Thinking about moving to FL

[Tinkerbell19672]

You can get mice or rats anywhere. As a former Florida resident, I can tell you they do have problems with small lizards, palmetto bugs, ants, and sometimes snakes.

This is why I'd never move to FL. So many bugs, ugh! And humidity. If I want to move where it's hot, I'll take AZ or another western state

 

[kidshop]

I have a strange question for you Florida residents. Do you get mice or rats in your home? I have a bit of a phobia. Thanks

Yes, you have that in Florida, but we have the same problem here in Virginia. Just get the black poison boxes and keep them filled outside and a few inside if necessary. Fire ants are way worse and I forgot about palmetto bugs!! I've been out of Fl for 4 years, I could live the rest of my life without getting huge welts from ants and never seeing flying giant roaches again!

Snakes too, yes, but we usually had the harmless garters (and our snake friends eat the mice and rats). Once there was a legless lizard in my garage. it's not a snake it really is a lizard without legs. It's a whole other world there.

 

[LovesTimone]

Lovestimone here again,

I thought about a few more things ...

You will want to rent when you first get here, make sure that the complex has a large pool. Renting only makes sense you need to figure out what type of lifestyle here in FL. you want to live and where you want to live, in the area, just because the realtor says its a great area doesn't mean it is, or it will fit your lifestyle.

Having a pool or a community pool would be a top priority on the list when you are ready to buy a home.

Pool$ cost money to maintain, chorine, test kits, allege, pool pumps, solar heating, cleaning equipment, and then you still might want to have a pool company come for maintenance like a lawn company. A screened enclosure to be able to use your pool at night and keep the critters out is a necessary thing and a fence around the yard for safety are mandatory, I think that also now children safety fences are mandatory. Having a pool is extra on home owners ins.. If your go the community pool route, check your HOA rules to see what is allowed, and what the cost are. We are building a house and the HOA is going to be over 2000 a year. If you live in a gated community it's higher due to the road fees.

Florida is a hospitality state and is our biggest source of revenue. So with that in mind, Construction is booming right now, restaurants servers, kitchen help cooks, chefs, nurse's are always in high demand. Publix and Wal-Mart both have warehouse here. A guy that works with my DH was transferred here, and his wife was a paralegal, she could not find a job in her field, she had to take a job serving, that was 4 years ago and she is still serving, she has gotten a couple of offers but only for partime and no benefits package and basically for no money. My girlfriend moved here and she was a teacher, and could not find a job for 2 1/2 years, she ended up serving at a high end restaurant, even after getting her teaching job she was making so much less money, she had to keep serving on the weekends, she decided to quit her teaching job as they offered her a management job at the restaurant she works in.

Also your credit score is very important, if you are going to rent, they really do a background check, with so many people moving in and out here... they want to make sure you will pay the rent, and not just disappear overnight. Plan on Frist, Last, and deposit.... rent here for a small 2 bedroom 2 bath is 1000 dollars easy a month that's what my DD and SIL pay for there apt. They got there apt through a friend at work, so they know them they did not raise the rent. To live in a good area meaning safe, you will need to plan on 1200 to 1500 a month. Living outside of Orlando, in one of the small cities, Clermont, Kissimmee, Ocoee, Davenport, Winter Garden, will be a lot less. Living in Lakeland, Auburndale, Winter Haven are all very nice cities with a more family feel and only about an hour away for WDW. Also Utilities are expensive and have large deposit, some are based on your credit score what the deposit is.

While I am sure you think I am trying to discourage you from moving here, I am not, you need to understand what its like to live life here daily. Living in Florida is not like anywhere else in the country. Things move here at a different pace....like beach time and city time rolled into one but with a slight southern drawl, but we still have a lot of old southern roots, ideas, and traditions, the Good ol' boy system is alive a well, just fancied up and is camouflaged better.

