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I'm considering a move to Florida this summer. I am from Staten Island NY. I would like to live near my family in the Tampa Bay area. My brother in law lives in Largo and my sister moved to Tampa Palms last February. Has anyone recently made the move? If so, could you please share your experience with me. I know no one person could predict my future making such a change, yet, I am trying to research my decision, based on challenges others face and the success they have found. What led you to make the decision to relocate? Where did you move from? Have you found a job? What is it like in the area you now live? Did you start out by renting or purchasing a home? Are you happy you made the move to Florida? Please share the pros and cons of your decision to move to Florida. It is a very tough decision for me and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have also posted a few other threads, if you have a chace to look at them, maybe you could help me with some of my other concerns. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
Well i moved to Florida at the end of November from Ohio. My work in Ohio had some open positions in Tampa that i wanter my career in, so i took it and moved here. The move itself was a little long (16ish hours of driving) and the moving company was a little hard to communicate with, but it did the job.
I'm still renting a condo in South Tampa, on the Bayshore and it's a nice place to be. $10 cab ride to SOHO nightlife if i want to, next door biking trail and 15 minutes drive to work.
So far Florida is OK for me, found some new things i can do, slowly meeting new people, still can't believe i walk in shorts in january and February but i think this will soon change as the temperature keeps increasing.
Career wise, move to Florida was the best decision i made, is it the place i want to live? Not really. I do miss snow and slopes, the cold weather, first day of spring and other good things about north. Also freaking insurance here is insane
I'm considering a move to Florida this summer. I am from Staten Island NY. I would like to live near my family in the Tampa Bay area. My brother in law lives in Largo and my sister moved to Tampa Palms last February. Has anyone recently made the move? If so, could you please share your experience with me. I know no one person could predict my future making such a change, yet, I am trying to research my decision, based on challenges others face and the success they have found. What led you to make the decision to relocate? Where did you move from? Have you found a job? What is it like in the area you now live? Did you start out by renting or purchasing a home? Are you happy you made the move to Florida? Please share the pros and cons of your decision to move to Florida. It is a very tough decision for me and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have also posted a few other threads, if you have a chace to look at them, maybe you could help me with some of my other concerns. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
We are planning to move to FL this summer from Chicago. There is an open position down there through my work so I'll be transferring. My husband will quit his IT support job up here and try to find something geeky down there! He loves the Clearwater area ... used to visit numerous times a year as a kid. I've never been there. We're hoping to buy something right away but may rent for a year or two first. We'll see what happens with our current home!
There's plenty of IT jobs here in Tampa Bay Area. Your Husband should check out Raymond James, I believe they are looking for IT people in Clearwater or L3 in St. Pete.
I lived in San Francisco, but moved back to Tampa because of parents. Tampa Bay is nice, can't complain. NY Yankees play here and a lot of people are from New York here, I don't know why. It depends on you want. I will probably moved to Philly soon just to have a flavor of what the Northeast has to offer.
There's plenty of IT jobs here in Tampa Bay Area. Your Husband should check out Raymond James, I believe they are looking for IT people in Clearwater or L3 in St. Pete.
Moved to St. Pete 7 months ago from MN. We rented a 17ft truck and loaded and drove ourselves (with 2 kids & a dog). The move was tough but hiring a company was 3 times as expensive, just couldn't justify it!
We moved because we absolutely HATE the long, cold, frigid, dreary, snowy winters. We love to be outdoors (running, walking, biking, beaches, picnics, parks, etc.). In the 1st 3-4 months we were here we'd done more outdoor activities than a whole year in MN! We've absolutly loved the beautiful FL weather!
Things we've learned (so be prepared):
1. Schools are way different. I know it's a generalization but schools here are 1-2 grades behind MN schools. This opinion is shared by many of my Floridian co-workers. My 2nd grader has learned nothing new this year and school is almost over.
2. Auto, health & renters insurance is crazy expensive! All 3 insurances at least doubled for us!!! Awful! Our health insurance deductible is $2500/person! After that's met they only pay 70%! and I work for a large company, over 700 employees!
3. BUGS! We have an exterminator come every 3 months and I've learned that's very typical. So that's another expense to consider.
4. Jobs hard to come by. My husband was unemployed for 5 months. Also wages are WAY lower than what we're used to in MN.
There are other things we've experienced but I don't want to sound like I'm
Complaining because honestly, for us, for right now, it is worth the sacrifices. This weather brings me a sense of calm, I feel free. I can go to the grocery store in winter w/o trudging thru tons of snow and slush. I can drive 15 mins and relax at a beautiful beach. I can run or play tennis OUTSIDE whenever I want. I could go on and on!
