Moving to South FL by fall- things to know before (Jacksonville: car insurance, condos)

[alex_gl]

Hi, my name is Alex, early 30s , married, planning on moving to SoFla by the fall time, initially to Ft Lauderdale since my sister-in-law lives there. I currently work in power industry (powerplant,cogen) which is pretty industry to be down here in SoCal. I live in Irvine,Ca which is an upper middle class area, so and so... and to tell you the truth, I really don't like the city vibe down here. Yes, you are close to the beach(20-25min), major shopping centers , etc...but pretty much, everything is priced up, but its cleanliness and low crime rate, etc,, makes up for the reason why I live here. I lived in SoCal since 98 and I moved quite awhile. Most of my time I lived in San Diego while I was in the military for almost 10yrs, moved to OC, got married and now I'm planning to move out of the state for personal reasons. To tell you the truth, I;m looking for some positive thinking and opinions about SoFLA...I've been there before (Miami-Ft LAuder-Orlando,Panama city and Jacksonville).Quite different than SOcal, but it looks interesting. These days I'm doing research and read all bunch of forums about quality of life in SoFla, reasons why people like/hate it, and so on. I do have a few question. First, how hard is to find a job in the power industry, industrial technicians or engineering consultants/services. Looking to settle down as a family man, which communities are better than others and why? I know everything about the weather, and I'll take it... I don't wanna hear it again. All my friends are against me moving to FLA... they act like Cali is heaven on earth or something like that. SMH... and one final question before I post this, what are some small things I should start do before I move there. Every advice is welcomed. Thank you.

[blueherons]

I would find a job and then narrow down your search as to where to live.

[Tulippsy]

Yes, I would start with contacting the utilities companies (if that's what the power industry is) in the different areas of Florida that interest you. You are correct that there is a huge difference between Panama City for example, and Miami. All regions have areas that will be fine for raising a family, but weather, COL and other basics will be dramatically different.

And don't be too hard on your friends. Maybe what they're trying to say is they'll miss you if you move clear across the country!

[Nolefan34]

For starters, South FL is very different than the rest of FL. Places like Orlando, Tampa, Jax, etc. are more southern feeling and laid back compared to South FL. The west coast of FL and parts of Central FL are retiree driven. South FL is more balanced age-wise, and has more of an international influence than the rest of the state. You will find that South FL has more "stuff to do" in terms of culture and nightlife than the rest of the state.

Fort Lauderdale specifically is a smaller city within South FL. It has a smaller downtown with a large suburbia built up around it in Broward County. Broward consists of about 30 suburbs that spread out around Fort Lauderdale. The eastern coast of Broward County is very built up with tall condos lining the ocean and water. The rest of the county is pretty flat, mainly consisting of boring suburbs with either Ranch style homes or Med-look homes in gated communities.

Traffic in Broward County is not bad at all compared to many major metro areas, especially L.A. The only reason it can be a pain is if you have to commute longer distances, lets say from Palm Beach down to Miami, or from Doral to Deerfield Beach. Then it is a total pain because of the sheer distance dealing with traffic. The drivers here are horrendous. People drive extremely aggressively, and we have some of the highest car insurance rates in the nation. South FL is the hit-and-run capitol of America.

The beaches are great here because there are so many public beach access points. You can literally get to a beach by taking any one of the main highways due east to the ocean. You can go on your lunch break from work. This is one thing I love about South FL. The beaches are so close and so convenient.

Quality of life is what you make it to be. It is awesome here if you ask me. There is a lot of stuff to do and the weather stays warm almost all year around. There are many who would kill to live in South FL, but the prices are too high. If you come from other regions of FL or the middle of the country, South FL is very expensive comparatively. Not compared to L.A. or NYC though.

There is a chorus of people who hate South FL because of traffic, crime, the Latin and New York influences, and the Miami-drug influence. Miami is ground zero for drugs entering the U.S., and the whole Scarface element of Miami, is why lots of people hate Miami. Fort Lauderdale gets dragged into the same category since it is so close to Miami.

[Papillons2]

Nolefan's summary of the area (both positives and negatives) is right on target and there's not much I can add to it.

As far as the employment situation in the power/utilities industry, Florida Power & Light is headquartered in Juno Beach. It's in northern Palm Beach County and a pretty lengthy hike (well over an hour) from Fort Lauderdale, but the company has a major presence throughout South Florida, including Broward County, so you might not be based up there (and if you are ... that part of Palm Beach County is pretty nice). Several former co-workers of mine have moved on to FPL (albeit mostly in PR, media relations, etc.) and have had positive experiences -- the company is very stable and provides excellent benefits. My major complaint with FPL is that it's quick on the trigger to raise rates, but that discussion is probably for another time and place.

[alex_gl]

Thank you guys...good info..

[CrystalBond]

Broward County is awesome! I'm in Plantation, and it's a nice family area. Elementary schools are great, but beyond that - many send their children to private schools. I believe that Coral Springs is probably best if you're looking for a family area with a great school system. Plus, there is easy access to our highway system which can get you just about anywhere in a decent amount of time. If you have other questions, or need further help assessing the best areas, please ask. I'm a relocation professional and love to help people find what they're looking for in our area.