WARNING before moving to Florida (Orlando: homeowners insurance, college, income)

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by alfbroker

It's more than just the weather. It's where dreams of a better place meet reality. To spend a fortune to pick up and move a thousand miles to live in Florida you have to believe things will be much better. Example, you live the northeast. 3 months of the year you can go to the beach and its warm. You live 3 hours away from it but go 2-3 times a year and love it. So you move to Florida where you can actually afford to live much closer to the beach. You go the often, maybe every week. After a while it's not that big a deal. It's like lying on sandpaper, spraying yourself with salt and sweat while under a heat lamp.

You move to Orlando because you love the theme parks. After you go there with a season pass or Florida resident only rate 20-30 times it loses it's magic. A theme park, ride, or show is most exciting the first time. It loses something with each visit until it becomes common. The first time you are there, the crowds, heat and $5 hot dogs don't bother you because you're thrilled by the place. The 10th time your there in a year that's what you notice the most. As the magic wears off, the negatives become more pronounced.

The same can be said for museums in DC, plays in NYC, and history in Boston. What it boils down to for being happy in a said place, is does it fit your lifestyle day to day. The extras like theme parks in Florida and Hollywood in LA are fun with visitors, but for most people they don't matter on a day to day. Bottom line, you better love the Florida lifestyle if you plan on living here and not base it on a beachy theme parky fantasy.

[alfbroker]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

The same can be said for museums in DC, plays in NYC, and history in Boston. What it boils down to for being happy in a said place, is does it fit your lifestyle day to day. The extras like theme parks in Florida and Hollywood in LA are fun with visitors, but for most people they don't matter on a day to day. Bottom line, you better love the Florida lifestyle if you plan on living here and not base it on a beachy theme parky fantasy.

People spend a fortune and go through the hassle to move to be near a museum or theater?

If not the beach and theme parks, what is the Florida Lifestyle? The 3 nice weather months a year? The swimming pools and boats that don't get used by 90% of the people a year after they have one? Florida's a nice place to visit.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by alfbroker

People spend a fortune and go through the hassle to move to be near a museum or theater?

If not the beach and theme parks, what is the Florida Lifestyle? The 3 nice weather months a year? The swimming pools and boats that don't get used by 90% of the people a year after they have one? Florida's a nice place to visit.

Do you have a source for that stat?? Yeah didn't think so. I grew up on a lake, went boating at least every other weekend and used the pool nearly as often. The Florida lifestyle is just that, living in Florida. For some it's not much different than life anywhere else, for others its their beach dream life. And if you think Florida only has 3 months of good weather you are clearly mistaken. Albeit longer, I'll still take our summers here anyday over the hot, dusty, and hazy west, and the not so summer ready locations of the NE. Florida may not be a good place for you to live, but I think the fact that it's our nations 4th largest state (nowhere near the 4th largest area wise) speaks for itself.

[Spring Hillian]

It is a lifestyle. It's quite a shock to most northerners who go to any laid back place. The slower pace drives them nuts.

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

The same can be said for museums in DC, plays in NYC, and history in Boston. What it boils down to for being happy in a said place, is does it fit your lifestyle day to day. The extras like theme parks in Florida and Hollywood in LA are fun with visitors, but for most people they don't matter on a day to day. Bottom line, you better love the Florida lifestyle if you plan on living here and not base it on a beachy theme parky fantasy.

[Spring Hillian]

Where do you get 3 nice weather months a year? The FL lifestyle is living tranquilly under the warmth of a bright sun, surrounded by some of nature's most beautiful things.

What if you don't live on the coast? No beach, no boats except for the lakes and rivers. We visit the theme parks once every few years. Love the beach, get to it as time allows. I like floating on a rubber tire tied
to a concrete block just inside the swim lines with Dolphins swimming around. Crabs walking on the bottom. Peaceful. How about bird watching, hiking, canoeing, target shooting, camping in the forest, swimming with the manatees, fishing, enjoying a book in the sun, going to work and living my life in peace, gardening, grilling steaks outside in February, long drives down the coast line, enjoying other Florida towns and cities antique hunting, watching an amazing summer thunderstorm from the screened in porch, eating produce fresh from the farm, the list goes o. Those are things I enjoy about the Florida lifestyle.
It's more than beaches and theme parks for most Floridians.
,
Please, come visit any time.

