Tell me why I wouldn't want to move to Florida... (Tampa: sale, rooftop)

[DoctorRain]

Originally Posted by Retiredcoach

Excellent post!!

It is very difficult to explain the sense of community to those who have never truly experienced it. The values of the community... where neighbors view each other as members of their extended families and go about their daily lives with compassion and watchfulness.... very tough to trade for winter sunshine.

Right. Or some people grew up in a place where it was like community, but they chose to forget about it and act as if nothing is wrong with subdivision living in FL when many flaws do exist. I think newer neighborhoods universally are less connected though. You need to go to older neighborhoods and so forth to get the real feel. Community neighborhoods exist in FL, but usually in select urban spots or the places that the people with rose colored glasses or the realtors here don't want to live in . If they circle Bradenton with people in the car, they will only show the beautiful beaches or places that are newer and "nicer" and try to avoid the 41 strip toward downtown and places like that or they'll pump Lakewood Ranch up.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by dlhanson

We attend a Baptist Church between Hwy 64 and Lakewood Ranch when we visit Florida. It is similar to our Church where we now live.

I'm not familiar with that area.

We have already made friends that we will have when we move to Sun City Center in 2011. About half of the Church members are retirees just like us and they are very friendly.

You are very fortunate as the people I met here at the churches were never more than friendly acquaintances. Outside of church I never saw them. I eventually stopped going to church.

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

You are very fortunate as the people I met here at the churches were never more than friendly acquaintances. Outside of church I never saw them. I eventually stopped going to church.

Was God also a bit standoffish at this church?

Just kidding. People go to church for different reasons, I suppose.

[wanderlust77]

every year in november, this new yorker thinks florida........not any longer, thanks to all of the above posts!

[beachymom]

Originally Posted by wanderlust77

every year in november, this new yorker thinks florida........not any longer, thanks to all of the above posts!

And reading the NY boards makes me feel all warm and fuzzy...

Really, if anyone chooses soley based on any of these boards..then I'm sorry for them..

[faithfulFrank]

I've followed this thread with interest. I find it interesting about the differences in the "sense of community" between some long established non-Florida communities and the transient, expatriate nature of many Florida communities.

Now, I do not want to get off topic, and I am NOT disagreeing with any of you. I only know my own experience, which strangely I have found to be different from some of the experiences stated here.

One of the things that actually drew me to our Florida neighborhood is the community spirit. I have spent many hours thinking about this. I know it is different then the norm, and I've pondered why.

Our neighbors are wonderful. They care about each other. They do things for each other, but are not intrusive. We just got done with our Christmas cards, sent out over 50 of them, and I was surprised to see how many went to Florida. (We still live in NY).

We bought down there 4 years ago, and are only down there a couple of times a year. Neighbors check on my place, care for my orange trees, etc, without me even asking. They call us up here in NY, just to see how things are going. They skype with us and e-mail.

So, the question is, Why? I'm thinking perhaps,

1) Older neighborhood, homes about 15 years old.
2) A 55+ community, so an older population.
3) Many neighbors there have family far away, so neighbors become more of a family?

I'm not saying it is better or worse down there as opposed to up here....just different. There is more personal history up here....I've been in this town for 40 years. I do not have that down there. Up here, I run into folks I went to high school with. Down there that would be a bit more rare.
That being said, in some ways there is a stronger sense of community down there....but maybe because we are a gated community with smaller neighbors that have a strong sense of identity.

Frank

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

I've followed this thread with interest. I find it interesting about the differences in the "sense of community" between some long established non-Florida communities and the transient, expatriate nature of many Florida communities.

Now, I do not want to get off topic, and I am NOT disagreeing with any of you. I only know my own experience, which strangely I have found to be different from some of the experiences stated here.

One of the things that actually drew me to our Florida neighborhood is the community spirit. I have spent many hours thinking about this. I know it is different then the norm, and I've pondered why.

Our neighbors are wonderful. They care about each other. They do things for each other, but are not intrusive. We just got done with our Christmas cards, sent out over 50 of them, and I was surprised to see how many went to Florida. (We still live in NY).

