[TriMT7]

I live in SE Florida and am not miserable. So... I don't know what winners you all hang around, but you would have to pay me a boat load of money to live in Texas, and I left north Florida because the deep south mentality is not for everyone.

And the midwest? Puh-lease.

[kiggy]

Originally Posted by allenk893

All the things listed above are the exact reason I'm also hauling ass out of FL. I will never ever raise my future children anywhere in this state.

You've been hauling ass out of FL for 2 years now. What happened?

[espizarro]

Ok so you included Naples and Fort Myers into your perception of misery. I live in Tampa but I go to Fort Myers regularly since my parents live there. While Naples has a lot of similarities with South Florida (especifically west Broward Co.), Fort Myers already has a Tampa Bay area feeling in it. So for me Fort Myers and Naples are different regions despite being bordering each other.

On your comment on roads in SW Florida, you should know that this area is growing, not so fast as years ago but the combined population of Lee and Collier nears 1 million, which means that if Lee and Collier are put together in a general MSA it will be the fifth largest in FL. So the area, as continues to grow, needs to have vision of the future so neat roads need to be built if you don't want ridiculous traffic jams like those found in the TB Area or South Florida to happen soon. Years ago when I-75 was only four lanes the traffic jams were monumental. Now there are six and a new bypass was built between Estero and Bonita Springs. SW Florida is mostly a developed area, contrary to some parts of SoFla.

And in terms of miserable people, they are already here and in SoFla as well as the rest of the entire planet.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

I live in SE Florida and am not miserable. So... I don't know what winners you all hang around, but you would have to pay me a boat load of money to live in Texas, and I left north Florida because the deep south mentality is not for everyone.

And the midwest? Puh-lease.

It's funny when a majority of people will claim things like a bad job market, bad economy, expensive cost of living, too many sex offenders, ect, ect, but then a small handful of people comment that life's not like that and that these people (the majority) just hang around with or know "winners." Step outside of your gated community every once in awhile and look around.

PS, I feel the same way about about the liberal bastion that is West Palm Beach, you couldn't get me to live there, even if you offered me one of those nice foreclosed homes that are sitting empty.

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by TXRyan23

It's funny when a majority of people will claim things like a bad job market, bad economy, expensive cost of living, too many sex offenders, ect, ect, but then a small handful of people comment that life's not like that and that these people (the majority) just hang around with or know "winners." Step outside of your gated community every once in awhile and look around.

PS, I feel the same way about about the liberal bastion that is West Palm Beach, you couldn't get me to live there, even if you offered me one of those nice foreclosed homes that are sitting empty.

I'm not one of the rich ones. Very standard middle of the line income (55k a year) for Naples. I rent an apartment and all my friends are working class citizens. Both my husband and I are in college part time with a kid.
I left years ago for about 11 months and then had considered it again this past fall. After contemplation, number crunching etc we found Naples is much cheaper than the alternative. Renting where we were looking (NH/MA) would have been double what we are paying now for the same number of bedrooms with way less ammenities, plus our place would have probably been in a house built before 1940. Taxes up north are double if not triple or more than they are down here for a house that has more problems than the house is worth probably.

Naples is clean. Period. Its safe. Period. Our friend just moved back to RI after being in Naples for about 9 years. This is year two for him being back up there and he's so desperate to get out and back he packed up his stuff and has it sitting in storage down here while waiting to hear back on jobs. He can't get out fast enough. I think those who THINK its better elsewhere haven't live there. Car inspections, potholes, heating bills, winter clothing, summer clothing, spring clothing, mud season clothing, winter tires, summer tires,... To name a few of the awesomeness that awaits those in greener grasses. Look at the people who have moved there and back there and then back again. I know ChrisA70 battles yearly with where he's gonna live and hes not the only one .

[bigh110]

Originally Posted by TXRyan23

Doesn't seem to be an issue here.

Seems it's not so much "heat" related, but a South Florida thing, hell people in Arizona aren't even as nuts as people in So.FL. and they deal with 120 degrees most of the time..

You maybe right its not so much heat related but Humidity is root of the evilness. It may be 120 in arizona and thats pretty darn hot but at least is a DRY heat. In SW FL its not the heat but the HUMIDTY that makes people all crazy and nuts. Thats the way they like it! where else at 2am you step outside and you are drenched in sweat head to toe in 10 minutes 7 to 8 months out of the year. I bet that never happens in Arizona. From my own experience when I was in Arizona even though I was feeling the heat, I barley broke a sweat until I realized the heat was drying me up as fast as I could sweat it out. I am not completely sure but i think the salt water and air may also play a factor but i have yet to confirm this as fact. All in All, I still love Florida and plan on moving there in a few years because I love the Ocean and all it has to offer. If you didn't like the beach/boating/diving I can't see why anyone would want to live in Florida too many other states to be if you are just trying to avoid the cold/snowy weather.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

Naples is clean. Period. Its safe. Period. Our friend just moved back to RI after being in Naples for about 9 years. This is year two for him being back up there and he's so desperate to get out and back he packed up his stuff and has it sitting in storage down here while waiting to hear back on jobs. He can't get out fast enough. I think those who THINK its better elsewhere haven't live there. Car inspections, potholes, heating bills, winter clothing, summer clothing, spring clothing, mud season clothing, winter tires, summer tires,... To name a few of the awesomeness that awaits those in greener grasses. Look at the people who have moved there and back there and then back again. I know ChrisA70 battles yearly with where he's gonna live and hes not the only one .

Believe me, I'd rather live in Florida than ANY of the North Eastern states.

[izzy508]

Your point of view greatly influences your experience of where you live. I lived in FL for more than 30 years, still own a home there, won't sell it because it's paid off and located in, imo, an environmentally beautiful area. But I tired of the heat and humidity and needed a change.
As far as the various problems and types of people, you can find good and bad everywhere. Those aspects are not geographic.
I think a lot of people, esp. from cold climates, have a very unrealistic view of FL. They go there on vacation, have a good time, and move, thinking the good times never end in "paradise." However, the same problems they had wherever they came from, move with them. Paradise is in one's heart and mind; it is not a location.
For anyone who is unhappy wherever they are living, life is too short to **** and moan but do nothing to change whatever is causing unhappiness. Some things in life can't be changed so you have to figure out a way to accept them. Otherwise it's up to you to address whatever problems and change the things you can change. If you don't like where you are living, move. But before you do, make sure you get down with your bad self and honestly decide if your problems are truly related to your current location or you will find yourself singing the same old "i hate this place" song a few months later from a different locale.
Sure, Florida has its' share of problems. So does every other place in the world.
-izzy

[bigh110]

South Florida Rocks but is absolutely awesome when you achieve Snowbird/Whitecap status!!!!

[StreetSmarts]

I think ChrisA70 wants to come back to FL.