[flagrl4lyf]

Florida is a great place to live specially south Florida. My husband and I left thinking anything is better then Florida boy were we wrong. We lived in SC for 8 months and then moved to Chicago and will be here for almost 2 years. We are dying to move back and are making plans to do so but Chicago is so expensive that it is hard to just pick up and leave! Both of us really wish we would of never left. Sure there are hurricanes but there are natural disasters everywhere! My husband and i were talking about how even with the hurricanes it was still good. After the hurricanes seeing how everyone in the neighborhood bands together to help one another out! I suggest to other Floridians stay! You will regret ever leaving(most of you)! And to the girl who is planning on moving! Great Choice! West Palm beach area (Boyton beach,Lantana ) Has great apartments (check [url=http://www.apartments.com]Apartments.com - Free Nationwide Apartment Search with the Most Visual Rental Listings Online.[/url]) schools and shopping ! And Tanning as well! Hope it all works out !

[Reese1313]

Originally Posted by CURT

agreed!!!!!!! many of them may have been complaining about the same thing for a loong long time and stay to complain another day.

Just thought I'd prove ya wrong on your quote. I now low live in North Carolina and am loving every minute of it. My job pays me hell of a lot more then what I made back in Florida. Cost of living is cheaper. I bought a 2900 sq.ft. 2 story home for way less then you can imagine! Live in a beautiful neighborhood with the most friendliest people. You drive down a street that you don't even live on and people wave to you! Not like Florida where the majority of the people have attitudes. The drivers here are no where near like the drivers in Florida. Everyone is laid back. I have only heard a horn beep once since I've been here. Weather is awesome. Some people say the grass isn't always greenier on the other side. In my case, its very green and getting greener. This was the best decision I've ever made. I will never go back to Florida unless it's for a funeral (knock on wood).

[isabella20948]

I moved to Florida 18 years ago from New Jersey (outside of Newark) and I thought I moved to Paradise Florida is beautiful, Palm Beach, West Palm beach But that was then/ Now its different, crime is up. Rents and housing are unaffordable if you want to be in a good area. Property taxes and homeowners insurance is thru the roof. I moved out of Florida 6 months ago to Arizona My rent went from $1500 per month for a $1500sq ft house in WPB to $950 per month for a 2000sq ft house in Az. My car ins went down $50 per month and housing here is affordable if you can bear the hot temps in the summer. Think twice before you make the move there Its very expensive

[AONE]

There are those that spend their life complaining. They would get further if they would take an action to change what they don't like. You can be anywhere and it can be heaven or hell it is you that is the constant ... you will take your hell wherever you go. I would rather have my heaven, and do what I can to change what i don't like.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by j_nbx

hey I'm looking to move to Fla. but I dont know which area would be best
I wanna stay away from the hurricanes, I need a place that would be up to $650/mo in rent for 1 or 2 bedrooms, has tanning salons( spray on tanning )
schools for little kids - my daughter will be turning 4 by the time school starts,
has baby sitter options as I would like to go out at times,
has good employment options in retail or reception
also near stores and parks-beaches and zoos accessible and is in a decent safe enough neighborhood
I know it seems like alot but if anybody knows of any places like that it would be greatly appreciated

While we have a lot of what you're looking for in Jacksonville, if the top of your rental budget is $650, that would be a little low. Most people spend a minimum of $700 - and usually more in the range of $750-$850 - to get into a safe, decent building (and that's not even a "luxury" building which would be more $$$).

Still, you could do a deep search and come up with something for $650, it just might be small and in a much older building (something out-of-date, maybe a little run down).

One thing you would absolutely need here is a good running car - it is very difficult to get around without a car here and the city is very spread out. You'd probably do a lot more driving here - or anywhere in Florida, for that matter - than you do in the Bronx.

You might find the cost of living less in the pandhandle, but the NorthEast coast of Florida has risen in cost dramatically. We have tanning salons and all that stuff, but the cost is probably the same - or even higher - than what you pay in the Bronx.

Hope that sheds a little light.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by Reese1313

First off, if you move to Florida, there is no way to avoid a hurricane. Second, anything under $650 for rent is in the ghetto or projects and is no where near safe. The crime here in florida is reducing, the cost of living is ridiculously high and not worth it. It's constantly hot as hell and humid. But the good thing is there are tanning salons EVERYWHERE. Sorry to break the news to you. The majority of people living here want to get out!!! But if you are looking for things to do with your children and self, West Palm Beach has a lot. And of course it's surrounding cities. Good Luck!

Please don't generalize the whole state based on your subjective experience.

