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Location: Small town Texas, from Southern California
445 posts, read 1,810,038 times
Reputation: 87
Am not being negative, just the truth through my experience. Sorry but people that don't say please, thank you and will let the door slam in your face, are rude and I experienced that in Florida, just as in California..I am a native of California and I have manners, and would never do that to someone, ever. I think that's common sense, but obviously others do not. That's one thing Texas has over both places, hands down.
CravenClan - We are in your same boat!! What we have hear in North Texas is rare. Yes, it's an exceptional place to raise a family and the people are friendlier, I agree. We are originally from northern California and had the same intentions of moving out when we started our family. Now we are in McKinney and absolutely love it! But we are cutting it! So now, my husband has the fantastic offer in South Florida ( Davie ) and we need to make the decision to stay or go. We are visiting the last weekend of March and hope to find a place to call home. The school system scares me and the private schools are so pricey.
Will all that said, I just need to remind myself that God has a plan for our family, and if that is a move to South Florida, then I will need to embrace it and find the right community/ city/ neighborhood/ school/ church.
I would love to chat more off line to get a take on the things you DID like while visiting this week.
Good Luck!
Am not being negative, just the truth through my experience. Sorry but people that don't say please, thank you and will let the door slam in your face, are rude and I experienced that in Florida, just as in California..I am a native of California and I have manners, and would never do that to someone, ever. I think that's common sense, but obviously others do not. That's one thing Texas has over both places, hands down.
There are rude people everywhere..We lived in NC for 2 years rude people I was shocked..Colorado we lived for 5.5 years believe it or not We did encounter rude people not a big deal but it happens...The bottom line is you will have negativity for a few reasons: You really dont think you want to live here and that is ok its not for everyone...and You wont be happy....We visited so many times to South Florida and yeah there are rude people but not enough to make me not want to live here...With that being said One will find Negativity in a place they just dont know they want to be and if you feel the way you do now and you dont live here yet Its going to be a tough transition..As Ive said before, You may never like here..Its just an Observation...It isnt Utopia and there are alot of things wrong with it however its what you make of it and your expectations...We go with the Flow, We have a better life here than we did where we moved from but we wanted to come down here for 12 years life just took us in different directions..
Location: Small town Texas, from Southern California
445 posts, read 1,810,038 times
Reputation: 87
Thank you for your opinion. I am pretty easy going and make friends very easily. So adapting I am not worried about. I have a choice, which a lot of people don't have..usually if a spouse has a job transfer or opportunity, they take it and adapt. We have a business there, and my husband has travelled back and forth for a year...I have a choice because I could stay in Texas and keep going on our way or move and all of us be together. This is a hard choice because I love both my husband and kids very much, I feel like I am torn between him being home everyday for dinner, then I sacrifice my kids small town simple life..changing schools and making new friends is a lot, I know they will make it, they are resilient...but I don't want to be sorry down the road, or feel like yes we all got to be together and we are finally being able to make more money since the economy crapped, but that we sacrificed their upbringing. hopefully one can understand that, and not take it like I am being crappy, I am not. I love the sun, being outside, Florida that is a given, Texas not so much...but the people are amazingly nice...
Craver your not being unreasonable..This was a voluntary move for us as well only difference is we wanted to move here...I can tell you it sounds like you have a nice life where u live and only you know what sacrifices you are willing to make...Its not an easy choice, but I know a few Californian's that moved my daughter swims with and the parents said its very much like California so for them it was no big deal..The best advice I can give would be make a few more trips before school ends and go around to the Schools and maybe explore some different areas..I can tell you Jupiter is very Family Friendly I'm sure you will or can find something there...People are very nice we have met some really nice people thru swimming and meets etc...Honestly the only 2 places we would have moved too would have been here in Boca and Jupiter...You might want to look at Parkland...its Newer people say the people there are nice and alot of families but that is in Broward County...
Craven, I agree...it's a toss up. I live in a different state though going through similar thoughts. My children were out today in the neighborhood running free and easy with their friends from house to house, on scooters without a worry in upstate NY. When I visit Florida I don't get the feeling that kids can just run around free and easy and I would have to keep my constant eye on them at all times. (I do so now, but it's different) Perhaps I didn't look in the correct neighborhoods? I am sorry if I offend some...but I must agree about how there seems to be more people looking out for themselves and not as "friendly" as other states and I too have lived in many states in my life. It's just a feeling you get when you are there. Even when my kids were at the park there were 4 year old sayings "you can't play on that, that's my bus" and the parents just ignored them! Similar situations happened on 2 different occasions with different kids and parents! There were also VERY nice people who took time to talk to us, so it seemed one extreme or the other.
That being said, Florida is beautiful with awesome weather. It offers a great outdoor lifestyle.
speaking from experience, having left Houston in Jan 2008 for a job in the Jupiter area, and having just returned back to Texas in February, I would think long and hard about making the move to Florida. the running joke is that south florida is the sixth borrough of New York City and with all the new yorkers down there, you cant really tell the difference! Thats where a bunch of the "rudeness" comes from, and even the snowbirds(the old people who come down for the winter or are full time residents) are rude too....some of them are worst then others, and if havent seen a BUNCH of old people in a while, get ready to be shell shocked down in florida
You have a lot to keep in perspective..lets put the weather and the beach aside for a moment...
in my opinion, florida is a transit state..a lot of people move in thinking they are in paradise, and leave a few months later when they find out they are in hell...its hard to make friends there.....unemployment is at the highest its ever been. there are so many people out of work there, I dont know how they are making it, but there is a bank on almost every corner...go figure. Crime in south florida, like everywhere, is a major problem....drugs, especially with all of the pain clinics down there, are out of control...
the housing cost in south florida are astronomical, and if you desire a front and back yard, with no attached neighbors(duplex), then be prepared to pay some big money, especially in Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens...there are way too many gated communities around...everyone is behind gates for some reason, and not only will you pay big dollars for those homes, but you will get screwed with the "no vaseline" treatment from the HOA's, who all have big montly expenses for community upkeep.
