Anyone moved from Midwest to Florida??

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there ! No so much for money saving but for no snow shoveling and being closer to Disney but we are planning to move from Indiana, pretty inexpensive living compared to some places, to the Clearwater area and I was wondering if anyone had also done so and what they found in expenses and life style and any hints at all.

We are looking at a resident owned mobile park in a very good location and I am looking forward to no lawn care or outside maintenance in my old age, when it comes.

Thank you for any information or help as it is hard to move after living here for more than half of my life but I am up for it unless someone knows something I do not.

Slightly Goofy

 

[katemonster2508]

I made the move from Indiana to Florida last fall and I have to say, life without snow is magical! I live in a small town, so my life has pretty much been like Indiana with gorgeous weather. Rent in general seems to be a little higher here than up in the Hoosier state and right now gas prices are too. The thing that I found the hardest in my move was the lack of Fall. No changing leaves was depressing for me. I love being closer to Disney and seeing the ocean still takes my breath away. I don't know what else to tell you, but if you think its what you want, I'd seriously consider it. There is a family planning a move who's blog is very interesting. Its therelocatedtourist.com. They may have some more insight for you!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there katemonster2508 and welcome to the DIS since I note that do not have many posts. Maybe you are one of those lurkers though.

Might I ask what small town you located to? I am thinking of Clearwater for several reasons.

Utility bills and insurance bills seem to be a lot more expensive but factoring in everything it seems to be somewhat of a wash.

Thanks for the link, I am going to check it out. I am more interested in retirement living but I am sure there will be things to know on that link as well. I love learning stuff.

Slightly Goofy

 

[rapmarks]

we have a home in Estero Fl, but you mentioned amobile home. Our friends bought in over 55 in St Petersburg, paid only $10 thousand for a nice home, pay about 400 a month in lot rental, and absolutely love it there.
expenses that are high are homeowners insurance. food is a little more expensive, no state income tax,

 

[katemonster2508]

Ha. I definitely am a lurker, your post just hit really close to home.
I live in Okeechobee. I didn't have much choice because I moved here for work. In addition, its in the middle of nowhere, so the commute from other cities just wasn't worth it. I wish retirement communities were an option for me because they seem much more wallet friendly! Good luck in whatever choice you make, right now I honestly can't imagine moving back North (the employment is also a part of that though!)

 

[Traveliz]

We have a condo in Windermere - we found utility bills to be cheaper than our home in Illinois (even factoring in the size). We have found insurance to be pretty reasonable also.

Love the whole no snow thing. I keep telling people what is included in our condo maintenance fee and I want to say snow removal (because in Illinois that is a typical thing included) but I have to stop myself!

Liz

 

[TWyn]

I live in Southern Indiana and will be moving to Orlando, Florida after my daughter graduates high school in May. My hubby moved down with a new job last July and his costs of living are pretty much the same as what I'm paying here. We sold our home and both have apartments right now, but we'll be buying a house once we're back together. There are some fantastic buys on homes there right now, so we hope to get a really good deal. My daughter got accepted to UCF for the fall, and since hubby will have been a Florida resident for a full year before she starts, she'll be able to get in-state tuition. After the winter we've had here this year, I can't wait to move! I love hot weather, so this is going to be perfect for me. I plan on applying for a job at Disney as soon as I'm settled. Can't wait!

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

We will be leaving Kansas at the end of May. Hubby will have to go down in about a month. We will be living near the Coco Beach, Florida area. Hubby received a civilian position at Patrick AFB. We can't wait and are also hoping to get a good deal on a home. Trying to sell ours first! Good Luck.

 

[solotraveler]

I made the move from Michigan to South Florida back in 2007.

In terms of expenses, I think it's roughly a wash. Insurance was much more expensive in Florida than what we were playing in Michigan, utilities were lower and most everything else was about the same. Rents and home prices in Florida can widely vary depending on where you are and what you are looking for.