I live on a hill, in a disaster-resistant neighborhood 45 miles from the Gulf. I'm not that worried about hurricanes. The cost of living here is reasonable, and crime is low. It is hot in the summer, but it was below 20F last week here.

The majority of people living here like it and plan to stay and raise their families here.

And West Palm Beach is not a place I would choose to live.

[nanwalt3]

You need to be sure you have enough money to make the move and the move in expenses. You may want to figure it could take a month to find a job that will pay the necessary bills. You need to have more than the 1st , last and security deposit for the rental when you arrive.
We in Fl. also want to stay away from the hurricanes. I live 60 miles N. of West Palm and we had 2 major ones in 2004 and another major one in 2005. We bought a place N. of Gainsville to escape that kind of weather and use it part time. The cost of housing and rentals seems low, but you're not close to the beaches, but its a nice rural area and we love it. We may just move there full time and pray for no more hurricanes in all of FL.
Prioritize your needs in a 1. 2. 3. format. If tanning salons are a 1. or 2. then you're where you should be. Good Luck!

Originally Posted by j_nbx

hey I'm looking to move to Fla. but I dont know which area would be best
I wanna stay away from the hurricanes, I need a place that would be up to $650/mo in rent for 1 or 2 bedrooms, has tanning salons( spray on tanning )
schools for little kids - my daughter will be turning 4 by the time school starts,
has baby sitter options as I would like to go out at times,
has good employment options in retail or reception
also near stores and parks-beaches and zoos accessible and is in a decent safe enough neighborhood
I know it seems like alot but if anybody knows of any places like that it would be greatly appreciated

[kelleyking]

I've lived in FL for 12 years, in various areas. I came from "the north" as they say. My thoughts here are for working folk, not retirees, who are happily free to live just about anywhere. I think success here depends on your field, really. Medical workers will never be without a job, anywhere in FL, especially nurses, MAs and dental hygienists. You can work privately for doctors or even in govt. settings. People in manufacturing will be disappointed because FL has never had much of a manufacturing trade. Building trades are really hurting right now. In my area, for example, the town just laid off 70 ppl in the building dept. because construction has all but come to a standstill. Painters, roofers, pool installers, window people, surveyers, you name it. If it's at all connected to construction, jobs are quite scarce.

I think the best prospects for jobs are near your bigger cities like Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and of course, the Miami-Lauderdale areas. To give you an idea, my job in Ocala paid $8.00 - 9:00/hr with no benefits. In Orlando, I receive $11.50/hr with full benefits. In Tampa, I'm told I can earn $12 - 14. I work in the hospitality field. I live in rural Marion County and pay less than $700/month to lease option a home. Many new homes are standing empty and owners and r.e. people are wheeling and dealing right now. But unless you have a good job in Ocala, something hard to find, you will not afford the new house. My house insurance is higher than up north because we have the weather factor. My auto insurance is high but about the same as the north. I commute to Orlando because Orlando rents are very high in areas that have lower crime rates. The Tampa Bay area has reasonable rents if you can live in an apt. or mobile home. To buy a house is pretty expensive at this time. My friend lives on the water in Madeira Beach. The apt below her is a 1-bed for only $850/month. For beachside, I think that's a great price. So if you want the best job prospects, go to the bigger cities and try to find good deals on rents. Expect to do some type of commuting. We do not have commuter rail here, and our bus schedules don't run as often as people expect. Big cities have buses, but again, scheduling may not work for you.

Last, the weather. Yes, it's hot in the summer and you should expect that. This is a tropical environment. Hurricanes come and go. No predicting what happens. I lived 10 years in Pinellas County and saw 1 hurricane. A few years back, there were 4 in succession in FL. If you're really fearful, live inland like the Orlando or Gainesville areas. If one comes through, you will have the wind damage but not coupled with the flooding that would happen near the ocean. You will also know when one's coming, in plenty of time to move to safer areas. More fearsome to me are tornadoes. They come from nowhere and have no rhyme or reason. They can tear down the house across from you and not a scratch on yours. One came through my area in Lake County last year and caused much destruction and some loss of life. I lived 10 mins from one of the touchdown sites. I will never forget it. I'm told by people who've here longer than me that central FL is more prone to them because the winds from the east coast meet the winds from the west coast over Central FL (Orlando, Leessburg, Volusia county areas) and that's why we have unsettled weather. I think there's truth there....when I fly into Orlando I always get some turbulence which I don't in Tampa too much. Tornadoes are less apt to destroy a concrete block house than certainly a mobile or manufactured house, but they are extremely powerful and can wreck a CBC house too. I just feel the sturdier the house, the better your chances. But, The tornado turned a steel-framed church into a pile of twisted metal that rendered it unrecognizable as a church.

