[INstix]

My family and I are sick of southern Indiana winters. I just missed work this morning because I got stuck in a snow drift at the end of our rural road and had to tell them at the hospital I work at (I'm a nurse) that my car was in a field and I had to walk a half mile back to the house in the freezing, whipping wind to call and let them know. Yeah...we're sick of it.

So hubby suggested Florida. We know NOTHING about Florida, except that a travel nurse friend of mine said it's beautiful, warm and the people where she is are so pleasant all the time...she thinks it's because there is a lot of sun. Who knows? It beats the seasonal affective disorder my mother and I get from months of cold and gray days.

Where could we go that is a smaller town feel, country areas where we could have a small farm, that is somewhat more liberal as far as religion (I've seen some of the threads on here, and I am not into regular church going or having anyone look down their nose at me about it), with good schools (two daughters, 8 and 11), close proximity to nursing and IT jobs (within 30 minutes), that we could find a 3 bedroom/2 bath home for about 175,000 with at least 2 acres, with low crime?

We're flexible on some of the details, but we'd like to live in a more rural area, but not so rural that it takes an hour to get to anything interesting to do. I love lots of unique shops with handmade things, or places to rummage around in like that. I might like to open up my own herbal shop sometime. Also, we'd like WARMTH. I don't mind some cooler days, even frosts are all right at times, but we'd like much warmer weather than we have in southeastern Indiana.

Neither my husband nor myself are really into a lot of night life. We like book stores and the movies, and unique shopping, but we also enjoy being off to ourselves with some ground around us and possibly raising a few animals.


I've probably just asked for the totally impossible, but as I said, we're also flexible. Maybe somewhere in central Florida? I don't know, you tell me...


THanks!

[GLS2010]

Originally Posted by INstix

My family and I are sick of southern Indiana winters. I just missed work this morning because I got stuck in a snow drift at the end of our rural road and had to tell them at the hospital I work at (I'm a nurse) that my car was in a field and I had to walk a half mile back to the house in the freezing, whipping wind to call and let them know. Yeah...we're sick of it.

So hubby suggested Florida. We know NOTHING about Florida, except that a travel nurse friend of mine said it's beautiful, warm and the people where she is are so pleasant all the time...she thinks it's because there is a lot of sun. Who knows? It beats the seasonal affective disorder my mother and I get from months of cold and gray days.

Where could we go that is a smaller town feel, country areas where we could have a small farm, that is somewhat more liberal as far as religion (I've seen some of the threads on here, and I am not into regular church going or having anyone look down their nose at me about it), with good schools (two daughters, 8 and 11), close proximity to nursing and IT jobs (within 30 minutes), that we could find a 3 bedroom/2 bath home for about 175,000 with at least 2 acres, with low crime?

We're flexible on some of the details, but we'd like to live in a more rural area, but not so rural that it takes an hour to get to anything interesting to do. I love lots of unique shops with handmade things, or places to rummage around in like that. I might like to open up my own herbal shop sometime. Also, we'd like WARMTH. I don't mind some cooler days, even frosts are all right at times, but we'd like much warmer weather than we have in southeastern Indiana.

Neither my husband nor myself are really into a lot of night life. We like book stores and the movies, and unique shopping, but we also enjoy being off to ourselves with some ground around us and possibly raising a few animals.


I've probably just asked for the totally impossible, but as I said, we're also flexible. Maybe somewhere in central Florida? I don't know, you tell me...


THanks!

look into Clermonte FL or Chuluota FL

[1coolcustomer]

I don't know if it would cover the liberal or IT conditions, but I'd check out places like Williston, Bronson, Live OaK........somewhere that is a doable commute to Gainesville. Gainesville has Shands Hospital and it's sattelite operations, so I would think nursing jobs should be plentiful.

Try to stay out of Ocala, (because it's expensive) and shoot for any rural area North of there.

[niceguy19125]

Originally Posted by INstix

My family and I are sick of southern Indiana winters. I just missed work this morning because I got stuck in a snow drift at the end of our rural road and had to tell them at the hospital I work at (I'm a nurse) that my car was in a field and I had to walk a half mile back to the house in the freezing, whipping wind to call and let them know. Yeah...we're sick of it.

