Tampa Vs. SE Florida - Opinions? (Fort Lauderdale, Brandon: real estate, apartment, crime)

[algia]

We lived there 4 years....the traffic is bad...when you're not on I-4 bumper to bumper you'll be sitting at stop lights for hours.......It took me 45 minutes from down town passed Disney, I had to go on business there for 9 months every week last year at different hours and both ways between Disney and Altamonte Springs it is ALWAYS a mess....between tourists that don't know where they are, to the oldies who don't know what lane their in, between speedy Gonzales with those small Honda's swerving from lane to lane, and blow out speakers in the trunk, and windows wide open so the rest of us can't hear our radios at normal volume.....(Gosh, I can't get over how rude that is)......and speed bikers who think they can just zoom in and out......Holly macro...I wouldn't move back there if you paid me a million dollars daily! not to mention that middle aged kids bring guns to schools like their are pencil boxes!!! unreal!

Tampa's traffic gets worst at times too, but we have enough short cuts and we can avoid it......plus why would you live in Florida if you're 2hrs from the beach?

We have all the chains here too....Min us Golden Corral or Barnhills.....I am being sarcastic I hate those places.....LOLOLOL

Originally Posted by DoctorRain

I drove around in Orlando once. I didnt find traffic to be horrible, but I was out by Bumby Ave too. I thought that area was pretty nice. Orlando relatively seems small, easy to drive around, but really cant live off the bus system totally kinda deal.
I prefer Tampa to Orlando as far as a place to live. They have good bbq there anyhow and possibly better mom and pop restaurants and St Pete for sure does AND Orlandos music scene doesnt seem as good and certainly less blues lol. Orlando is good if you want chain restaurants or so it seems.

[CTGirlNoMore]

Yeah, I'm always hearing about Orlando's horrible traffic. Last time I was there (well besides flying into MCO) I recall we took the highway somewhere and hit nasty traffic.

I really am spoiled here in CT - I am a mile from where I work, so traffic is never really an issue. Well, it is, but it's never taken me more than 15 minutes to get to work.

And I do agree - if I'm gonna live in FL I wanna be close to the beach. Here, I am maybe 40 minutes from the beach. Not too bad. LOL

[CTGirlNoMore]

ALGIA - we have those rude radio people here too, as well as the the rude drivers. Well, it happens everywhere. But the radio thing is just beyond rude. I can be sitting in my office - parking lot separating my window from the street - and I've felt the floor shake from the noise of the bass (that's what it is right????), not to mention how loud it is on top of that. I am not kidding either. I have a coworker who sits next to me and we both look at each other in amazement that we can FEEL it.

As for rude drivers, just this morning I was a stop light, first car in line. On the left, from the turning lane comes a car, up past/in front of me and into the middle of the intersection. He was waiting for the other cars to pass so he could cut through on our red. He did of course, then had to the nerve to wave 'thank you' to me. Uh, no...................

[GS37]

Haha, this thread is great. I should be named NJDudeNoMore because I'm in the same situation as the OP, although about 5 years younger. What a lot of people don't realize is that the cost of living in the northeast (especially, coincidentally, in NJ and CT) prevents young people from ever really getting on their feet as well as they want to. It's very difficult to ever live in a decent town when every house is selling for $800K or more.

I went to college in Tampa and wish I never moved back to NJ. There are no good jobs here unless you want to live near NYC and away from the beach (no, thanks!) and the climate, except for four months out of the year, absolutely stinks. Luckily, I live in the southern part of NJ where the traffic isn't terrible until tourist season comes along.

I'd take Tampa over ANY area of the northeast in a second. I also like SE Florida, but not necessarily the Miami area where a lot of the jobs are. No reason, really, but I just think Tampa and the islands by the Gulf are nicer and a little less congested. And don't worry - there's PLENTY of nightlife!

