[lynne921]

I am hoping to relocate from NY to the Florida area around the beginning of July. I have been reading through several forums on this site and others and have become discouraged from the things people have to say about Florida. While I went into this knowing that everyone has different perceptions and some just thrive on negativity I have to admit I have still become alarmed. I am trying to keep in mind that crime, a lack of jobs, and a less than great school system is everywhere. However what has concerned me is the forums that directly insult everyone from NY and how they blame New Yorkers for the problems in Florida. I also have been concerned over how many forums are saying racism is alive and thriving in Florida… while I am not trying to be naive, of course it exists; I just thought Florida had become more diverse than some other areas. So with that being said, I am hoping to get some genuine responses on what the Florida area is really like.

My husband and I have chosen Florida to relocate because of the weather. (I would look into California but my husband won’t move that far from family.) I have Multiple Sclerosis and have permanent nerve damage to the entire left side and the cold weather is just brutal for me (I leave home only when necessary because of the cold.). My father is moving with us and has degenerative back problems, barely being able to stand, and the cold weather is becoming difficult for him to tolerate as well. Therefore, it will be myself, my husband, my father, and my teenage daughter. We had originally looked into SC but after visiting were not real impressed with the area or the weather. Yes warmer… but still a bit to cool for me. The cost of living being lower of course was accompanied by lower wages. When I began my search on the Florida area trying to find a place that is affordable and family friendly I found several towns that met the family part but not the affordability part. I would prefer a town with lower crime rates, decent schools, near public beaches, with positive things for a teenager to do, and within reasonable commute to ample jobs. My husband will be looking for work (and has the most work experience) in the trucking industry. He has his CDL and has driven OTR, worked as an emergency repair dispatcher and as a service writer. While he would prefer to be back in the office (dispatcher, service writer etc…) he will do OTR driving again if needed. He currently is working for a landscaping company driving flatbed and dump trucks and operating various heavy equipment. I am on disability because of my MS but am also working on my bachelor’s degree hoping that maybe someday I will feel well enough to go back to work. My daughter is going to be in 10th grade by the time we relocate….
Our plan is for him to come down around June to find work. Once he finds work he will hopefully secure a place to rent for us to come down. I had been interested in Cape Coral area but keep finding many negative things about the area. While Cape Coral has a larger population than what I was looking for it seemed to have decent schools, lower crime rates and affordable housing while being within reason for my husband to commute….. I would have preferred some smaller areas but they seem to be way out of our level of affordability. Another area I had looked at was Palm Coast… though forums I have read indicate bad crime and a very big dislike for people from NY. I am not looking to move to a place where we will not be welcomed… I have enough to worry about with my health….

So please, if anyone could please offer some input to the realities of Florida living, pros and cons, best places to reside for families that include affordable living, as well as most possibility of my husband finding employment I would be very appreciative.

[TD*]

Tallahassee is a great city. Very family friendly with good schools, and lots of nice neighborhoods. about 1.5 hours to closest nice beach (St george Island)

Lots of Colleges so, education will not be an issue, Tallahassee has excellent parks, and recreation opportunities as well.

[LIFL]

Couple questions,
1-Do you like New York (also, what part?)
2-Do you want a city(Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville) or a smaller town (Tallahassee, Ocala, Sarasota), or a really small town (Clermont, Mount Dora, Arcadia, Sebring),
3-What kind of setting (Master planned gated community or a regular no HOA community)
4-Do you want to live by other New Yorkers?
5-Do you want a Tropical climate (Key west), or a more balanced climate (Nothing like NY winters), (Jacksonville)?

[Honeycrisp]

The Port Orange (east coast) area is nice and not unlike NY or NJ in some ways. People are friendly and my understanding is that schools are good. I dont think it's good to generalize, there will always be ppl you meet and ppl on the forum who simply don't like northerners (yankees as they refer to them), just take it w/ a grain of salt, have met a lot of ppl and everyone is welcoming and nice but there's always a few bad apples, would focus on the positive and not the negative. Just another area to seriously consider

[Jerseygirl42]

We are looking into the Palm Coast Flagler Beach area which is NE Florida below Jacksonville. Good luck!

[blueherons]

Your husband needs to land a job first and that will dictate where you live. He needs to be looking now and not in July. All the jobs are hiring now because it is so busy with season.


July is absolutely dead.

[lynne921]

Originally Posted by isles20

Couple questions,
1-Do you like New York (also, what part?)
2-Do you want a city(Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville) or a smaller town (Tallahassee, Ocala, Sarasota), or a really small town (Clermont, Mount Dora, Arcadia, Sebring),
3-What kind of setting (Master planned gated community or a regular no HOA community)
4-Do you want to live by other New Yorkers?
5-Do you want a Tropical climate (Key west), or a more balanced climate (Nothing like NY winters), (Jacksonville)?

I really don't care for NY especially the weather. We currently live in a very small town which I also dislike. I am looking for in between small town and big city though am not opposed to big city if I can know the safer areas to live. My biggest concern is my teenage daughter, going from small town to big city. Prefer a private rental home but will consider townhouse etc... Don't care who I live by as long as they are nice and respectful. Love the tropical climate and would love a home near the beach but I am sure that is way out of our price range.

[lynne921]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Your husband needs to land a job first and that will dictate where you live. He needs to be looking now and not in July. All the jobs are hiring now because it is so busy with season.


July is absolutely dead.

I agree I just wasn't sure how soon would be to soon. I was told that the trucking industry was pretty good in jacksonville and that my husband would have an easier time finding work there...

[lynne921]

Originally Posted by Honeycrisp

The Port Orange (east coast) area is nice and not unlike NY or NJ in some ways. People are friendly and my understanding is that schools are good. I dont think it's good to generalize, there will always be ppl you meet and ppl on the forum who simply don't like northerners (yankees as they refer to them), just take it w/ a grain of salt, have met a lot of ppl and everyone is welcoming and nice but there's always a few bad apples, would focus on the positive and not the negative. Just another area to seriously consider

Thank you for your suggestions and I will keep them in mind when reading these forums..

[lynne921]

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl42

We are looking into the Palm Coast Flagler Beach area which is NE Florida below Jacksonville. Good luck!

I was looking at that area also and still am though I have read a lot of negative forums aboiut Palm Coast.... Good luck to you also!