We bought down there 4 years ago, and are only down there a couple of times a year. Neighbors check on my place, care for my orange trees, etc, without me even asking. They call us up here in NY, just to see how things are going. They skype with us and e-mail.

So, the question is, Why? I'm thinking perhaps,

1) Older neighborhood, homes about 15 years old.
2) A 55+ community, so an older population.
3) Many neighbors there have family far away, so neighbors become more of a family?

I'm not saying it is better or worse down there as opposed to up here....just different. There is more personal history up here....I've been in this town for 40 years. I do not have that down there. Up here, I run into folks I went to high school with. Down there that would be a bit more rare.
That being said, in some ways there is a stronger sense of community down there....but maybe because we are a gated community with smaller neighbors that have a strong sense of identity.

Frank

Good post, Frank! It's funny we have a pretty close community here as well. Our neighborhood is mostly new homes, 2000 or newer. Mostly younger and not gate. So, almost exactly opposite as what your neighborhood make up is.

We have neighbors bringing gifts over for our kids on their birthday, Christmas, etc. We have BBQ's, campfires, Halloween parties and other get-togethers. We're always watching someone's home while they are on vacation. We take care of peoples pets when they leave town and they take care of ours. My husband walks the dogs every evening with the neighborhood lady's. LOL.

I'm not really sure what else they would do up north that we don't do in our neighborhood. Maybe I don't get out of my tank enough. Hmmm....

[Big House]

I agree Frank. I grew up in a small town and everyone knows everyone, and although I moved away - when I see everyone it is picked up like I never left. I don't get that down there, but since everyone is more or less a transplant, many of us - who are out-going and are looking to make friends find it very easy to do. All of my neighbors meet out on the street and talk when the mail truck comes buy, we do yard work, or take out the trash. They look out for each others houses, and clean up newspapers, etc, when people are gone.

Many of my neighbors are members of different clubs that we have joined, and enjoy all the things that drew us all to Florida in the first place. Everyone takes great care to keep the entire neighborhood picked up and looking nice. When ever we leave for a few weeks, we bring our left over food, milk, lunch meat, bread, and things that might spoil over to our neighbors who love the gift, and they do the same thing when they come and go. You don't find people do that in many places unless you have lived in the neighborhood for years. Down in Florida it happens much quicker.

And, I have made many friends right here on this message board. I have gone fishing a number of times with people from here, we have had meet-ups and continue to do so, and I have some fishing and card games scheduled with some when I return this week. OH! And I think a party is planned as well, and then another meet-up!!

[Caligula1]

All I can say.. Depending on your age..If you have kids or not..
Dont mind the occasional insect, spider or snake and Love the things Florida has to offer..
Beaches, Wildlife..(not the bugs and snakes)..Some need to make a real effort to trully love this state..
I think age is everything.. My Little Brother came here when he was a Freshman in HS.. everything he really knows is here.. I was 25..
My friends are there i'm 1500 miles away.. It depends on what you want..and what you think you want..
For me.. I discovered Kyaking in the back bays and canals..I absolutly love every second of it..
Even when a 10 foot gator is curious as to who I am and puts his nose up on the watercraft..
There is good and bad everywhere, and in my opinion any place on earth can be as good or as bad as the next..
It's up to the person to make that decision..

[DoctorRain]

Well for instance if its many old italian neighborhoods maybe in S Philly, it might be hard to break in especially if you are not italian. Some carry their old ways.

I think in Bradenton, its about community in some places, but usually gotta go to the gritty areas like say where J&J Barbeque is or the Mckechnie field area. I could see neighbors socializing in those places some. I could maybe in some lower to average tight areas maybe or 55+, Bayshore Gardens perhaps.

I also think many move to the far subdivisions like Panther Ridge, maybe some in Parrish where they move to get away from people even though they live pretty close to one another. Its just the mentality sometimes though like we moved this far, we dont want to be bothered or bother much with others kinda thing.