Baby on the way, should I move back to Florida?

[Scantor]

Originally Posted by tjarado

Americans move too fast, too far, too often.
Stay put and be thankful you have a good job that is relatively secure.
You can see your relatives during the holidays and vacations, which for most people is more than enough.

This may be the most idiotic statement I have ever seen, so I thought I would go through it line by line.

"Americans move too fast, too far, too often." - This line really starts it off. Who are all of these Americans you are talking about? I know a ton of people and most of them never left our home town. Some people moved throughout the county, but I am the only one that moved out of state. You throw everyone into one group and make a blanket statement.

"Stay put and be thankful you have a good job that is relatively secure." - Your advice is to not try and improve yourself. regardless of whether you are happy or not, just keep doing the same thing. I bet that would make for a happy life.

"You can see your relatives during the holidays and vacations, which for most people is more than enough." - This is not enough for me and most people I know. Sure, if I hated my family and wanted them to have little relationship with my family, then this would be good advice. Fortunately, I love my family and would like them to be a good part of my wife and child's life.

If you can't tell, I will be moving

[JanND]

Originally Posted by Scantor

Thanks for advice everyone. Is there anyone that thinks I should move closer to my family (given I find a job that has equal or more potential than my current job)?

No, either move back home or stay where you are. Don't risk the good fit and job you have to "just get closer" it will be harder, you are at least where you feel supported and you and your wife have acclimated to your lives there.....moving just partly close to your family will multiply all the issues your feeling now...and you wont have your feet under you before baby gets here. You may eventually find what you need too in Florida....but a decent job where you feel comfortable is critical these days.

[skylinet]

I moved from the Midwest four years ago and don't regret it at all. My Dad is still stuck in Wisconsin but I speak with him on a regular basis and my mom/brother live in Jacksonville so they visit once in awhile.
We (gf and I) just went back last week for the Packers game and the first we noticed was how gloomy the weather was in comparison to here. We both instantly felt depressed.
Most of our friends were still doing the same thing they were years ago. Which was sad to see as a lot of friends here run their own small businesses or are doing pretty well for themselves.
I'm a realtor and we moved during the worst real estate market and still found a way to make ends meet. I'm now on path to have a better year than my best year in Wisconsin.
If you feel you would be happier here and you have an opportunity for good employment than why wouldn't you move?

[Swimmom32]

that is the key sky good employment. I tell you this economy is so bad for everyone right now especially those close to us. My dh's friend lives in Weston had a great job has been in South florida for 22 years and is now forced to leave because after being unemployed for 6 months and still hasnt found a job mind you he is looking out of Florida too but the unemployment in most states is very sad...Those in Florida who work for themselves or are in a nich profession or a Dr will do well and that is because the lack of business's and the amount of competition in the work place.. This guy made a very nice living for himself and well you have to do what you have to do and if your job isnt secure then what good is having family there? unless of course they can help you financially....Florida is beautiful love the weather love what it has to offer, but certainly now not an easy place live...For him his whole family and his wife's family are in south florida and its very sad...Now if the OP has alot of money put away and isn't worried about the company he works for or his Job in Florida then its a no brainer especially with a small child. It was very diffcult for my children not seeing family like we used to when we moved...

Good Luck to you and by the way because people are telling you to rethink moving to florida it does not mean they are NOT happy where they are or happy in General...sometimes people don't always like what they hear, and you and your wife are the only one's who will know if the move is right for you or not...

[tjarado]

My (poorly worded) point, Scantor, was that moving with a baby on the way in this difficult economic environment entails risks that oftentimes are not adequately factored into the decision-making process. I could have been less brusque, perhaps, but I feel that many Americans - certainly not ALL - act in optomistic haste and often repent in leisure. Like other responders have noted (and far better than I) the job situation in Fl is challenging unless you are a secure professional like CPA, or MD.
Good luck whatever you do.

[071402]

I think a lot of people (in general, or here) are not feeling great about the future of the economy, of employment. That's why there's negativity. I could be wrong, I hope I'm wrong......

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by 071402

I think a lot of people (in general, or here) are not feeling great about the future of the economy, of employment. That's why there's negativity. I could be wrong, I hope I'm wrong......

I hope your wrong. Its not negativity its reality right now, who knows in a few years and that will really depend on who wins the election and even that its still going to take a long time to get this country and people back to work doing what they do and making a decent income...I am a very positive person always have been but its affected our lives with a friends and my Brother In law so I am speaking on a personal note and I just personally don't see much light at the end of the tunnel as there is just so much wrong with this. Again its not just Florida its Everywhere....

