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Hi all I just got back from Florida visiting my brother in Ocala and I stopped by Jacksonville and really like the place. I am aware of Jacksonville's high crime but that is really the only negative I have read and not sure if that's a city wide problem or just certain parts?
I am US Army veteran and certified mechanic and my wife is a college graduate with a business degree and management experience with Walgreens Pharmacy. I am sure she could do a company transfer and I was looking into fleet maintenance positions with the state or perhaps a civilian employee with the military in that area. I know it's Navy and I was Army, but we're all on the same team..lol
The reason why I am thinking about leaving Virginia for Florida is to be closer to family, that is really the biggest motivator in this. My brother is getting married, having a baby, and both my nieces, my nephew, and my sister live down in Ocala as well. My dad lives New York, where I was born and raised, and my mom lives with my wife and I here in Virginia. Like I said this decision is to bring the family closer together.
The only two biggest concern I have about Jax is the crime like I had mentioned, and for whatever reason, Florida seems to have jobs issues. I know our first choice was Ocala, and we were warned not to go there. Matter of fact one of the locals told us we would do better in Jacksonville and I believe in Jax its a 2 hour drive to my brothers house in Ocala. So a 2 hour drive is a lot better then the 12 hour drive I do now.
Anyways Jacksonville thanks for listening and please share some advice on our decision to move. Florida we had a great time down there and looking forward to coming back sometime in the future.
Being responsible, aware and using common sense is important everywhere, but besides that, crime is only an unusual concern in specific pockets of Jacksonville. Most in the NW quadrant (if cut into a quadrant) but other pockets here & there. But, of course, people with means to live out of these pockets do.
Not trying to discourage you from coming to JAX, but have you thought about Tampa? There's a lot there and it's probably only 1.5 hours away from Ocala.
I don't consider it high crime. The crime rate has gone down alot. And Jax is HUGE. And Jax compares OK on paper IMO. There are areas you'd never think much about crime in 850 square miles!
You probably won't even be in the areas of stereotypical concern so normal vigilance is all you'll need. Even in VA DC remember the sniper? LOL my ex parked in a Home Depot parking lot in Falls Church and left his kid 16 yrs old with his ipod and the cops pulled him out of the car and threw him on the ground because the sniper was known to be in that area. wth. We were laughing though.
About Downtown Metro that you may or may not even consider anyway:
The thing about the downtown Jax Metro area is the LACK of people and open stores. So it makes it a little more tricky than in a heavily populated city's downtown. But IMO that's better because you can definitely NOTICE people approaching you if the whole street is empty
The sidewalks pretty much close up after around 7 downtown except the Landing and some bars and theater.
Riverside is pretty much open till 11ish it starts to thin.
Avondale the same. There's a bar on Dancy that has people milling around outside sometimes till 2 OCCASIONALLY
The South Bank (where I lived) is great at the Strand/Peninsula/San Marco Place because 2 buildings have concierge service, tourist boats and people walking around alot, and residents very active coming and going. Peninsula pays for a cop on nights with events to sit outside for extra measure. You'll read alot of UNINFORMED comments online "OMG THERE'S ALWAYS A POLICE CAR AT THE STRAND/PENINSULA - DANGEROUS!". LOL Uh, no not even slightly.
Things do happen even in the most popular areas like The Landing downtown where people go for concerts or food at night - but it's not common.
So you don't get in your car without glancing in the back seat anywhere, right? And don't hang around shady looking places. There's a park downtown that could be lovely but it's filled with guys hanging out sometimes simply eating, playing chess and at night groups of younger guys with the baggy a$$ pants hanging down that signal a single woman, um, I probably do NOT want to go sit in this park haha.
Riverside is fine but I would never walk through that nice park there at NIGHT. The overnight Walgreens clerk told me "Oh we have a really nice park but don't go through at night. I was getting mugged there by the crackheads but the homeless guys saved me so don't be afraid of our homeless guys either". LOL Ok don't need to tell me twice. I have no reason to walk through a dark park at night there anyway.
I walked the streets in Jax downtown metro and a couple suburban areas for 4 years as a dog walker. There are alot of people who live there with normal lives. At night I stay in front of the building. The only actual incident was downtown - a pseudo crack head tried to grab my dog at 2 pm in front of a high rise 11 East. I say pseudo because you can't separate the real crack heads from the general criminal element but it really doesn't matter if they are or aren't. A cop told me there are people coming from Atlanta posing as homeless but they are just generic criminals. I have walked past dozens of traditonal homeless guys on the South Bank and downtown in fact you get to know who they are and they are not an issue in fact one picks up the trash around the South Bank high rises. Some used to sleep there which was annoying because they camp out with all their crap starting at 9 pm on benches intended for tourists and people out to enjoy the boardwalk but they are not criminals and I didn't see them all last year.
