For all the transplants...what brought you here? (Orlando, Clearwater: 2014, how much)

[GoRays813]

Originally Posted by BucFan

Didn't realize you were active Army. Did the graduate long-term education thing myself while in the Army (but in San Antonio, TX). What a deal. The best thing about it was that you get active duty credit while being a student - all applies to retirement.

Don't tell anyone though.

Yea that's a great deal. I'm out now (well, still in the Reserves), but I'm liking Tampa enough to stay in the area for the foreseeable future.

[JoJoCal19]

Great thread idea Sunshine.

My wife and I will be relocating our family from St. Augustine to Wesley Chapel in May. I have lived in Northeast Florida (Orange Park, Jacksonville, St Augustine) since 1995. So Ive spent 18 years of my life here (out of 30), and my wife and I have lived together in St Augustine since 2009.

First and foremost, we love the Gulf much more than the Atlantic. And our 2 year old loves to Gulf as when we went to Siesta Key last September she loved the soft sand and playing in the calm water, as opposed to when we go to the beach here she doesnt like the sand as much and wont go near the rough water. Plus I love to play in the ocean and I much prefer the clear/greenish waters of the Gulf. So theres that.

Another big reason is that my wifes family lives in Wildwood and we are 2.5 hours from them, but in WC we will be a 40 minute drive. My family will be here but my daughters have their only cousins on her side of the family and there is a lot more family activities and get togethers on her side.

A big reason to me is that I am just sick of NE FL. Really not a big fan anymore. People up here cannot drive and there are way too many two lane roads in-between major areas we like to go to. From my many travels to Tampa I havent had near the amount bad experiences with idiotic or inconsiderate drivers like I do up here. Another thing is that NE FL just doesn't feel like FL. For some reason the atmosphere in central FL and below actually feels like FL should feel, with the palm trees and foliage, weather, and architecture styles. Don't get that up here.

Then there is the fact that from the Tampa area you are within reach of ALL of FL. So its 3+ hours up to NE FL, straight up 75 to hit Gainesville (I'm a Gator, no really, graduating in May ), also not too hard to get over to Tally if I ever need to, close to Orlando, 2.5 hours from Ft Myers/Sanibel (which I LOVE), and not too much harder to get over to the Treasure Coast, and then down to Palm Beach/Miami if I want.

Another reason is housing prices. You get a lot more for your money down in that area than you do up here in NE FL. Then there is the weather being on average 6 to 7 degrees warmer during the winter than up here in NE FL. Also a big reason is diversity with regards to people, food, entertainment, activities, etc.

So a lot of good reasons to move to that area for us. There's probably more I have thought about too. We are both so excited to be relocating down that way and I'm actually anxiously awaiting our realtor to come plant the 'For Sale' sign in our yard today!

[Sunshinecc]

Originally Posted by JoJoCal19

Great thread idea Sunshine.

My wife and I will be relocating our family from St. Augustine to Wesley Chapel in May. I have lived in Northeast Florida (Orange Park, Jacksonville, St Augustine) since 1995. So Ive spent 18 years of my life here (out of 30), and my wife and I have lived together in St Augustine since 2009.

First and foremost, we love the Gulf much more than the Atlantic. And our 2 year old loves to Gulf as when we went to Siesta Key last September she loved the soft sand and playing in the calm water, as opposed to when we go to the beach here she doesnt like the sand as much and wont go near the rough water. Plus I love to play in the ocean and I much prefer the clear/greenish waters of the Gulf. So theres that.

Another big reason is that my wifes family lives in Wildwood and we are 2.5 hours from them, but in WC we will be a 40 minute drive. My family will be here but my daughters have their only cousins on her side of the family and there is a lot more family activities and get togethers on her side.

A big reason to me is that I am just sick of NE FL. Really not a big fan anymore. People up here cannot drive and there are way too many two lane roads in-between major areas we like to go to. From my many travels to Tampa I havent had near the amount bad experiences with idiotic or inconsiderate drivers like I do up here. Another thing is that NE FL just doesn't feel like FL. For some reason the atmosphere in central FL and below actually feels like FL should feel, with the palm trees and foliage, weather, and architecture styles. Don't get that up here.

