Family of Three relo help! (Tallahassee, Sarasota: renters, insurance, mover)

[MJD27]

Hello all and thank you in advance for reading and responding!

My husband, son (2 years) and I (my husband and I are early 30's) are looking to move somewhere warmer and friendlier. We currently live in NW NJ and it does not possess those qualities. We are going broke paying for heating fuel, have completely had it with these winters and live in a very very red part of a very blue state which does not personally appeal to us . In addition, both my son and I and my husband to a lesser degree are water-loving creatures.

We are still in the heavy research phase of our journey and may be taking a trip soon anyway (relative in Vero Beach to stop and visit first) to do some reconnaissance, but here is some background information:

*Schools are important. Doesn't matter what kind, just that they offer quality education.
*Safety. We understand that nowhere is completely safe but would like a mostly safe place to raise our son.
*We would like to rent. We would love to have a pool or nice backyard but it's not a deal breaker.
Would like to be close to beaches (within 30 min drive or less) and our budget is $17/1800 a month or less (preferably more like $14/1500)
*My husband is an ASE certified master auto technician with 10 years experience. I am an environmental report writer for an inspection company (septic/mold/asbestos/well/etc) with several years experience and a B.A. in English Literature, possibly looking into teaching ESL. I am also a freelance editor.
*We would like an open-minded area with all different kinds of opinions. We lean more liberal than conservative but would love for our son to be exposed to all different modes of thought and lifestyles/cultures/religions, etc.
*We would love good restaurants, good arts and culture, don't care about nightlife- see: 2 year old

In my research, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Safety Harbor, Sarasota, and St. Pete have all been mentioned on these forums and researched by me personally in books and on the internet, but I would love to get a natives perspective and advice on which neighborhoods are best and which to avoid based on the above criteria. On a side note, St. Augustine in the north, Punta Gorda more south, and other places have been recommended to me as well- if you have any ideas for places not listed, I'm open to them, too!

Also any info on how bad the bugs and snakes and hurricanes (oh my) can be- we're not scaredy cats just would like a realistic picture of life down in FL.

We want to start a better, more sunshine-y and calmer life. It's been a difficult past few years for many reasons.

Thank you thank you thank you for any and all help you can provide to us! Bless you!

[Picshooter]

Wow. You mentioned several areas, on both coasts no less. Most will offer what you are looking for. You really need to take an extended trip and find the area that speaks to you and your family. It can be a tough decision...but it is YOUR decision.
I was forced into Sarasota when my girlfriend moved here 39 years ago.I sometimes wished we ended up somewhere else but after it's all said and done, Sarasota is our home. It has everything you mentioned.We have been to the other places you mentioned and for me Sarasota easily wins out. As far as neighborhoods, your budget will put you into a nice rental.
As for work I was an ASE certified tech. in another life. Independent garages can be hit or miss. Dealerships seem to be better.
Teaching jobs are difficult to come across right now. In general I think you will find the pay scale lower here.

Ending with good news. It is a calm place

[annken727]

My husband and I moved to sarasota from central NJ 1 1/2 years ago. We love it. We gave a 1 year old and sarasota is filled with child friendly things to do. Besides the beaches, there's an aquarium, museums, shows, festivals, fountains that kids get to play in and more parks than you can imagine. You will definitely find a rental in your price range. I'm still discovering new things to do. Good luck.

[Petunka]

My recommendation? First, take a 2-3 week vacation and visit the East and West Coasts during the off-season (June-September). You will experience the rainy season, high heat, humidity and bugs at its best. Only then you will know if you can cope with it.

Your budget, if $1,400-$1,500 for rent should be fine for many areas. Your utilities could average about $150/month plus you may be required to have a renters insurance (not sure what that would be). I assume your husband will not have any problem finding a job but it would not hurt anything to line up a couple of preliminary interviews. The job market in certain parts of Florida is not all that great.

[tryingtomove6]

Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota Counties are not for liberals. The conservatives tend to be on the racist bent. Lots of confederate flags around here and arguments about it being "historical pride". Ugh. Yeah right. There are good people (good people are everywhere) but you have to get involved with political clubs and more liberal churches to find them. If you want to make some serious money in these counties, open a gun store.

St. Pete is civilization. There's still some Florida crackers there but it's not quite as congested and you're more likely to find good neighbors than scary ones. Still... it's like choosing a lesser evil. The job market just isn't very good here and it's not getting better because none of the politicians are focused on creating jobs (despite campaigning on that promise) and corporations certainly aren't going to hire people if they don't have to.