If you decide to rent a place down there, its standard for first, last and security deposit equal to the rent in Florida....a $2000 rental home will cost $6k to move into, and if you lease a condo or apartment, you will have to pay your own water and trash bill...also, there is very little natural gas in south Florida, if any, everything is run by electricity....
as far as Jupiter being a family destination...it is a bedroom community..people live there but I wouldnt call it a great suburb compared to the burbs of Houston and Dallas....there are a number of parks and walking/bike trails, but nothing really there for the kids....not even a chuckie cheese....they have one movie theatre..they have a minor league baseball stadium, a branch of Florida Atlantic university, where they put on a bunch of events like firework shows and Christmas lightening....they still have the old school walmart(not a superwalmart), and everything closes so early...better get your food by 9pm, or you be eating sandwiches that night.....only two grocery store options there with Wynn dixie and publix
if you have school age children, buyer beware...the palm beach county school district is a below average school district and for that matter, the entire school system in south florida(palm beach, broward and miami dade) are just awful...thats why there are so many private schools down there..
I wish you luck in your decision making....if I had it to do all over again and the circumstances were the same, I would have came by myself, and left my family in Texas without uprooting everyone and everything.......florida was okay..the weather was great...not really a beach person, but the water is beautiful....but Im glad to be back in Texas in comfortable surrondings
Craven I've been reading your posts because we are making a move to south FL this summer as well. We're from NC, and my husband's job is not exactly the commuting type, so our situation isn't exactly the same, but I just want to chime in that when he was looking for his next job opportunity, we didn't limit where he looked because I believe you are as happy, or not, as you choose to be wherever you are. Aside from that though, I would also weigh in how much of a benefit it will be to your kids to have Daddy home at night and around during the week. I think I remember that was in your original posts, but to me, that is the biggest factor in determining whether or not to move to be with your husband full time. Wherever we are, if I don't feel like the schools are challenging my son enough I can help supplement that at home and/or live in a less expensive area and pay for private schools so I'm more comfortable. There will be rude and polite people wherever you go, and personally I just either ignore the rude ones or just be so darned polite to THEM that it makes them uncomfortable LOL. Whatever you decide will be right for your family, but I do agree with previous posters that no one can convince you but you. Good luck on whatever decision you make.
in my opinion, florida is a transit state.. Crime in south florida, like everywhere, is a major problem....drugs, especially with all of the pain clinics down there, are out of control...
Let's do a comparison, shall we?
Jupiter is a suburb of West Palm Beach. Arguably, it is also a suburb of Ft. Lauderdale. Let's compare the big cities first:
the housing cost in south florida are astronomical, and if you desire a front and back yard, with no attached neighbors(duplex), then be prepared to pay some big money, especially in Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens...there are way too many gated communities around...everyone is behind gates for some reason, and not only will you pay big dollars for those homes, but you will get screwed with the "no vaseline" treatment from the HOA's, who all have big montly expenses for community upkeep.
Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens have a variety of housing options, from beachfront condos to acreage properties on dirt roads, to multi-million dollar estates. It hasn't been this cheap to purchase in the area in over a decade. Oh, and the property taxes are less than Texas, which is part of the reason why cost per square foot is lower in Texas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by v2four
If you decide to rent a place down there, its standard for first, last and security deposit equal to the rent in Florida....a $2000 rental home will cost $6k to move into, and if you lease a condo or apartment, you will have to pay your own water and trash bill...also, there is very little natural gas in south Florida, if any, everything is run by electricity....
Wow. You act as if this isn't something found in most places in the country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by v2four
as far as Jupiter being a family destination...it is a bedroom community..people live there but I wouldnt call it a great suburb compared to the burbs of Houston and Dallas....there are a number of parks and walking/bike trails, but nothing really there for the kids....not even a chuckie cheese....they have one movie theatre..they have a minor league baseball stadium, a branch of Florida Atlantic university, where they put on a bunch of events like firework shows and Christmas lightening....they still have the old school walmart(not a superwalmart), and everything closes so early...better get your food by 9pm, or you be eating sandwiches that night.....only two grocery store options there with Wynn dixie and publix
I'm sorry, was something keeping you from crossing over Donald Ross Road and taking advantage of the amenities the next towns over? What you can't find in Jupiter, is only usually a 10-15 minute drive away. There are several Chuck E Cheeses in Palm Beach County, quite a few Chuck E Cheese ripoffs, art studios for kids... even ice skating rinks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by v2four
if you have school age children, buyer beware...the palm beach county school district is a below average school district and for that matter, the entire school system in south florida(palm beach, broward and miami dade) are just awful...thats why there are so many private schools down there..
Wrong again. Not only does Palm Beach County have several NATIONALLY ranked schools, but the Jupiter schools on average are ranked better than most in the country.
I wish you luck in your decision making....if I had it to do all over again and the circumstances were the same, I would have came by myself, and left my family in Texas without uprooting everyone and everything.......florida was okay..the weather was great...not really a beach person, but the water is beautiful....but Im glad to be back in Texas in comfortable surrondings
In light of the foregoing inaccuracies pointed out in your post, I think maybe your "not being in comfortable surroundings" was the source of your inability to "make it" in Florida. That's a personal issue.
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