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Hello everyone: My husband and I are 30 and have 3 boys (3, 5, and 10). We are sick of living in CT (winters, unfriendly people, and prices). I am a teacher and my husband works in IT, but we have no current job prospects in FL. We are CONSIDERING moving to the Tampa area. We are familiar with Gulf Blvd area (Redington Shores), but other than that do not know of any good places to raise a family. I/we want a better quality of life than we have up here...sick of staying indoors for 4-5 months out of the year. Can anyone suggest specific towns which are especially good for families with young children? Saftety, schools, jobs, and fair cost of living/housing is important to us, as moving will deplete any funds we have. Any specific input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
I am astounded how ppl always stay indoors up north so many months! when there are so many things to do!
Here we have 90% LESS things to do and you will be indoors 6-7 months of extreme heat...my kids get red in the face after being outside for 20 minutes...we can't wait to move up north and have different things to do every weekend!
Unfriendly ppl? plenty of those here as well....
The places that are "better" here are in Lutz...Carrollwood...pockets in Pinnellas County and that's about it......everything else is sprawled far far away from everything including beach access or theme parks...
If you are going to make anything under $50k be prepared to struggle. Gas $3.03 and this is a SPRAWL/Drive everywhere state! no PT.
There is no respect for teachers here, they get nothing from the Gov, more like having things taken away all the time.
I would NOT deplete my savings to move here EVER! Vacation here, that works...day to day sucks unless you make a LOT of money and like to be bored often. We priced out grocery stores in DC and VA this passed summer and found the prices to be the SAME for all the items "we" buy.
First off, I am sorry that the first reply you got was from a person who has a deep hatred of Florida.
Unless you have at least a years worth of living expenses saved and health care in place for that year, I would not think of a relocation at this point in time. Mainly because of the job market which nationally is in a shambles.
Before considering a move to FL (or any place for that matter) it is necessary to do a lot of research and make visits to places you find acceptable for relocation.
There are a lot of good towns and cities in FL to choose from.
It just takes research to find out what you want and where that place may be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NicoleInCt
Hello everyone: My husband and I are 30 and have 3 boys (3, 5, and 10). We are sick of living in CT (winters, unfriendly people, and prices). I am a teacher and my husband works in IT, but we have no current job prospects in FL. We are CONSIDERING moving to the Tampa area. We are familiar with Gulf Blvd area (Redington Shores), but other than that do not know of any good places to raise a family. I/we want a better quality of life than we have up here...sick of staying indoors for 4-5 months out of the year. Can anyone suggest specific towns which are especially good for families with young children? Saftety, schools, jobs, and fair cost of living/housing is important to us, as moving will deplete any funds we have. Any specific input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Would you mind providing a listing of the 90 percent MORE "things to do" that you claim are not here.
If being outside for 20 minutes overheats a child there is something very wrong with that child.
Stating there is no public transit in FL is certainly not correct. Hernando County has a bus system as does every other FL city I've ever been to.
I look forward to your listing of the so many things to do that we don't have here in FL.
Have you checked the price of gas in other places, like CT where it is about $3.50 a gallon?
Quote:
Originally Posted by algia
I am astounded how ppl always stay indoors up north so many months! when there are so many things to do!
Here we have 90% LESS things to do and you will be indoors 6-7 months of extreme heat...my kids get red in the face after being outside for 20 minutes...we can't wait to move up north and have different things to do every weekend!
Unfriendly ppl? plenty of those here as well....
The places that are "better" here are in Lutz...Carrollwood...pockets in Pinnellas County and that's about it......everything else is sprawled far far away from everything including beach access or theme parks...
If you are going to make anything under $50k be prepared to struggle. Gas $3.03 and this is a SPRAWL/Drive everywhere state! no PT.
There is no respect for teachers here, they get nothing from the Gov, more like having things taken away all the time.
I would NOT deplete my savings to move here EVER! Vacation here, that works...day to day sucks unless you make a LOT of money and like to be bored often. We priced out grocery stores in DC and VA this passed summer and found the prices to be the SAME for all the items "we" buy.
I am astounded how ppl always stay indoors up north so many months! when there are so many things to do!
Here we have 90% LESS things to do and you will be indoors 6-7 months of extreme heat...my kids get red in the face after being outside for 20 minutes...we can't wait to move up north and have different things to do every weekend!