I would advise to research, research, research where you are intending to move. Perhaps visit a few different times during the year, see what the people are like, visit the local stores.... basically take a look at all the aspects of your day to day living. There are lots of transplants in Florida, so as your would be neighbors what they think of the place.

Now, I know you said you are primarily interested in retirement living, but if you will be needing to work for any period of time while there, I would HIGHLY recommend establishing employment there before making the move. Florida is still rebounding slowly from the recession and jobs can be tough to come by. Also, the biggest surprise when making the move to FL was just how much lower overall salaries were there compared to Michigan. Something very important to look at if it applies to your situation.

All in all, I really enjoyed living there and would certainly move back. (I relocated in 2009 after a layoff when I was offered a new job out of state). If you go in with your eyes open and with a base of knowledge, the transition will be much easier.

 

[dfchelbay]

I live in Southern Indiana and will be moving to Orlando, Florida after my daughter graduates high school in May. My hubby moved down with a new job last July and his costs of living are pretty much the same as what I'm paying here. We sold our home and both have apartments right now, but we'll be buying a house once we're back together. There are some fantastic buys on homes there right now, so we hope to get a really good deal. My daughter got accepted to UCF for the fall, and since hubby will have been a Florida resident for a full year before she starts, she'll be able to get in-state tuition. After the winter we've had here this year, I can't wait to move! I love hot weather, so this is going to be perefect for me. I plan on applying for a job at Disney as soon as I'm settled. Can't wait!

Wanted to just take a moment to commend you on how you all, as a family, made a few temporary changes and adjustments to your lives, so that the bigger plan of everyone together in a few months could happen. Your daughter could finish her senior years with all her peers, mom and dad are apartment living for awhile, and daughter is heading off to UCF. This is refreshing to see in today's world, where many people don't want any inconveniences, do not delay gratifications, and will not make life adjustments such as your family has for a temporary time. Well done.

 

[TWyn]

Wanted to just take a moment to commend you on how you all, as a family, made a few temporary changes and adjustments to your lives, so that the bigger plan of everyone together in a few months could happen. Your daughter could finish her senior years with all her peers, mom and dad are apartment living for awhile, and daughter is heading off to UCF. This is refreshing to see in today's world, where many people don't want any inconveniences, do not delay gratifications, and will not make life adjustments such as your family has for a temporary time. Well done.

Well, thank you. That's so nice of you to say. It has been a sacrifice for my hubby and myself, being apart for this long, but we didn't have the heart to uproot our daughter after living here her whole life. It's really strengthened our marriage, too. Absence does make the heart grow fonder.

 

[dhardawa]

The one family I know who moved from Indianapolis to Tampa isn't happy at all. They moved to get away from the cold and snow and instead got sweltery heat. They tried for years to move back, but the housing market is so bad they couldn't sell their house.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Tammy, I agree with the PP as to your priorities and how well you are handling the changes in your life. I have students who are uprooted to live with different boyfriends/girlfriends several times a year and it is heartbreaking to see that their parents do not have them in mind. I just love then while I have them and pray afterward. I am thinking you might be a neighbor of mine as I live near Columbus.

Solo, we were down there in December looking around and I have a dear friend who has given me much sage advice. From what I see insurance and utilities will be much higher than we presently pay but since we will only have an elec bill things should be a wash. I have found my ideal location and as soon as this house sells we will head down, cash in hand. to buy the best unit available at the time.

Tinkerbelle, I have friends who have a winter home in the area you are moving to and with the closing of the space center there should be lots of good bargains. I hope you find what your heart desires.

Traveliz, I have a DIS friend in Illinois and she has been telling me of all you guys are dealing with now. Utilities are much cheaper in Indiana as our is a non profit. We have a huge house so downsizing to less sq footage will make it come out somewhere even I think. I hope you get your house sold for a reasonable price.

katemonster2508, I know someone who has a winter home where you are. I meet so many lurkers when I am at DW so I sort of recognize one when I see one. I am far too chatty myself. I am a volunteer and since that is not a paid position I have a feeling I will not find a shortage of 'employment' in Florida.

rapmarks, no lot rent for me. In the resident owned parks you buy a share, the better the park the higher the share. Only $145 a month for fees that include water, sewer, trash all lawn maintenance as well as club house and pool,.streets etc. Seems very reasonable to me and since many of the other owners are snowbirds from Canada they will be subsidizing us full time residents but then we will guard their places while they are gone.

