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As with anywhere else in the country, one must balance all of the positives with the negatives. The state of Florida is in a most unique position in comparison to other states, as it has a tropical climate with a multitude of coastline and beaches. Throw in a tax structure that is extremely beneficial to retirees and the wealthy, and anyone can see a strong basis for Florida appeal to those populations.
There is an old expression that people will live elsewhere and die in Florida. In most cases, this is pure exaggeration, but there some hint of truthfulness to the statement. For example, if my friend Faithful Frank, or I, had chosen to be a firefighter or educator in Florida respectively, neither one of us could be contemplating retirement in our mid-fifties.... we would not have earned the pensions, benefits, nor the livable wage compensation in Florida that we have earned in our native states. Yes, many will complain about the cost of living in New York/PA on this board, but it costs money to earn the money that many seem to take for granted. I often wonder how long most citizens contemplating retirement from Florida would need to work to ever afford to move to New York, New Jersey, or PA if the opportunity (and desire) would be available.
There are sacrifices and rewards to choosing any place to call home.... taking the good with the bad. If I am a senior citizen, or an individual with a comfortable or exorbitant income/accumulated wealth (I can only wish), I would be crazy not to pursue the Florida lifestyle as/after my income has peaked. The state economy is skewed so much in my favor, growing old here will let me keep more and spend less of my money. Yet, if I am younger, with children at various stages of their lives, I would need to recognize that my opportunity to provide them with the best public school education and afford them the opportunities in life that I have had in PA (decent livable wage job with benefits, affordable housing, defined benefit pensions, 4 seasons to enjoy, etc.) have been very scarce in Florida for now and into the foreseeable future.
Trust your instincts, and determine what is not only best for you, but your family, as well. Maybe you will be able to carve your niche in Florida, but there is a big world out there. Don't let winter sunshine, beaches, and "relocation syndrome" be the lone driving forces to experiencing what life has in store for you. Good Luck!
You hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, those defined pensions are going the way of the Model T, so who's to say what type of retirees Florida will have in the future. I'm guessing the mega rich and the pitifully poor and not much in between.
Time is keeping me in Florida-3.5 years to be exact. After that, God willing, I'll collect my measly pension (unless our esteemed Legislature and Governor decide I don't deserve it) and leave without looking back.
For example, if my friend Faithful Frank, or I, had chosen to be a firefighter or educator in Florida respectively, neither one of us could be contemplating retirement in our mid-fifties.... we would not have earned the pensions, benefits, nor the livable wage compensation in Florida that we have earned in our native states. Yes, many will complain about the cost of living in New York/PA on this board, but it costs money to earn the money that many seem to take for granted. I often wonder how long most citizens contemplating retirement from Florida would need to work to ever afford to move to New York, New Jersey, or PA if the opportunity (and desire) would be available.
Do you know what fries me? Folks that retire to Florida - often as ex-union and/or government employees - and complain about the pay and benefits of local employees.
Not Frank, of course. He's never done that. But I've seen others come down and then complain that the local teachers, cops, firefighters are living high on the hog. Yet they are their brethren. I guess what was great for them is not acceptable for someone else. And often they have no idea what these folks get paid or how terrible their benefits are.
And it often seems like the higher on the public ladder the more they complain.
Very well said Retiredcoach Thank you! I am just trying to decide what is best before I make a monumental decission that will affect the lives of my family, friends and future business associates.
I am one of those VERY lucky individuals that will be able to "live the Florida Lifestyle" while I am still relatively young if we so choose to stay, but settle in a better suited area for our desires. I have just returned from a trip to Tennessee and loved it so much, but have that sad feeling when it comes to the realization that I could give up living here permanently. With such feelings I must consider that fact that Florida may be our home base and we will be lucky enough to visit all the other places we love for whatever they have to offer.
I am just wondering what makes Floridians so endearing...we were stationed here 15 years ago and we loved it so much. We had 3 children and made our little house a real home, we have been blessed to have extremely wonderful neighbors and beautiful scenery. Unfortunately so many lost their homes, many more just gave up hope and let their frustrations take over...making my area less welcoming over the past few years. Less and less people are making you feel welcome in the local stores, the unfortunate few that take advantage of "accidental" vehicle accidents for the quick payoff and the general disrespect for others property (in my area) make it a disappointing arguement to stay.
However, although I have been disappointed in my area I have visited other places that were just wonderful as well. I still think my area has wonderful points for certain people looking to move here, just not for me anymore. Living so close to Disney would be a young families dream if they had the money to buy the annual passes, gas, sunscreen and necessities to truely enjoy the location. Unfortunately this is just not a dream for us, we would much rather a bit of land where we can put an inground screened-in pool not far from lakes and the beach...ahhh, the true luxury of Florida living to me. lol
The fun part for us is that now we can afford to live anywhere we want and truely start to enjoy living in the area, we have to find the place to begin enjoying And just so I don't come off sounding so self-centered...we are retired military and starting a business that will help children of cancer live strong till they overcome one way or the other.
