Attention Floridian transplants! (Murfreesboro, Jackson, Dayton: real estate, apartment complexes, insurance)

[Queen1972]

Just curious to see 1) how many people on here are living in Florida and are relocating to Tennessee OR are now living in Tennessee and have lived in Florida 2)Why are you moving or did you move from Florida?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Queen1972

Just curious to see 1) how many people on here are living in Florida and are relocating to Tennessee OR are now living in Tennessee and have lived in Florida 2)Why are you moving or did you move from Florida?

I'm originally from Tampa but have also lived in Gainesville, Fort Pierce, Miami, and Citrus County, Florida. My family cemetery is in Dunedin, and I have relatives all over Florida from Pensacola to Jacksonville and on down to Homestead. I say that just so you know that my roots run deep in Florida. I'm a 5th generation Floridian.

But I will NEVER move back to Florida. Besides the ridiculous cost of real estate, Florida has regulated itself to death. You can't dig a hole in your back yard without getting a permit first. Well, not quite, but you get the idea.

Florida is crowded, expensive, and full of bitter old retirees who complain at the littlest things. The roads are bottlenecked in the summer, but in the winter they're nothing but parking lots. It's ridiculous.

Summers in Florida are a nightmare. The temperature is 85 degrees at 2 in the morning. UGH!!!

As a kid, we used to go boating down the Homosassa River. It was crystal clear, you could see the white sandy bottom of the river, the water was pure, cold and delicious. But now there's only 1/3 of the water coming out of the springs as there was 40 years ago because of the huge increase in population and all the people who irrigate their lush yards--they want the same kind of grass they had back in Ohio or Michigan, grass that needs regular watering, unlike the sawgrass of Florida that can go weeks without rain. And all the pesticides and herbicides wash into the river so that even the fish (mullet) population is just a fraction of what it used to be.

And I haven't even gotten started talking about the giant Florida bugs! YECH!!

[Fleeing Florida]

We are moving out of Florida. Like most crowded cities the drugs and crime have taken over. Homes are being built on top of each other and very few people in Florida speak English. There are so many languages it is sometimes difficult to know what they are speaking.

I think half of the Florida population is moving, it is too crowded here.

I know Kentucky is getting lots of Floridians as are other states such as Montana and Indiana. I am actually from Kentucky so living in Tennessee or Kentucky will be fine with me.

I do wonder which area in Tennessee is more desirable? Murfreesboro looks like it is getting crowded too.

[Kim Gallagher]

I have only lived in Florida 3 1/2 years and I have allready seen drastic changes happening here. I live in Punta Gorda, we where directly hit by Charley. Just like JMT and Fleeing Florida, my reasons for wanting to leave are the over crowding and the cost of living. Everything has sky rocketed here. Florida is now the home for the very rich. I orginally came from upstate N.Y. from a very rual quiet town with mountains and the wonderful seasonal changes. I miss it very much and that is what I want for myself in my golden years. I can't go back to N.Y. as it is also to expensive to live there. TN seems to fit the bill. I promise I am not one of those rude Floridians everyone is always talking about on this web site. I was not brought up to be that way from my parents. I just want a quiet life with my husband.

[carolac]

We're being squeezed out. We started considering moving after the 2004 Hurricane season when the price of everything doubled and tripled. Our property insurance tripled, taxes went up, costs for electric, but wages stayed the same. My husband owns a painting/ restoration business, primarily for apartment complexes and residences. Over the last 5 years, the number of unlicensed contractors and painters have also tripled. We cannot compete with the low prices being charged by several Hispanic/Mexican painters and their families living in a 2 bedroom apartment. Quality is no longer important. Despite all the painters, customers that call us from our ads tell us it is nearly impossible to find a painter that can be trusted to do good work. It is also very difficult to find good employees who are concerned for quality.

My husband was born and raised here. His father and brother are still here. My 80 yo father lives in Clearwater, about 1-1/2 hours away, and my oldest daughter and her husband live here and attend college here. I am hoping to talk them into moving up with us since they love hiking, the outdoors, and she'll finish her masters degree next year. I am greatly concerned about their ability to afford a home here.