Unfriendly ppl? plenty of those here as well....
The places that are "better" here are in Lutz...Carrollwood...pockets in Pinnellas County and that's about it......everything else is sprawled far far away from everything including beach access or theme parks...
If you are going to make anything under $50k be prepared to struggle. Gas $3.03 and this is a SPRAWL/Drive everywhere state! no PT.
There is no respect for teachers here, they get nothing from the Gov, more like having things taken away all the time.
I would NOT deplete my savings to move here EVER! Vacation here, that works...day to day sucks unless you make a LOT of money and like to be bored often. We priced out grocery stores in DC and VA this passed summer and found the prices to be the SAME for all the items "we" buy.
One can only go sledding so many times, and skiing is expensive. We aren't going to go for walks in 10 degree weather, nor are we going to participate in outdoor sports.
As far as unfriendly, have you been to NYC?! Unfriendly people up here are different from unfriendly people down there. Trust me, even unfriendly people down there are more receptive than those up here who will even ignore young children saying hello.
We have vacationed in Florida at least once per year for my entire life, everything from Citrus Springs, to Spring Hill, to Redington Shores, to Miami, to Disney. I know much of FL is "sprawled" and those aren't the places I am interested in. I said I was interested it the suburbs around Tampa.
And gas here is $3.29 today, so $3.03 sounds great!
Look, the SUBURBS of Tampa are within 45 minutes of downtown Tampa! if you're lucky, if there's an accident or it downpours good luck, it could take you an hour! and are part of the endless Sprawl! Please do come and visit.
Please don't believe me, I only drive these roads for work, kids, errands every single day! come and see for yourself!
A HUGE portion of The "City of Tampa" has been left to rot in disrepair and was taken over by crack towns! HUGE Portion of Prime Real Estate wasted. So, if you want to live in the "City of Tampa" your only choice would be on the Bay side NOT the north side passed downtown. There are NO suburbs there. The suburbs start with New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, pockets in Temple Terrance that I cannot recommend in good faith.
This is what it looks like for miles Going North from downtown Tampa to the Suburbs on two major arteries known as Florida Ave and Nebraska! Due to their proximity to downtown, these are two major areas that are really PRIME RE left to rot.
Tampa, Florida - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57274263@N03/sets/72157625638061716/ - broken link)
You can certainly try Westshore Yacht Club, Culbreath Isles if you can afford it...both wonderful, & you could be closer to downtown and things around there...have a Bay view also. There's one public school around that area and the rest are private.
Any hills are 10 to 19 hours away or 35 if heading west, not everyone is into "flying" these days the way "flying" turned out to BE!
There is NOTHING wrong with my kids, I've seen others in the same boat not just mine! NEITHER who were overweight!
Upstate NYC they were outside all day til 10pm without any redness! in JULY!
The 90% refers to:
Broadway
Ton of Museums
Ballet
Other major cities around (Philly, DC etc) within reasonable distance not 10 hours.......
Beaches (ALSO)
Real hiking not flat surface "hiking"!
in NYC still a lot of UNIQUE restaurants and mom and pop shops...
Real Walkability, no need to use car 24/7
Public Transit that makes sense!
The list goes on and on....
BTW Public Transit here comes every hour or every half hour and doesn't connect the suburbs you want to live in and offer a time saving commute to work anywhere downtown, if anyone would like to argue that, let's ride it together one day and TIME IT. PLUS, FROM the Suburb to the bus station you are SOL because there are NO sidewalks or other connections! See Lutz Lake Fern rd, Van Dyke which contain THE CLEANEST suburbs and which connects to Dale Mabry and Suncoast Parkway (Toll) to downtown, the beaches etc:
Van Dyke Farms
Calusa Trace
Heritage Harbor
Villa Rosa
Cheval
some un-subdivided homes etc People living here will have to walk in the GRASS on a two lane road to reach Dale Mabry hwy that connects these places with downtown AND where on it's NORTH stretch there are NO bus lines in place! From SR54 down to 2 intersections before Northdale...
Spring, gas by my house was $4.99 in 2008, the way things are going NOW it will go back to that pretty soon! Yesterday it was $3.87 for some reason at the Circle K! My face dropped!
I DON'T HATE FLORIDA, I Love Miami, I like PARTS OF TAMPA, I don't love it, I think the city of Tampa is VERY VERY POORLY MANAGED AND PLANNED!