High crime and poverty in some areas but since I do not plan to be out barhopping and frequenting places where I might get into trouble all should be well and then there is that short commute to Disney to consider.

If anyone has any negative thoughts I would like to consider them. Leaving family is no problem. Wish it were but it is not. Grandchildren call me now and can call me down there and some are driving so they can visit me and the beach.

Thank you all for your help.

Slightly Goofy

 

[JoiseyMom]

SG - Are you going to have an EWP Suite???

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Original South Floridian (Broward Co) who moved to IL (IL/IN border) from 1991-95 (for high school), back to FL for college (St Augustine with family in Broward Co), back to IL for 1 1/2 yrs after college, back to Broward County for 3 years, moved to the Bahamas for 6 years, and then moved to NW IN in the spring of 2009. Have traveled all of the state of FL. LOVE Indiana! the cost of living is MUCh more affordable then the South FL area...not sure how South FL compares to the west coast. Good Luck! At least you will be close to Disney

 

[TWyn]

Tammy, I agree with the PP as to your priorities and how well you are handling the changes in your life. I have students who are uprooted to live with different boyfriends/girlfriends several times a year and it is heartbreaking to see that their parents do not have them in mind. I just love then while I have them and pray afterward. I am thinking you might be a neighbor of mine as I live near Columbus.

Slightly Goofy

Columbus is about three hours from me. I'm close to Evansville. We decided from the start that it would be much easier for my hubby and I to sacrifice a year apart than to rip our daughter from the only school district and friends she's ever known, plus I've heard that a lot Florida schools don't compare to the ones in our area. I wish you the very best on your move and hope you're happy where you settle.

 

[dyna]

Moved last fall from barely Indiana, Nearly Kentucky to Winter Haven Fl we live in a retirement community bought our home sight unseen over internet. We are very pleased with the home an our park. We like being in the middle of the state hour to the gulf coast 1 1/2 hours to east coast 1 hour to disney.

Only utility bill we pay is electric, home is much smaller than the 1 we had up north so it's pretty much a wash on electric. Insurance is higher but we sold an unneeded truck to make up the difference. Food is higher here but we only feed 2 of us here an in Indiana we was feeding more like 8 ppl most of the time so over all food is cheaper here for us.

With only the 2 of us to dirty the house I use about 1/4th the cleaning products I used to use. Paper towel use is way down as is toliet paper an napkins so we are saving money there.

Gas is up to about 3.70 here I think but we can choose how much to use since DH is not having to drive 30 miles each way to work 5 or 6 days a week we are spending less in gas here than we did in Indiana. The Hess stations inside disney are still a few cents cheaper on the gallon an we go over there about once a week.

 

[rubato]

I am grateful for this thread. We are going to be moving to Cape Coral when my son graduates high school, but that's not for 7 more years! We are, however, debating buying the house now and just renting it until we're ready to move, due to the hit Florida took in home values. I have been very curious how cost of living in Florida differs from cost of living in Kansas. We really have it made here, cost wise.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Joisey, you are too funny. The EWP is alive and well just not posting much anymore. Most of actually have met and keep in touch in various ways. Especially right now as I sold my house and am moving to Florida in July and then we will get to see each other even more.

Thank you all for your advice and tips and for those of you who live close to where I am moving in Clearwater/Largo I hope we can meet sometime. Dis friends are the best and even better when meeting face to face.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[tinkerbell9227]

The one family I know who moved from Indianapolis to Tampa isn't happy at all. They moved to get away from the cold and snow and instead got sweltery heat. They tried for years to move back, but the housing market is so bad they couldn't sell their house.

if they are interested in Illinois you should put me in touch with them! I've been trying to find somebody to do a house swap from Fl to IL !