Moving back home in June 2018

[rtloucks]

After a decade of researching the area and almost moving here a few times, we finally moved to the Palm Harbor/Clearwater area this spring. Hasn't been all that exciting to be honest. It is fine and I don't have any major issues to complain about. We teetered on a couple of locations before ultimately choosing Tampa Bay. We have done the beeches and some small town things, taken some trips to remote locations for food, played in the sun. Tried to stay away form major house updating or tourism, but I still find it kind of slow and boring here. A lot of hype from everyone about the growth and progression in the area, I just see a lot of home construction. They home prices have shot way up. I'm glad we purchased because there is no good outlook on home pricing at this point. even in our neighborhood homes keep going up thousands in months. Kind of crazy. Which is a goo sign for the short term but then people will start throwing around the BUBBLE word soon

work is ok, but I was in hopes of finding more of a career position in the area. Not so luck at this point. Applied to many jobs and call backs are scarce. (I have 23 years of high performing management behind me and a matching positive attitude. A real employee pleaser and hard working Midwesterner) from what I hear from others, there is no real need for help here so make sure you have a job lined up. Unless you're in the medical field or willing to settle for 12 and hour.

I think This area is nice, fairly quiet, but traffic is almost as bad as it was in Dallas or DC. I can't justify the cost of living for what we actually get. I love outdoors, but it seems like if you don't want to go to festivals or the water, there really isn't much to do here. I enjoy hiking, camping, building, crafts, and many other simple free things. Lately all I hear people talk about here is which festival or beer tasting they are going to. Call me cheap, but id rather spend money on tangible items like education, or things for my home, or collectibles, etc.

I think if you love it here and you know what you are getting, then you will be fine. We thought we knew and like I said, its fine, but it is not exciting. I think we would have enjoyed moving back to North Carolina or Phoenix instead and it is simply because of the things we enjoy doing day to day. All in All, Tampa area is nice. would not have chose a different city in Florida. Not a huge fan of most parts of Clearwater. A lot of business are going under and a lot of areas are looking shabby. Not sure what it looked like when you left. Seems like the only nice parts are the touristy parts and anything you can see off a main road. Irma seemed to knock out power to the area for about 5-6 days. We were only out for 1 day further north.

Good luck in your decision though. I hope it all works out well for you!

[071402]

Originally Posted by rtloucks

After a decade of researching the area and almost moving here a few times, we finally moved to the Palm Harbor/Clearwater area this spring. Hasn't been all that exciting to be honest. It is fine and I don't have any major issues to complain about. We teetered on a couple of locations before ultimately choosing Tampa Bay. We have done the beeches and some small town things, taken some trips to remote locations for food, played in the sun. Tried to stay away form major house updating or tourism, but I still find it kind of slow and boring here. A lot of hype from everyone about the growth and progression in the area, I just see a lot of home construction. They home prices have shot way up. I'm glad we purchased because there is no good outlook on home pricing at this point. even in our neighborhood homes keep going up thousands in months. Kind of crazy. Which is a goo sign for the short term but then people will start throwing around the BUBBLE word soon

work is ok, but I was in hopes of finding more of a career position in the area. Not so luck at this point. Applied to many jobs and call backs are scarce. (I have 23 years of high performing management behind me and a matching positive attitude. A real employee pleaser and hard working Midwesterner) from what I hear from others, there is no real need for help here so make sure you have a job lined up. Unless you're in the medical field or willing to settle for 12 and hour.

I think This area is nice, fairly quiet, but traffic is almost as bad as it was in Dallas or DC. I can't justify the cost of living for what we actually get. I love outdoors, but it seems like if you don't want to go to festivals or the water, there really isn't much to do here. I enjoy hiking, camping, building, crafts, and many other simple free things. Lately all I hear people talk about here is which festival or beer tasting they are going to. Call me cheap, but id rather spend money on tangible items like education, or things for my home, or collectibles, etc.

