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Hi! I'm new to the board and have been reading for a few days. My husband and I are looking for a place to relocate, we are looking in the New Port Richey area right now. My sister lives in clearwater and he has family in bradenton and north port.I am looking for opinions on good areas to move to. I have 3 children in school and I run a licensed in home daycare so I would have to be where families with small children are. we live in Spring,Texas nad we do well here, but I fell in love with fla when I went to visit. I don't think ya'll realize all the things you have down there. I have a big beautiful house here and for the price ya'll pay for a tiny 2 bd/1 bath but after that theres nothing else unless you want to go to the mall, go out to eat, or dance halls and bars. The ocean is beautiful and if Tampa is your idea of a big city then I'll take it any day to houston. Crime is everywhere and so are rude people. I met nothing but nice people when I was there.Rude people come from parents not places. The houses are way over priced but I guess they wouldn't be if people weren't buying. Here you can get in an upper class gated community with lakes, swimming pools, and upgrades for 300,000. That is for a huge house. Mine is 2700 sq ft with 4.2.5/2 plus gameroom with most of the upgrades for 170000. and we live in an upper class area.
Living around family is a great thing, but affordability and long-term satisfaction is another. Southwest Florida is a retirement area and is not good for young families. The stats I’m going to quote are directly from Money Magazine’s site:
1. You are a Licensed Daycare and need to be around a good client base for your business. Almost half of the residents in New Port Richey are 50+. This age bracket has grown 30% since 1999.
2. Your husband will need a good job. My husband was an engineer and I was a mid-level IT manager in Jacksonville until sick family brought me to SW FL. We both searched 3 years for anything - even entry level positions - from Tampa to Naples with no success. On top of poor job potential, median household income in New Port Richey is $36,302, compared to $68,053 for Money Magazine’s best places to live. Ouch!
I didn’t even have a question about the potential quality of life when I relocated to SW FL. After all, the beaches were beautiful, and there seemed on the surface to be so much to do! I know you live in a small town and see exciting coastal fun, but the activities are shallow and touristy, and you don't want to do most things more than once.
I don't know how conditions are this summer, but red tide, hurricanes churning up junk from the bottom, heavy rains resulting in sewage runoff and increased shark/alligator attacks have made the waters off limits the past 2 years.
On top of that, I had never lived in a retirement community for northeasterners and had no idea what I was getting myself into. They don't welcome young people or southerners into their communities, whether intentionally or not.
This site helped me figure out a better fit for me:
Hi! I'm new to the board and have been reading for a few days. My husband and I are looking for a place to relocate, we are looking in the New Port Richey area right now. My sister lives in clearwater and he has family in bradenton and north port.I am looking for opinions on good areas to move to. I have 3 children in school and I run a licensed in home daycare so I would have to be where families with small children are. we live in Spring,Texas nad we do well here, but I fell in love with fla when I went to visit. I don't think ya'll realize all the things you have down there. I have a big beautiful house here and for the price ya'll pay for a tiny 2 bd/1 bath but after that theres nothing else unless you want to go to the mall, go out to eat, or dance halls and bars. The ocean is beautiful and if Tampa is your idea of a big city then I'll take it any day to houston. Crime is everywhere and so are rude people. I met nothing but nice people when I was there.Rude people come from parents not places. The houses are way over priced but I guess they wouldn't be if people weren't buying. Here you can get in an upper class gated community with lakes, swimming pools, and upgrades for 300,000. That is for a huge house. Mine is 2700 sq ft with 4.2.5/2 plus gameroom with most of the upgrades for 170000. and we live in an upper class area.
I understand you fell in love, but you seem to be doing well for yourself. You have an established household and a decent income---this may not be the right time for this move. You have 3 children to think about and have established yourself and your family in what seems a nice area from your description.
How does your husband feel about this? Before anyone offers any advice, have you discussed this urge with him and is he okay with it? How many times have you visited? Have you seen the area through the eyes of an everyday person or did you stick to 'touristy' things?
Chocomom brings up another great point. Moving is TOUGH on the kidlets! My folks moved almost every year and it was HORRIBLE. Kids need stability more than beaches or fun places to go.
New Port Richey Is a wonderful area to raise a family
SkyeAnjel
We live in New Port Richey, and would be more than glad to give you any info you'd like. We've been in Fl for 11 yrs (in NPR for 5yrs) and have a 12 yr old daughter.
Yes the major job market is in Tampa/St.Pete/Clearwater but that is about a 30 - 40 min commute which if you want to live on the outer edge of the city is not bad at all.
The schools up here are great compared to other counties, there're zoned to the neighborhood.
With home daycares you'd most likely not be able to be in a restricted sub-division (they don't like if you sneeze the wrong way )
We researched and found a sub-division that is no longer restricted, but everyone still maintains their property.
We lived in Pinellas County right in the middle of St.Pete and Clearwater and I Love it up here. For 6 yrs I didn't even know my neighbors after moving to NPR within a week we knew everyone on the block and all the kids are best friends.