So hubby suggested Florida. We know NOTHING about Florida, except that a travel nurse friend of mine said it's beautiful, warm and the people where she is are so pleasant all the time...she thinks it's because there is a lot of sun. Who knows? It beats the seasonal affective disorder my mother and I get from months of cold and gray days.

Where could we go that is a smaller town feel, country areas where we could have a small farm, that is somewhat more liberal as far as religion (I've seen some of the threads on here, and I am not into regular church going or having anyone look down their nose at me about it), with good schools (two daughters, 8 and 11), close proximity to nursing and IT jobs (within 30 minutes), that we could find a 3 bedroom/2 bath home for about 175,000 with at least 2 acres, with low crime?

We're flexible on some of the details, but we'd like to live in a more rural area, but not so rural that it takes an hour to get to anything interesting to do. I love lots of unique shops with handmade things, or places to rummage around in like that. I might like to open up my own herbal shop sometime. Also, we'd like WARMTH. I don't mind some cooler days, even frosts are all right at times, but we'd like much warmer weather than we have in southeastern Indiana.

Neither my husband nor myself are really into a lot of night life. We like book stores and the movies, and unique shopping, but we also enjoy being off to ourselves with some ground around us and possibly raising a few animals.


I've probably just asked for the totally impossible, but as I said, we're also flexible. Maybe somewhere in central Florida? I don't know, you tell me...


THanks!

I'm in the same boat, living in Philadelphia where we're getting another foot of snow today!

I used to live in Florida, was born and raised there, and am moving back. I
would recommend Gainesville. It's a liberal oasis in the middle of Florida. It's the home of the University of Florida. The city has good schools, and I would try to get your kids into the schools on the north side of town, where most of the UF educators have their kids. UF has an excellent medical center attached (Shands Hospital), people drive from all over for procedures and testing, etc. IT jobs I am unsure of but feel again because of the presence of UF there are probably some jobs to be had at the school or with peripheral research/high tech firms. Some towns to consider just north of Gainesville are
Alachua, Newberry and High Springs. All offer some housing in your price range with some land, yet close to Gainesville. Moderator cut: Solicitation Not Allowed

[Lilybeans]

Martin County, just north of Palm Beach County.

[GLS2010]

Originally Posted by 1coolcustomer

I don't know if it would cover the liberal or IT conditions, but I'd check out places like Williston, Bronson, Live OaK........somewhere that is a doable commute to Gainesville. Gainesville has Shands Hospital and it's sattelite operations, so I would think nursing jobs should be plentiful.

Try to stay out of Ocala, (because it's expensive) and shoot for any rural area North of there.

people in clermont and chuluota won't look down on you if you don't go to church, that's what they ment by liberal. And there are IT jobs close by.

[goofykid]

Theirs a neighborhood out in Oldsmar 20 min outside of Tampa big acre plots and A+ good schools. Same with The Acreage same situation just 20 min outside of West Palm Beach.

The only hard part is finding a place close enough for jobs like that and have big acre plots. I used to live in The Acreage personally I loved growing up there have my own privacy just outside the city it's unheard of.

[RMD3819]

In general the suburban/rural areas outside the perimeter of the larger cities would work for you.

You will not have trouble finding a job. Hubby-I don't know about IT.

[EscAlaMike]

The first place that comes to mind for me is DeLeon Springs. It's country, but still close enough to DeLand and Daytona.

However, your budget could be an issue unless you want to live in a manufactured home.

For prices more in your budget, you might have to look further north and west, north of Gainesville, and west of Jacksonville into the panhandle.

Keep an eye on property taxes as well. I don't know how much you are used to paying in Indiana, but in Florida they tend to be OUTRAGEOUS! That's one reason we moved to Alabama.

[rogercobb]

Coming from southern Indiana you'll feel much more at home in areas of the panhandle or west coast from Tampa north. Most midwest transplants end up along the gulf areas of the state and people are more relaxed and friendlier overall than you would find anywhere near Orlando or south Florida. Also, if you end up near the west coast of Florida you won't need to learn Spanish like you would in Miami or Orlando.