[Rachael84]

Originally Posted by Madaly

My next door neighbor and I joke all the time, we call each other ground hogs. I saw her ONCE the whole winter, last week. We were like, OMG Hi!!!! There is no activity here on my street during the cold months. I mean, you see people rush to their cars and then go off to work and back, but no one is outside unless they have to be. I didn't even shovel much this season. I just drove over the snow if I could, maybe made a path for the mailman, and then just dealt with the rest because I was too cold to shovel. It sucks. I am so sick of it.

Where do you live? Where i just bought a house on Long Island (like 10 miles outside the city) there were kids riding their bikes in February and standing around talking outside. I think I even saw some kids playing football. I know growing up, we always played outside in the winter. Didn't bother us that much.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by pittsteelerfan

And would you clasify him as being your 'typical' multi-millionaire? Won't even use a "new bag"?...... "Obssesed" with money would be the way I'd describe him. Him throwing quarters around like they're 'sewer lids', especially being worth that much, is far from 'normal'!

He doesn't use a new bag because there's no reason to--it's more environmentally friendly. I bring my lunch daily and I'm not obsessed, just smart. I can certainly afford to eat out, but why should I toss $6 away on lunch when I can pack it at home for $2 and get the same or a healthier meal?

I have many friends with a net worth of well over a million dollars, and most pack their lunch at least half the week.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Madaly

Yup. I am an hour south of Boston. My gas bill was 300 dollars last month. My house..ugh, I don't want to air my dirty laundry here but I bought it at the worst possible time anyone could have ever bought a house, 4 years ago. What I bought it for vs what it is worth...is sickening

And even now, where foreclosures are popping up everywhere, house prices have not come down as much as one would expect. The foreclosed homes are dumps and the regular market houses are still too high. I have a friend who is going crazy trying to buy a house. She has PERFECT credit and a huge chunk of cash to put down. She is being very choosy right now, which is a good thing, but she is having a hard time buying something she can afford and maintain.

even, maybe especially, in Florida. My husband bought that condo in 2005 and now, IF we can even sell it, is worth half what he paid for it. The prices are rapidly dropping also in the golf community where we bought in 2007. Maybe the only saving grace with this is that I low balled the owner (estate sale) by $100,000, and she took it. But who knows how low things will go before it hits bottom?

My daughter just bought on LI (short sale). It needs some updating, but it is definitely in livable condition. They looked around for a very long time. We did too in Florida. We, especially me, drove that agent crazy. She was ready to stop showing us houses. But in these times you have to do your "homework" and get the best deal you possibly can.

Good luck. There IS something out there for you. Just be patient.

[Madaly]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days90

Yea dont forget that thread on those who moved out of Florida and moved back because they missed it.

Most people from the NE states who moved to Florida should never have moved there in the first place. If you read like I do most of them chose the wrong town, wrong home, wrong job etc and went back to the place they were comfortable with.

I live in NE (MA) and I know sooo many people who moved to FL and then came home. I know this one family, who up and moved to Ocala. No research, no visiting prior. Nothing. Just, Hey, I am tired of winter, lets move to Florida, Oh Ocala looks nice, here we go!

Well, I admit I am repeating 3rd hand. I know nothing about Ocala either so this could be wrong, I dunno. ANyway, they moved back about 8 months later and swore Florida was nothing but white trash. They said that their High School aged son was teased and picked on endlessly, called "Yankee", that their house was TP'd on several occaisions, and that no one was nice to them. So now they have this image of what "Florida" is like and this is what they tell people when they hear that people want to move to Florida.

I say, they just were idiots who didn't pick the right place for their family.
And it happens an awful lot.

All the other people I know from around here who moved to FL all settled on the west coast, Sarasota, Nakomis, Port Charlotte. And they love it, but they also did research.

