Jacksonville or Tampa?? (Orlando, Clearwater, Lakeland: transplants, real estate, homeowners insurance)

[Linda F]

I will be relocating from Connecticut to Florida - I am debating between the Jacksonville and Tampa areas. Can anyone provide me with a list of pros and cons for each city? I am a single mother, late 30's with 2 children. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!

[Mike from back east]

Assuming you can get a job with equal ease in both towns, I'd prefer Tampa for the climate and the scenery.

Jacksonville, FL is more the gritty industrial town, with I-95, major rail lines, ocean cargo shipping, etc. Many years ago, this town made the news for having things like topless car washes and topless diners, etc. We drove thru Jacksonville on the way to other nicer areas. Wouldn't consider it myself, but outside of town you get nice coastal areas. I'd go further south.

Tampa is a place we visited many years ago. The area is a big retirement town, lots of old folks, wise guys call it Gods Waiting Room.

Ask your homeowners insurance agent to tell you the hurricane threat to each area, I'd suspect that Tampa is much less likely to get blasted.

The Atlantic coast side (Jacksonville) is the more crowded and the Atlantic weather can be harsher. On the Gulf Coast side (Tampa) the weather and the water seem much nicer, it's less crowded and has a more casual pace of life.

Use realtor.com to look at housing styles and prices in each area, it's free.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

s/Mike

[richkat]

Tampa is in Florida but Jacksonville is really Georgia.

We had a similar question when we arrived in Florida and were so glad we chose Tampa over Jacksonville. The Gulf beaches are gorgeous, although we miss the actual ocean found on the Atlantic side. Our favorite city in Florida is really Orlando but hard to find jobs there. We like the relative newness of Orlando and the overall similar feel to California but in either place (Orlando or Tampa Bay), during the winter/spring months, you are overrun with tourists/snowbirds which can really tie things up, including doctor appts, commute, grocery stores, etc. But being from the West Coast, the West Coast of Florida felt more comfortable because the sun sets on the water, instead of rises on it.

Good luck.

-- K

[Mike from back east]

Richkat stated: "...the West Coast of Florida felt more comfortable because the sun sets on the water, instead of rises on it..."

Amen! Pretty hard for most folks sip a glass of wine while watching the sun RISE at 6:45AM. Now, 6:45 PM, that's a different story!

s/Mike

[WeekiWacheeWoman]

Originally Posted by Linda F

I will be relocating from Connecticut to Florida - I am debating between the Jacksonville and Tampa areas. Can anyone provide me with a list of pros and cons for each city? I am a single mother, late 30's with 2 children. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!

Hi Linda - Honestly, I know nothing about Jacksonville except the winters are much chillier there than in Tampa. They are in 2 entirely different weather "zones" for climate and planting/landscaping. I have a friend who recently moved from Jacksonville after living there for 6 years and HER take on it (Not mine, so no bashing please!) is that it is a very "redneck town."

[helix139]

Tampa's traffic is horrible. If you live north of Tampa and commute anywhere down 275 you're in for a shock. I come home in the am and traffic is backed up for MILES! I assume a 10 mile commute to downtown Tampa will take more than an hour. You couldn't pay me to live in Clearwater / St. Pete area. Crime, crowded, LONG commutes! My wife used to commute from carrollwood to st. pete. and it would take an hour and 15 minutes to go 22 miles! Unless you stand to make a ton of money off your northern house expect to pay out the **** for a home. We live in a small 2000 sq ft. home in a wonderful community and its value has risen from 215 in 2003 to more than 350 now. Taxes are another thing...our taxes are 4200 a year now but they go up 3% each year. My neighbor just bought a house up the street from us and his taxes are 5500 a year!
But, the weather is fantastic... we live on a private lake (access to the lake) and everything is very close. Winters here are wonderful, but summers are hot hot hot! And very sweaty!
good luck...we're moving this fall...

[Anything In FL]

Hello

I would suggest the Tampa area as well. Not specifically inside Tampa as it is a very busy place and gets congested easily. Look at some different factors, are you looking for a good neighborhood? Lower crime areas? Are you coming for work that is only available in Tampa? I like to suggest the area between Lakeland and Tampa or Lakeland itself.
Pros;
Much more affordable housing
less crime better neighborhoods
not as faced paced
Try to avoid Interstate-4 here as much as possible---after here for a while you will know what I mean.
Closer to Central Florida attractions and still not far from coast. If your kids are young or teens you'll have to take them to the parks its fun for everyone(at least the first 1000 times, just kidding)

Hope this helps, just speaking from experience, I am in the real estate business and have to drive often to Tampa and I am OK until I get to Tampa and then the traffic starts....and don't get me started on all the one way streets...It's like I am back in Jersey.

[Zipperhead]

I also lived in New England, tired of the cold and snows of Massachusetts; and moved to Tampa in 2004. So I personally knew the Tampa area, first hand. And that may be why I'm living in Virginia now...lol. Not sure exactly what aspect of life your looking for in Tampa vs. Jacksonville. Proximity to jobs? Do you like big cities or small towns? Those kind of things.
But downtown Tampa is very much like downtown Boston. Only, considerably smaller. So finding work there , can be a problem.
Tampa is pretty ......and it is HOT !!! .....not to mention hurricane season lasting from June - November each year. Pretty much why we left Tampa. I'll call em the triple H factor. HEAT, HURRICANES and HUMIDITY.
Beaches are gorgeous, people are friendly. laid back even. But those were the transplants from other states.
Not having lived on the east coast of Florida. I'd say, unless you absolutely love the HEAT, have no fears of hurricanes (well built home or not) and don't mind having pretty much the EXACT SAME TEMPERATURES , pretty much year round (92 by day ..and humid ....and 72 at night ...and less humid).
I'd try the east coast next time. In fact? I'm trying currently to talk my wife into moving back to Florida (I know, insane) but trying the east coast this time.

good luck

[sleeper]

I've been on the East Coast 20+ yrs now.

Been many times to the West Coast to sight-see, etc.. Too Hot & Humid.

East Coast is much better in that respect....(try-it you'll like it)

[lastmove4me]

Funny question for me to reply to. I live in Pinellas County ( Clearwater are), and am moving to Jax area ( Fernandina Beach). I am looking forward to the little bit cooler weather, and a more laid back atmosphere of Nassau County. Though I don't think Jax proper or Ponte Vedra are as relaxed, I think thereh is a more laid back lifestyle there, but that is based on only 6 months of my husband commuting. I feel like I'm in hot Long Island here, which is where I'm from. I just don't like the traffic anymore. The weather here is gorgeous ]late Oct-early may, but too hot to enjoy in july0august. even the water at the beach feels like a bath. I doubt the ocean gets as warm as the gulf.
Good luck!