Thinking of moving to Tampa...questions (Lutz, Riverview: transplants, sales, insurance)

[WinterK]

Krulik - I think Seain Dublin's posts are extremely accurate. Why anyone is even trying to come down here is beyond me. Why don't they get online and read newspapers, look at local newstation websites, etc.! That will give them more information than just randomly asking people on this site.

We all know that we are in serious trouble in Pinellas County - they can't even open up the new Eagle Lake Park on Keene Road, due to budget cuts. They're starting to have trouble just providing basic services. People, don't come here - it's not worth it.

[algia]

ALL the ponds in sub divisions are man made.........and will get full of mosquitoes and gators and such....

This image was taken in Cheval, he/she was going from one pond to another!!!!!!

[Nic.]

Don't worry twana some people just cant comprehend the word "thinking".

[cicilyb]

I can't get over the negatives in the Florida forums. such hostile people. Have you looked into Land'o Lakes(North east side of Tampa) or Oldsmar(i think- west side of Tampa.) I know people in St Pete that absolutly love that area too(they commute to Tampa.) I really don't know that much about the area- but lived in Tampa for 4 years in the late 80's and liked it. I was single and in my early 20's then. So- I was not worried about schools etc. THe countryside is very pretty there though. May I ask where in TN you are from? We have fallen in love with the eastern TN area. Any pro's or con's to that area in your opinion. We are thinking about moving too. Good luck. I would just be sure to visit at least a few times before making your decision. Come down during the summer months to see if the extreme temps are going to be a factor for you. I know people who say "the hotter the better" and feel that the summers are worth living through in order to enjoy the beautiful Fl winters. I have lived in Fl my whole life. I am in search of a new experience. Fl is a decent state over all. If it wasn't- why would so many people move here.

[algia]

So, instead we should all tell people from out of state that FL is "great, please come, you will make a fortune on your $25,000 a year or less salary and afford your Hummer and 7 bedroom mansion by the water"!!! right?

To me it is simple, if someone would sugar coat a place I wanted to move too I wouldn't move or re-search until I find the good AND the bad! People from out of state have a lifestyle already, they are not newborns....so people are used to making say $60,000 as a nurse or some other well paid job somewhere else....why would we tell them that they'll have the same here when we all know they won't? or why would we tell them there are no gators or mosquitoes and traffic? Florida doesn't have reliable public transportation so traffic here is a big issue and not having a car here is close to impossible. This is not New York!

Why would we tell them the schools are excellent? when they are not by direct comparison with other states? or states they are coming from?

I don't think rich people look on City-Data to decide where to move too! from what I've seen in the last 2 years around this board, the people who ask questions seem middle to slightly upper middle class......so for these people especially if they live paycheck to paycheck FL can be a real shocker to the wallet! why won't we tell people that? see the post about the electric bill alone....you can justify a $400 bill for gas in the winter up north in Minus degrees, but NOT here and yet people get slammed with those right and left! same goes for the electric....water etc....people are not used to this heat, they want to get away from the cold but once they get hit with the AC bill they are all of the sudden shocked? if that was ME, I would definitely want to know that before moving so I can plan for it if I am that dead set on moving!

I don't think people are hostile here at all, I think we are trying to paint the actual picture and not sugar coat it and then have those same people come here and wonder about all these things!

In this economy, moving may not be the smartest thing to do, unless someone is getting transferred and has no other choice, there are a LOT of jobless people who are ALREADY HERE! applying for jobs for the last 9 months or more who can't find a decent job! what are these people supposed to do?

Sure it's pretty in the winter and we get no snow, but we did have freezing temperatures last winter and had to cover all of our plants, does anyone recall that? going to the beach in the winter time is also not a pretty as one might think! as it is FREEZING!!!!!!!! and WINDY! why would we give someone the impression that we have 70-80 degrees year round when we don't????? this is NOT California!

Yes we have water sports, and good restaurants and the most beautiful beaches in the country, however deciding to move here will have to account for all things, not just the pretty beaches. Culture (museums, ballet, theater etc) is not as high as DC or NYC or SF or LA....so please don't move here with that expectation in mind, here Football is the main attraction and baseball.

