tallahassee info and home options further. (PM me)

[1sunlover]

TriMT7,
I really appreciate your info about the neighborhoods, that has been oh so helpful. I wouldn't mind living in the city, if the lot was right, but I have no problem living outside the city. I would prefer a stick built home, but at this point in our lives I don't want to be house poor, so would even consider a modular or doublewide to reduce cost. I am looking in the $50K-$100K range. I know that will probably mean a doublewide, but as long as it's clean...!! We need something that we can add on to for an elderly parent, or add another modular or doublewide on the same land or a duplex or two homes next to each other. We still would like to be within 30 minutes of Tallahassee for employment, but that is assuming that is about the only place for jobs??? We would also need an area that the elderly parent could still get to the grocery store, drugstore etc without 4 lanes of traffic.
Tell me also about the rain there. I mentioned in a previous post that the stats say 63" of rain a year. We lived in Seminole and there was 15" less rain than Tally, and that didn't seem like it rained all the time. Give me your thoughts on whether this is a another Seattle. Thanks

[Strel]

Originally Posted by 1sunlover

TriMT7,
I really appreciate your info about the neighborhoods, that has been oh so helpful. I wouldn't mind living in the city, if the lot was right, but I have no problem living outside the city. I would prefer a stick built home, but at this point in our lives I don't want to be house poor, so would even consider a modular or doublewide to reduce cost. I am looking in the $50K-$100K range. I know that will probably mean a doublewide, but as long as it's clean...!! We need something that we can add on to for an elderly parent, or add another modular or doublewide on the same land or a duplex or two homes next to each other. We still would like to be within 30 minutes of Tallahassee for employment, but that is assuming that is about the only place for jobs??? We would also need an area that the elderly parent could still get to the grocery store, drugstore etc without 4 lanes of traffic.
Tell me also about the rain there. I mentioned in a previous post that the stats say 63" of rain a year. We lived in Seminole and there was 15" less rain than Tally, and that didn't seem like it rained all the time. Give me your thoughts on whether this is a another Seattle. Thanks

I have lived all over various parts of Tallahassee for 20 years - came up from Tampa for college and never left.

No, it is not another Seattle. In fact it is dry as a bone right now and I dearly wish it WOULD rain. Something about the weather patterns lately has given us very dry springs, where normally it rains quite a bit between January and May. After that, the weather settles into a more or less Florida pattern with afternoon thunderstorms and the occasional hurricane remnant.

But yes, it is hot. Tallahassee is not on the coast nor on the Peninsula, so it does not get the moderating effect of the Gulf or the Atlantic. It is as hot as Atlanta, Macon, Birmingham, etc. -- and it gets much colder in the winter than other parts of Florida.

At any rate the weather here certainly never bothered me, and I would recommend moving here to anyone looking to avoid what I call "strip mall" Florida.

Actually Tallahassee is closer to Old Florida - how it originally looked and felt - than anything in South Florida that I can think of. IMHO, Miami is a cross between Havana and Newark, and featuring the worst aspects of both.

[Seashore2017]

I have an answer for you, don't move to Tallahassee, I left Clearwater and I'm sorry I did, the beaches were beautiful and yes it was crowded but it had a better feel more friendly. Everyone in Tallahassee is so serious. I was told if your Caucasian you should live near Appalache parkway or the NE or SE, I live in SW and its 70/30 African Americans and of course college students. I was told its still very segregated here.

I think Clearwater is a way better bet or move out of Florida completely, Tallahassee has some nice country roads that remind me of up north but there is no beach scene or feel. If you move here move to the NE near Thomasville Road area. White people don't really seem welcome on the SW area. I won't be here long. I'm leaving in a couple of months. If you like urban lifestyle you will be bored here. Well happy motoring.

[alymitchell333]

Originally Posted by Seashore2017

I have an answer for you, don't move to Tallahassee, I left Clearwater and I'm sorry I did, the beaches were beautiful and yes it was crowded but it had a better feel more friendly. Everyone in Tallahassee is so serious. I was told if your Caucasian you should live near Appalache parkway or the NE or SE, I live in SW and its 70/30 African Americans and of course college students. I was told its still very segregated here.

I think Clearwater is a way better bet or move out of Florida completely, Tallahassee has some nice country roads that remind me of up north but there is no beach scene or feel. If you move here move to the NE near Thomasville Road area. White people don't really seem welcome on the SW area. I won't be here long. I'm leaving in a couple of months. If you like urban lifestyle you will be bored here. Well happy motoring.

I previously lived in Tampa & Clearwater, (like ALOT of my neighbors), then got transferred to Tally, & I LOVE it here! Sorry you've had a bad experience, but I'm assuming it's because of the area you live in. I live up in the NE area with blacks AND whites, & I've never seen or heard of racism here. Nor do we have any crime up here. It must be a completely different world in the SW area, because people aren't "so serious" up here at all, they are very laid back. And very, very friendly. I have yet to meet one judgemental person here. I'm sorry you are leaving Tally, but this is a really great place to live, as long as you know WHERE to live. I guess that's why a lot of my friends who grew up here (that moved away) ALWAYS came back. This place truly feels like home.

[TD*]

I agree. People should do some research and look around before declaring a whole city is not what they had hoped for, and choose what area of town you want to live in based on your observations budget and research. Every city has good and bad areas, luckily Tallahassee is the nicest city in Florida.

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by TD*

Every city has good and bad areas, luckily Tallahassee is the nicest city in Florida.

You clearly love your city - which is great.
If I were you - I'd keep it a secret so that it doesn't get ruined by 987,236, 001 people moving in and completely changing it.