Originally Posted by alfbroker

People spend a fortune and go through the hassle to move to be near a museum or theater?

If not the beach and theme parks, what is the Florida Lifestyle? The 3 nice weather months a year? The swimming pools and boats that don't get used by 90% of the people a year after they have one? Florida's a nice place to visit.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

It is a lifestyle. It's quite a shock to most northerners who go to any laid back place. The slower pace drives them nuts.

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Where do you get 3 nice weather months a year? The FL lifestyle is living tranquilly under the warmth of a bright sun, surrounded by some of nature's most beautiful things.

What if you don't live on the coast? No beach, no boats except for the lakes and rivers. We visit the theme parks once every few years. Love the beach, get to it as time allows. I like floating on a rubber tire tied
to a concrete block just inside the swim lines with Dolphins swimming around. Crabs walking on the bottom. Peaceful. How about bird watching, hiking, canoeing, target shooting, camping in the forest, swimming with the manatees, fishing, enjoying a book in the sun, going to work and living my life in peace, gardening, grilling steaks outside in February, long drives down the coast line, enjoying other Florida towns and cities antique hunting, watching an amazing summer thunderstorm from the screened in porch, eating produce fresh from the farm, the list goes o. Those are things I enjoy about the Florida lifestyle.
It's more than beaches and theme parks for most Floridians.
,
Please, come visit any time.

Excellent posts. In Orlando, we have the laid back pace mixed with some of the good things about urban living. Florida is the only state that's a peninsula and the abundance of coastline, water, and warmth is a lifestyle unto itself. No apologies or warnings needed about the SUNSHINE STATE.

[Spring Hillian]

I know Orlando. Lived there 88-05. Just got a little too urban for us as we got older. Still love to go in and eat in Little Saigon and poke around Skycraft.

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Excellent posts. In Orlando, we have the laid back pace mixed with some of the good things about urban living. Florida is the only state that's a peninsula and the abundance of coastline, water, and warmth is a lifestyle unto itself. No apologies or warnings needed about the SUNSHINE STATE.

[hydroman]

First: Florida is not a state to raise children. Education in Florida is far behind the rest of the country. Kids here get ready for college and have to take remedial classes just to start college and that is after they get a high school diploma.
Second: If you want to operate a small business, forget it. The local counties will do all they can do make you miserable. All the Counties want is more money Licenses, and more regulations. They actually believe the County can operate without real people working!
Third: If you move to Florida , only come if you have lots of money to waste and don't need an income!
This why Florida has more people moving out than moving in.
Car insurance is higher, homeowners insurance is higher, health insurance is higher. Some people can not even get home owners insurance. Electric and water cost more. Not a place for people who make less than 100,000 a year. Then you will be considered marginal. Think very hard before moving to Florida.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by hydroman

First: Florida is not a state to raise children. Education in Florida is far behind the rest of the country. Kids here get ready for college and have to take remedial classes just to start college and that is after they get a high school diploma.
Second: If you want to operate a small business, forget it. The local counties will do all they can do make you miserable. All the Counties want is more money Licenses, and more regulations. They actually believe the County can operate without real people working!
Third: If you move to Florida , only come if you have lots of money to waste and don't need an income!
This why Florida has more people moving out than moving in.
Car insurance is higher, homeowners insurance is higher, health insurance is higher. Some people can not even get home owners insurance. Electric and water cost more. Not a place for people who make less than 100,000 a year. Then you will be considered marginal. Think very hard before moving to Florida.

Great first post, keep up the good work.

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Do you have a source for that stat?? Yeah didn't think so. I grew up on a lake, went boating at least every other weekend and used the pool nearly as often. The Florida lifestyle is just that, living in Florida. For some it's not much different than life anywhere else, for others its their beach dream life. And if you think Florida only has 3 months of good weather you are clearly mistaken. Albeit longer, I'll still take our summers here anyday over the hot, dusty, and hazy west, and the not so summer ready locations of the NE. Florida may not be a good place for you to live, but I think the fact that it's our nations 4th largest state (nowhere near the 4th largest area wise) speaks for itself.

The not so summer ready locations of the NE ? Please explain ... I lived in the NE for 35 years and the summers were awesome.