The pretty beaches won't pay your bills!

[Joe3788]

Originally Posted by algia

So, instead we should all tell people from out of state that FL is "great, please come, you will make a fortune on your $25,000 a year or less salary and afford your Hummer and 7 bedroom mansion by the water"!!! right?

To me it is simple, if someone would sugar coat a place I wanted to move too I wouldn't move or re-search until I find the good AND the bad! People from out of state have a lifestyle already, they are not newborns....so people are used to making say $60,000 as a nurse or some other well paid job somewhere else....why would we tell them that they'll have the same here when we all know they won't? or why would we tell them there are no gators or mosquitoes and traffic? Florida doesn't have reliable public transportation so traffic here is a big issue and not having a car here is close to impossible. This is not New York!

Why would we tell them the schools are excellent? when they are not by direct comparison with other states? or states they are coming from?

I don't think rich people look on City-Data to decide where to move too! from what I've seen in the last 2 years around this board, the people who ask questions seem middle to slightly upper middle class......so for these people especially if they live paycheck to paycheck FL can be a real shocker to the wallet! why won't we tell people that? see the post about the electric bill alone....you can justify a $400 bill for gas in the winter up north in Minus degrees, but NOT here and yet people get slammed with those right and left! same goes for the electric....water etc....people are not used to this heat, they want to get away from the cold but once they get hit with the AC bill they are all of the sudden shocked? if that was ME, I would definitely want to know that before moving so I can plan for it if I am that dead set on moving!

I don't think people are hostile here at all, I think we are trying to paint the actual picture and not sugar coat it and then have those same people come here and wonder about all these things!

In this economy, moving may not be the smartest thing to do, unless someone is getting transferred and has no other choice, there are a LOT of jobless people who are ALREADY HERE! applying for jobs for the last 9 months or more who can't find a decent job! what are these people supposed to do?

Sure it's pretty in the winter and we get no snow, but we did have freezing temperatures last winter and had to cover all of our plants, does anyone recall that? going to the beach in the winter time is also not a pretty as one might think! as it is FREEZING!!!!!!!! and WINDY! why would we give someone the impression that we have 70-80 degrees year round when we don't????? this is NOT California!

Yes we have water sports, and good restaurants and the most beautiful beaches in the country, however deciding to move here will have to account for all things, not just the pretty beaches. Culture (museums, ballet, theater etc) is not as high as DC or NYC or SF or LA....so please don't move here with that expectation in mind, here Football is the main attraction and baseball.

The pretty beaches won't pay your bills!

Best post I have read in a while.

[JameeLynn25]

[quote=ms_twana;9952201]Hello. Me and DH are thinking of moving to Tampa. First of all, neither of us knows ANYTHING about the Tampa Bay area, so I apologize for my ignorance in advance. Here are some facts about us:

• We're a family of 4 (children 5 & 8)
• We need to be in a area with good schools
• I would prefer a diverse area; something with some balance (not 70% one race, 30% all others).
• My husband is in non-profit/fundraising currently
• I am an educator and will prefer to work for the Hillsborough county school system (Any educators in this system to give some insight. My wish is to get an assistant principal position).
• We would buy a 4 bedroom 2700 sf newer (1990's and up) house max $250,000. Our preference is to be on a lake/pond and/or have a pool.

So what areas would work? I have already found several houses on Realtor.com that offers what we want. I just don't know if they fall in line with the type of area we want to be in.

Tampa is really different for everyone. I was a young single with a college degree when I moved to Tampa from Mn. and was back home within 4 months. I though I was going to love it. I had visited the area many times and even had close friends that lived there. My advice would be please research as much as you can. I dont want you going through a major hassle. Visiting and living in Tampa are 2 very different worlds!

[aninaction]

I went ahead and asked the person I knew at the top of hiring for Pinellas County schools: they have just started posting jobs and will have more for this year.

Pay is pretty low, especially given the...difficulties of our education system: low standards, red tape, little support, etc. We probably all say this about our school systems, but if i remember correctly, Florida isn't on the top of the list for great education systems. If i havent mentioned it already, check out the magnet programs in pinellas county (they are self-contained, career specific programs at each highschool, students tend to be way better and staff is usually much more interconnected and supportive)

Off topic a bit: i cant help but be pretty negative about this place also, we have little to no culture (sorry the dali museum and the pier dont count), tourist mentality means few people care about bolstering the community, and most people arent...too bright (a ba degree goes a long way here). take this all with a grain of salt, but at least consider it.

