Northeast to Florida - Happy with your decision? (Tampa, Fort Lauderdale: to rent, condo)

[CTMom23]

I would love to hear from some people who left the Northeast, leaving family & friends behind to start a new life in Florida and are HAPPY with their decision. I'm only hearing negative things...anyone want to share their stories or comments?

[Trbl39]

I came from PA and can't say that I have a lot of experience as we have only been here 6 months. However, it seems to have been the right decision for us. Everyone has to make their own decision due to their own circumstances.

Five years ago my daughter got married and moved to Hawaii with her husband who is in the military. They had their 1st child there. Shortly after my other daughter moved to Indiana with friends. She came back and my 2nd grandchild was born. Then the military couple got stationed in California and my 3rd grandchild was born.My son was in college(living at home, now living on his own). After having your 1st grandchild born so far away, you quickly find the ways you will stay in touch. With his father being career military you also learn that being separated is just the way it is going to be. Having the ability to connect with them anytime of day via phone and internet, especially skype makes it a lot easier. I think this move might not have happened had I not seen that my life would go on even without my children and grandchildren in the same town. But I cannot say for sure as there were also other circumstances that prompted my move here.

As far as friends, most of ours were not in the same town anyway. I think if you are someone with deep ties to your community and friends and family it could be a difficult move. And as I said I know I haven't been here long, but so far I know that I am loving it. There are a few things I don't like such as food costing more and lousy selection in stores even though there are tons of stores here. The weather in the summer to me is not much different than a Philly summer, just add a thunderstorm every afternoon. The bugs, well who likes them? So I spray my house and watch out for them outside. The job market isn't great here but it wasn't back in Philly either.

I am sure just as there are many different people on these boards, there are as many who will say there are things they love and things they hate here. If you think you might not be happy here, before you pull up all entire ties to where you live now, maybe it is best to rent or snowbird. I pretty much did neither, but that was what was right for me. If it stops being right for me I will make a decision then what to do. Life is too short to not try and then regret that you didn't.

[ja1myn]

Lol there's a reason you're only hearing negative things OP.

[CTMom23]

Thank you for sharing your story with me Trbl, I appreciate it. Our son will be entering the Navy in January so we have a lot of changes headed our way. We would be moving our two teenage daughter's one who is excited about the new adventure and the younger one isn't so sure. Either way, nothing is permanent, we can always go back north if we hate it.
Ja1, I'm not sure what you mean by OP....and being a member of many forums, I find that most people like to post negative things instead of positive ones because when people are upset or unhappy they feel the need to share it while on the other hand, when life is good, they don't feel the need to to. If you would like to elaborate, that would be helpful. Thanks!

[Rushmore]

The reason you're only hearing negative things is because the complainiacs have nothing better to do because they're too dumb to go out and enjoy the area properly.

I am absolutely happy with my decision, and would urge anyone to do the same. Quality of life is infinitely greater here, in my opinion.

If you need your family around you all the time, either bring them or do not move here. If you require a thriving metropolis, complete with daily crime beyond belief and virtually no natural aesthetic beauty, by all means, stay there. If you need snow, don't come. If you cannot deal with serious heat for 3-4 months per year, stay there and deal with ice storms and numb fingers for three months there.

Or make up your own mind.

[NYtoOsprey]

We're from Long Island. Been here 2 years. We're all happy. We do miss family but we visit each other. We got used to the heat and don't miss the cold at all. We miss the pretty autumn up there but plan to visit New England in the fall. We miss NYC but we visit. Jetblue just had $75 tickets to NY from Sarasota! So, I grabbed a couple and DD and I will be having a girls-weekend in NYC and vising family on Long Island. It takes a while to settle in but we've bought a house , the kids are in a good school, I found good pizza and Chinese take-out, Costco just opened...lol It's working out nicely

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Rushmore

The reason you're only hearing negative things is because the complainiacs have nothing better to do because they're too dumb to go out and enjoy the area properly.

I am absolutely happy with my decision, and would urge anyone to do the same. Quality of life is infinitely greater here, in my opinion.

If you need your family around you all the time, either bring them or do not move here. If you require a thriving metropolis, complete with daily crime beyond belief and virtually no natural aesthetic beauty, by all means, stay there. If you need snow, don't come. If you cannot deal with serious heat for 3-4 months per year, stay there and deal with ice storms and numb fingers for three months there.

Or make up your own mind.

Could not have said it better. ^^^

[Frida7]

I've never been happier, albeit, my family is here in Florida. I'm very fortunate.

[LandsharkJB]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Could not have said it better. ^^^

I agree 100%, I've lurked for the past few years and read quite a few threads on the same topic (also found plenty of people discussing it positively by the way) on the Sarasota, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale forums and I think Rushmore summed up the dissent perfectly.

People's biggest complaints seemed to be missing family, missing a feeling of community with their neighbors, the summer heat, bugs, and perhaps the job market. Oh and I saw one woman who high tailed it out of Florida after seeing a gator once. All those things are well documented and discussed, and it's up to the person if it suits their lifestyle or not.

For us personally it's perfect and we'll be seeing you guys in a few months permanently coming from PA. (After many visits to the above named cities). The only thing from the above list I'm not wild about is snakes, but I'm fairly certain we can coexist peacefully haha. We're coming jobless, but we have a relative's empty condo in Sarasota to get settled in for a few months, money saved for expenses, and are prepared to commute to St Pete or get our own place in Tampa for better job opportunities if it comes to that.

On a side note coming from the Northeast I'm shocked at how much stuff is open year round. (I realize it makes perfect sense due to the weather, its just funny to me). The fact that I can minature golf at Smuggler's Cove and feed gators on Christmas day? Awesome!!!

[CTMom23]

Thank you all for your input. Every thread I have started have been so helpful to my husband & I. We truly appreciate you taking the time to help us out. We are going to put our house on the market in two weeks. If it sells, we will then make our final decision. Sarasota is the area. Our kids LOVED Riverview High School. Very impressive compared to what we have here in our town in Fairfield County! Our public schools have very little to offer kids. over crowded classrooms, not enough books, a wild environment...(which is why our high school aged daughter is in Catholic school). Keeping our fingers crossed as we would really like to give it a try.
We are NOT winter people, we are boaters and love our summer's....our very short, hot, summer's. We were just in FL last week and it was breezier and cooler than it is here in our hometown. The leaves are already turning here and starting to fall off...it's so depressing.
What are the season's like in Florida? Do you notice a difference besides the change in temperature?
Thanks again everyone!