I am just curious with many of us Floridians fleeing the state like fleas from soapy water, what is keeping those of us here? Not trying to bash our state but every day many northerners dream of coming here for a better life to escape the harsh winters, crime and high prices; BUT, we don't exactly make living here easy as evident by those that are leaving.
It is true that our gas, electric, water and food prices are high and our job situation is low but it appears that it is still more economically cost effective living here for some. Our schools are a mess, crime is getting rediculous and unfortunately the medical we have experienced over the years is also lacking (imo). Our housing was hit very hard but is trying to rebound slowly and our education system is trying to do it's best with what it is given yet we are split 50/50 on staying and leaving as a whole.
Our state does have natural beauty that can be found in very few places. If you hit the right area you have wonderful people, and if your savy you can find the best places to shop for your budget. As far as the crime, I guess you have it everywhere if you look in the right spots of every state.
I am just curious as a Floridian that is contemplating a move after 15 years...what is keeping you here? What makes your area worth it to you? I know why I fell in love with my area so many years ago and why I don't like it now. My opinion of living here really has to do with the schools and the ignorance of the people that have seemed to move into my particular area. The thought of leaving such a beautiful state is sad so I would like to hear what is keeping those of us that are choosing to stay?
What makes Florida worth it to you...no matter what area you live? I live in Central Florida but feel living in the heart of tourist area is a recipe for disaster for us, however we have visited many other areas over the years that were great if you had the money to live nicely
I hope not to offend anyone, and actually hope it may help some that are considering a move to or to remain in our beautiful state.
Thanks for your honest opinions!
I think the difference between people who leave and people who stay in the state is basically some of us make Florida our home. We don't talk up our old states and really become Floridians. I don't go" HOME" to see my brothers and sisters, I go North to see my family. I don't go "home" to attend class reunions. I go back to Watseka or EIU. I still watch the White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, and Bears; but I am a loyal Magic and Tampa Bay Bucs fan from day 1.
We made Florida our home. Even though we have no blood relation in the state we have our Florida family made up of our kids, our neighbors from every street we've lived on, and friends that we have known for 20-30 years.
We do not sit in our house....we get out and do things.Maybe we are just too easy to please because we could spend every day at the beach and never be bored because it is never the same. BTW we only bring chairs, towels, and umbrellas when Northerners are here-mostly we just walk miles and miles. We volunteer in the schools and in the community. We go to the beach, we go to nature parks, we travel to find new things to do in the state. We still love going to the theme parks or a beach in another county because it feels like we are far from home on vacation without spending thousands of dollars...
Move back or to another state-never even thought about it.
As with anywhere else in the country, one must balance all of the positives with the negatives. The state of Florida is in a most unique position in comparison to other states, as it has a tropical climate with a multitude of coastline and beaches. Throw in a tax structure that is extremely beneficial to retirees and the wealthy, and anyone can see a strong basis for Florida appeal to those populations.
There is an old expression that people will live elsewhere and die in Florida. In most cases, this is pure exaggeration, but there some hint of truthfulness to the statement. For example, if my friend Faithful Frank, or I, had chosen to be a firefighter or educator in Florida respectively, neither one of us could be contemplating retirement in our mid-fifties.... we would not have earned the pensions, benefits, nor the livable wage compensation in Florida that we have earned in our native states. Yes, many will complain about the cost of living in New York/PA on this board, but it costs money to earn the money that many seem to take for granted. I often wonder how long most citizens contemplating retirement from Florida would need to work to ever afford to move to New York, New Jersey, or PA if the opportunity (and desire) would be available.
There are sacrifices and rewards to choosing any place to call home.... taking the good with the bad. If I am a senior citizen, or an individual with a comfortable or exorbitant income/accumulated wealth (I can only wish), I would be crazy not to pursue the Florida lifestyle as/after my income has peaked. The state economy is skewed so much in my favor, growing old here will let me keep more and spend less of my money. Yet, if I am younger, with children at various stages of their lives, I would need to recognize that my opportunity to provide them with the best public school education and afford them the opportunities in life that I have had in PA (decent livable wage job with benefits, affordable housing, defined benefit pensions, 4 seasons to enjoy, etc.) have been very scarce in Florida for now and into the foreseeable future.
Trust your instincts, and determine what is not only best for you, but your family, as well. Maybe you will be able to carve your niche in Florida, but there is a big world out there. Don't let winter sunshine, beaches, and "relocation syndrome" be the lone driving forces to experiencing what life has in store for you. Good Luck!
I moved to Florida with someone else that wanted to move there far more than I. At first it was to Orlando which was so completely different than the small New England town I had live in for 33 years.
A move to Lee County on the swCoast was another different experience where retirees were the majority and an odd wax and wane of the population created traffic jams or peaceful interludes.