[ms_twana]

Originally Posted by cicilyb

I can't get over the negatives in the Florida forums. such hostile people. Have you looked into Land'o Lakes(North east side of Tampa) or Oldsmar(i think- west side of Tampa.) I know people in St Pete that absolutly love that area too(they commute to Tampa.) I really don't know that much about the area- but lived in Tampa for 4 years in the late 80's and liked it. I was single and in my early 20's then. So- I was not worried about schools etc. THe countryside is very pretty there though. May I ask where in TN you are from? We have fallen in love with the eastern TN area. Any pro's or con's to that area in your opinion. We are thinking about moving too. Good luck. I would just be sure to visit at least a few times before making your decision. Come down during the summer months to see if the extreme temps are going to be a factor for you. I know people who say "the hotter the better" and feel that the summers are worth living through in order to enjoy the beautiful Fl winters. I have lived in Fl my whole life. I am in search of a new experience. Fl is a decent state over all. If it wasn't- why would so many people move here.

Originally Posted by algia

So, instead we should all tell people from out of state that FL is "great, please come, you will make a fortune on your $25,000 a year or less salary and afford your Hummer and 7 bedroom mansion by the water"!!! right?

To me it is simple, if someone would sugar coat a place I wanted to move too I wouldn't move or re-search until I find the good AND the bad! People from out of state have a lifestyle already, they are not newborns....so people are used to making say $60,000 as a nurse or some other well paid job somewhere else....why would we tell them that they'll have the same here when we all know they won't? or why would we tell them there are no gators or mosquitoes and traffic? Florida doesn't have reliable public transportation so traffic here is a big issue and not having a car here is close to impossible. This is not New York!

Why would we tell them the schools are excellent? when they are not by direct comparison with other states? or states they are coming from?

I don't think rich people look on City-Data to decide where to move too! from what I've seen in the last 2 years around this board, the people who ask questions seem middle to slightly upper middle class......so for these people especially if they live paycheck to paycheck FL can be a real shocker to the wallet! why won't we tell people that? see the post about the electric bill alone....you can justify a $400 bill for gas in the winter up north in Minus degrees, but NOT here and yet people get slammed with those right and left! same goes for the electric....water etc....people are not used to this heat, they want to get away from the cold but once they get hit with the AC bill they are all of the sudden shocked? if that was ME, I would definitely want to know that before moving so I can plan for it if I am that dead set on moving!

I don't think people are hostile here at all, I think we are trying to paint the actual picture and not sugar coat it and then have those same people come here and wonder about all these things!

In this economy, moving may not be the smartest thing to do, unless someone is getting transferred and has no other choice, there are a LOT of jobless people who are ALREADY HERE! applying for jobs for the last 9 months or more who can't find a decent job! what are these people supposed to do?

Sure it's pretty in the winter and we get no snow, but we did have freezing temperatures last winter and had to cover all of our plants, does anyone recall that? going to the beach in the winter time is also not a pretty as one might think! as it is FREEZING!!!!!!!! and WINDY! why would we give someone the impression that we have 70-80 degrees year round when we don't????? this is NOT California!

Yes we have water sports, and good restaurants and the most beautiful beaches in the country, however deciding to move here will have to account for all things, not just the pretty beaches. Culture (museums, ballet, theater etc) is not as high as DC or NYC or SF or LA....so please don't move here with that expectation in mind, here Football is the main attraction and baseball.

The pretty beaches won't pay your bills!

Thanks. Both of you have been very insightful.

Thank you to everyone for all of your advice. My husband and I will continue to research the area. We weren't looking to move right now anyway.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Krulik

Please do not take seain dublin post personally. This poster has been posting almost exclusively very negative posts about the area.

I guess only your views are allowed. FL is known for much lower salaries and that includes teachers, nurses,and those who work in law enforcement.

Someone coming from another state(BTW TN is pretty progressive) needs to look into that.