[GR82BAGATOR]

I am hoping to relocate my family too, within the next 2-3 years....for mostly the same reasons and I'm sick of the public school system our town has to offer. I'm just not sure if I want to leave FL, or just move somewhere else in FL. I am a FL Navtie, from North Central FL and if I stay here I was thinking of moving to the Tallahasse or St. Augustine area. To be honest though the PNW & Texas look better to me than FL. Good Luck!

[granitelady]

Originally Posted by watsont3

As someone who is going to be moving to Fla. early next year, I read these posts with great interest. I spent most of my life on Long Island (the Hamptons) and the last 7 years in Lancaster Pa. My primary criteria are getting away from winter and not paying income taxes on my pension.
The one thing that I have learned is that there is no Shangrila. Every place you go is going to have problems. Traffic congestion, overdevelopment, high taxes, crime, drugs. The list goes on.
I hope you find what you are looking for.

I totally agree with you!
I left FL and moved to NC, just to find out 3 years later that even with the high property tax it was a much better place to live. In NC we pay more taxes on everything else that off sets what you save on property tax, plus, less educated people overall creates a lot of other problems...so I'm moving back to FL at the end of the year...there is no Shangrila...so you take the place that makes you feel the closest to it and make believe it is!

[Dee2e]

Growing up, while in grade school, prices were:

Prices for 1959

House: $30,000
Average income: $5,016
Ford car: $2,132-$3,979
Milk: $1.01
Gas: $.25
Bread $.20
Postage stamp: $.04
Brook Trout: $ .59
T-Bone steak: $1.09 lb.

Sirloin Tip Steaks: $.89 lb.
Nestles Quick 1 lb can: $.39
Tiny Tears doll: $9.88
Steve Canyon Jet Helmet: $2.88


Things change. Nothing is the way it used to be. The grass is always greener on the other side.

I just changed insurance companies in Central Florida. My rate with the new company is actually lower than with the old for the same coverage. I was impressed. I do live on the water, but just a small lake. I am not beachside or even close to I-95, let alone East of I-95 or West of I-75. Those living near the beach do pay much more. My Homeowner's Insurance is under $1200 a year and my flood is just over $400 a year. In 1991, when I bought, Homeowner's was $764 a year and Flood Ins was $236 per year.

Planning for retirement, you must consider the cost of taxes, insurance, and upkeep for a property. Those that are younger, have many opportunities to plan.

At age 18, if you invest $2000 a year for 12 years at 9%, you'd have over $1.5M at age 65 of that $24,000 investment!

[Rhett_Butler]

Originally Posted by granitelady

I totally agree with you!
I left FL and moved to NC, just to find out 3 years later that even with the high property tax it was a much better place to live. In NC we pay more taxes on everything else that off sets what you save on property tax, plus, less educated people overall creates a lot of other problems...so I'm moving back to FL at the end of the year...there is no Shangrila...so you take the place that makes you feel the closest to it and make believe it is!

I'll ask you the same question I've asked a few people. You didn't like Florida for various reasons. Tried North Carolina and didn't like it for different reasons.

My question is, why move back to a place you know you didn't like rather than going someplace else??

Not sure about the "Less educated overall" comment since it really depends on how you judge it, but your standards really are the only ones that matter when it comes to your decision making, so that's cool...

[HockeyMom72]

Originally Posted by Dee2e

Growing up, while in grade school, prices were:

Prices for 1959

House: $30,000
Average income: $5,016
Ford car: $2,132-$3,979
Milk: $1.01
Gas: $.25
Bread $.20
Postage stamp: $.04
Brook Trout: $ .59
T-Bone steak: $1.09 lb.

Sirloin Tip Steaks: $.89 lb.
Nestles Quick 1 lb can: $.39
Tiny Tears doll: $9.88
Steve Canyon Jet Helmet: $2.88


Things change. Nothing is the way it used to be. The grass is always greener on the other side.

I just changed insurance companies in Central Florida. My rate with the new company is actually lower than with the old for the same coverage. I was impressed. I do live on the water, but just a small lake. I am not beachside or even close to I-95, let alone East of I-95 or West of I-75. Those living near the beach do pay much more. My Homeowner's Insurance is under $1200 a year and my flood is just over $400 a year. In 1991, when I bought, Homeowner's was $764 a year and Flood Ins was $236 per year.

Planning for retirement, you must consider the cost of taxes, insurance, and upkeep for a property. Those that are younger, have many opportunities to plan.

At age 18, if you invest $2000 a year for 12 years at 9%, you'd have over $1.5M at age 65 of that $24,000 investment!

We bought our first home in Queens, NY, in 1978. It was a 2 bedroom for $47,000. I guess the MAJOR difference is that our combined income back then was $40,000. That is STILL the major difference between Florida and NY --- SALARIES.

[Kim918]

I feel for you. I lived in FL for 30 years and although I didn't pay much for a mortgage or insurance, I got totally disgusted with everything that was going on there. Increases because of hurricanes that people paid premiums for with NO hurricanes for years. Then they have to pay out and bang! They destroy people lives by raising rates through the roof. It was getting insane and in Palm Beach county, where I lived, the local government was as corrupt as they come. I finally decided it was time to go.It took us 9 months to sell our home. We moved to the Naashville area about a month ago and love it. Nice clean neighborhoods and nice people. I don't even worry about the front door being locked at night like I used to in West Palm.

Where were you thinking of heading? I wish you much luck in selling your home and finding a place that you can both afford and be happy in.