Thinking of moving to Miami? Read this... (Jacksonville, Tampa: house, buying)

[rogerbacon]

OK, I read pages 1-3 and page 13 and skipped the rest (time constraints). I also remember the OP's posts prior to moving to Miami. Here is my advice:

You (OP) are lucky enough to have a job that can be done almost anywhere. Why would you want to live in a big city where there are going to be lots of big city problems -- many of which are, arguably, magnified in Miami. Rude people, bad customer service and dishonesty are quite common in Miami but they are not so common farther up the coast. There are hundreds of towns along the Florida coast that are all within 20-30 minutes of population centers large enough to be called a ‘city’. Why not live in one of those places? They all have the same weather as Miami. The only thing missing will be the nightlife. And why would you want to partake in that nightlife anyway because the only people you are going to meet are the same people you have issues with during the daytime? Do you think they are going to be better people just because they are in a club?

The first chance you get you should take a drive up the coast of Florida and spend like a week exploring. You will find that the people are nicer and there are less scammers as well (although I think I’ve only had trouble with scammers in South Florida like twice in 30+ years).

If you do decide to stay in Miami some of the problems you experience will go away as you gain experience of what to expect. Scammers should not be a problem as you will quickly grow skeptical of everything and every one. I doubt you will ever buy a car again without testing the AC

I’d also like to address some points the OP raised. About the counterfeit money, I’ve received counterfeit money twice in Miami, but never from an ATM machine. Also, you said the store clerk thought the money was counterfeit but he still took it. I think that probably means the money was actually OK or else he wouldn’t have risked getting stuck with it.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by rogerbacon

OK, I read pages 1-3 and page 13 and skipped the rest (time constraints). I also remember the OP's posts prior to moving to Miami. Here is my advice:

You (OP) are lucky enough to have a job that can be done almost anywhere. Why would you want to live in a big city where there are going to be lots of big city problems -- many of which are, arguably, magnified in Miami. Rude people, bad customer service and dishonesty are quite common in Miami but they are not so common farther up the coast. There are hundreds of towns along the Florida coast that are all within 20-30 minutes of population centers large enough to be called a ‘city’. Why not live in one of those places? They all have the same weather as Miami. The only thing missing will be the nightlife. And why would you want to partake in that nightlife anyway because the only people you are going to meet are the same people you have issues with during the daytime? Do you think they are going to be better people just because they are in a club?

The first chance you get you should take a drive up the coast of Florida and spend like a week exploring. You will find that the people are nicer and there are less scammers as well (although I think I’ve only had trouble with scammers in South Florida like twice in 30+ years).

If you do decide to stay in Miami some of the problems you experience will go away as you gain experience of what to expect. Scammers should not be a problem as you will quickly grow skeptical of everything and every one. I doubt you will ever buy a car again without testing the AC

I’d also like to address some points the OP raised. About the counterfeit money, I’ve received counterfeit money twice in Miami, but never from an ATM machine. Also, you said the store clerk thought the money was counterfeit but he still took it. I think that probably means the money was actually OK or else he wouldn’t have risked getting stuck with it.

Good post .... I am a staunch Florida defender and hate when the entire state is bashed for the "sins" of Miami .... no doubt just 60 miles up the coast it is a different world .... tell me that places like Vero Beach , Palm Beach Gardens , Tequesta and Stuart are not great places to live ?

By the way Texas has mellowed you out ... I was there two weeks ago in Houston at the Marriott in Westchase ... love Houston ... but those ugly eyesores on the highways due to no zoning kill it for me .

[WINTERFRONT]

Troo. Dade cannot represent Florida in anyway other than beaches. Dade is not THAT dead compared to Florida.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

Sorry rock, but St. Augusting is Spanish (not "southern") and the word touristy would apply more so than southern. Tallahasse has a political vibe. Jacksonville doesn't feel like the old south at all...Gainsville is about the university...so I don't think you are going to give JM an accurate idea of what those places are like if you tell him they are like the south. NONE of those cities is like Macon, Georgia! They are spinoffs of Florida that cater to different segments or needs of the state...but the people and mentality in those cities is very Floridian and is influenced by many things, but hospitality and a slow pace as the south is known for, is not one of them.

I also have been to many places just outside of SoFla and there is no invisible line where good service starts up. Florida is Florida. Things improve outside of SE Florida, but it isn't day and night. People aren't especially nice or friendly going past Lake Okeechobee...just less hostile and angry. For you, coming from Miami, you probably view it that way...but for someone coming from Texas, a Texan (the people who live and die by hospitality and good customer service) will not have the same experience as you.