My opinions, comments, experiences and thoughts are below in red. They probably vary significantly from others on here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nycac
Has anyone recently made the move? If so, could you please share your experience with me. Arrive in July 2010. Move went well things are fine. It was a huge move to a very different climate and culture. Had problem with bugs in the home we rented but have resolved those issues. Moving is always an adventure that will be met with adversity and challenges. Prepare yourself for the unexpected and things to not work out exactly as you pictured it. Roll with the punches and be prepared to use the phrase "it is what it is." We love it here.
What led you to make the decision to relocate? Where did you move from? We had enough of being in Alaska. Been to Florida on vacation a few times and decided to make the plunge. Glad we did, best winter of my life and I like hot summers.
Have you found a job? Company allowed me to work from the office here. So I had a job when I got here, same pay.
What is it like in the area you now live? Did you start out by renting or purchasing a home? Are you happy you made the move to Florida? I live in a bedroom community in Mid-Pinellas county. It is very safe and family oriented with a nice sense of community. A lot of old people live here, which I like because they keep a look out and are always friendly. We started by renting since we did not know the area and were not familiar, not to mention home prices are continuing to drop. Yes, very happy, we are never moving from this neighborhood.
Please share the pros and cons of your decision to move to Florida. It is a very tough decision for me and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have also posted a few other threads, if you have a chace to look at them, maybe you could help me with some of my other concerns. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Many people from NY on here seem to complain that there is not enough to do and there is not enough culture and arts here. There is a ton to do here, a lot of it is outdoor stuff so keep that in mind. Afterall, many people move here for the sunshine, so go outside and enjoy it. There is no mass transit to speak of, get used to that as well. Each person has their own set of pros and cons, I think it is difficult for us to help you in that regards. If you are moving to run away from something, it will follow you, no matter where you go. If you are moving to shake and change your life up, Florida is a good choice. But remember, like all things, it becomes familiar and will lose that exciting and new feeling. Like I said earlier, we love it here and will never move. I plan on floating in the pool today with a beer while the kids play with the new pool toys my middle child just gt for his birthday. No this is not vacation, this is mylife.
Thanks for the advice! I can't wait to make the move. We are thinking of buying a home in Wesley Chapel. We also began to consider New Port Richey. Any advice on the areas. My sister lives in New Tampa and my fiance's brother lives in Largo. We really like the New Tampa area but we are debating if we should find an area somewhat in between the two. We found New Port Richey is 35 miles from both of them. Any ideas on that area or any areas around it? Any advice on jobs in those areas. He is a carpenter and I am a teacher. We are willing to take a position in another field while we wait to find something permanent. Each time I read the posts of people who are in the same situation it helps me to make my dream more of a reality. We are planning on moving in July! I can hardy wait!
I'd need a beer too. You'd better make it a six pack.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FloridaKash
I plan on floating in the pool today with a beer while the kids play with the new pool toys my middle child just gt for his birthday. No this is not vacation, this is mylife.
Hey, we, moved here from Annandale about 2 years ago! (Me 30, Wife 29)
We came to the Brandon Valrico area for the weather (the wife was done with the cold lol) & my wifes family. My family lives in north eastern PA and with a little one on the way we decided it was time to live closer to some relatives for support help etc.
Our experience has been pretty mixed since moving here. While We're not one of those people who say "As soon as the market improves we're out of here!!"- We'll probably move back North (not S.I) eventually due to school for my 2 kids (a son & one on the way) jobs, community feel and other issues.