The public school system is going down the drain. Schools in Punta Gorda/Charlotte County will not have PE, Art or Music in the elementary schools next school year. They will have "structured recess" to meet the legal PE requirement. They just cannot afford these programs anymore after all the budget cuts from Tallahassee.

Have you considered Houston, TX for a subtropical liberal destination?

[MJD27]

Picshooter:
Thank you so much for your response. What makes you love Sarasota as your home? And what neighborhoods specifically can you recommend? I have seen others criticize Sarasota for being "snobbish" on other threads- can you speak to that from your viewpoint? It helps as well to hear from someone who was an ASE tech- dealerships are better here, too, so that doesn't change. Can you also speak to the political climate in Sarasota? Sorry to ask so many questions, I just feel that you are knowledgeable and kind and again, I thank you.

annken:
Thank you very much for your post, as well. Hearing from people with children is always a plus as we have a very active little guy. It's great to know there are plenty of things to do! What is your impression of the idea that Sarasota is "snobbish"? And do you find it to be a "city" or more of a mini-city? Do you know anything regarding the school systems and/or which neighborhoods are best? What about safety? Again, sorry so many questions, it's just very nice to be lucky enough to talk to people who actually live there.

Petunka:
Wow, thank you for these numbers! So helpful! Do you think this rent amount would work in any part of Sarasota or just certain parts? When you mentioned $150/month for utilities I almost fell on the floor. Here in New Jersey we're paying $550 every couple of months just for heating fuel (plus an average of $100 for electric, more when our furnace is running). We would certainly be making a visit, as we have relatives there anyway whom we've never visited on their home turf

tryingtomove6:
Since your post was not as positive as the others, can you tell me what experience you base this off of? Do you live in Sarasota or surrounding areas, and if so for how long? Is Sarasota specifically very conservative? It's interesting you mention St. Pete as that was one that has been previously recommended- however, I have read that there is somewhat of a problem with crime there and not many safe areas- can you speak to that? Do you know of anything regarding the school system in these areas? We haven't considered Houston specifically or Texas, based off of the fact that my husband used to work as a cross-country mover and didn't like any part of Texas that he visited, though I'm not sure if Houston specifically was among them. Is this a place you have lived?

Thank you very very much for replying, all of you!

[Petunka]

Wow, thank you for these numbers! So helpful! Do you think this rent amount would work in any part of Sarasota or just certain parts? When you mentioned $150/month for utilities I almost fell on the floor. Here in New Jersey we're paying $550 every couple of months just for heating fuel (plus an average of $100 for electric, more when our furnace is running). We would certainly be making a visit, as we have relatives there anyway whom we've never visited on their home turf

Well, I based these numbers on a well insulated 1,800 sq. ft. house almost anywhere in South Florida. Your utilities will be higher in the summer months (A/C runs 24/7). Oops, I forgot the cable. Also, you will need about $4K cash for a security deposit.
If finding good jobs in Florida proves to be difficult you could consider Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach as an alternative. There, winters are rather mild. But that area is more crowded. Wish you the best of luck.

[MJD27]

Thank you again, Petunka. You have been very helpful. Even with the numbers you've given, it's still FAR cheaper than New Jersey, especially for an 1,800 sq. ft. rental (which would run over $2000 here just for rent with no utilities included). We would certainly be prepared with a hefty security deposit and would inquire prior to renting regarding average utilities costs per month, but it is very helpful to at least have a general idea.

Thank you also for the recommendations in VA. We briefly researched those areas but did find that the area was more crowded, as you said.

[Petunka]

MJD, you are certainly welcome. No doubt you know that many popular tourist destinations in Florida can get pretty hectic during the season. Since you will be in Vero, you may swing by Jensen Beach and check out Stuart. It is 'down to earth town' and not very touristy. Many car dealerships right along US1. But I have no idea about good job opportunities for you in any of these areas. That could be a hard nut to crack but may be not.

[gypsychic]

We have lived in Sarasota a long time. There is a great quality of life here. Also, some of the best schools in Florida. It is a mix of liberal and conservative, south of downtown starts to become far more conservative - the downtown and northern areas (where the colleges are) are pretty liberal. There is a lot to do here. This area is extremely beautiful, and boasts some of the best beaches in the country. I would highly recommend it to you. By the way, I am a Florida native, and my husband and I love it here more than anywhere else in Florida. Second, would be St. Pete, but schools there are not as good, and there is more crime there (much larger city)