When the boom occurred, I watched the Florida that I came to love become bulldozed tract by tract, memory by memory, with pseudo "communities" slapped together and an attitude of rude, aggressiveness set in that I found intolerable.
The bottom line was a lack of control on where my child attended school and a culture that seemed to encourage children to grow up too fast sent us packing.
Do I miss Florida? Yes.
I miss the Florida natives and Yankee transplants that tell you what they think as opposed to The Bible Belt Southerners that play coy and often lie right to your face. I'd rather know my enemy and not constantly second guess.
There are a lot of people in this world that promise simple things and do not deliver but I found it to be more pervasive in Knoxville, mainly because folks would rather pay lip-service than have the audacity to tell the truth.
I miss the opportunity to get food from the local culture as well as some Yankee staples that almost always seem to be done well in Florida.
I miss a more tolerant society that is less sanctimonious. I left Florida a Christian and became an atheist within a few years and I credit a lot to the choking reality of the finger pointing of the hypocrites. The cruelty that my daughter experienced in school was inexcusable. When not one child RSVPs to a a child's ninth birthday party at the zoo the heartbreak is indescribable and the teacher and parents chalked this up to our not having a church "home."
I dislike the polarization where Yankees seem to never break into the local Southern cliques.
I miss weddings and funerals observed in the traditions I am accustomed to in Florida.
I miss our family. Most of the time, anyway.
I like the weather in Knoxville, TN. It has four evenly-spaced seasons where the spring still takes my breath away, even after 6 years, and the snow makes a Christmas card appearance and then melts without ever having to buy a shovel.
I like the trust that the Knoxville locals show since they've not been jaded by a sometimes seemingly constant parade of con artists.
I like the local university and all that it offers in this city.
I like the friendliness, the politeness, the waving at strangers and letting people into traffic that has never changed in the six years that we've lived in Knoxville.
Most of all, I think I might actually be allergic to the darn state of Tennessee. We went on a recon mission back in 2005 and after a few days I blew up like a balloon. We came back to Florida and it went away. We moved up here and I've had edema issues ever since. We come down to visit and the edema vanishes.
What will we do? I don't know. I'm going to get more information in the next few days regarding our business and the state of Tennessee. It will give me a better idea.
If we stay here it will not be a good or a bad thing. And if we move back to Cape Coral we will still have to deal with School Choice which actually means No Choice and a horrendous unemployment rate - almost double what we have in Knoxville.
But do I miss Florida? Yes. Do I hate Knoxville. No? They are just two very different things and I have to decide where we fit in.
native Floridian I can't tell you why I stayed, but I can tell you what I wanted to leave - and did. I wanted to experience four seasons, have cold winters, live in an area that wasn't so transient, live in an area where wages weren't kept low by retirees being willing to work for a pittance, and I wanted to escape tourists and being semi-dependent on "tourist season" for my income, and I wanted to escape the increasing influx of people from everywere else, and I wanted to live in an area who catered to the people living there - not those passing through or living there a few months out of the year.
After being gone for 29 years, many of the reasons I left are exactly what is making me consider a return to Florida. I love the four seasons of TN, but I'm older now and am really tired of the cold winters, which seem longer each year. I'm worn out with dreary grey days and rain that starts before I wake and often continues non-stop all day - sometimes for days at a time. I'm ready give up the four seasons and cold weather for the non-stop heat and eternal sunshine I groused about when I was younger.
My hub's retired now and I don't have to work quite as hard as I did for so many years. We are the demographic age that most of Florida has been for years - we are <gasp> senior citizens - the retirees who can afford to work for less (the same group I complained about so many years ago.)
It's truly unfortunate that Florida has been so badly affected by the housing bust. And I suppose some see it as sad that many are leaving Florida. But a less-crowded Florida is more attractive to me and the current housing market makes it affordable to return.
Although I don't have school-age children I'm aware of the mess with the school system and have many friends there who are teachers. IF we decide to return, we'll adjust to the politics and work with those we feel who are working to make things right. I do love Tennessee, but Florida may be calling...
Entertainment. Florida's the greatest three-ring circus in the history of humanity. Carl Hiaasen doesn't write about Nebraska or Peoria, Illinois for a reason ...
Florida has a lot to offer to different people. It's all relative to the resident or future resident. We have had our ups and downs in FL, but after 18 years, I am still here, left a few times, and came back. I call MA my home, FL is my second home. I plan on going back north by next summer, but will still come down here to visit. My biggest plight is the summer heat, I have never been a fan, otherwise all is good here.
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Yet they are their brethren. I guess what was great for them is not acceptable for someone else. And often they have no idea what these folks get paid or how terrible their benefits are. 
Thank you! I am just trying to decide what is best before I make a monumental decission that will affect the lives of my family, friends and future business associates.
And just so I don't come off sounding so self-centered...we are retired military and starting a business that will help children of cancer live strong till they overcome one way or the other.
As a
- the retirees who can afford to work for less (the same group I complained about so many years ago.)