It is very difficult to leave. But we're dying here and not saving any money for ourselves or our impaired daughter.

[menglin]

We are concerned with what everybody said above plus the school systems here. I want my girls to be able to go to a small school where they like to go and learn and don't have to be worried about what kind of weapon their school mate is carrying. Saw a 12 year old stabbed another kid on a bus, this week here in Orlando. Florida also seems to have more kid snatches, seems like there is a Amber alert every other week. I may be stretching what it really is but my girls arre not even in Kidergarden yet, so whats it going to be like in a couple years. Oh and did I mention the teachers that are molesting their students? Had one of those this week and the Beast from a Beauty and the Beast show at Disney was arrested for child Porn. Really its getting scary for kids here.

[daniellefort]

I've been in FL for 12 years now and grew up in Northern N.H. I like Florida. I'm one of those few that are not affected by the high cost of Insurance or taxes. We don't have a huge home and it was a fixer upper when we bought it but we do have a nice view of the lake across the street. My husband and I are just looking for a change and want to do it while we are still young and adventurous also to escape the terrible summer days. Oh, it's miserable for 2 months straight. I'd advise nobody to visit FL in July or August. We've done all the beach things from the panhandle to Daytona all the way to Key West and had 2 jet skis. Though the beaches are great, we're just ready for the mountains and 4 seasons again. He was born in N.Y. though has lived here for 27 years so he's ready for a change too. My daughter is disabled but she has been in great schools since elementary so we don't plan to move until she's done high school which will be 5 years but it gives us plenty of time to prepare our move and purchase our land in TN now. I find that most of the people who are moving are because of the high taxes and insurance rates seem to be coming mostly from South FL. I live in west Central FL. The further south you go, the more expensive it is to live. Basically from Tampa/St.Pete and south starts to get really expensive. Northern FL still has a lot of undeveloped land and you still can live in the country up there. So we're in no hurry to move but we do look forward to a simpler and slower paced life.

[Tennessee gal]

I've been here in Fl 23 years and for 23 years I've been trying to get back to Tn. Due to personal situations and career that has not happened. Now that I'm about to retire, seeems like every one is moving to TN but can't blame them either. Hopefully, soon....I'll be able to move home.

[carolac]

<<<We are concerned with what everybody said above plus the school systems here. I want my girls to be able to go to a small school where they like to go and learn and don't have to be worried about what kind of weapon their school mate is carrying. Saw a 12 year old stabbed another kid on a bus, this week here in Orlando. Florida also seems to have more kid snatches, seems like there is a Amber alert every other week. I may be stretching what it really is but my girls arre not even in Kidergarden yet, so whats it going to be like in a couple years. Oh and did I mention the teachers that are molesting their students? Had one of those this week and the Beast from a Beauty and the Beast show at Disney was arrested for child Porn. Really its getting scary for kids here.>>>

Oh yes. We're in Orlando, too, and the teacher abuse is another reason, as well as the others you've mentioned, which leaves us shaking our heads every day. I have a blind autistic daughter in middle school, and a teacher of autistic middle school students here in Central Florida was just found guilty of terrible child abuse. Heaven help the person who would do that to our daughter once my hubby found out.

Many regards -
Carol

[Tennessee gal]

Know exactly what you mean. I grew up in the Tri Cities area and moved here, a move I've regretted. However, I visit the TN area several times a year and to my dismay, TN's crime rate has gone up and up. I can remember you never heard of a murder, maybe once a year. Now it's nearly everyday somewhere. And drugs, never a problem, but that meth is common now. It's not the same as 20 years ago when I came down here. I suggest that when you visit the area to listen to the even local news for several days and read the newpaper; that will give you a picture I'm discribing. Don't get me wrong. I have every intention of moving back to my beloved mountains and home as soon as possible; but I think many people think there isn't much crime up there. Granted, it may not be quite as bad as Florida, but it's definately there. I might suggest checking out crime tables of cities of interest before deciding on a spot to move to.