Then there is the fact that from the Tampa area you are within reach of ALL of FL. So its 3+ hours up to NE FL, straight up 75 to hit Gainesville (I'm a Gator, no really, graduating in May ), also not too hard to get over to Tally if I ever need to, close to Orlando, 2.5 hours from Ft Myers/Sanibel (which I LOVE), and not too much harder to get over to the Treasure Coast, and then down to Palm Beach/Miami if I want.

Another reason is housing prices. You get a lot more for your money down in that area than you do up here in NE FL. Then there is the weather being on average 6 to 7 degrees warmer during the winter than up here in NE FL. Also a big reason is diversity with regards to people, food, entertainment, activities, etc.

So a lot of good reasons to move to that area for us. There's probably more I have thought about too. We are both so excited to be relocating down that way and I'm actually anxiously awaiting our realtor to come plant the 'For Sale' sign in our yard today!

Love it! I have really enjoyed hearing about everyone's moves. I had a taste of northern FL (greater Tallahassee area) and it is definitely different from central and southern FL. You made a good point that Tampa Bay is a great location where you can travel to say many other wonderful areas of FL. I've been to Key West twice and living down there, it will definitely be a more affordable trip to see more of the Keys. My boyfriend has a friend whose Dad lives in Sanibel Island and he says it's gorgeous. I look forward to doing much exploring once I'm down there. But the nice part about it is, I will have my own little paradise by simply living in Tampa Bay.

[TampaKaren]

I've been here a long time but I'd like to participate in the thread. At that time, I lived in East Tennessee. I had just married my husband from West Tennessee and the jobs in his field were very limited (he wrote one of the first ATM programs). He had an opportunity to bring his skills to Tampa and that's why we moved...a higher paying job. It's hard to believe in this economy but like I said, it was long ago. And the mortgage rates were in the double digits!

I still miss the mountains but Allegiant has some cheap airfare and I can go visit when the season's change and then come back home to Tampa.

[BucFan]

That's the one big thing I don't like about the area - lack of mountains, hills, forests.

[Sunshinecc]

Originally Posted by TampaKaren

I've been here a long time but I'd like to participate in the thread. At that time, I lived in East Tennessee. I had just married my husband from West Tennessee and the jobs in his field were very limited (he wrote one of the first ATM programs). He had an opportunity to bring his skills to Tampa and that's why we moved...a higher paying job. It's hard to believe in this economy but like I said, it was long ago. And the mortgage rates were in the double digits!

I still miss the mountains but Allegiant has some cheap airfare and I can go visit when the season's change and then come back home to Tampa.

That's pretty cool. And at least you're not too too far from home.

Originally Posted by BucFan

That's the one big thing I don't like about the area - lack of mountains, hills, forests.

Agreed. Mountains (and the fall season) will be two things that I will miss. I look at it as a trade off

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by BucFan

That's the one big thing I don't like about the area - lack of mountains, hills, forests.

Ya, I love mountains as well....but I figure we can just vacation to them to get our fix. Other than that, I like it being flat here.....as it makes biking easy for the lazy....LOL

Luckily our neighborhood is incredibly densely landscaped and we have a couple of nature parks right in the area, so we still get the woodsy comfort.

[Spring Hillian]

Ocala National Forest too far for you? There is always the Withlacoochee Forest in Hernando.

Originally Posted by BucFan

That's the one big thing I don't like about the area - lack of mountains, hills, forests.

[Ken E]

It just aint the same.

[Girlsmom2]

That was one of the things my daughter and I were discussing on our drive to St. Pete and our drive back. The mountains (born in WV, lived there for 2 yrs, moved to Orlando, lived there for 11 yrs, back to WV) are gorgeous. However, I would pick living near the water/beach 100% over living in the mountains. When I want to see the beauty of that, I will vacation there. I have always loved the water...up here in extreme NW GA a pool is the closest thing we have lol. Jobs in my field seem to be plentiful down there but I have a nice savings just in case, as well as being an experienced sitter for the elderly/cancer patients to fall back on. I will have no family down there, with the exception of my daughter who will live with me. Thats ok, have no family here either and have not for most of my moves. I, like Sunshine, feel that this will be THE MOVE that finally lands me "home." I am 48....life is too short to hold back. The weather will be perfect for me, I think. If its too hot one day, that will be my cleaning/laundry day. Otherwise, I will be out walking, enjoying the beach, biking, floating down a river, etc. This was a great thread! I am even more excited now. Maybe we can all meet up for happy hour or something sometime. A City Data "reunion".....thanks for all the info and all the questions Sunshine.