I think the ppl who are running this state only give a crap about their country club lunch and not what to do to make this state better from wages to streets to education.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NicoleInCt
One can only go sledding so many times, and skiing is expensive. We aren't going to go for walks in 10 degree weather, nor are we going to participate in outdoor sports.
As far as unfriendly, have you been to NYC?! Unfriendly people up here are different from unfriendly people down there. Trust me, even unfriendly people down there are more receptive than those up here who will even ignore young children saying hello.
We have vacationed in Florida at least once per year for my entire life, everything from Citrus Springs, to Spring Hill, to Redington Shores, to Miami, to Disney. I know much of FL is "sprawled" and those aren't the places I am interested in. I said I was interested it the suburbs around Tampa.
And gas here is $3.29 today, so $3.03 sounds great!
I find your "facts" amazing. I can get from Spring Hill to Tampa in 45 minutes. Where do you think the suburbs of NYC, DC, Baltimore, et al are? That is why they call them suburbs which means "Sub Urban".
Crack towns? I think you are 10 years behind the times.
Apparently there are owners of these "huge portions of prime real estate".
Wonder why they aren't doing anything with their properties. What is so "prime" about it?
Now you want "hills" in Florida. Be realistic.
Lets take Broadway. With shows going for $50-200 a seat, I can assure most locals don't go there.
How do you propose getting from let's say Hartford CT to Broadway?
How long do you think it will take you to get from home to train station, to the City? I will tell you. You have to take an Amtrak, takes hours, and costs about $40 each way.
Museums. Yes, lots of them. At about $10.00 a ticket, for the lower priced places, a family of 5 would be $50 just to get in the door. And that's for the cheap ones. Add that on to your travel costs and eating out costs and I don't think you will be seeing too many museums.
Ballet: The NYC Ballet orchestra seats are $125.
Cheap seats are $20.00
How do you propose travel from NYC to Wash D.C. and other places?
I am sure you haven't visited many "unique" NYC restaurants lately.
If you have, the prices would astound you.
Been to a NYC beach lately? Brighton, Manhattan, Coney Island?
I doubt it. If you had, you wouldn't even mention it as a "plus".
Good ole "walkability". When was the last time you walked from, oh, let's say City Hall to the Battery? Its only one street, right down Broadway.
After fighting through the downtown NYC crowded streets and sidewalks I am sure you will think twice about "walkability". Taken a stroll down 5th Avenue around 42nd street lately? Or anywhere in NYC?
Of course you would want to live in the city. How about $500k for a 2 bedroom two bath apartment in Brooklyn.
NYC public transit has been around for over 100 years. 100 years ago Tampa was a small town.
When you see high gas prices here, you must realize that they are higher just about everywhere else in the country.
I live in an area that has a fair number of kids. They are out in the street playing sports, riding bikes, just hanging out and I don't see any of them
bothered by the heat/humidity.
Frankly I think you have champagne tastes and a beer budget.
When you moving??
Quote:
Originally Posted by algia
Look, the SUBURBS of Tampa are within 45 minutes of downtown Tampa! if you're lucky, if there's an accident or it downpours good luck, it could take you an hour! and are part of the endless Sprawl! Please do come and visit.
Please don't believe me, I only drive these roads for work, kids, errands every single day! come and see for yourself!
A HUGE portion of The "City of Tampa" has been left to rot in disrepair and was taken over by crack towns! HUGE Portion of Prime Real Estate wasted. So, if you want to live in the "City of Tampa" your only choice would be on the Bay side NOT the north side passed downtown. There are NO suburbs there. The suburbs start with New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, pockets in Temple Terrance that I cannot recommend in good faith.
This is what it looks like for miles Going North from downtown Tampa to the Suburbs on two major arteries known as Florida Ave and Nebraska! Due to their proximity to downtown, these are two major areas that are really PRIME RE left to rot.
Tampa, Florida - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57274263@N03/sets/72157625638061716/ - broken link)
You can certainly try Westshore Yacht Club, Culbreath Isles if you can afford it...both wonderful, & you could be closer to downtown and things around there...have a Bay view also. There's one public school around that area and the rest are private.
Any hills are 10 to 19 hours away or 35 if heading west, not everyone is into "flying" these days the way "flying" turned out to BE!
