Foreign investor looking to relocate

[NickDarius]

I've been to Florida many times in the last 20 years and have friends who live in the Tampa area. I know it gets hot in the summer...but my wife loves that type of weather, so I might need tomget used to that to satisfy her for awhile.

I am definately considering finding a job first and looking to invest later...I will check out Mobis and other staffing agencies as well.

[fathamburger]

Considering the same thing myself. Currently in Toronto, visited Orlando last year and thought it wuold be an amazingly cheap place to do a startup as long as it didnt rely on the local economy. That's the biggest thing, you'd be hurting for cashed up clients but if the web is your oyster literally then Orlando is fantastic.

The E2 visa is also better than the TN for reasons stated above. My lawyer advised me that he'd managed to get one for $75k for something similar and the guy went to California where he'd burn through that much faster (but also have access to better contacts, VC's to recapitalize) etc. This is something I'm mulling over. I wish I hadn't been stuck in Canada to start up, dollar would have ran a lot further in Orlando.

What Orlando really needs is to be discovered as the new San Diego or something, it's really only the people/networks that would hold me back from basing there long term. Life is heaven there in some ways imo

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by fathamburger

What Orlando really needs is to be discovered as the new San Diego or something, it's really only the people/networks that would hold me back from basing there long term. Life is heaven there in some ways imo

Not gonna happen - San Diego is a coastal city with a climate much more preferable than Orlando.

[NickDarius]

Considering the same thing myself

What kind of startup are you looking at? I agree that Orlando is very inexpensive place to live, even if the locals here don't think so. They pay no state income tax, only federal, and their property taxes are still less then half of what we pay here why I live.

Making the exact same money in Orlando as I do here I would net me over $1000 per month extra. My property taxes would be less then half of what I pay now, my food cost would be less, my gasoline would be 30% less, my day to day expenses would be less. The two things that would cost me more are health care and my child's education...but with all the savings from above they would cover healthcare no problem, with education being the issue if we want to go private.

[totsuka]

I like people like you that are willing to take a great deal of risk to establish a business. A good web/SEO guy is worth his weight in gold. I would not recommend the Tampa area due to water problems and higher home insurance rates. Now Orlando is a huge area so it might provide a better location for you. There are a large number of empty store fronts if you want to rent one but most likely working out of your home for a while would be a better idea. Did you check the various regulations for installing security cameras/business in FL?
Florida itself? Well..we have problems with schools...never "can get it right". Even if you don't have children you need to buy a home in a good school district. We do have a problems with hurricanes and that problem cannot be ignored. I grew up in the Northeast and really enjoy the warm/hot weather, I hate the humidity at times, but don't miss the snow.
Future? Well...Florida economy is still retired people and tourists. Not a bad economy if they are your market, but I think going forward we might lose the retired people. The days of big pensions/medical plans for retired folks up North are fading fast. When they show up, if they show up, in the future, might be a group that has less cash, and totally depend on Medicare for medical insurance.
You might also look at other areas too. Texas has stayed pretty stable these last 20 years and with oil prices still going up they will do well. Houston is worth a look. Good luck!

[fathamburger]

Originally Posted by leftee

Not gonna happen - San Diego is a coastal city with a climate much more preferable than Orlando.

I don't mean climate as much as once upon a time San Diego was known as the place where you go to start out in California for cheap. That cheapness and proximity to Silicon Valley led to many of the companies and economic growth they enjoy today. For Orlando I see similar desirable weather conditions, more humid I agree but not unbearably so imo (my opinion may be coloured by having spent most of my college years in AZ) but most importantly cost. I think the two areas Orlando and maybe Sarasota espec should be ripe for young people starting something new cheaply instead of being characterised as retirement land. Tampa imo is a bit more old fashioned and traditional.

Originally Posted by NickDarius

What kind of startup are you looking at? I agree that Orlando is very inexpensive place to live, even if the locals here don't think so. They pay no state income tax, only federal, and their property taxes are still less then half of what we pay here why I live.

I've been funded for a game startup, but Ive also been buried cannibalizing some of that time and money starting a non profit to aimed at largely solving the problem of data caps (a global trend now) as well. World Broadband Foundation . Essentially I wouldn't normally be reliant on the local economy but with the non profit I'm learning that the local base espec in terms of media contacts, funders and ability to attract staff (which Orlando would deter from) are bigger factors to consider than if I was just doing games.

Anyway to answer your question Nick, what you're doing isn't really unique and I'd probably go with what Totsuka is suggesting, Austin and Houston are booming IT wise and what you're looking at doing depends very heavily on local clients as your base. Frankly there just isn't much business activity going on in Orlando which is why everyone there is suffering in McJobs and at McDisney.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by fathamburger

I don't mean climate as much as once upon a time San Diego was known as the place where you go to start out in California for cheap. That cheapness and proximity to Silicon Valley led to many of the companies and economic growth they enjoy today.

Do you even know where San Diego and the Silicon Valley are in relation to each other? The Silicon Valley had ZERO impact on the economic growth of San Diego. San Diego has been economically stable due to the large military and government presence, plus the number of wealthy people from LA who spend weekends in second homes in San Diego for cleaner air and a more laid back scene.

The Silicon Valley is based around San Jose in the southern Bay area, a full eight hours from each other. That's like saying that industry in Boston has a direct effect on industry in Erie.

Frankly there just isn't much business activity going on in Orlando which is why everyone there is suffering in McJobs and at McDisney.

Generalize much?

[fathamburger]

Originally Posted by annerk

Do you even know where San Diego and the Silicon Valley are in relation to each other? The Silicon Valley had ZERO impact on the economic growth of San Diego. San Diego has been economically stable due to the large military and government presence, plus the number of wealthy people from LA who spend weekends in second homes in San Diego for cleaner air and a more laid back scene.

I'm not talking about commuters. Rising prices in San Jose resulted in companies migrating southwards for lower costs. Sure you can get lower costs in say.. Maryland (Arizona was a more realistic choice for workers)but San Diego is a hop skip and jump away by comparison, along with many people who wanted to put home equity away instead of rolling the dice on SF and valley prices at the time.

You do have the military presence but I had first hand experience in seeing those migration trends at the time. Not all of those startups stayed but by the time I had gotten there San Diego had already been priced out by that effect already. SV had an effect on virtually all of California during the dotbomb era.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by fathamburger

I'm not talking about commuters. Rising prices in San Jose resulted in companies migrating southwards for lower costs. Sure you can get lower costs in say.. Maryland (Arizona was a more realistic choice for workers)but San Diego is a hop skip and jump away by comparison, along with many people who wanted to put home equity away instead of rolling the dice on SF and valley prices at the time.

You do have the military presence but I had first hand experience in seeing those migration trends at the time. Not all of those startups stayed but by the time I had gotten there San Diego had already been priced out by that effect already. SV had an effect on virtually all of California during the dotbomb era.

Actually more companies went east to the Phoenix and Denver areas then south to San Diego. It wasn't just real estate but labor costs in general that caused that flight.

The area most heavily impacted by the SV boom was Napa County as the wealthy dot commers bought up second homes and built wineries. In fact the majority of the "Cult" wines are from wineries started with dot com cash flow. That industry is worth over $12 billion annually in Napa County alone.