Tallahassee Panhandle Area??? (Miami, Pensacola, Homestead: spring break, renting, homeowners insurance)

[lee16240]

Looking for feedback on jobs, housing, cost of living in the Tallahassee and Panhandle areas. We currently live in Miami, housing is high roughly $450,000.00 (for a 3/2 with 2 car garage, lot is 16,500sf), homeowners insurance around $5,000.00 a year, property taxes around $5,000.00 a year, electric $250.00 a month, car insurance $850.00 every 6 months. Not to mention the overcrowded streets, stores, hospitals, etc. Commute to and from work is a nightmare any direction you take. I hear that North Florida or Georgia is better than this, so I am hoping for some good feedback. Thanks

[sunrico90]

[quote=lee16240;218975] Looking for feedback on jobs, housing, cost of living in the Tallahassee and Panhandle areas.


The Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Destin do provide choices based on your needs.

We currently live in Miami, housing is high roughly $450,000.00 (for a 3/2 with 2 car garage, lot is 16,500sf),

You can find a home same size from $175K to over 1Mil depending on the areas. Pensacola, Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Fort Walton Beach are close to the water cost is higher. Milton, Crestview, Jade, Pace, and Bonifay are inland and lower cost.

homeowners insurance around $5,000.00 a year, property taxes around $5,000.00 a year, electric $250.00 a month, car insurance $850.00 every 6 months.

My home is 1,820, build in 1987, value at $250K, property insurance $1,500, property taxes under $1K, got five car most expensive a BMW pay $1,600 every six months ( full coverage).

Not to mention the overcrowded streets, stores, hospitals, etc.

Traffic is somewhat of a pain, but does not compare to your area. We do have excellent hospitals, small stores and 3 average size malls. In Destin they have Outlet Stores and is crazy. I live in Navarre 30 minute drive to Pcola and FWB, about an hour drive to Destin.

The traffic is worst during spring break in Destin and Pcola (do have all types of hotels and entertainment).

Commute to and from work is a nightmare any direction you take.
I work at Fort Walton Beach, drive takes under 20 minutes (6AM) and drive home at 3PM about 30 minutes.

I hear that North Florida or Georgia is better than this, so I am hoping for some good feedback.

I will say without a doubt, Northwest Florida has many more options for a more relax life than your area. Is all about what you want.

Cil,

You might want to talk about your area, Thank you.

Check the following sites:

http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/
http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/
http://www.co.escambia.fl.us/
http://www.co.walton.fl.us/default.asp?ID=2 (broken link)

[lee16240]

Thanks for the info. I'll visit the websites you recommend in your reply. I thought that the panhandle area would be considered a hurricane threatened area, but seeing the amount you pay in insurance, it doesn't appear to be.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Hi Lee
Our area (Gulf County) is quieter than Sunrico's and with less housing, but little crime and easy-to-take traffic. Gorgeous beaches, too. We are renting but I would say that cost of housing is similar to what Sunrico said.
I think Tallahassee is a beautiful city. It gets a little cooler there and you have to drive a bit to get to the beach, but the trade-off is worth it IMHO.

[sunrico90]

Below I listed the Navarre city profile and is very interesting. Based on the figures we are not doing that bad. Our cost of living is cheaper overall than central/south Florida. According to the figures compiled by HomeFair.com we are doing great for a town of 25,674 (in my view).

Income and Jobs ---- Details---- Navarre/32566---- Florida ---- National
Median Household Income View---$48,798---- $42,071 ---- $45,683
Average household Income ----- $55,610 ------ $57,308 -----$60,586
Per capita income ---- $21,572 ----- $24,200 -----$23,504
Median Disposable Income ---- $41,659 ----$36,555 --$39,327
Average Total Household Expenditure View----$45,726 -----$46,465---- $48,284
Sales Tax Rate ----- 6.50% ----6.00% ----N/A
White Collar Jobs View----71.92% -----76.83% -----77.62%
Blue Collar Jobs View---- 28.08% ----23.17% ---- 22.38%

[BlueWillowPlate]

Whoa--come out east here sometime, Sunrico, and I will buy you a beer at the Indian Pass Raw Bar.
The beaches here really are beautiful. And the fishing ain't bad either.
What I especially love are the Apalachicola oysters.
This is an awfully small town, though. Not easy to find a well-paying job.
Lee, you would probably be better off in Sunrico's neck of the Panhandle woods.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by cil

Whoa--come out east here sometime, Sunrico, and I will buy you a beer at the Indian Pass Raw Bar.
The beaches here really are beautiful. And the fishing ain't bad either.
What I especially love are the Apalachicola oysters.
This is an awfully small town, though. Not easy to find a well-paying job.
Lee, you would probably be better off in Sunrico's neck of the Panhandle woods.

Thank you and Merry X-mas to you and your family...

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by bossMann

Tallahassee is like living in south Georgia- even Jeb Bush's wife, the first lady of the State, will not live there.....neither do their grown children

Though Tallahassee is out in the middle of nowhere, the universities and government provide a for diverse population. And it's a pleasant, hilly town with lots of trees - in fact, some streets are "canopy roads" where trees drape over it.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by BRMan

Though Tallahassee is out in the middle of nowhere, the universities and government provide a for diverse population. And it's a pleasant, hilly town with lots of trees - in fact, some streets are "canopy roads" where trees drape over it.

Can you tell us about the housing market?

[lee16240]

Originally Posted by cil

Whoa--come out east here sometime, Sunrico, and I will buy you a beer at the Indian Pass Raw Bar.
The beaches here really are beautiful. And the fishing ain't bad either.
What I especially love are the Apalachicola oysters.
This is an awfully small town, though. Not easy to find a well-paying job.
Lee, you would probably be better off in Sunrico's neck of the Panhandle woods.

Well, fishing is my forte! Got the flatsboat and the gear. So if I find a place where there is fresh and/or saltwater fishing, then I'd be happy. That's one good thing about being down here in Homestead, FL...I'm close to the keys and the bay and the ocean. This is what I will miss the most. So, I have to find work and a fishing place