Sarasota/Venice new resident proved many on this board wrong regarding jobs (Naples: for sale, real estate)

[JunoAqua]

I would just like to say that despite all the negativity and gloom and doom regarding sarasota/venice/ areas in relation to jobs and housing my cousin has finally acheived home owner ship and employment in this area in ONLY 2 months after moving from New Jersey after losing his job. I am amazed at the poor gllom and doom picture that is painted of the SW area of Florida on this board. I understand everyone has their own opinions and skill sets, but my cousin purchased a home in Venice,FL Lennar homes and will be working for Publix distribution center starting next week on Clark Road in Sarasota $12-18/hour. His daughter goes to a great school in Taylor ranch of Venice and I am proud of him that he made the transition and succeeded despite the many negative opinions on this area. See it CAN BE DONE. Hard work determination and perseverance pays off. He moved from NJ with NO job and bought a home before he even landed this job with some of his 401k Venice lennar homes. Is is really that bad here, my cousin made it look easy.

[Belle540i]

I am so glad it has worked out for your cousin. Good Luck to him and his familly. I too have notice a preponderance of "doom & gloom" and naysayers. Glad to hear of a good experience they are few and far between on this board. To hear most folks tell it we will soon be paying people to buy our houses.

Truly- Thank You

[Carbondated]

Congrats to your cousin.
Regardless of whether your cousin found a house, and a job, those of us who have lived in this area for a long time, know of the not so nice changes to our area. And as you would call it, "Doom and Gloom" I call it the perspective of a long time resident who has seen the best and worst of this area.
Give your cousin a while, the honeymoon period always ends.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Carbondated

Congrats to your cousin.
Regardless of whether your cousin found a house, and a job, those of us who have lived in this area for a long time, know of the not so nice changes to our area. And as you would call it, "Doom and Gloom" I call it the perspective of a long time resident who has seen the best and worst of this area.
Give your cousin a while, the honeymoon period always ends.

This is what people don't understand - there definitely IS a HONEYMOON PERIOD. This wears off in different amounts of time for different people. Let's have a report back in say, a year.

[Old Man Winter]

I am happy that your relative bought a home and got a job. Even better that his daughter is in Taylor ranch for school. Repost in a year and let me know how well his $12.00 dollar an hour job is supporting his insurance and taxes. And on a larger scale, how much of that 401k is still intact. It isn't doom and gloom as you see it, bottom line is $12.00-$18.00 dollar an hour jobs don't support families. I will assume it is Stonybrook that he bought in. If so he will most likely be withdrawing from that 401k again to pay infrastructure fees. Best of luck to him, Venice is a great little town, if you make the most of what it really is.

[121804]

It's not that jobs are impossible to find in FL...it's the TYPE of jobs in SW FL that many on here question. No one has said it can't be done....most warn people of the risk of moving to SW FL. It is an unnecessary risk in many people's minds who have lived here for longer than a few weeks & seen what has happened in a matter of 3-4 years & see what damage it has done. We've have not been here that long, but in the time we have, there have been sharp, serious issues that concern us for any age group.

I hope he is getting full health insurance that covers at least 80% & with a reasonable deductible. I hope he is getting some sort of 401K. Is it a contractual job or at-will job? And hopefully he is debt free.

Bet he did get a great deal on home. With over 50,000 homes for sale from Sarasota County to Collier County....there's lots of inventory....

There is a reasonable argument going on with many on this board about the economy, educational system, & housing issue in SW FL. There is a realty to it.

Maybe I am not enough of a risk taker, but I would never buy a home without a job & would never think of using my 401k unless it was life & death circumstances.

Best of luck to your cousin. Glad he is happy.

[INeedAChange]

I'm usually not one of the gloom and doom people here but--is $12-18/hour really enoough income to buy a home in that area? I know your cousin did it, but is that typical?

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

This is what people don't understand - there definitely IS a HONEYMOON PERIOD. This wears off in different amounts of time for different people. Let's have a report back in say, a year.

Guess my honeymoon is going on 25 years now!

[maggiekate]

12.00 to 18.00 when you pay the s.s. tax, federal income tax does not give a family a big take home pay check. I think the gloom is, finding home insurance, and for anyone wanting to buy the high property taxes. Then
you add on the day to day expenses. Then, how do you even have any money left to fund the 401k. Many places also have hoa which is another
fee. The beaches in Sarasota ane real nice, and Venice is a nice town.
Publix, also seems to be a nice place to work, I shop it there stores.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by JunoAqua

I would just like to say that despite all the negativity and gloom and doom regarding sarasota/venice/ areas in relation to jobs and housing my cousin has finally acheived home owner ship and employment in this area in ONLY 2 months after moving from New Jersey after losing his job. I am amazed at the poor gllom and doom picture that is painted of the SW area of Florida on this board. I understand everyone has their own opinions and skill sets, but my cousin purchased a home in Venice,FL Lennar homes and will be working for Publix distribution center starting next week on Clark Road in Sarasota $12-18/hour. His daughter goes to a great school in Taylor ranch of Venice and I am proud of him that he made the transition and succeeded despite the many negative opinions on this area. See it CAN BE DONE. Hard work determination and perseverance pays off. He moved from NJ with NO job and bought a home before he even landed this job with some of his 401k Venice lennar homes. Is is really that bad here, my cousin made it look easy.

I think Sarasota and Naples are fine .... my only questions would be the quality of life in Ft.Myers . Real Estate is down everywhere and will eventually bounce back up even in SW Florida .