I live my life in Flip Flops, and shorts...I am part southern girl, beach bum, river rat, and Disney lover. Nothing is better than sitting on the beach watching the sun rise, or putting our boat in the gulf for a day of scalloping and watching the sun set, or casting off on the St. Johns river for a boat ride or driving under the Disney sign to welcoming me back. with my magic band on my wrist... So I am a Florida girl... 100%

If you have any question please PM me and I will try to answer them.

 

[iluveeyore]

I moved here three years ago from the Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada, and have never looked back...I actually met my husband here on the DIS boards! He has lived here since he was 9, and we are in Central Florida. We were in an apartment the first six months near his job here in Seminole County, and really liked the feel of our town, so we bought a townhouse in a gated community, and I absolutely love it. We have a pond I get to look at with a fountain while I sit on my patio and enjoy the wildlife. Yes, we treated for insects, but we live in a really solid, fairly new home, so we have no issues. There are little geckos everywhere and sometimes one might sneak in when I open the door, but nothing I can't handle. The weather...glorious! I will take sweating outside and being able to cool off indoors instead of freezing and never getting warm enough any day of the week! I have visited Canada twice, once in May and once in December, and I do not miss the cool temperatures, snow, none of it! Sunshine and lush greenery all the time!

We are about 40 minutes from our happy place, the reason we met, and our mutual obsession, Disney, but I really went there more when I didn't live near it, believe it or not. We took a Disney cruise last year (my first, his 7th), instead of the parks, and it was fantastic! And being able to drive to the port in Port Canaveral instead of flying was great. Yes, of course we have plans for a Disney trip in the next year, and we have had resident annual passes before and will get them again, so that's a bonus. And being able to pack up in the morning and drive under the Disney sign in 40 minutes is a bonus as well. But I don't' think I'd want to live any closer than we do. Orlando is too big and busy for our lifestyle, we like the easy, relaxed pace of our smaller area, and yet we are 5 minutes from the I-4 to take us anywhere (although the toll roads and back ways are much preferable once you know your way around). I work from home, so where we lived wasn't an issue for me, but my DH has a job that just transferred him from Altamonte Springs to Lake Mary/Heathrow three years ago, and living in Sanford means he only has a 10-minute commute to work.

If you decide to move to Florida, you definitely need to do some scouting and research about jobs, living conditions/neighborhoods, real estate, and really get a 'feel' for where you want to be. I love where we are, but likely never would have found this great area if my DH didn't already work here when I moved. So for you, trying to choose from an entire state will take time. Make a list of priorities/wants and see where that gets you...do you like the beach and, if so, would you prefer ocean (Cocoa Beach/Daytona, so many other communities), or gulf (Tampa/Sarasota, lots on that side too), or would you prefer central Florida so it's a short drive to either coast? Lots to think about. Good luck, and happy planning!

 

[hsmamato2]

It feels like a big task....and I know we'll have to make some scouting trips vs. just vacation trips...... I figure over the next couple of years we should develop a picture of where we want to end up....

 

[seasheller]

We have been coming to Florida for 20 years as snowbirds. Bought a house here 9 years ago and now trying to sell it. Everything is getting higher in price down here - water, electricity, TV/internet service, etc. Insurance is outrageous. Contractors are bad and you do need a license for everything. Can't even do things on your own in places and have to hire someone. Then there are sinkholes, bugs, humidity (this year more so than ever). We've never looked for employment here, but have been told that wages are not decent. Can't wait to go back to Wisconsin! I might even learn to enjoy the snow again!

 

[ConnecticutFlea]

Then there are sinkholes, bugs, humidity (this year more so than ever). We've never looked for employment here, but have been told that wages are not decent. Can't wait to go back to Wisconsin! I might even learn to enjoy the snow again!

About the sinkholes.......please tell me more. Are they frequent? Are they covered by insurance?
I remember the one in Clermont a few years back and that really scary one where the man was killed when one opened under his bedroom. But last week there was one in Pennslyvania and every now an then I hear of a sinkhole elsewhere. So how bad is the sinkhole situation in Florida?