So if you want specific info let me know I'd be more than glad to give ya any help. Good luck
If you really want to move, I would suggest you look at the Orlando area. It's fantastic for kids, lots to do and if you're on the east side of town, you can get to the beach in 30 minutes. Our job market here is awesome as well. This is from the Orlando Sentinel on August 19th:
Metropolitan Orlando's robust job market continued to show its muscle by adding 41,000 jobs during the 12 months ended in July, the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation reported Friday.
Overall, Florida continued to lead the nation in job production, and the Orlando area was one of the strongest regions in the state
However, I would be quick to point out, that you will not find a home for 170,000 here - at least not in an area you would want to live in. You will probably be looking at a minimum of $220-240K. That MAY buy you something small in a decent working class neighborhood.
Your property taxes on that home could be up to $4000.00 per year and you don't get the advantage of Save Our Homes until you've been in the house for 2 years. We learned that the hard way...they increased the value of our property $70K this year and when I called to ask why, I was told that all homes in Orlando went way up last year. We are in a new home and won't get SOH (Save Our Homes - keeps the yearly increase to a maximum of 3%) until next year.
Utility bills are high. Our electric averages from $175 in winter to $425 in summer. Our water bill averages $100 a month.
And then there's the insurance issue. We got the infamous letter that so many other homeowners have received telling us our insurance company was no longer doing business in Florida. No matter that we had never had a claim! Now as of January 1st we have no homeowner's insurance.
I'm not trying to scare you away. I LOVE living in FLorida at certain times of the year. BUT, you need to know all the facts. It sounds like you have a perfectly lovely situation where you are. You will not have that quality of life for that price here. BUT, you will have great entertainment, the beaches and nice winters.
I agree with another poster. Come back a few times. Stay outside the tourist areas and talk to some of the locals to get a better idea of what it would be like to live here. That should help you get a better understanding of whether you really want to move.
I am really doing research right now. My husband loves the idea of moving there, he grew up there but it was different then. My kids are thrilled to move there. They are 15, 11. 10 years old. I know we would have to pay alot more for a house but everything else is comparable. Electricity is ridiculous here as well as some other things mentioned. I like the idea of so much to do with not much traveling even across the state. We have stayed where we are with our kids all their lives so I don't think it will be too traumatic for them to move but if it didn't work out we could always come back. I guess I am looking like a tourist but I want to live like a tourist . I also considered Georgia because its so pretty there too and I hear cheaper but I really like Florida.
I am really doing research right now. My husband loves the idea of moving there, he grew up there but it was different then. My kids are thrilled to move there. They are 15, 11. 10 years old. I know we would have to pay alot more for a house but everything else is comparable. Electricity is ridiculous here as well as some other things mentioned. I like the idea of so much to do with not much traveling even across the state. We have stayed where we are with our kids all their lives so I don't think it will be too traumatic for them to move but if it didn't work out we could always come back. I guess I am looking like a tourist but I want to live like a tourist . I also considered Georgia because its so pretty there too and I hear cheaper but I really like Florida.
The ugly reality is you WON'T be able to live like a tourist. Moving past that, consider what you husband does for a living and if he can get the same comparable pay here. If he can, live you life's dream and go for it.
As for Orlando's job market, no offense, but it is largely a service-oriented market with low-paying jobs. The NUMBER of jobs is largely irrelevant to the QUALITY of jobs.
Florida is a great place to live for one reson only - THE WEATHER! It is the only reson I moved here and the only reason I will stay. Florida is a right to work state, so it it better then the rust belt, but doesnot compare to the northeast or California (at least what California used to be). Most of the places where the jobs are, just simply ugly places, no thought or design was put into placement of the commercial sector. However that is where the jobs are. I prefer the Ocala area myself, rolling hillsand horse country, but little for professional jobs there. Other then that, the cetral west area of the state is best overall (Tampa Bay).
Dont believe two things you hear. #1, so many old people, not true anymore, there are families abounding everywhere. You can find retirement communities if that is what one wants. Secondly, dont listen to what people quote from magazines and their pick of places. I stopped listening to that stuff when they listed a community in my state as a top ten. It is one of the worst communites in my state, so that ended my giving those rags and their statements any validity at all!
Also, Hurricanes are overrated,I live in Pasco County and have never seen a hurricane. Florida is a big state and when they do hit, they tend to hit southern Florida and the panhandle. NO more or less then Texas has to deal with. The weather here isthe chief reason all live here!
With the umemployment stats just out for Pasco, Hernando Counties, over 11 percent. Many families don't have the money for daycare especially if they are out of work. Many of the daycares are hurting, so I would think twice before pulling up roots for a uncertain future. Another poster also said that area is full of retiree's......which is true, it is very hard for a new family to come here and "make it". Florida and the thought of warm weather, beaches and relaxing are a fantasy that many people buy into. Once your here and have to pay high electric bills, insurance (high) and taxes, that fantasy is soon reality. I would stay put with the economics the way they are, but if you still think you want to come........visit first, get the feel of the area, talk to people see how other daycare's in the area are doing and make sure your hubby can get a decent job. Good luck
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A perspective from someone who's been there
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. I also considered Georgia because its so pretty there too and I hear cheaper but I really like Florida.