Your posts are usually balanced but they seem to be written for people who are very familiar with Miami....vs people from elsewhere. For you and me, Broward may be more "relaxed" than Miami. To say that to a poster from Michigan is kind of misleading because there isn't that much of a difference for a person who isn't used to living in Miami. That is the point I am trying to make about the rest of Florida as well.

Chelito .. come on man ... St. Augustine .. Spanish .. yes it may have been founded by the Spanish a million years ago .... but you will now hear y"all at every place of business there and people are very friendly ... and yes I do believe that Northern Florida is very Southern .. people are nice and there is much "Southern flavor " .. have you been to the Panhandle it does not get more Southern then the "Red Neck Riviera " .. did you not know that Florida is the only state where the "farther North you drive the more South you go " ... heck my parents have a home in Sebring which is only 2.5 hours from Miami and it is a different world .. more laid back and a very "Texas " like friendliness from most people ... again I respect your opinion but I do not agree with it .. I believe the feel , vibe , attitude and culture are very different in most of Florida than in Miami ... and despite some bashing Broward also receives on this forum .. I believe once you go north of Pines Blvd things improve dramatically ... especially for a non Spanish speaker .

* By the way who would want to live in Macon , Georgia anyhow ?

Happy New Year !!

[Kinetic_A]

Hey whats wrong with Macon? Its a pretty quiet town.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by Kinetic_A

Hey whats wrong with Macon? Its a pretty quiet town.

Boring as hell ..... Atlanta is a vibrant metropolis ... the rest of Georgia including Macon is sleep inducing .... I broke down in Valdosta once and it was a nightmare .

[Chelito23]

Rock,

There are southern towns in even in South Florida. Forget Sebring, even in La Belle in Hendry County is southern for that matter. Clewiston is southern-esk for that matter as well. But those places are outposts and not representative of the state. It is like saying look! I found proof that Florida is southern but that is the proverbial needle in the haystack and not the rule.

As I said earlier, if you are a stones throw from the GA or Alabama line (Panhandle) you can find a Southern feeling. But that is a sliver of the state in geograpahy and population and much harder to find unless you go looking for it specifically.

I guess to me St. Augustine is touristy and Spanish due to the names, architecture, new golf courses and hotels in the area...I never felt like I was in Savannah when in St. Augie but maybe that is just me. I bet the Live Oak trees with the Spanish moss is what make you feel like it's southern too?

In any event, if a person wants southern charm, I wouldn't recommend looking for it in Florida. It may exist in isolated pockets here, but it is not the norm at all.

[Hialeah_Rules]

Chelo, with all due respect, St Augustine ain't Spanish but southern. No chongas there.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by Hialeah_Rules

Chelo, with all due respect, St Augustine ain't Spanish but southern. No chongas there.

Ok Hialeah .... there are no Chongas in Spain hence they are not "Spanish " ... they are more of a Cuban Hialeah ( sorry ) Westchester thing ... my wife is Cuban so I am becoming an expert on Cuban slang ... love the word "Chusma" and "Come Mierda" they are my favorites ... my wife calls me those all the time she says they mean "sweetie " and "Honeybun " .. LOL !!

Anyhow love St. Augustine too bad it is a five plus hour drive from So Fla .. actually that may be a good thing for St.Augustine !!

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

Rock,

There are southern towns in even in South Florida. Forget Sebring, even in La Belle in Hendry County is southern for that matter. Clewiston is southern-esk for that matter as well. But those places are outposts and not representative of the state. It is like saying look! I found proof that Florida is southern but that is the proverbial needle in the haystack and not the rule.

As I said earlier, if you are a stones throw from the GA or Alabama line (Panhandle) you can find a Southern feeling. But that is a sliver of the state in geograpahy and population and much harder to find unless you go looking for it specifically.

I guess to me St. Augustine is touristy and Spanish due to the names, architecture, new golf courses and hotels in the area...I never felt like I was in Savannah when in St. Augie but maybe that is just me. I bet the Live Oak trees with the Spanish moss is what make you feel like it's southern too?

In any event, if a person wants southern charm, I wouldn't recommend looking for it in Florida. It may exist in isolated pockets here, but it is not the norm at all.

Ok .. I get your point ... agree that only some areas of North Florida have southern charm ... still back to my original issue ... southern or not I believe that Florida has some great places to live and many areas with truly warm people outside of South Florida .. I have met many myself .