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but to make the point - if you were taking a NY Metro salary down to Miami, and could afford private school, then I'd consider it. It's not as cheap as people imagine. A number of my coworkers are relocating to Orlando and once you factor in the HOA fees plus private school tuition, you've wiped out much of your property tax savings. And once you start to factor in the consumption taxes in FL, you chip away at your income tax savings rather quickly. So if you're taking a pay cut, the COL differences actually don't differ that much.
Of course, the prices you'll pay for a house are the biggest savings.
Right after i posted this i read MiamiLIFE's post....guess he already covered what I was pointing out. Well said!
Actually, it's quite the opposite. If you take a NY metro salary to Miami and have to shell out for private schools, you'll likely lose money. You take that salary to Central Florida and you'll live like a king. My cousin was relocated to Seminole County, just north of Orlando. He bought a 5/4 with a pool in an A rated school district for $250k. His property taxes are under $3k, as is his homeowner's insurance. Of couse, no state income tax and he has a 20 minute commute to work. Plus, the kids are in heaven (Disney, Universal, Sea World). Tampa's COL is about the same. If I ever bolt NJ, it'll be for Central Florida.
Though we consider northern NJ home, especially since we just bought our house here, I always need to keep an open mind to a relocation offer from my employer; I report directly into Miami.
When I go down there for meetings, I make it a point to check out some recommended neighborhoods. Some I’ve seen and liked are Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Cutler, Coral Gables. They seem nice. Home prices are comparable (I think), property taxes low, BUT the hurricane insurance and auto insurance rates seem much higher, as others have pointed out.
Even if you live in a nicer area, all my colleagues seem to put their kids through private schooling at least for high school.
Auto insurance is not higher anywhere in Florida. NJ is tops in nation. However, since it's a no fault state, Florida's isn't significantly less. Homeowner's insurance is more, but not the obscene rates being quoted here. No one I know pays more than $3k a year. But then again, none of them live on the beach either, so that may make a difference. As far as schools, the majority of Florida schools can't old a candle to NJ. However, there are certain districts in Florida that are very good - Miami (Coral Gables, Aventura); Orlando (Seminole, Winter Park, Windermere); Tampa (Palm Harbor, Eastlake, Plant). If you live in one of those districts, you should never have to put your kid in private school. But if you don't, then be prepared to spend for high level education.
The move would be a potential job move. Location slightly north of Miami downtown. I am trying to understand how does a 9/10 district in FL compare to 9/10 district in NJ when looking at greatschools.org. Am I not comparing apples with apples? I guess I would need to dig deeper into statistics, which I was hoping wouldn't be necessary. I pinpointed Weston as well. How about Cooper City, Coral Springs?
We are not afraid of the weather. We are aware of the Spanish language being very common down there.
I don't know much about Miami's schools, but I don't think anyone has answered your question yet about Greatschools.org. Please note that Greatschools takes all the schools in one state and ranks them against each other. So, a 9 in New Jersey is in the top tier of the state, and a 9 in Florida is in the top tier of Florida. But comparing a 9 in New Jersey to a 9 in Florida is basically comparing apples to oranges. You need to dig into some of the actual statistics, as some other posters have suggested. From what I've heard, I think you'll find that Florida 9 to score quite a bit lower than a NJ 9 (which is probably why so many kids are in private school even in the "good" districts), but I haven't checked it myself so I really can't say for sure.
I grew up in Westfield. If I could afford to raise a family there, I don't think I would move anywhere else! Unless you are going to send your kids to private school, I don't think it's a comparable transition. Miami can be trashy, even in places where homes are upwards of $700,000.
I grew up in Westfield. If I could afford to raise a family there, I don't think I would move anywhere else! Unless you are going to send your kids to private school, I don't think it's a comparable transition. Miami can be trashy, even in places where homes are upwards of $700,000.
Most neighborhoods in miami/ft. lauderdale are an incredible value for the middle class. It's plain to see: the region hasn't recovered since the housing crash. Home prices in 2004-2005 in South Florida were literally insane. I have an aunt and uncle in Wellington (PBI county) whose ranch house went up from 150K when it was purchased in '99 to 450K in '04 and back down again after the crash. It's a buyers market down there for certain. Schools are whatever. What you save in cost and living expenses can be used for private or Catholic school, which is probably cheaper than Jersey anyway.
Westfield is more or less a private club. I don't think you could get a closet for $100,000
What's with all of you people being anal about public schools? Many teachers in NJ are just pissed off union officers waiting to collect a pension.
Who's more pissed off? The NJ teacher making $75,000 with an advanced degree and students who learn or the FL teacher making half that teaching scores of functional retards?
Don't flatter yourself. I know plenty of retards from NJ that only got the leg up into a job from either Mommy or Daddy. After working in Manhattan for 3 years I can't tell you how many stupid co-workers I dealt with on a regular basis.
Do you honestly think people in FLA are retarded? You do realize that University of Florida is one of the most distinguished state schools in the country.
Auto insurance is not higher anywhere in Florida. NJ is tops in nation. However, since it's a no fault state, Florida's isn't significantly less. Homeowner's insurance is more, but not the obscene rates being quoted here. No one I know pays more than $3k a year. But then again, none of them live on the beach either, so that may make a difference. As far as schools, the majority of Florida schools can't old a candle to NJ. However, there are certain districts in Florida that are very good - Miami (Coral Gables, Aventura); Orlando (Seminole, Winter Park, Windermere); Tampa (Palm Harbor, Eastlake, Plant). If you live in one of those districts, you should never have to put your kid in private school. But if you don't, then be prepared to spend for high level education.
Not sure where you're getting your info, but insurance costs are insane in south Florida. I paid over $6k a year for homeowners insurance while living there. It was a small 1400 square foot 3/2 home valued at $320k and I was about 5 miles inland. Several big name insurance companies do not even offer homeowners insurance in south Florida anymore. They started pulling out after Andrew hit.
Auto insurance was also extremely high. My agent explained to me that the area has the largest amount of uninsured motorists on the roads and the responsible drivers are footing the bill for it.
Not sure where you're getting your info, but insurance costs are insane in south Florida. I paid over $6k a year for homeowners insurance while living there. It was a small 1400 square foot 3/2 home valued at $320k and I was about 5 miles inland. Several big name insurance companies do not even offer homeowners insurance in south Florida anymore. They started pulling out after Andrew hit.
Auto insurance was also extremely high. My agent explained to me that the area has the largest amount of uninsured motorists on the roads and the responsible drivers are footing the bill for it.
My cousin lives in Seminole County, granted that's Central Florida and a bit inland, but his total home isurance policy is $2,800. I saw the bill. My folks have a condo in Aventura and my buddy lives in inland Broward County. IIRC, both told me their policies didn't top $3k. Now I don't know what their policies included and I didn't see them firsthand, but that's what they told me. As far as auto insurance, everyone I know that's moved from Jersey to Florida has said that their bill decreased, but not as much as they thought it would. Which would make sense since Jersey has the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.
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General Northeast Elitist Ignorance...
