Have settled on Sarasota, and now I need major help (Bradenton: foreclosure, rent)

[Florida Relocation]

Hartastic, another thing I was wondering about was where to look for rentals that aren't necessarily these big complexes. Where do you look where you may find locals renting out in-law apartments, duplexes, etc. In my research all I have been finding are these big complexes which are all reviewed horribly no matter how nice. I'm so NOT used to big complexes so I am a little out of my element. I've always lived in a building that had three units or less. Mostly side by side duplexes. I'm sure you can relate.
By chance if any realtors read this and work with renters, I'd love your input as well.

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Florida Relocation

I don't have a job lined up. More like a safety net if I need it. I have the option of transferring with my current company if I wanted to but I'm not really interested in doing that. When I come down I was going to look for a bartender/serving position or possibly a dining room manager position. I have 15 years hospitality experience and 5 years current restaurant management experience so I don't anticipate finding something within the first month to be too much of a challenge (hopefully). That's why I was hoping to find a neighborhood very near a "dining district". I've heard good things about you ladywithafan, so any advice you can offer would be awesome! I actually wanted to touch base with you and see if you may have a list of realtors who work with rentals. I am coming in October to look at some areas.

IMO, transfer with your company. Look into bartending/serving once you're here. Our "season" is now over and the hospitality field will be slowing down. Jobs are hard to come by. I have friends in the restaurant industry & it's pretty cutthroat. I don't work with any realtors, what you read is just my experience of living here. Florida has & does still pay in sunshine. Make sure you have no pressing bills when you arrive & at least a year's worth of income saved. No joke. I live in the Hillview area & share a private house with a group of people. That affords me the ability to live in a beautiful neighborhood & be walking distance to Hillview as well as downtown. Restaurants have been opening & closing within months here...dining out isn't quite what it used to be...however, making a move is always worth the opportunity, IMO.

[Skunk Workz]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

IMO, transfer with your company. Look into bartending/serving once you're here. Our "season" is now over and the hospitality field will be slowing down. Jobs are hard to come by. I have friends in the restaurant industry & it's pretty cutthroat. I don't work with any realtors, what you read is just my experience of living here. Florida has & does still pay in sunshine. Make sure you have no pressing bills when you arrive & at least a year's worth of income saved. No joke. I live in the Hillview area & share a private house with a group of people. That affords me the ability to live in a beautiful neighborhood & be walking distance to Hillview as well as downtown. Restaurants have been opening & closing within months here...dining out isn't quite what it used to be...however, making a move is always worth the opportunity, IMO.

I agree with this 100%! Season has ended, and most places that I'm familiar with are much slower now than they were just a few weeks ago. On average the places I managed would see about a 70% difference between season and off season sales.

Finding a job in hospitality right now is going to be tougher that it is in season. It won't be impossible, but I wouldn't expect it to be super quick.

[Florida Relocation]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

IMO, transfer with your company. Look into bartending/serving once you're here. Our "season" is now over and the hospitality field will be slowing down. Jobs are hard to come by. I have friends in the restaurant industry & it's pretty cutthroat. I don't work with any realtors, what you read is just my experience of living here. Florida has & does still pay in sunshine. Make sure you have no pressing bills when you arrive & at least a year's worth of income saved. No joke. I live in the Hillview area & share a private house with a group of people. That affords me the ability to live in a beautiful neighborhood & be walking distance to Hillview as well as downtown. Restaurants have been opening & closing within months here...dining out isn't quite what it used to be...however, making a move is always worth the opportunity, IMO.

Great, now I'm scared S**TLESS. I'm a 31 y/o restaurant manager...there is no way I will have a years worth of income saved. At the very best I was going to prepay two months rent and car payment while I found a job. Which apparently is impossible from what everyone here says...

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Florida Relocation

Great, now I'm scared S**TLESS. I'm a 31 y/o restaurant manager...there is no way I will have a years worth of income saved. At the very best I was going to prepay two months rent and car payment while I found a job. Which apparently is impossible from what everyone here says...

It's not impossible - they are just warning you that it might not be as easy as you think, especially since our season just ended. Plenty of people can and do come here and get a job, but if possible, if I were you I would try to line up some interviews ahead of time.

You are a restaurant manager, that means you have more experience and skills than just a server or bartender and that gives you a leading edge.

Good luck to you!

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by Florida Relocation

Great, now I'm scared S**TLESS. I'm a 31 y/o restaurant manager...there is no way I will have a years worth of income saved. At the very best I was going to prepay two months rent and car payment while I found a job. Which apparently is impossible from what everyone here says...

Nobody's saying it's impossible.

Here's the thing: there are a LOT of people lined up, waiting to move to the area. They cannot do so because they are stuck in mortgages, or they are waiting to retire, knowing it would be impossible to walk into this area and get a job immediately (or, in some cases, ever).

You happen to be in one of the industries that stands a chance: hospitality. That is a big head start.

However, right now is the worst conceivable time to be doing this. It's not impossible, but it sure isn't ideal.

If you have access to a job for six months or so while you wait for the season to kick back in, that would be the best possible plan.

Then, based on what you've said, you ought to be able to find something pretty easily.

But I would strongly suggest against coming down here empty-handed. That is a recipe for failure.

Best of luck.

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Florida Relocation

Great, now I'm scared S**TLESS. I'm a 31 y/o restaurant manager...there is no way I will have a years worth of income saved. At the very best I was going to prepay two months rent and car payment while I found a job. Which apparently is impossible from what everyone here says...

Just do a google search on restaurants in Sarasota as well as corporates such as Outback. That will give you an idea as to hiring. Check out Craigslist, Jobsindeed re: hospitality industry. People are hiring however there is competition. I happened to go up against 150 people in the job I got into last October. I've since seen the resumes & cover letters just for S&G & some of those resume/cover letters were so boring. IMO, you have to make yourself stick out from the bunch. I had one friend who had told me my resume needed a lot of work, however, she was unemployed at the time & my resume worked for me. I was looking into the job/housing market where my mother is moving & in order to rent, a majority of the housing asked for proof of employment; that's a new one on me but it makes sense except in the fact if you don't have a job you need to land with friends or family while you get yourself situated. I haven't seen that here in Sarasota...yet.... It took me less than six months to get re-employed once I was laid off last year. Apparently that's ahead of the norm. It's just crazy & again, you never know what works!

[Florida Relocation]

OK...I'll admit I freaked out a little there..lol! Everything just got really overwhelming for a bit. I just have to keep a positive outlook and know that things will work out for the best. I've wanted to do this move for a number of years now and it's finally coming to fruition. I realize from the advice given, that the job search may be more difficult than expected, but I have to give myself a little credit and say that someone will recognize my hard work. I've managed to keep a casual corporate restaurant afloat for the last 5 years.. hopefully that'll count for something!!
I just booked my plane tickets for October so I can come scope out some potential neighborhoods...I am very excited!!
Thanks everyone for your advice/ and input ... please keep it coming! =) =)

[lynne4t]

Here's another very informative post from another recent thread:

//www.city-data.com/forum/saras...adenton-2.html

[Ladywithafan]

Another thought, google hotel chains out on Longboat Key & Siesta Key such as Hilton, Ritz, etc. re: restaurant hiring.