Best location for our family - need suggestions? (Tallahassee, Gainesville: low crime, mobile home)

[minniemom2014]

Hi All,

We are ready to relocate to FL from PA due to some health issues I am having. My doctor believes it will be healthier for me and I'll be able to recover . . . fingers crossed!

We have always loved the south gulf coast, but we're looking for a more undeveloped area and have been told to consider anywhere along the panhandle. My concern is that the west panhandle area seems to get hit a bit harder with storms, so we're looking at somewhere maybe between Tallahassee and Gainesville. I am a bit concerned about winter temps though as the hotter, the better for me! I would like to be able to use the ocean year round.

Below are the major requirements we would like to meet, if possible:

- Low EMF area - this means a fairly undeveloped area without cell towers every 2 miles!
- Decent property prices - we'd like to find 2+ acres with a 3 BR house for $250 or less
- Good schools for the kids
- Low crime rate
- Ideally within 45 minutes of a beach

Any suggestions at all on areas to consider would be so appreciated! This is so difficult to do from across the country! Thankfully we have a decent savings built up to live off for a while until DH can find a job, so yes - the job market is a concern too, but my DH is a super hard worker and willing to do anything to support the family, so I'm sure he'll find something.

[PSLove]

The Marianna and surrounding areas like Grand Ridge, Blountstown, etc., appear to be in an area where those huge storms seem to just miss. I live in Grand Ridge for the past three years and I'm shocked that those hurricanes and major storms don't seem to affect us here. At least so far! haha

As for the winter, yeah, it can get down to the mid-20s at night, but the day is going to go back up to 40 at least. When the sun comes out everything warms right back up. So, you need to be mindful of pipes freezing and things like that (insulate!) but you won't have the hard cold those north of us have to live with.

Around here there seems to be no real industry. However, if you move into a mobile home then you can live for damn near nothing. Property taxes are zero for me with a 13-year old 1,100 sq ft mobile home on one acre. So, you can get by on less than two grand a month and live well. Maybe you want to start something on the Internet and do it mail order. Work is very tough to find anywhere around here. The locals work so cheaply that competing with them isn't an option. You'll need to bring a trade to the area that nobody else does and do it cheap, or find work online. I'm a writer, so I work for clients who are all over the world. It works great for me.

Good luck on your big move.
Pam