Job Market Inquiry (Tampa, Clearwater, Spring Hill: foreclosed, to rent, mortgage)

[BostonFaithful]

Hello!

I will be relocating to Tampa in a few short months to attend school for my masters degree. I know that most of my time will be consumed with schooling because it is an accelerated program and the rest of the time having a job in a retail position or restaurant in order to may my bills. However, my question concerning the job market is directed more towards my boyfriend who wants to relocate with me but I don't think it is in the best interest of his career.

Up here he works in the hospitality industry (hotel management). He is in search of a new position and has received some good call backs in the area but is being hesitant about taking them because he wants to come to Tampa. I am arguing that these are great opportunities, ones that he has been working towards, and if he passes them up he will go to Tampa with no job and who knows if he will find something as good as these offers there. And if he doesn't get one I know him and he will be upset that he let it go. I don't want him to resent me for it later on down the road or to set himself back in his career.

I was wondering if anyone in the area could inform me of what the job market for the hospitality industry in the Tampa area is like. Here is a little background information: He has been working in the hotel industry for about 5 years now (4 years as a night auditor and in a full time management [guest operations] position for over a year). He does not have a college degree in hospitality management, or in any field.

Thank you for your help!

[jsun556]

The entire Tampa Bay area is a massive tourist destination. I have no idea how the industry is but I'm pretty certain he wouldn't have an issue finding anywhere to work.

[cpfitness]

I see your screen name as BostonFaithful so I am assumming that is where you guys are now. I'm from Brockton, MA originally, spent 11 years in NYC and just moved to Tampa in November for my fiancee's job. So far, I love it here! The complaints I do hear from the locals however is that jobs are hard to come by. I would strongly recommend that if he can find a job before moving here that he take it. It's not like he can't continue to keep looking if he doesn't like the job. Your money will go a LOT further down here with no income tax and home prices are dirt cheap for very nice homes. If anything, rents are high because the home market got so decimated with people being foreclosed on and now they all have to rent and are stuck paying a premium to do so. There should be plenty of opportunites in the Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater area in the hospitality biz.

[stpeteguy]

Originally Posted by cpfitness

Your money will go a LOT further down here with no income tax and home prices are dirt cheap for very nice homes. .

nonsense, your money won't go further here because you are typically going to make less than you did wherever it is you moved from.

Florida is notorious for low wages. And so even though housing may be cheaper, unless your wealthy or lucky enough to land a high paying job down here, you won't be able to take advantage of it.

Remember in Florida, half your salary you get in sunshine.

[cpfitness]

Originally Posted by stpeteguy

nonsense, your money won't go further here because you are typically going to make less than you did wherever it is you moved from.

Florida is notorious for low wages. And so even though housing may be cheaper, unless your wealthy or lucky enough to land a high paying job down here, you won't be able to take advantage of it.

Remember in Florida, half your salary you get in sunshine.

I should have been more detailed in my response. The things you mention are EXACTLY why he should consider getting an offer BEFORE moving down here. If he can command a salary that is more commensurate with what he is currently making up north and bring that salary down here, he will be golden. This is what my fiancee was able to do and now we are reaping the benefits nicely. Initially I thought the new opportunites that he was getting were in Tampa but in re-reading the original post it sounds like he was finding some new opportunities up there. My advice to the OP is how serious is your relationship? is this a boyfriend of 3 months or 3 years? Is marriage on the horizon? Have you been living together already?

Stpeteguy, depending on exactly where they live, housing down here is A LOT cheaper. For reference, We were living in spanish harlem and paying $2400 a month for a 800sq ft 2 bedroom apt. We did have private backyard which is unheard of in the city but regardless, $2400 a month in rent. I could rent a 2 bedroom house in Tampa for 1/3 of that figure and yes, wages may be lower here but they aren't 1/3 lower.

We now have a 3bedroom, 2ba 2 car garage 1400 sq ft house with a lanai and a pond view on a cul de sac with a mortgage payment of $1500. The mortgage is only that high because 1. We only put 5% down and 2. We did a 15 yr mortgage. Had we done a 30 year, we easily could have had an $1100 payment.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by stpeteguy

nonsense, your money won't go further here because you are typically going to make less than you did wherever it is you moved from.

Florida is notorious for low wages. And so even though housing may be cheaper, unless your wealthy or lucky enough to land a high paying job down here, you won't be able to take advantage of it.

Remember in Florida, half your salary you get in sunshine.

When you have a skill or the ability to do a job well you get paid. Low wages are for low knowledge, low skills, low experience, low willingness to do a job.

A well paying job is not a matter of luck here or anywhere.

ll

[BostonFaithful]

Originally Posted by cpfitness

I should have been more detailed in my response. The things you mention are EXACTLY why he should consider getting an offer BEFORE moving down here. If he can command a salary that is more commensurate with what he is currently making up north and bring that salary down here, he will be golden. This is what my fiancee was able to do and now we are reaping the benefits nicely. Initially I thought the new opportunites that he was getting were in Tampa but in re-reading the original post it sounds like he was finding some new opportunities up there. My advice to the OP is how serious is your relationship? is this a boyfriend of 3 months or 3 years? Is marriage on the horizon? Have you been living together already?

Stpeteguy, depending on exactly where they live, housing down here is A LOT cheaper. For reference, We were living in spanish harlem and paying $2400 a month for a 800sq ft 2 bedroom apt. We did have private backyard which is unheard of in the city but regardless, $2400 a month in rent. I could rent a 2 bedroom house in Tampa for 1/3 of that figure and yes, wages may be lower here but they aren't 1/3 lower.

We now have a 3bedroom, 2ba 2 car garage 1400 sq ft house with a lanai and a pond view on a cul de sac with a mortgage payment of $1500. The mortgage is only that high because 1. We only put 5% down and 2. We did a 15 yr mortgage. Had we done a 30 year, we easily could have had an $1100 payment.

This is a relationship that I have been in for almost 4 years but marriage is not on the near horizon. We have not been living together which is why I pose this question because not only will the relocation and starting a masters program be a large change but the living situation as well. This is why I pose this question as I am concerned that there is a lot going on in this move. I will be in a full-time accelerated masters program as well as working so having the pressure of someone moving there with no job lined up and not knowing the likely hood of securing a good job makes me very nervous.

Up here he has some good opportunities and is in a stable job that pays his bills. I would hate to see that given up to end up on the couch for months or working at a crummy job not even in his field because I know him, and as much as he denies it, he would hold it against me.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

When you have a skill or the ability to do a job well you get paid. Low wages are for low knowledge, low skills, low experience, low willingness to do a job.

A well paying job is not a matter of luck here or anywhere.

ll

There is some truth to this, however, skilled labor and professional jobs typically pay less here than in northern states. In the IT business that difference ranges from 10%-30% depending on the skill set and company.

RM