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by Scantor

I did see it. I lived in Jupiter from 1983 through 2010. You forgot to mention by 2006/2007 those houses were $400,000+ before the crash. Honestly, the current prices are pretty good. Another thing to bring up is taxes. I pay a 6.4% state income tax. I also pay a hefty property tax on my vehicles, about $400 per vehicle per year. Not to mention an 8.65% sales tax...

I did not forget to mention it, that's what I was saying, the prices were artificially inflated during the boom, The Palm Beach Post was an inch thick with sales flyers, articles on "Mapping the Boom" and how people were making $$ flipping homes. Week after week, it was the same thing, for a few years then it all went up in smoke. I knew it was all too good to be true...others were drowning in their saliva, Realtors who said the prices will never go down now is the time to invest and buy, really I said as I now laugh in their faces and said told you so.....the prices are still high based on the average salaries and lending is way too tight for many, but it's not those people that are buying, it's mainly foreigners, a lot of them Canadians who are investing in properties down here and of course wealthy US baby boomers who are retiring with hefty nest eggs.

I never bought into the no state income tax paradise here, we pay plenty for everything else, like insurance and etc. I lived in several states prior all had high tax burdens, but salaries were much higher leaps and bounds. Fact is on average companies don't want to pay great wages here, they often say it's "a cheaper place to live with no state income tax", immediately people think it's Utopia till the bills start rolling in.....

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by Swimmom32

that is the key sky good employment. I tell you this economy is so bad for everyone right now especially those close to us. My dh's friend lives in Weston had a great job has been in South florida for 22 years and is now forced to leave because after being unemployed for 6 months and still hasnt found a job mind you he is looking out of Florida too but the unemployment in most states is very sad...Those in Florida who work for themselves or are in a nich profession or a Dr will do well and that is because the lack of business's and the amount of competition in the work place.. This guy made a very nice living for himself and well you have to do what you have to do and if your job isnt secure then what good is having family there? unless of course they can help you financially....Florida is beautiful love the weather love what it has to offer, but certainly now not an easy place live...For him his whole family and his wife's family are in south florida and its very sad...Now if the OP has alot of money put away and isn't worried about the company he works for or his Job in Florida then its a no brainer especially with a small child. It was very diffcult for my children not seeing family like we used to when we moved...

Good Luck to you and by the way because people are telling you to rethink moving to florida it does not mean they are NOT happy where they are or happy in General...sometimes people don't always like what they hear, and you and your wife are the only one's who will know if the move is right for you or not...

You are right, a good job that is stable and provides a livable wage and annual pay increases, based on the high cost of living a lot of jobs here don't provide either, if your lucky and of course there are those people out there that are fortunate....but based on my daily grind and the views of people I work with in my office and across my network, it is the opposite...I can say this, 10 to 15 years ago the same sentiment, views and opinions were not the same, times have changed and a lot of people want out there is a lot of bitterness and discontent. Many of these people have families with young kids, some only in grade school, they are concerned with the future for them and the job market.

I can say this, what we see now will not exist here in 30 years, the landscape of Florida being Heaven's Waiting Room or a place to retire will be history at the level it once was and is currently....the majority of people in their 40's and below will have no savings to afford the lifestyle, no pensions and mounds of debt and no good jobs to get out of it.......

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by 071402

I think a lot of people (in general, or here) are not feeling great about the future of the economy, of employment. That's why there's negativity. I could be wrong, I hope I'm wrong......

I never seen it this bad, but it's not just Florida and a lot of people are sick of Government and sick of how much money (tax dollars) is wasted on things that generate no return. There is little investment in US the taxpayer. Digital Domain in Port St. Lucie is another big fiasco that paints a gloomy cloud over our trusted government and local officials, a promise of 500 jobs and a big influx of other opportunities all up in smoke in less than 3 years, both of which directly effected both St Lucie and West Palm Beach...Scripps and biotech was hyped a lot and subsidized by the local government , but I have not seen too many jobs created yet, it will be years if ever that happens.

Here though you see a lot of $$, people with no real worries other than getting their golf game in or Botox injections....these types are not on here talking about what they see because they live in a faux world filled with Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas and many own companies and pay peasant salaries to live the good life..

Now imagine having kids, when your seeing your opportunity fading away..how does it make you feel when they have to pick up and leave because they can't have even a 1/4 of the same quality of life as you or their grandparents had?

I don't look at it as all doom and gloom, but it does not look pretty not to even mention the whole budget deficit and how they intend to pay for it, only two options 1) cut programs (jobs) or raise taxes, neither of which will be well liked...