Considering a Promotion and transfer to Jacksonville (rental, condo)

[JBtwinz]

Originally Posted by my mother dresses me funy

Thank you everyone, I have been informed that if I should accept this position I will be working at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station (the one without boats???)on the cities southwest side. So I should concentrate on looking at places to live that are convenient to that location. I have been given the entire month of September off to make a decision and also to visit the area. Which I will do next week to see if it is a good fit for myself. If I do accept I have a tenative start date of 01-11-11
I have so many other questions like;
1) How is traffic there? Can a woman in a small sports car survive on the roads or is a larger vehicle in order? (mobility and speed vs. mass and intimidation)
2) is public transportation really as non-existent as its made out to be on some threads here?
3) Can a single woman go out by herself and not constantly be bothered by people. (I don't mean single guys I mean people that can not stand to see anyone alone, in my language it is called Szerelem arrangers in English it is matchmakers or cupids surrogate I believe.
4) Is there something to do or somewhere to go almost every night for a single person?(not just restaurants and bars) but music venues or poetry readings or just intellectual discourse?
5) What are the opportunities for continuing higher education? As I was thinking about going back to Stanford and getting my PhD, but if I move that's not in the cards unless there's a good University nearby.

Jacksonville is a great area but it is about 180 degrees from the Bay area. If you really love where you are now I am afraid you will really be disapointed in this area. Having family and spending time in the Bay area I could never seriously compare it to this area and honestly offer anyone advice on moving here. That being said I am sure your aware of the difference in locality pay also. Jacksonville is at the bottom where your currently at the top. Housing is much cheaper here but depending on the promotion your salary might stay the same. I am trying not to sound to negative but it is a plus that your coming out to visit the area which is a step in the right direction.


Good luck, Jacksonville has its beaches and other gems and compared to Bay area traffic, our traffic is almost non existent. Public transportation is severly lacking, where as the Bay area has the buses, trolleys, subway and ferry's also cultural and ethnic diversity is extremely lacking in Jacksonville.

I know I will probally get hammered for the post, but come on moving from the Bay area to Jacksonville will most definitely be culture shock.

[my mother dresses me funy]

Originally Posted by JBtwinz

Jacksonville is a great area but it is about 180 degrees from the Bay area. If you really love where you are now I am afraid you will really be disapointed in this area. Having family and spending time in the Bay area I could never seriously compare it to this area and honestly offer anyone advice on moving here. That being said I am sure your aware of the difference in locality pay also. Jacksonville is at the bottom where your currently at the top. Housing is much cheaper here but depending on the promotion your salary might stay the same. I am trying not to sound to negative but it is a plus that your coming out to visit the area which is a step in the right direction.


Good luck, Jacksonville has its beaches and other gems and compared to Bay area traffic, our traffic is almost non existent. Public transportation is severly lacking, where as the Bay area has the buses, trolleys, subway and ferry's also cultural and ethnic diversity is extremely lacking in Jacksonville.

I know I will probally get hammered for the post, but come on moving from the Bay area to Jacksonville will most definitely be culture shock.

Thank you for input. Bay area is OK But I was told I wouldnt like it there when I was first starting on my job as it was so large and impersonal of a city, but I liked it I was also told when I moved from Budapest to London I wouldn't like it either but I did same when I moved from London to NY and same when I moved from NY to Athens Ga. and again same when I moved from Athens to San Francisco. But it turn out I like just about everywhere I try to live. Maybe it just me but I like anywhere I can live and work and grow. I am sure Jacksonville will be just fine.

Plus I am a government employee so my salary is same in NY. or in CA. or FL. it same where ever I work, plus I get a nice raise go from GSst 10 to a GSst14 about $30,000 a year raise and Florida has no state tax.

[JBtwinz]

Originally Posted by my mother dresses me funy

Thank you for input. Bay area is OK But I was told I wouldnt like it there when I was first starting on my job as it was so large and impersonal of a city, but I liked it I was also told when I moved from Budapest to London I wouldn't like it either but I did same when I moved from London to NY and same when I moved from NY to Athens Ga. and again same when I moved from Athens to San Francisco. But it turn out I like just about everywhere I try to live. Maybe it just me but I like anywhere I can live and work and grow. I am sure Jacksonville will be just fine.

Plus I am a government employee so my salary is same in NY. or in CA. or FL. it same where ever I work, plus I get a nice raise go from GSst 10 to a GSst14 about $30,000 a year raise and Florida has no state tax.

WOW, thats great. Welcome to Jacksonville and I am sure you will settle in just great here. It cool about your job to, most GS goverment employee's salary is based on where they live and to go from a ten level to fourteen level is really fantastic. Best of luck to you

[michaeldee]

You will do fine in Jacksonville and you'll be smiling all the way to the bank. Location can have something to do with happiness, but we all know it's a state of mind. Congratulations!

[projectmaximus]

mmdmf, riverside by five points is where I believe you will end up. check out avondale and san marco too, visit downtown for art walk, def see what the beaches are like and just imagine if you'd be happy in our slower paced, spread out town. definitely know your dollar is gonna go a whole lot farther here than cali. tinseltown/tapestry park/sjtc doesn't appear to be your cup of tea so i wouldn't worry about it.

public transit is lacking, but if you like boating, you can live somewhere on the river and even commute by boat lol.

[my mother dresses me funy]

OK I arrived in Jacksonville late last night at NAS Jax on board a Navy plane not sure what kind but it had 4 propellers, very loud and slow. I was put up in transient quarters on base and slept most of today catching up on propeller lag. Got up once at about 10AM went outside and thought I was in the Hollywood Hills due to the smoke in the air. Whats up with that? Tonight I am having dinner with the base Commander and his staff as a welcome aboard thing. Tomorrow I will start looking at the Riverside/Avondale area, with a guide and car provided by the Navy. (I did not know a GSst-14 is equivalent to a full Commander) I plan on going out to the beach area Sunday and over to the Mandarin area Monday, just to look around. while going out to lunch I ran into a nice navy wife who says she and her husband are buying down in Avondale after looking all around and said I would love the area also. We shall see OK its 5:15 and the dinner bell rings at 6 so I must go get ready to have dinner.

[michaeldee]

Keep us updated. I love to see what happens when people arrive in Jax. If you can afford Avondale/Riverside, I know you won't be disappointed. Mandarin/Beauclerc is nice also -- a little more suburban than Riverside, but very good shopping.

[fsu813]

Riverside is pretty darn affordable for it's high QOL. Especially for a G-14 pay scale.

Btw, be sure to swing by Riverside Arts Market tomorrow when you're driving through the neighborhood: Riverside Arts Market - Jacksonville, FL

Every Saturday from 10am-4pm. It's fantastic.

[my mother dresses me funy]

Originally Posted by fsu813

Riverside is pretty darn affordable for it's high QOL. Especially for a G-14 pay scale.

Btw, be sure to swing by Riverside Arts Market tomorrow when you're driving through the neighborhood: Riverside Arts Market - Jacksonville, FL

Every Saturday from 10am-4pm. It's fantastic.

OK I will try to get by there in the morning. I do have one important question. Is there anywhere to go and have a nice pastry and a cafe or tea in Riverside early in the morning? Not just weekend morning but weekday also before work type place? Thank you!

[fsu813]

Early? Only Einsteins & Starbucks. Not much is open before 10am ish.