 

[Bree]

The people I know with pools it's about 50/50 that they regret it. Most gated communities in Florida have a community pool that you are paying for in your HOA. The biggest issue I hear folks complaining about it the upkeep and maintenance. I know some use salt vs chlorine which most prefer. We didn't get a pool when our house is built because we didn't want the liability of working an hour away from the house and our teens home with a pool and possibly having friends over. If you want a pool, get a home that already has one, or if building build with the home so it's included in your mortgage. A basic pool in Florida is at minimum 30K to install. Most people I know spend $40-70k to install pools depending on if they want a hot tub, waterfall, slide, heated, size, etc.

We are building a house and are NOT having the builder do it and were told by the builder not to have them do it because it is overpriced. They want 40K to add a basic chlorine pool to our house. We can get a salt water spa & pool with an upgraded patio plus a screened enclosure for less than 40K. We are having our pool installed after we close on the house.

About the sinkholes.......please tell me more. Are they frequent? Are they covered by insurance?
I remember the one in Clermont a few years back and that really scary one where the man was killed when one opened under his bedroom. But last week there was one in Pennslyvania and every now an then I hear of a sinkhole elsewhere. So how bad is the sinkhole situation in Florida?

Sinkholes happen, but they aren't usually the kind that you hear about on the news. Usually the foundation of the home is starting to sink and becomes uneven causing damage to the home. The foundations of the homes can be remediated, but it's expensive. You will not be able to get homeowners insurance without remediation. It will still be hard to get insurance on a remediated home and it will cost you more. Sellers are supposed to disclose stuff like that, but a lot won't. It's due diligence on the buyer's part to check the county tax website to see if there has ever been sinkhole activity reported on a piece of property.

 

[beffiegirl]

Lovestimone here again,

I thought about a few more things ...

You will want to rent when you first get here, make sure that the complex has a large pool. Renting only makes sense you need to figure out what type of lifestyle here in FL. you want to live and where you want to live, in the area, just because the realtor says its a great area doesn't mean it is, or it will fit your lifestyle.

Having a pool or a community pool would be a top priority on the list when you are ready to buy a home.

Pool$ cost money to maintain, chorine, test kits, allege, pool pumps, solar heating, cleaning equipment, and then you still might want to have a pool company come for maintenance like a lawn company. A screened enclosure to be able to use your pool at night and keep the critters out is a necessary thing and a fence around the yard for safety are mandatory, I think that also now children safety fences are mandatory. Having a pool is extra on home owners ins.. If your go the community pool route, check your HOA rules to see what is allowed, and what the cost are. We are building a house and the HOA is going to be over 2000 a year. If you live in a gated community it's higher due to the road fees.

Florida is a hospitality state and is our biggest source of revenue. So with that in mind, Construction is booming right now, restaurants servers, kitchen help cooks, chefs, nurse's are always in high demand. Publix and Wal-Mart both have warehouse here. A guy that works with my DH was transferred here, and his wife was a paralegal, she could not find a job in her field, she had to take a job serving, that was 4 years ago and she is still serving, she has gotten a couple of offers but only for partime and no benefits package and basically for no money. My girlfriend moved here and she was a teacher, and could not find a job for 2 1/2 years, she ended up serving at a high end restaurant, even after getting her teaching job she was making so much less money, she had to keep serving on the weekends, she decided to quit her teaching job as they offered her a management job at the restaurant she works in.