I find life here pretty peaceful. Much to do! Festivals, parades, theme parks, nature parks, places to ride horses, trails for dirt biking or riding your ATV, beautiful springs for swimming, and of course, beaches. Tons of concerts with big celebrities come here, and we have all major sporting events. I went to a chili cookoff for example, for only a $5.00 admission. So many things going on, all the time. Drivers are more polite. I almost never hear horn-honking, even in city areas. I've made some blunders and cut people off accidentally because I was lost and they merely slowed and let me pass. I'm grateful for that. Clerks most always say thank you in convenience stores. People you meet, generally accept you at face value.

So do not be totally discouraged. We all have to live somewhere and no matter where you pick, there is no perfect place. If wages are high, then so are rents, etc. Rural places will always offer little in jobs because they are just small towns. Crime finds its way to big and small places alike. My hometown was Rochester, NH, very tiny place, and 2 weeks ago, someone walked in with a bomb and took hostages at Hillary Clinton's campaign office.
So......nothing is guaranteed, anywhere. There is much to enjoy here if you can tolerate the high heat and humidity -- many people cannot or have health issues that make it difficult. I cannot address school concerns as I have no children in school.
I wish you the very best in your relocation, no matter where it takes you.

[ReverseMigrator]

You may want to check Rent.com for Florida to see what you can get for $650. That's pretty low - trailer park low. Jobs can be had, but for minimum wage for retail. The schools are bad - I left the Boca Area after I had a baby, because even the highly touted "Del Prado" school district was far worse than the schools up North.

I wouldn't trust my child with a total stranger, especially in an area like Florida, where the warm climates attract more than its' share of sickos. If you must get a sitter, join a local church and get referrals that way. Even then, you can't be too sure.

If I were you, I'd just move to South Jersey. Cheaper rent, plenty of tanning salons and trustworthy people in the Turnersville area, for example, where I have family and they're building a lot of developments attracting families. Go to work for one of the casinos in Atlantic City. Join a union. Better pay and stability to support your child. If you like Florida, vacation there. Nice place to visit, but you may not like living there.

[CJFlorida]

Originally Posted by ReverseMigrator

You may want to check Rent.com for Florida to see what you can get for $650. That's pretty low - trailer park low. Jobs can be had, but for minimum wage for retail. The schools are bad - I left the Boca Area after I had a baby, because even the highly touted "Del Prado" school district was far worse than the schools up North.

I wouldn't trust my child with a total stranger, especially in an area like Florida, where the warm climates attract more than its' share of sickos. If you must get a sitter, join a local church and get referrals that way. Even then, you can't be too sure.

If I were you, I'd just move to South Jersey. Cheaper rent, plenty of tanning salons and trustworthy people in the Turnersville area, for example, where I have family and they're building a lot of developments attracting families. Go to work for one of the casinos in Atlantic City. Join a union. Better pay and stability to support your child. If you like Florida, vacation there. Nice place to visit, but you may not like living there.

Lots of generalizations. No one should trust their child with a "total stranger", always do a background check and have a nanny cam. Lets not forget all the priests who had issues with kids, so you can't generalize about the good and the bad anyway.

And comparing Florida to NJ is beyond apples and oranges. I grew up in Somerville, and also lived near Turnersville. NJ is very depressing, Atlantic City and its casinos even more so. NJ is cold, gray and dank 7 months a year. And taxes are no bargain there either.

In a recent poll, half of adults want to get out of New Jersey...pick another state to bash Florida with, that one won't fly!

""The Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll, released Wednesday, found 49 percent of those polled would rather live somewhere else.
New Jersey already is suffering from an image problem and bears the brunt of jokes because of its corruption and pollution problems. But 58 percent of those residents polled said the heavy financial burden of just living in the state is no laughing matter, and that's why they want to leave.
Poll participants cited high property taxes (28 percent), the cost of living (19 percent), state taxes (5 percent) and housing costs (6 percent) as the main reasons they want out.""

The Del Prado schools are just fine. The fact that some school up north may be higher rated is meaningless. With even minimal parent involvement and minimal supplementation of the curriculum, kids from that district turn out to be amazing people. Its silly to say a kid raised by involved parents in the Boca Raton Del Prado schools is at any disadvantage compared to NJ kids....lets at least be remotely realistic here. Boca is an amazing place to raise bright, physically active kids in an amazingly beautiful place.