Raleigh to Jupiter with children? (Jacksonville, Miami: HOA fees, insurance, low crime)

[Bored in Raleigh]

Hi~
We are thinking about moving our family down to the Jupiter, Fl area after living in Raleigh, NC for over 10 years. We really like Raleigh, as it a nice and easy place to raise our kids (ages 10 & 13) - but we're getting bored and would love a change of scenery.

Any thoughts about the Jupiter area? We really want our kids to be in a safe town with excellent schools, affordable housing, low crime and enough things to do to keep us ALL busy in a friendly neighborly atmosphere...

Thanks!

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Bored in Raleigh

Hi~
We are thinking about moving our family down to the Jupiter, Fl area after living in Raleigh, NC for over 10 years. We really like Raleigh, as it a nice and easy place to raise our kids (ages 10 & 13) - but we're getting bored and would love a change of scenery.

Any thoughts about the Jupiter area? We really want our kids to be in a safe town with excellent schools, affordable housing, low crime and enough things to do to keep us ALL busy in a friendly neighborly atmosphere...

Thanks!

Jupiter has all that... BUT...what's your definition of "affordable?"

[Bored in Raleigh]

I was hoping to spend $500K, (or under!?!), for a relatively new 4 bed/3 bath home - preferably with a pool. I've also been told the Stuart, Hobe Sound areas are nice and these Martin County Schools sound like they're comparable to Jupiter. We probably won't be buying anything until sometime this summer.
Any suggestions?

[5FLgirls]

I hate to be a naysayer here but have you thought about the differences in weather between Raleigh and Jupiter? I've spent lots of time in Raleigh and have lived in Jupiter and it will definitely be a change for your family.

You should probably fly down for a weekend and spend time in Stuart and Jupiter. Stuart is just a tad bit north of Jupiter and Martin County has excellent schools. The positive to Jupiter is the close distance to the beach. Both are great towns. Personally, I prefer Jupiter (not just because I lived there) but because I prefer a 25 minute drive to WPB versus further and it just feels closer to Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

As far as cultural activities, etc., I think you'll get more of that in North Carolina. Have you considered Greenville or Charleston, SC suburbs? Or Jacksonville? All are great places to live, have decent schools and have affordable housing.

[TiredOfSFL]

Life is SO ironic! Here I am trying to get out of S. FL and studying NC (Raleigh was suggested to me at www.****l.com (broken link)) and someone from there wants to come here.

Well, I hope you are aware that the cost of living down here is much higher than in NC but if you make the $$$ you can find plenty to do here, of course. What I wonder is how come you are bored being close enough to so many other interesting cities in both NC and SC. However, I feel that being bored should not be the main reason to move. Sure, I was bored when I moved here from Dover, DE in '97 but that is a way smaller town than Raleigh, besides I had several other reasons to move here. But as a parent I would much rather raise my children in an all-around nice place where I felt they would be safe and/or around good values than in the rather superficial atmosphere that prevails in most of S. FL. I would rather advice you to save money each year for a good FL vacation each year as, besides retiring here, that is REALLY what this state is good for.

One last thing, where did you live prior to Raleigh? If you moved there form the NE and are still wanting warmer weather please do be aware that it's not all it's "cracked up to be". It can rain too much (at least for my taste) during July and August so as to ruin chances to go to the beach and other outdoor activities and it's too warm for about 8 months a year - which will run your electric bill pretty high. Also, with the recent frequent threat of hurricanes (been through 3 here already -NOT a pleasant experience AT ALL!) it's not fun having to "prepare" for it countless times during the season.

I'm generally NOT a negative person but some things have to be said the way they are without any sugar coating and IMHO S. FL is no longer the "wonderful paradise" it once was...

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Bored in Raleigh

I was hoping to spend $500K, (or under!?!), for a relatively new 4 bed/3 bath home - preferably with a pool. I've also been told the Stuart, Hobe Sound areas are nice and these Martin County Schools sound like they're comparable to Jupiter. We probably won't be buying anything until sometime this summer.
Any suggestions?

Oh yes, you can definitely find a home in that price range with those amenities in either Jupiter, Tequesta, or Martin County (Hobe Sound, Palm City, Stuart, etc.).

