Moving to the panhandle (Tallahassee, Clearwater: condo, houses, neighborhoods)

[ndituri1224]

Hi all! Apologies since I'm sure this has been asked many times before, with varying circumstances. My husband, 3 young children, and I currently live in Naples, FL. We are looking to move next summer during school break. We're open to anything from Clearwater up to Pensacola. Here are a few things we hope to find:

-CPA work for my husband
-good schools
-no more than 30 or so minutes from the beach
-more relaxed lifestyle
-friendlier people than in SWFL
-nice outdoor facilities....parks, trails, splash pads, etc.
-a little cooler in the fall and winter than here

Thank you for your help!

[TD*]

Tallahassee

[AustinTraveler]

Please ignore TD.

I would suggest Gulf Breeze for everything you listed, except I have no idea about the job prospects for your husband. He should look into what is available in Pensacola. I lived in Naples a long time ago and couldn't stand it, mainly because of the people, so I understand what you're saying. One thing you will need to deal with living in the Panhandle vs. Naples is more tropical storms and hurricanes. Just make sure you ask about flooding when you're looking into housing.

Niceville is another option to look into.

[AnsleyPark]

Also, consider looking over into Alabama - Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Fairhope, Foley. Nice area of the world.

[sasie123]

Destin is a very- nice town/city........

[Bayouliving]

Fort Walton Beach or Niceville area has everything you're looking for -- great place to call home.

[lunalvr]

Originally Posted by sasie123

Destin is a very- nice town/city........

I wouldn't recommend living in the Destin area. I finally left after 8 years of absolute misery. Honestly, professional/corporate sector jobs are few and far between. They don't pay well when they do come available. The housing is expensive. Perhaps coming from Naples, you'll find the COL vs. average income more tolerable. THERE IS ONE ROAD and it backs up so badly in the high-season (which is essentially mid-March through end of September, with scattered breaks throughout) that you can't get ANYWHERE you want/need to go without sitting in traffic for so long you forget why you left in the first place. Also, most of the beach is controlled by condo and property management firms and very little of it remains open to the public, or so I've heard since leaving in Oct of 2017.

I lived in Santa Rosa Beach, east of Sandestin. It's not a bad place by far and I do think with the right circumstances, it's an incredible place to raise a family, but the above mentioned things are why I ultimately left. I felt like I was only surviving instead of thriving on my salary at an HR/Payroll firm in Destin - and it's known to be one of the better paying gigs in town, often voted into the Best Places to Work lists. Niceville, FWB, Crestview, SRB ... it's really all the same when it comes to cons, though each has it's own set of pros based on preferred amenities. I think certain areas of FWB and Niceville are lovely and I have many friends who have lived there all their lives and wouldn't dream of leaving. Crestview is a little far away from the main hub, but houses are bigger and cheaper compared to FWB/Destin/Niceville/SRB. Crestview is a very popular place with the military families in the area.

If you're set on the panhandle, I absolutely agree with those recommending Pensacola and/or Gulf Breeze. My aunt and uncle live in GB and love it. It's tiny, and the traffic can and does pile up in the summer on and around Pensacola Beach. But, it would easily be my choice area if I ever moved back. Pensacola is a neat little city with history, some cultural/arts activities, and incredible fresh seafood. You'll get way more house for the money in Pensacola in comparison to GB proper, but GB really is a sweet little place.

Another thing that I feel is necessary to mention, though others might not agree, is that the political climate is much different in the northern portion of the state (especially the panhandle west of Tallahassee) compared to further south. The area's nickname, Lower Alabama, is well-earned.

Feel free to PM if you want/need additional info about life in the panhandle. I'd be happy to go into greater detail re: neighborhoods, companies, salary info, etc.

[grampaTom]

I will add another recommendation for Niceville. Don't overlook Pace. A little further from the beach but a very nice town with good schools, great shopping and handy to interstate. Plus a very strong economy.

[m1a1mg]

Destin/Santa Rosa Beach is great, after you retire. Maybe if you work from home it's doable, but good jobs are very hard to find.

[Bayouliving]

I agree with Grandpa Tom above about Pace, too. I had a friend recently move there and so have been spending time over there with her -- really nice place, nice people, and cost of living is a little less.