I think if you love it here and you know what you are getting, then you will be fine. We thought we knew and like I said, its fine, but it is not exciting. I think we would have enjoyed moving back to North Carolina or Phoenix instead and it is simply because of the things we enjoy doing day to day. All in All, Tampa area is nice. would not have chose a different city in Florida. Not a huge fan of most parts of Clearwater. A lot of business are going under and a lot of areas are looking shabby. Not sure what it looked like when you left. Seems like the only nice parts are the touristy parts and anything you can see off a main road. Irma seemed to knock out power to the area for about 5-6 days. We were only out for 1 day further north.

Good luck in your decision though. I hope it all works out well for you!

You found NC and Phoenix more exciting?

[SouthSota14]

Originally Posted by BucFan

Housing and employment has improved in the TB area since 2009, the year I moved here.

Thanks Obama.

But things haven't changed much. Tampa downtown will be getting a massive facelift at the Riverwalk. There's still a lot to do here if you don't mind a little heat 8 months out of the year.

No it really hasn't man. That's misinformation. The economy has gotten worse. You and other area boosters love to mislead people (like me) into thinking this place is getting a booming economy. I don't like that and I am taking a stand and calling it out. The OP truthfully is probably better staying where he is. A LOT has changed since 2009. I swear don't underestimate me, I will try hard to stop people from coming here if I have to. FL doesn't deserve the good lot of transplants who are underappreciated here.

[SouthSota14]

Originally Posted by lluvia

How has housing improved?

Houses are more expensive to buy and rentals have gone through the roof.

It's only improved if you're a home owner borrowing against your house or you're an investor turned landlord or a speculator/flipper.

Oh I know. I seen it first hand. Housing has not improved. If anything its gotten terrible with the scammers, fly by night rental companies and people who take deposit money and don't return it. Theres a lot of fraud and a lot of the places outside of a small amount are kept like hell. Nobody cleans up after themselves in many of them. I have gotten so frustrated feeling forced to live with some of the slobs down here. Its unbelievable. And on top of that, it has gotten more expensive too. In 2008 I think a 1bdrm in some parts of downtown was 700 dollars or a little over and rooms to rent were around $400. Now a room to rent is typically $600-650 and a studio downtown is probably 1200 if you're lucky or more. More space, you're looking at 2 grand easily.

[SouthSota14]

Originally Posted by 071402

You found NC and Phoenix more exciting?

If I was given a choice between Arizona at the very least, maybe not Phoenix but say Mesa over St Petersburg/Clearwater, I'd absolutely take it. Mesa is truly lower crime at the very least, more latinos vs blacks also = better and safer.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by SouthSota14

No it really hasn't man. That's misinformation. The economy has gotten worse.

Anybody who was here in 2008/9 and compares it to today will agree w/ me. Much better today. Anybody who says the economy is worse deserves to be ignored.

[Benny the Mutt]

Originally Posted by BucFan

Anybody who was here in 2008/9 and compares it to today will agree w/ me. Much better today. Anybody who says the economy is worse deserves to be ignored.

You said it right. Anywhere in the U.S. has an economy better than 8 years ago.

Unemployment then was much higher, housing costs much lower. Businesses were suffering big time.

In weak economic times housing costs drop or they can't be sold or rented at higher prices.

It's clear that many transplants in their working years don't last long in FL. FL is a state that was built on self sufficiency and working with what you had. No cakewalks. It's still retaining some of the old ways but over the decades I see a less driven, less dedicated, less willing population. They want it all and they want it now. It's so common now that transplants who thought they were smarter, faster, better at everything until they realized that attitude is shunned in the south so they had to load up and head back to where they left. Then all they have to say is how crummy life here is. It won't change anytime soon.

[KPB]

My family's been in the hardwood flooring business in Tampa since 1921, longer than any other flooring company. I can say, at least in our line of work that business is booming.
The most difficult challenge we have today is finding good help, this younger generation is so soft its sad. Crybabies.

[071402]

Originally Posted by KPB

My family's been in the hardwood flooring business in Tampa since 1921, longer than any other flooring company. I can say, at least in our line of work that business is booming.
The most difficult challenge we have today is finding good help, this younger generation is so soft its sad. Crybabies.

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