There is NOTHING wrong with my kids, I've seen others in the same boat not just mine! NEITHER who were overweight!
Upstate NYC they were outside all day til 10pm without any redness! in JULY!
The 90% refers to:
Broadway
Ton of Museums
Ballet
Other major cities around (Philly, DC etc) within reasonable distance not 10 hours.......
Beaches (ALSO)
Real hiking not flat surface "hiking"!
in NYC still a lot of UNIQUE restaurants and mom and pop shops...
Real Walkability, no need to use car 24/7
Public Transit that makes sense!
The list goes on and on....
BTW Public Transit here comes every hour or every half hour and doesn't connect the suburbs you want to live in and offer a time saving commute to work anywhere downtown, if anyone would like to argue that, let's ride it together one day and TIME IT. PLUS, FROM the Suburb to the bus station you are SOL because there are NO sidewalks or other connections! See Lutz Lake Fern rd, Van Dyke which contain THE CLEANEST suburbs and which connects to Dale Mabry and Suncoast Parkway (Toll) to downtown, the beaches etc:
Van Dyke Farms
Calusa Trace
Heritage Harbor
Villa Rosa
Cheval
some un-subdivided homes etc People living here will have to walk in the GRASS on a two lane road to reach Dale Mabry hwy that connects these places with downtown AND where on it's NORTH stretch there are NO bus lines in place! From SR54 down to 2 intersections before Northdale...
Spring, gas by my house was $4.99 in 2008, the way things are going NOW it will go back to that pretty soon! Yesterday it was $3.87 for some reason at the Circle K! My face dropped!
I DON'T HATE FLORIDA, I Love Miami, I like PARTS OF TAMPA, I don't love it, I think the city of Tampa is VERY VERY POORLY MANAGED AND PLANNED!
I think the ppl who are running this state only give a crap about their country club lunch and not what to do to make this state better from wages to streets to education.
It wont cost me a penny to see NYC Ballet or ABT....About Broadway, heard of Playbill? Monday through Friday I got school, therapies, work, no time to go anywhere, however when weekends roll around I want to have choices....I don't plan on eating out every day
We walked from 42nd to Central Park in August and had an awesome time...especially seeing other ppl walk.....
bottom line, I am USED to a city like that and I LIKE THAT! YOU like open spaces, I hate that.
I like to travel 3 hrs out of the way and see something cool...not another beach....or another theme park.
I don't know how you, on what road, probably 75, get you down at 7:50am in 45 minutes from Spring Hill! that's a lie and you know it, I already posted a map where mapquest calculated it takes 52 minutes and that is on 75 NOT Dale Mabry!!!!!! lets be serious, I drive this daily! The ONLY time it takes me 20 minutes ON Suncoast to get to DT is at 11am after the morning traffic! and that is from Lutz, NOT Spring Hill....It takes my hubby 25 to 35 minutes at rush hour from Busch Blvd to Cheval!!!!!!
Yes, I know Playbill. I also know TKTS. 42nd Street to Central Park is a tad less than 20 blocks. Not a biggie, except for dodging traffic and people.
The SunCoast gets me from here to Tampa.
So like I said, when are you moving to NYC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by algia
It wont cost me a penny to see NYC Ballet or ABT....About Broadway, heard of Playbill? Monday through Friday I got school, therapies, work, no time to go anywhere, however when weekends roll around I want to have choices....I don't plan on eating out every day
We walked from 42nd to Central Park in August and had an awesome time...especially seeing other ppl walk.....
bottom line, I am USED to a city like that and I LIKE THAT! YOU like open spaces, I hate that.
I like to travel 3 hrs out of the way and see something cool...not another beach....or another theme park.
I don't know how you, on what road, probably 75 gets you down at 7:50am in 45 minutes from Spring Hill! that's a lie and you know it, I already posted a map where mapquest calculated it takes 52 minutes and that is on 75 NOT Dale Mabry!!!!!! lets be serious, I drive this daily! The ONLY time it takes me 20 minutes ON Suncoast to get to DT is at 11am after the morning traffic!
Yes, I know Playbill. I also know TKTS. 42nd Street to Central Park is a tad less than 20 blocks. Not a biggie, except for dodging traffic and people.
The SunCoast gets me from here to Tampa.
So like I said, when are you moving to NYC?
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