Martin County has a less developed, more rural feel to it. If you like a slower pace, the further North up the coast you go, the better. The further South you go, the close you will be to airports, and cultural amenities. Where would you be working?



FLorida is not North Carolina, so I recommend spending a few days at a minimum touring the Northern Palm Beaches/Martin County, to see if it's something you'd enjoy. Jupiter, by the way, has less violent crime than Raleigh.
Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

[Bored in Raleigh]

Thanks for all of your thoughtful comments! It's definately helpful to hear from folks who have real S. FL experience! I feel kinda bad that I gave my sign in name "Bored in Raleigh", because I really don't want to make this place seem bad. Most people we know really LOVE it here! We are definately "happy" in Raleigh - life is easy; decent weather, nice malls, cultural opportunities, great restaurants, no long lines at movies...but still - we just feel like we need some sort of change! (Hey, after re-reading this...maybe Raleigh doesn't seem so bad!!!)

We are originally from the north - and culturally, although people are super polite and cordial here - we don't always feel as though we're making real connections. Besides, it's always been my dream to live by the water - but maybe you're right - and we should wait 'til retirement - (which in this market, seems to be slipping further and further away!). The Wilmington, NC area is also on our list of places to look. It has some really pretty beaches as well, and a nice downtown area.

That being said - we want to explore all of our options! I'd still love to hear more about the Jupiter area! We'll be heading down sometime soon to check it out in person - but it's always good to hear the insiders perspective for the real deal!

Thanks again!

[5FLgirls]

Hi Bored--

I moved to the PBC county area in 96 and moved to Jacksonville in 2006 (and then out west). In the ten years I lived in the area (WPB, Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach and Jupiter) there were tons and tons of changes. My husband and I moved out of the area for a number of reasons: 1. We were "bored" and wanted to try something new--just as you said, 2. We wanted to branch out from under my family's wings, and 3. There can be very rude retirees in the area that don't appreciate small children (of course, yours are older than mine). When I lived there, I loved it. Jupiter has a great small town feel to it but is close to all amenities. I enjoyed going to the grocery store and the employees knew us. We would always see people we knew everywhere we went. It is missing the cultural aspect that you find up north but if you work hard at finding cultural activities, you can make it work for you. In the last few years, north PBC has really grown. My husband and I were amazed when we visited my family in February how much it had grown. We used this as a trip to test the waters to move back. The one thing I can say is that Jupiter itself just felt too small to us (one example for us was that there weren't many food options with young children). The beaches are great. In less than ten minutes, you can be sitting on a beach peacefully. Traffic in and around is not a nightmare compared to a city like Raleigh. The schools are decent and it was a bit easier to make friends there than anywhere else we've lived--but I can say that making friends is always tough (on the parent--not the kid) when you move. We just finalized the decision not to move back but I can tell you that it was a tough decision. Moving back would have been easy for us--family is there and still have friends. But now that we've experience three other lifestyles (we've made four moves in two years), I can say that I don't feel that we would ever want to live there again. If you like the heat and rain, close distance to the beach and a safe environment, then definitely put Jupiter on your short list. I'll try to comment later on the hurricane comment--I have to get my kids to school right now

[Lawlady]

Dear Bored in Raleigh,

After years of vacationing in Florida (3-4 times a year)...we finally relocated to the Coral Springs area (temporary). Our intent was to move to Jupiter. Die-hard Cardinal fans. We could not find what we wanted in our price range---we moved to Port St Lucie. Here's the deal with Florida...fabulous place to vacation and retire....HORRID place to try to earn a living. My husband was relocated and within 11 months (1 month after purchasing our new house)was terminated---cutting expenses. Florida is Right To Work...No severance...NOTHING. I have not found a job in 13 months. The wages are terribly low. The taxes are unreal...plus there are HOA fees everywhere (think an additional car payment per month). Unemployment is a joke...can't even keep utilities on--and you NEED AC! Oh and our water bill is beyond belief (and there are only TWO of us). And insurance????? Forget About It!
REALLY crunch the numbers and have plenty of liquid cash-flow in case things go horribly wrong.

[compelled to reply]

I agree, but realize that North Carolina is a "right to work" state too, as is nearly half of the United States. Also, realize most people in PSL commute to at least West Palm, in fact a commute to Ft. Lauderdale is still common and a commute to Miami isn't unheard of. There really are no jobs in that part of the state.