The first thing I can tell you is DON'T COME HERE WITHOUT A JOB! I cant reiterate this enough.... I'm a teacher and have been looking for work for a long time. Housing is pretty cheap which is a big plus and you can get some nice foreclosures or short sales for pretty cheap. We bought a foreclosure and have been slowly remodeling since we moved in, thats been pretty cool. We went from a 3BR 1500sq ft in Aspen Knolls to 2300sq ft 4 BR for about half what we sold our house for up north When you come down- get ready for a culture shock. Tampa is NOTHING like NY at all. There are plenty of Northerners here who can make it feel homey, but you don't get that community feel you have on S.I. We've been here for a while now and still haven't made any close friends, and I'm a pretty outgoing person. This is because while most people are pretty friendly here, they tend to stick to themselves... Be aware that native Floridians will always call you a Yankee- my wifes uncle has been here for 30+ years and his family still says that about him. I don't personally think its meant to be insulting, just their way of pointing out where your from. Florida pizza is just nasty. All there is around here is Hungry Howie's Pizza Hut and Papa Johns! Thankfully we just recently found a Pizza place that is pretty good, which is a big plus once you don't have access to NY pizza! Don't believe the people who say that theres great nightlife in Tampa. Your really not gonna find a cool little spot like The Burrito bar outside of Ybor. Nightlife is usually on the weekends so the side walks kind of roll up at dusk during the week. This was a small issue for us because we went out all the time up north, but with the little guy we've become happy just being able to hit a occasional movie or dinner together let alone going to a few bars. Also when you get out of the city it can be really hick Just recently i watched some guy flying around my neighborhood with a quad that was loaded with over 5 kids. He never spilled the beer he was drinking!! There are lots of pretty farms and its not uncommon to see cows grazing in the weirdest places. Be prepared for heat like you never experienced before in your life lol! I'm not a big heat person, it gets really hot in the summer (high 90's) and the humidity makes it barely tolerable. We lucked out because theres a nice shady park about 5 blocks away to take my son to, & a YMCA close by with a great kids pool. Don't let people play down the rainy season. Its really no joke. It can rain every day for a week, but only for like an hour or so. But that hour is CRAZY! I never saw a rain storms like a Florida storm before. Also, theres really no seasons here ( I really miss the fall). Just hot and cool. Don't believe people when they say there is Fall and Spring- There isn't. Sunsets here are phenomenal! I always say that what we gave up in hills and mountain views we made up for in wonderful skies. Its so nice to be have access to Florida beaches. try Siesta Key Its the nicest beach on the west coast! Disney was a big plus when we came down- We are annual passholders and went like all the time. But, because we have constant year round access we don't just go for the day anymore- there has to be something going on (Like food and wine or if we have guests coming we'll hit the parks. Overall Tampa can be nice. I don't think its personally for us right now, but in the future I can see us probably snow birding here or something like that.... I don't know if I would recommend it- I would say that you have to move here and see for yourself if its right for you.
I hope this was helpful
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When you come down- get ready for a culture shock. Tampa is NOTHING like NY at all. There are plenty of Northerners here who can make it feel homey, but you don't get that community feel you have on S.I. We've been here for a while now and still haven't made any close friends, and I'm a pretty outgoing person. This is because while most people are pretty friendly here, they tend to stick to themselves... Be aware that native Floridians will always call you a Yankee- my wifes uncle has been here for 30+ years and his family still says that about him. I don't personally think its meant to be insulting, just their way of pointing out where your from. Florida pizza is just nasty. All there is around here is Hungry Howie's Pizza Hut and Papa Johns! Thankfully we just recently found a Pizza place that is pretty good, which is a big plus once you don't have access to NY pizza! Don't believe the people who say that theres great nightlife in Tampa. Your really not gonna find a cool little spot like The Burrito bar outside of Ybor. Nightlife is usually on the weekends so the side walks kind of roll up at dusk during the week. This was a small issue for us because we went out all the time up north, but with the little guy we've become happy just being able to hit a occasional movie or dinner together let alone going to a few bars. Also when you get out of the city it can be really hick Just recently i watched some guy flying around my neighborhood with a quad that was loaded with over 5 kids. He never spilled the beer he was drinking!! There are lots of pretty farms and its not uncommon to see cows grazing in the weirdest places. Be prepared for heat like you never experienced before in your life lol! I'm not a big heat person, it gets really hot in the summer (high 90's) and the humidity makes it barely tolerable. We lucked out because theres a nice shady park about 5 blocks away to take my son to, & a YMCA close by with a great kids pool. Don't let people play down the rainy season. Its really no joke. It can rain every day for a week, but only for like an hour or so. But that hour is CRAZY! I never saw a rain storms like a Florida storm before. Also, theres really no seasons here ( I really miss the fall). Just hot and cool. Don't believe people when they say there is Fall and Spring- There isn't. Sunsets here are phenomenal! I always say that what we gave up in hills and mountain views we made up for in wonderful skies. Its so nice to be have access to Florida beaches. try Siesta Key Its the nicest beach on the west coast! Disney was a big plus when we came down- We are annual passholders and went like all the time. But, because we have constant year round access we don't just go for the day anymore- there has to be something going on (Like food and wine 
