Which city to move to??? (Tampa, Tallahassee: renters, homeowners insurance, crimes)

[lissa73]

Hi everyone! Little about us. We live in Pa currently. As long as I can remember I've wanted to live in Florida. My Great Aunt lived in Tallahassee. I currently work in the research and development side of HVAC. It is NOT what I want to do the rest of my life. My husband can retire next year from the same job but I'm only 45 so I am looking for an area of Florida where I could get a manufacturing or warehouse job. I want to stay on the gulf side. I just don't know where all the industry is?

We don't have a ton of money. I was looking at houses in the Holiday area but I don't know if there is anything there as far as a job? Otherwise we were thinking of a 55+ community but finding one that will let us have our 2 english bulldogs is proving to be a needle in a haystack.

Thanks for any help! I'm starting our search early because I know it's proving to be a bigger task than I thought.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by lissa73

Hi everyone! Little about us. We live in Pa currently. As long as I can remember I've wanted to live in Florida. My Great Aunt lived in Tallahassee. I currently work in the research and development side of HVAC. It is NOT what I want to do the rest of my life. My husband can retire next year from the same job but I'm only 45 so I am looking for an area of Florida where I could get a manufacturing or warehouse job. I want to stay on the gulf side. I just don't know where all the industry is?

We don't have a ton of money. I was looking at houses in the Holiday area but I don't know if there is anything there as far as a job? Otherwise we were thinking of a 55+ community but finding one that will let us have our 2 english bulldogs is proving to be a needle in a haystack.

Thanks for any help! I'm starting our search early because I know it's proving to be a bigger task than I thought.

Just be sure your HOA's know that they are bulldogs, not pitbulls! I know some places are based on weight and the bulldogs lose that argument quickly but I would include a picture of the dogs with the applications just so people know what they are dealing with.

[lissa73]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Just be sure your HOA's know that they are bulldogs, not pitbulls! I know some places are based on weight and the bulldogs lose that argument quickly but I would include a picture of the dogs with the applications just so people know what they are dealing with.

Thanks! Yeah, I did speak to one park and I had to show copies of their papers to show they were pure bred. They aren't tall , just wide. I had another place say 35 lbs. in the listing but when I spoke with the office she said she used to own english and loves them and would welcome having them. So it's just a crap shoot. I hate having to call so many places and depending on which office person you talk to...

[HWTechGuy]

I moved down here from PA almost six years ago (job promotion/transfer). There are some manufacturing/warehouse jobs in the area. But, be prepared, as these jobs down here will pay much less than you are expecting, so keep that in mind. That is underscored by the fact that the cost for auto and homeowners insurance will blow your mind.

Regarding the Holiday area, it's in west Pasco. Lots of drugs (meth and pills, heroin not so much but it's definitely there). If you watch Live PD on Friday and Saturday nights., you'll see that Pasco County is the gift that keeps on giving.

Granted, these things are a problem in almost every part of the country, but it will appear to be more prevalent down here in comparison to PA. Many will tell you that West Pasco is worst than most areas.

[MortonR]

Very little manufacturing in Florida, nothing like what you have in PA or in the Midwest. Same with "warehouse" jobs for the most part. That and they will not pay anything close to what you might make where you currently live.

No organized labor here to speak of, so very few union jobs, and pay scales are typically much lower than up North.

So be prepared.

Holiday and much of West Pasco resembles a post-apocalyptic wasteland with run down houses, drugs and crime. It was a popular area for snowbirds (retirees) in the 60s-90s, but when the last generation died off and the economy tanked it too the area with it. Now it's a lot of really run down homes with the social and cultural issues that come with that socioeconomic group. Sure, it's cheap, but you better be prepared for burglaries and lousy living quarters.

RM

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by MortonR

Very little manufacturing in Florida, nothing like what you have in PA or in the Midwest. Same with "warehouse" jobs for the most part. That and they will not pay anything close to what you might make where you currently live.

No organized labor here to speak of, so very few union jobs, and pay scales are typically much lower than up North.

So be prepared.

Holiday and much of West Pasco resembles a post-apocalyptic wasteland with run down houses, drugs and crime. It was a popular area for snowbirds (retirees) in the 60s-90s, but when the last generation died off and the economy tanked it too the area with it. Now it's a lot of really run down homes with the social and cultural issues that come with that socioeconomic group. Sure, it's cheap, but you better be prepared for burglaries and lousy living quarters.

RM

OP can Forget west Pasco. It is a drug dealers dream here with tons of panty anty crimes by the 1000's, child rapers and on and on. Hoilday is about the worst in FL. But it is really bad from Holiday to Hudon as tons of homes have been empty since 2007 and avg price is under 50k for these small 2bedroom shoeboxes. This is why rent is under 600 a month for these dumps. And the 600k+ homes on the water are not selling thanks to flood ins costing over 30k a year to insure.

Worst run down area in FL bar none. Tons of shops and malls have been empty for 10+ years. Now they wanna tear down the Gulfview mall and build Apt's for low class people. It just gets worse and worse. Target left, Outback left and so many other stores. THIS AREA IS 90% RENTERS as all the old people died off in the mid 90's and that is when this area started filling up with scum bags from up north cramming 8 people in 2 bedroom dumps.

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by LKJ1988

OP can Forget west Pasco. It is a drug dealers dream here with tons of panty anty crimes by the 1000's, child rapers and on and on. Hoilday is about the worst in FL. But it is really bad from Holiday to Hudon as tons of homes have been empty since 2007 and avg price is under 50k for these small 2bedroom shoeboxes. This is why rent is under 600 a month for these dumps. And the 600k+ homes on the water are not selling thanks to flood ins costing over 30k a year to insure.

Worst run down area in FL bar none. Tons of shops and malls have been empty for 10+ years. Now they wanna tear down the Gulfview mall and build Apt's for low class people. It just gets worse and worse. Target left, Outback left and so many other stores. THIS AREA IS 90% RENTERS as all the old people died off in the mid 90's and that is when this area started filling up with scum bags from up north cramming 8 people in 2 bedroom dumps.

I don't know about "worst". West Pasco is pretty bad. But Florida has a CRAP-TON of run-down areas all over the state. I would put Belle Glade, Clewiston, Marianna, Melbourne, Perry, and many many other towns ahead of West Pasco on the run-down rankings.

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by sinatras

I don't know about "worst". West Pasco is pretty bad. But Florida has a CRAP-TON of run-down areas all over the state. I would put Belle Glade, Clewiston, Marianna, Melbourne, Perry, and many many other towns ahead of West Pasco on the run-down rankings.

Most of Tampa is pretty bad also minus Danashores and rich hoods.

[engineman]

South of Tarpon Springs.

[lissa73]

Bummer :/ We saw some nice places online but nice to know ahead of time what it's like from people that live in Florida. Looks like we might have to go back to the idea of a 55+ park and not a house. I do know that Florida pays much less that Pa. Factories have been dying out up here left and right . I worked at Harley Davidson for awhile and was layed off and have been bumping around to different factory jobs for awhile. The current place is the longest I've been anywhere (10 years).