[georgieh]

Hello everyone! I am trying to decide if I should move to the East or West coast of FL from Northern NJ.
I have been to both coasts and like them. Most people say if you are from NJ you should do East coast but it has become too congested for me. I am mid 50's and still need to work but would like a more settled place not just snowbirds. Can anyone help with suggestions. I've been told Largo, Dunedin, Clearwater; haven't been. Visited Naples & Bonita Springs; nice but pricey. Please help.

[brianjb]

Originally Posted by georgieh

Hello everyone! I am trying to decide if I should move to the East or West coast of FL from Northern NJ.
I have been to both coasts and like them. Most people say if you are from NJ you should do East coast but it has become too congested for me. I am mid 50's and still need to work but would like a more settled place not just snowbirds. Can anyone help with suggestions. I've been told Largo, Dunedin, Clearwater; haven't been. Visited Naples & Bonita Springs; nice but pricey. Please help.

You're right, there are more NE people living on the east coast of Florida.

I grew up in SW Florida. If I were you, I would check our Ft Myers and Cape Coral.

I'm not sure what your budget is. As with all cities in Florida, if you need a job then line that up before you move there.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by georgieh

Hello everyone! I am trying to decide if I should move to the East or West coast of FL from Northern NJ.
I have been to both coasts and like them. Most people say if you are from NJ you should do East coast but it has become too congested for me. I am mid 50's and still need to work but would like a more settled place not just snowbirds. Can anyone help with suggestions. I've been told Largo, Dunedin, Clearwater; haven't been. Visited Naples & Bonita Springs; nice but pricey. Please help.

The Tampa Bay area is my recommendation, specifically the St Petersburg-Clearwater area. The northern area is least congested and offers easy access to both Tampa and St Pete-Clearwater. Check out Palm Harbor, East Lake, Safety Harbor and Dunedin.

[HarryWho?]

There are huge areas of the East Coast that are not congested, and huge areas of the west coast that are. I'd say you can find an uncongested area on either coast. As stated earlier, most yankees gravitate towards the Atlantic.

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by brianjb

You're right, there are more NE people living on the east coast of Florida.

I grew up in SW Florida. If I were you, I would check our Ft Myers and Cape Coral.

I'm not sure what your budget is. As with all cities in Florida, if you need a job then line that up before you move there.

Ft. Myers and Cape Coral (aka cape coma) are spotty.. Estero is more affordable and you're in between naples and ft. Myers so you can attended festival and such with ease.

[JacobMAX]

There's Sarasota (County) too...stayed there for a while; quite nice, pretty safe overall and definitely not pricey really. Take a look.

[B4U]

Depending on if you want to see the sunrise or the sunset would determine your choice.
Every year I've lived here - SW coast, I see more and more plates from Jersey, CT. MA., ME, even WV.

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by B4U

Depending on if you want to see the sunrise or the sunset would determine your choice.
Every year I've lived here - SW coast, I see more and more plates from Jersey, CT. MA., ME, even WV.

If you live on a barrier island, you'll see both....

[THX 1138]

SE Florida is heavily NY/NJ influence and people, if you want to be around your kinfolk and still have some things to remind you of home, than move here. If not, then stay clear, go to Naples or Bonita Springs, people there tend to be from the Midwest.

[Donna-501]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

Ft. Myers and Cape Coral (aka cape coma) are spotty.. Estero is more affordable and you're in between naples and ft. Myers so you can attended festival and such with ease.

Estero is more affordable than Cape Coral? Really? When did that happen?