Moving from Massachusetts to Florida - Tech Job (Miami, Tampa: sales, real estate)

[newenglander2017]

Hello all,

I've decided to move down from Massachusetts to Florida, for multiple reasons, specially the weather.

I have around 10+ yrs of experience with High-End Storage, working for EMC\Dell, and I'm looking for an area that has a good amount of "tech jobs", aka: Network Admin\Engineer, Systems Administrator, Engineering Technician, IT " Insert Title, Management, etc", and would like some suggestions. I have an Associates in Science w/ 3.7 GPA, CompTIA A+, getting CCNA now, and an incomplete Bachelor's degree in Business, plus the experience listed above.

According to my uncle that resides in Sarasota and works with HVAC, I should look at areas above Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, like Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Plantation, Hollywood, Sunrise, Miramar, Aventura, Boynton Beach, Coral Springs, West Palm Springs, Lake Worth, Pembroke Pines, Sunrise, Palm Springs, Coconut Creek, etc...

I'm going to Miami for a week this Tuesday and will be staying in Pompano Beach to look at the places, get an idea of the areas etc, but the important things are:
- Location with Tech Jobs
- Not TOO expensive (We plan on buying a 4+ bedroom home, we have $200,000.00 in cash from our old home and are looking for something up to $400,000)
- Good/Ok Schools

I've searched google a lot, but every article points me to a different place (Tampa area, Orlando area, Miami/Ft. Lauderlade, etc).

I'm truly lost, I've been to Florida once (Kissimmee, which my wife does not want to leave due to being "empty and not having anything to do, other than Disney"), but other than that I have no experience other than google.

As of right now, what would you say I could:
1- Get a 4+bed house for around $400,000 tops w/ ok/good schools, "close to the beach"
2- Have a good Tech Job market.

Am I looking at the right places? ANY advice is appreciated.
Should I be looking at the Tampa area? Or somewhere else?

Thank you very much!

[wizrap]

What's big in Florida is:
Tourism
International Trade/Finance
Health Care
Insurance

Have you looked to see what's available down here? You've listed cities in Broward & Palm Beach Counties, neither of which are particularly tech oriented. I'd say tourism, health care and to a minor degree financial services are the big sectors down here.

[50states]

Hope you are able to pull this off, fellow New Englander.

Please keep us updated as I know I am not the only one who is sick and tired of the weather here in NE. I'm from here but just can not stand the cold, the gray skies and the fact that we really don't have many nice months here.

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by wizrap

What's big in Florida is:
Tourism
International Trade/Finance
Health Care
Insurance

Have you looked to see what's available down here? You've listed cities in Broward & Palm Beach Counties, neither of which are particularly tech oriented. I'd say tourism, health care and to a minor degree financial services are the big sectors down here.

This!

[newenglander2017]

Originally Posted by wizrap

What's big in Florida is:
Tourism
International Trade/Finance
Health Care
Insurance
Have you looked to see what's available down here? You've listed cities in Broward & Palm Beach Counties, neither of which are particularly tech oriented. I'd say tourism, health care and to a minor degree financial services are the big sectors down here.

Originally Posted by cfbs2691

This!

Thanks for the heads up, I've been looking at glassdoor for opportunities around these cities, got a name of all cities on a "30 mile radius of Ft. Lauderdale" at https://www.freemaptools.com/find-zi...ide-radius.htm and went from there.
30 miles where I like is a 40-minute commute, so using the "same formula" I captured all the cities around greater Miami. However it seems like it is a big difference down in Florida and I even saw someone mentioning a 8-mile ride being 30-40 minutes during rush hours.

Other than my uncle's opinion and my father's co-worker's word, I'm using Glassdoor to look at job openings.
They seem to pay less (20K less on avg), but it's a hit we're prepared to take.

The Tampa area also seems like there are a bunch of jobs, but to be honest, most of the jobs I've seen, are related to the field listed by you.... Tourism, Healthcare, etc.. But they still need people to maintain their networks, they still need IT support/admin to make sure their machines are running, etc..

If someone in the Tech Industry could chime in, it would be great.

I will be in Pompano Beach for 1 week, looking around every aspect I possibly can, but if Tampa is a "better area", then why not? Other than Orlando (unfortunately due to wife's wishes, because housing is so cheap around there), I'm open to anything.

Edit: I understand that the main industries in the area are Tourism, Finance, Health Care, and Insurance, however every single one of these industries has a need for tech jobs, which would satisfy my needs. I'm not looking specifically to work in a Tech Company. I've already been doing that for the last 10 years (Dell / EMC). I don't mind being a Systems Admin for a Hotel for example, as long as the "pay is reasonable".

[newenglander2017]

Hi all,

I've searched the Forum more, and we've chose to research more about these areas:

1.West Palm Beach
2.Boca Raton
3.Deerfield Beach
4.Delray Beach
5.Pompano Beach

and region...

We have close to $200K to put down, looking for a property selling for $400K or under.
Must have: 4 bedrooms min, 2 bath min, pool, under 50 years old.
Avoiding: Equity Membership areas
HOA: Depends on what's in included, we are fine with paying a price up to $500-600/month, but preferably something lower...

Can I find something with these specs in WPB?
Thanks again.

[Elbig]

Originally Posted by newenglander2017

Hi all,

I've searched the Forum more, and we've chose to research more about these areas:

1.West Palm Beach
2.Boca Raton
3.Deerfield Beach
4.Delray Beach
5.Pompano Beach

and region...

We have close to $200K to put down, looking for a property selling for $400K or under.
Must have: 4 bedrooms min, 2 bath min, pool, under 50 years old.
Avoiding: Equity Membership areas
HOA: Depends on what's in included, we are fine with paying a price up to $500-600/month, but preferably something lower...

Can I find something with these specs in WPB?
Thanks again.

Yes you can but your first search must be for a job as that will determine location and affordability. As an ex-Bostonian I hope it works out. I do understand your desire to move.

[katskill]

Tampa sounds the best best for what you do.
Verizon (few years ago last I know) used to have a huge facility there with tons of network jobs.
I see artciles on CNN for high job growth areas in tech, and Orlando is frequently on that list.
I would check these 2 areas.
After IBM & Motorola moved out, not much I'm aware of in the Ft Laud/Boca area.

[klaucka]

in that area check citrix, johnson controls, campus management. microsoft has an office in fort lauderdale but it is largely a sales office. i also think there is a healthcare software vendor in west palm area. i would start with linkedin....

[AlexRodriguez]

I know someone (former co-worker) who lives in West Palm Beach and works for FPL (Florida Power & Light) in Juno Beach. Anyway, there are a lot of companies here in South Florida for tech jobs and they're constantly hiring cuz I get phone calls every freaking day - I'm a full-time Database Developer (the real estate tag is my hobby.)
If you move to Deerfield Beach, Pompano or Boca, you're closer to companies like Citrix and even Ultimate Software in Weston (Ranked #1 on FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces in Technology List for 2016) or the new American Express Regional Headquarters in Sunrise - that's thanks to Sawgrass Expressway, which is rarely congested. Also, in the Sunrise Technology Park you have companies like Cigna, Cross Country Home Services and others. You can even drive to Miramar and get a job with Carnival Cruise Lines. You're in the right track my friend. By the way, the company I work for (SproudLoud Media Networks) will soon be hiring a "Systems Administrator"