I take blame because I didn't simply walk across the street back to the building when i saw him coming but I never imagined he'd approach, then CONTINUE to approach after I warned him off. He reached around us from the right and left because my goofy dog was trained to sit behind me when she gets hyper on the street and nervous with bus and truck traffic. Problem is, being unstable she is attracted to unstable energy like HIM and wanted to greet him hahaha. When he couldn't reach her, he tried to punch her in the face. A Weimeraner Anyway I scared HIM but I'm from PHilly so whatever. Still, it could have gone bad.
Just pay attention if you are "alone" in any sketchy area including downtown. There are "incidents". I say alone because the area is not teaming with people like a city like PHilly with millions not thousands. After 10PM I run directly out front of the buildings not across the street or around the block but that's mostly because there are bars and a theater with concerts and stuff around there and the normal run of the mill drunks make things dicey walking dogs. There are plenty of groups of "normal" people but that means a group on a deserted street not groups filling UP streets. But still, I've run out late even 1 am. It is not unusual to run into a homeless person laying on the benches there in front of say, 11E and startle you. OR the occasional delusional person yelling an imaginary fight to no one in particular but still, only maybe once every few months and you just cross the street. It's really not a big deal because you are an older married couple and not going to be doing that life style anyway. Stopping to get gas late at night of course, you pay attention anywhere that is not full of people. Half the time I run into cops though there, too.
I had a guy who is a Navy diver living in 11E he mostly works in Mayport. And several military families living in The Strand and Peninsula where I lived. Also Stein Mart management, doctors, nurses, lawyers and plenty of room mates who earn less salary but double up to live in the nice buildings and great view of the river. There's a little water taxi that goes across to downtown and the Landing has concerts although I thought I noticed fewer last year. Also the football team plays right across there in the stadium. If you like football. And the FL GA weekend is a big deal there with partying. The crowd is very age mixed and diverse.
You are not a single woman say, or with kids, relocating to a place where she wants to be able to live and walk around in the dark to activities that are nearby. Even if you were, it IS POSSIBLE to safely live downtown and do things but most people I know were couples or living there for work purposes. I'm sure you will be living in an area that won't be any issue.
You could move to a "suburban" area depending on jobs to cut your drive to Ocala down, perhaps but I've said I would always want to live near work and I don't like Jax commuting to which everyone pounces saying Jax commuting is "a breeze". NO. It's not a breeze even if OTHER PLACES are worse.
Good info. The only thing I don't like about Tampa is it seems to be land locked in the state, too far down. I liked North Florida because you could go up into Savannah for example in less time then say if you did that trip from Orlando.
The only thing I don't like about Tampa is it seems to be land locked in the state, too far down. I liked North Florida because you could go up into Savannah for example in less time then say if you did that trip from Orlando.
Not sure what you mean by land locked. Tampa is surrounded by water. It is further from Savanah and cities to the north, but by the same token, Tampa's closer to your brother in Ocala (mapquest says 45 minutes), a trip you presumably would make often. Tampa's also closer to Orlando, Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and the Florida Keys. Just sayin', you might want to check it out. A lot of people like the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater bay area.
May be something worth looking into then. Sounds better then our other choice, which was Tallahassee. They don't seem to get good reviews up there but again I never lived in Tallahassee, just going by what I have read.
Hi S, I am also from Ocala and recently relocated to Jax. I suggest that anything in the Southside area would be best. I personally live in Riverside now but am moving to a better condo for the reason that my boyfriend happens to work at the courthouse downtown often..easier access to come and visit me.
SAN MARCO Here's the situation- You'd love San Marco for the smaller town feel and the slight artsy feel. The residents are always kind and everyone is a dreamboat so far as personality. You'll stroll through the town with your family and feel right at home.
RIVERSIDE But Riverside it's self- it's a gay-friendly community and not many people are so nice to me..not certain why that is, as I have nothing against alt lifestyles at all. I would not recommend living anywhere in 1661 Riverside, tho it's an excellent location because the residents are mean-spirited and the "president of the condo association" came up to me..yelled at me..took pictures of me (I think he thought I was a vagrant) and was all together...well, kind of nutso.