[Madaly]

Originally Posted by luvthatmouse

I miss certain things about living up North-the culture, the mountains, the fall (seasons), the history, great public transportation and YES-GOOD paying JOBS! Everyone DH and I know (friends and family) up North in NJ, NY, MA/NH are doing great. All of our friends here in FL struggle. Even friends with several BA's and masters degrees. DH and I have 4 degrees between us and have 3 of our own businesses we do on the side and we have struggled in our 4 and 1/2 years here. I like FL a lot but it is not easy to make a living here. We are far from lazy and our friends are some of the most creative, talented and hard working people I know. Some of the posts on here from people that do not even live in this state are beyond rude!

I live in MA...I am doing far from great. lol. Not awful...but not great or fine. More like losing my house but hanging in there sanity-wise at least lol

[Madaly]

Originally Posted by TANaples

on LI for $275,000. My 2 bedroom house in Naples cost $285,000 last year. I guess all that SUNSHINE costs more.

Nah, its just Naples. I have always known Naples to be an expensive place to live.

[Madaly]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

You clearly aren't very travelled in Florida (or elsewhere). In West Palm Beach alone I can have my pick tonight, in just a few blocks square, of Greek, Italian, Cuban, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, or French. Within a couple miles I can expand my choices to Indian and British, African American (Southern Soul Food), Guatemalan, Dominican, and Southern Barbecue.


Why do so many people from New York have such a hard time believing that people aren't jealous of their living in New York?

Living in NY would be my idea of a nightmare. lol NY or California, 2 places I don't even have a desire to visit, let alone live. All those people....no thanks! No jealousy here!

[Future Trooper]

Originally Posted by Strel

No, no and once again no.

What we want is for them to stop importing the negative aspects of their culture and lifestyle down here.

just as much as my friends and I on the Indiana board want to stop importing the negative aspects of living in Indiana

Originally Posted by Ben Around

To the question: Probably not. The majority of FL'ns have moved there from someplace else. I suppose it is possible to get "stuck" there, but I'm guessing most who become "jealous" of other sections of the country move out. (Look at some of the c-d threads for the NE cities devoted to people who moved to FL, hated it and moved back with a new appreciation for their home states). Because of the transient nature of its population, pulling up stakes from FL is a lot easier than pulling up stakes from a state where your roots are. (Try it: ya like it, ya stay...ya hate it ya leave)

I couldn't agree with you anymore

Originally Posted by Chelsa1075

Just so everyone is clear it is a recession in the whole country not just in Florida or any other low wage state. NYC has been hit harder than any other part of the country in the first couple of months this year. Don't be fooled by those who say (if they are) the economy is still doing well here. It isn't! Do people still get jobs here? Of course, just like any other place in the country, there are jobs! The employers just get to take their time at picking. You have to hope to be one of the lucky few, no matter where you are.

Indiana is in a recession somewhat like most of the country but we have been able to weather the majority of the storm out. We are actually doing much better than our neighbors. Indiana is one of just a few states with a budget surplus

Originally Posted by Chelsa1075

If you guys think Florida is expensive - you will go into sticker shock in NYC.

true

Originally Posted by Rock Newman

NO ..... why would they be

I have no idea I was just wanting to know if you guys were jealous of people who live in the North

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

The Manhattan thing gets old.

Since I lived there for multiple years I am allowed to say that right?

if you've lived there atleast 3yrs

Originally Posted by AONE

Um I live in a place i walk around in shorts in December and January... There is nothing in the north I am jealous of.

the air is cleaner, im closer to the ocean.. and i have the parks. and the most active RE market around... I love it here.

Long as your happy that is the only thing that counts

[Madaly]

Originally Posted by DailyJournalist

Where do you live? It is nothing like that in my neighborhood.

south east MA, there are kids around the corner but I never see them in the winter. Mine don't like to play in the snow either. I hear about people having sun in the cold..I don't get it. My friend just went skiing this weekend and all I could think of is...why??? lol

Just different. Not bad or wrong.

[Madaly]

Originally Posted by Rachael84

Where do you live? Where i just bought a house on Long Island (like 10 miles outside the city) there were kids riding their bikes in February and standing around talking outside. I think I even saw some kids playing football. I know growing up, we always played outside in the winter. Didn't bother us that much.

We have been through this one. I am the one with the kids who hate the cold. But there are kids on my street...they don't go out either. I haven't seen them, aside from at school functions, in months.