[CTGirlNoMore]

Originally Posted by GS37

Haha, this thread is great. I should be named NJDudeNoMore because I'm in the same situation as the OP, although about 5 years younger. What a lot of people don't realize is that the cost of living in the northeast (especially, coincidentally, in NJ and CT) prevents young people from ever really getting on their feet as well as they want to. It's very difficult to ever live in a decent town when every house is selling for $800K or more.

I couldn't agree more! It really bugs me too when peopel tell me I should be able to afford things since I don't have kids or a house too. But that's probably a whole 'nother subject.

CT is just ridiculous - and getting worse. We are losing another old (100+year old) business, and I recall the biggest reason being is that it's no longer affordable for them to do business in CT/CT is not a business friendly state. That was the Marlin gun company, in case you heard about it.

But you are so right - the COL prevents me from being able to save, afford a house here in CT, etc. Just because I don't have kids or a house doesn't mean I can money easily here

[rogercobb]

Originally Posted by CTGirlNoMore

I hear such nice things about the Gulf side of Florida. I will be south of Orlando in a couple months, visiting family. It's not an option for me to visit Tampa area though, since they already have plans for what we are going to be doing.

I am just SO ready to be out of CT and have been for a long time. I also just know that jobs are hard to come by and I need to save a lot more money before manking a move. Sadly, living in CT it's VERY hard for me to save.

I don't blame you one bit as I wouldn't want to live in Connecticut. NH or Maine perhaps but not in southern New England. Since you'll be in central FL soon you should do whatever you can to check out the gulf side of the state as Algia mentioned. Orlando, where I live, is IMO not as desirable as areas near the coast esp. the gulf side. Rent yourself a car when you're here so you're not stuck doing the boring family activities, otherwise you'll regret not having explored other areas of the state.

[lyriclocks]

Originally Posted by druthb00

I am warning you, however, that it will be difficult to secure a job here without actually being here for interviews, or having a Florida phone number.

I hope this helps

Ms. Druthb,

Thank you for writing that. After many unsuccessful attempts while up North to apply for positions here (not knowing how in the world I would afford to fly back and forth; back and forth to possible interviews) I sojourned on down sans a job. Keeping in mind I did on the strength of a marriage proposal which was to take place very soon after my arrival. Well, when I got here (1/28) I was told, "Umm, if I marry you it will affect my health benefits!" Moving right along, I moved out, got me an efficiency and am still looking for work between Tampa and Orlando. I'm in one of those small cities inbetwixt, inbetween. It seems I am getting more bites being here. At least I have had three interviews and have taken many online tests that various employers require.

One thread I read some weeks back mentioned employers putting applications from out of town into the circular file, if you KWIM.

LL

[lyriclocks]

Originally Posted by rogercobb

Orlando, where I live, is IMO not as desirable as areas near the coast esp. the gulf side.

Really? I keep contemplating and contemplating this argument. My one and only girlfriend in FL lives in Kissimmee thus I keep seeing myself there or Orlando. Being unemployed and with seeming lack of opportunity here in Central FL where I am between Lakeland and Winterhaven, for some reason Orlando seems to be this mecca of jobs, LOL. Perhaps I am being naive or something.

Tampa is also in my radar; thus this thread catching my eye. I definitely get the feeling there is a difference in ambience between Tampa and Orlando; not sure exactly what . . . but there is this "some"thing about Tampa. I just have to get over the thought that I'd be better off career-wise in Orlando (for it might not be true).

Either way, being a newbie here I read and read trying to see which way to go. Basically I just want to be self-supporting, contributing individual in these United States, here in FL, that is; returning North is NOT an option.

Thanks.

LL

[lyriclocks]

Originally Posted by CTGirlNoMore

Thank you HOUSING for your input, and all others too
.

CTGirl, I hope you make your goal maybe even sooner than you think. I'm pulling for you.

LL

[CTGirlNoMore]

Originally Posted by lyriclocks

CTGirl, I hope you make your goal maybe even sooner than you think. I'm pulling for you.

LL

Thank you

And I hope you find something soon!