AVONDALE It's an excellent family community and has strong values. Not uptight; very nice, genuine, polite and down-to-earth people. I cannot find anything absent from that area. It's a wonderful location with a short drive to the other areas of interest in Jax.
MANDARIN If you are a renter, I'd not select this one, simply due to the types who seem to reside in the mid-range median rent. Most of this area is lovely, save right on San Jose and Baymeadows. There's a lot of prostitutes walking there (at least while I'm there.) But CERTAIN PARTS are perfection.
SPRINGFIELD Stay away..at least for right now. YES they are in a "revamp and refurb" mode but many I know were sucked-in by the gorgeous renovated architecture that is dirt cheap to rent and/or buy. Sadly, though the deals are excellent..it's "fenced off" SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF HOOD. You're just not safe there and you sure cannot venture out at nighttime.
BEACHES Are mostly safe and very nice..but the cost of living there is a tad higher versus say..Riverside.
As far as financial- the cost of rent/living expenses in Jax is slightly higher here versus Ocala but if you're near Riverside/Southside, you're only going to be a short drive to everything you want to do or see. But if you have SECO in Ocala or worse..Ocala Electric..you will LOVE JEA's low power bills. If you are a renter, the water, garbage, sewer fees are almost always included in the rent. Most will include if asked too. The power bill for my 2/2 1600 SQFT HUGE condo I have now is less than $60 per month versus Ocala's 230$ electric bill. In the long run, it's actually about the same expwnse to live here versus Ocala based on that and other living expenses. In Jax, the highest bill you will have will likely only be your cellular.
Hope this helps...
Quote:
Originally Posted by steven r.
Hi all I just got back from Florida visiting my brother in Ocala and I stopped by Jacksonville and really like the place. I am aware of Jacksonville's high crime but that is really the only negative I have read and not sure if that's a city wide problem or just certain parts?
I am US Army veteran and certified mechanic and my wife is a college graduate with a business degree and management experience with Walgreens Pharmacy. I am sure she could do a company transfer and I was looking into fleet maintenance positions with the state or perhaps a civilian employee with the military in that area. I know it's Navy and I was Army, but we're all on the same team..lol
The reason why I am thinking about leaving Virginia for Florida is to be closer to family, that is really the biggest motivator in this. My brother is getting married, having a baby, and both my nieces, my nephew, and my sister live down in Ocala as well. My dad lives New York, where I was born and raised, and my mom lives with my wife and I here in Virginia. Like I said this decision is to bring the family closer together.
The only two biggest concern I have about Jax is the crime like I had mentioned, and for whatever reason, Florida seems to have jobs issues. I know our first choice was Ocala, and we were warned not to go there. Matter of fact one of the locals told us we would do better in Jacksonville and I believe in Jax its a 2 hour drive to my brothers house in Ocala. So a 2 hour drive is a lot better then the 12 hour drive I do now.
Anyways Jacksonville thanks for listening and please share some advice on our decision to move. Florida we had a great time down there and looking forward to coming back sometime in the future.
RIVERSIDE But Riverside it's self- it's a gay-friendly community and not many people are so nice to me..not certain why that is, as I have nothing against alt lifestyles at all. I would not recommend living anywhere in 1661 Riverside, tho it's an excellent location because the residents are mean-spirited and the "president of the condo association" came up to me..yelled at me..took pictures of me (I think he thought I was a vagrant) and was all together...well, kind of nutso.
So what happened to cause this guy's outburst? Did you rent there or were you visiting someone? Where did you end up moving, San Marco?
...If you are a renter, the water, garbage, sewer fees are almost always included in the rent. Most will include if asked too. The power bill for my 2/2 1600 SQFT HUGE condo I have now is less than $60 per month versus Ocala's 230$ electric bill. ....
No. Just no. What do you have your a/c on 85?! Hell, my heat was on 65 through most of the winter and I was lucky to have a $90 electric bill, JUST electric, water and sewer are billed differently in this community. My first "summer" bill came in just a week ago at $183. I am not going to get into details, but we are very good about not wasting electricity and have thermal window coverings, so do share how you have a $60 electric bill on JEA.
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JAX Areas That Are Safest
So what happened to cause this guy's outburst? Did you rent there or were you visiting someone? Where did you end up moving, San Marco?
