Any Florida Transplants??? (Columbia, Charleston, Rock Hill: relocation, insurance, vacation)

[jessica0927]

Just Wondering If Anyone Has Relocated To The Ft Mill Area From Florida And What Your Feelings Are?? Any Regrets? Is There Anything You Miss About Florida? What Are Your Thoughts, Feelings And Suggestions???

[R&R]

Hi Jessica,
Sure wish someone would answer you because we're from Florida and are seriously considering a move to Fort Mill next year. Would love to hear their thoughts! There's got to be someone from Florida living there with all the transplants I keep hearing about.

[CarolinaWoman]

Someone has surely relocated here from Florida.

I was born and raised here ... our son has lived in Florida for five years. He bought a home in Port Charlotte and boy oh boy his homeowner insurance premium is out of sight. Guess that is the price you have to pay to live in paradise!

Our neighbor's daughter and son-in-law relocated here last year from Port St. Lucie, Florida. He was hired immediately and is teaching in the RH School District. She was able to transfer in her job.

I do know our homeowner insurance is cheaper here in York County and gasoline is cheaper too. I sure do like those Publix grocery stores!

[sixinthefamily]

Well I guess I have. Born in ATlanta then spent years 1-7 in Florida and then PA from 8-35 and here for a few months. From what I can remember of FLOrida it seems less humid, less crowded and my asthma and alergies are not as bad. I used to live in Fort Lauderdale.

I am sure a 30 year old memory is not going to be much help but hey I wanted to answer.

[sal329]

I grew up in NY, lived in FL from 03-06 and TN from 06 till now. Oct 1 I am moving to Rock Hill. We drove around all over Fort Mill and Rock Hill this weekend. We found soooo many lovely places. I was just wishing we could buy something now and not rent. We ended up rentinga beautiful house in Rock Hill. Very excited about our move.

[R&R]

I knew there was someone out there from Florida! When you uproot to a completely different area/state you do lose some things but gain some other things. This is the way I look at it anyway. I've been traveling all over these threads getting feedback and information that's so good. At least we won't be totally surprised by some of the changes. I'm most concerned about making new friends and having to find new doctors,dentists, etc... I'm also a bit concerned about the weather changes. I was raised in Wisconsin and couldn't wait to escape the cold and gray months. We've lived in Florida for 19 years now and went from one extreme to the other (hot,muggyness for months on end) But, the one good thing about Florida is the amount of sunshine. I'm wondering if the sun shines for the majority of time in South Carolina or if it's mostly gray and overcast. That would just kill me. I'm kindof a wimp now in terms of the cold and if we moved to Fort Mill would probably have a hefty investment in new clothes for cooler weather.

[AmericanRoadGirl]

I'm a Florida transplant. Lived in South Florida for about 19 years (Miami Beach, Hollywood, Delray Beach, Jupiter). Resided in Fort Mill from Dec 06 to July 07 while we looked for a new home. We have settled permanently in southeastern York County, unincorporated Rock Hill.

Jessica, in answer to your questions... My feelings? I love it here. Regrets? None. Anything I miss about Florida? Plenty - FL is a tropical paradise, after all. I keep in mind that I can always visit. (more on what I miss appears below).

Why did this area fit the bill? My main goal was to be closer to family and friends living in and around West Virginia. Also, my sig. other's family relocated out of FL to Tega Cay/Fort Mill. This area appeared thriving enough to provide a certain amount of job/economic security along with the mild NC, SC, VA Piedmont climate. The area offered that combination of both metro and rural amenities and the mild NC, SC, VA Piedmont climate. Close proximity to the shore added to the appeal, as this ex-Florida girl will always need to get her ocean fix every so often. Hurricanes and high taxes heavily influenced our decision to leave FL.

My thoughts and suggestions for someone relocating? I will stress the well-known and very important general relocation suggestions first. Feel free to reply with more details about your particular sets of wants and I will be glad to be of more help.

1) Do what you can to assure the area meets your needs and wants BEFORE you move. Visit as much as necessary to assure yourself.

2) After that, if you depend income from a new job, land the new job here before moving from there.

3) Sell your house in FL before you move. Price it wisely, not wishfully.

4) After you sell your house, if you have not completed points 1 and 2, think about continuing to reside/renting in FL while further organizing your move.

5) If you will be renting here while you look for permanent digs, investigate your rentals options as much as possible before you move.

6) If you are not already "married" to living in a specific area in York County and will be renting before you settle in, just go get a good map, drive around, and take your time.

7) Keep up the good work of reading and posting this type of question on sites like this one - these forums are great tools in considering a relocation.

How did I know this area would be right for me? My background lends a strong familiarity with SC and the South in general. I spent a year of college on the SC coast. I like hanging out in places like Memphis and the Delta. My home state of WV shares many similarities with SC. Folks from WV (including my family and friends) have long been vacationing in the Carolinas. Many mountaineers have relocated here. Nearby airport and major roads pass through, so a wide variety of cool places are easy to access and all just hours away. Beach and places like Charleston, Wilmington, Savannah, Columbia, Asheville only a short drive away. Outdoor recreation abounds. Lots of history and culture.

Personally, I love Rock Hill. I love everything about it. Downtown, the area around Winthrop, Glencairn Gardens, the cool older neighborhoods, the old mill buildings, and the picturesque rural surrounds. I love the friendliness, politeness, and laid-back nature of its people. I like the fact that RH is a self-sustaining city as opposed to a bedroom community/suburb of Charlotte, with an identity and history to call its own. RH enjoys that college town feel, the amenities of higher education, and a bit of an arts scene. We found a brand new dream home in the middle of the woods, just out in the country a bit, near the Catawba River.

Fort Mill started out as a small town (block long downtown) and now the greater township area boasts lots and lots of subdivisions, very similar to many areas of FL. It's cool in FM and FM offers some great amenities, it's just not our cup of tea.

York County is great. Lots of history and celebrated heritage. Lots of quaint small towns. Interesting architecture. Lots of rivers and lakes nearby. Great place to hang out. I could go on and on and on.

As for the weather, R&R, you are right on the money. You will need to up the winter wardrobe quotient. As far as your concerns about gloom... There are some gloomy days during the fall/winter and winter/spring transitions, but not week-long or month-long gloomy periods like can be experienced further north.

The things I miss about FL? Friends, the ocean, my hairstylist, my docs, Publix, the variety of great dining and resort experiences at hand in a place like S. FL., and the vacation-like 24/7 vibe that was always there when and if I needed it. I spent a large part of my life in the Sunshine State, there will always be a bit of orange juice running through my veins.

Sorry for such a long post, but I have been helped by the many posts on this website and just wanted to return the favor to folks who are in the same shoes I was not too long ago. I wish you all the best on your moves!

[Kee2u]

ARG,

Thanks for all of the feedback. I am planning on moving to this area from S. Florida hopefully soon when I sell my home in a very depressed market. I look at it this way, my loss here if any will be my gain there.

Kee2u