Also your credit score is very important, if you are going to rent, they really do a background check, with so many people moving in and out here... they want to make sure you will pay the rent, and not just disappear overnight. Plan on Frist, Last, and deposit.... rent here for a small 2 bedroom 2 bath is 1000 dollars easy a month that's what my DD and SIL pay for there apt. They got there apt through a friend at work, so they know them they did not raise the rent. To live in a good area meaning safe, you will need to plan on 1200 to 1500 a month. Living outside of Orlando, in one of the small cities, Clermont, Kissimmee, Ocoee, Davenport, Winter Garden, will be a lot less. Living in Lakeland, Auburndale, Winter Haven are all very nice cities with a more family feel and only about an hour away for WDW. Also Utilities are expensive and have large deposit, some are based on your credit score what the deposit is.

While I am sure you think I am trying to discourage you from moving here, I am not, you need to understand what its like to live life here daily. Living in Florida is not like anywhere else in the country. Things move here at a different pace....like beach time and city time rolled into one but with a slight southern drawl, but we still have a lot of old southern roots, ideas, and traditions, the Good ol' boy system is alive a well, just fancied up and is camouflaged better.

I live my life in Flip Flops, and shorts...I am part southern girl, beach bum, river rat, and Disney lover. Nothing is better than sitting on the beach watching the sun rise, or putting our boat in the gulf for a day of scalloping and watching the sun set, or casting off on the St. Johns river for a boat ride or driving under the Disney sign to welcoming me back. with my magic band on my wrist... So I am a Florida girl... 100%

If you have any question please PM me and I will try to answer them.

I have a question, my son just turned 16, what do you need to do for a drivers permit? Moving there in three months, hopefully. Don't know if I should start the process here or just wait. It's a big process here and I don't know if that will count for FL. Thanks

Also I have done a lot of research on towns and schools, still trying to decide where depending on where my husband gets a job. It's not that cheap to live in Fl if you want top schools but to compare it with NJ it's a lot cheaper. Where we live it's $400,000 for a run down house with 10,000 in property tax but has good schools. I want to live near a beach on the gulf coast but my have to live closer to Tampa or Orlando for husbands job.

 

[Bree]

I have a question, my son just turned 16, what do you need to do for a drivers permit? Moving there in three months, hopefully. Don't know if I should start the process here or just wait. It's a big process here and I don't know if that will count for FL. Thanks

Also I have done a lot of research on towns and schools, still trying to decide where depending on where my husband gets a job. It's not that cheap to live in Fl if you want top schools but to compare it with NJ it's a lot cheaper. Where we live it's $400,000 for a run down house with 10,000 in property tax but has good schools. I want to live near a beach on the gulf coast but my have to live closer to Tampa or Orlando for husbands job.

I'm not sure about the permit stuff since my oldest is only 13yo.

Schools down here are nothing like the northeast. I find that they are either really good or really bad. Right now we are living in southeast FL in Palm Beach County, but are building a house in Seminole County which is just east of Orlando. If you haven't unearthed the school report cards for FL here it is http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/ It is a lot of data to weed through.

 

[LovesTimone]

I have a question, my son just turned 16, what do you need to do for a drivers permit? Moving there in three months, hopefully. Don't know if I should start the process here or just wait. It's a big process here and I don't know if that will count for FL. Thanks

Also I have done a lot of research on towns and schools, still trying to decide where depending on where my husband gets a job. It's not that cheap to live in Fl if you want top schools but to compare it with NJ it's a lot cheaper. Where we live it's $400,000 for a run down house with 10,000 in property tax but has good schools. I want to live near a beach on the gulf coast but my have to live closer to Tampa or Orlando for husbands job.

I think now that you have to have your drivers permit for a year before you can get a reg. drivers license. Also to help with you ins. by adding him, you might want to think about a drivers education classes, if really helped DD when she was ready for it and our car insurance was reduce a few hundred dollars.

Living near or in a beach town is expensive, you have to think about homeowner insurance which could be as much as your mortgage payment , flood insurance, tropical storms, and hurricanes. We lived in Pensacola, and we had to have extra insurance homeowner insurance, and flood insurance, and we did not even live on the beach. It was right after Katrina, people that DH and I both worked with were living in FEMA trailers, and then lived in tents when they took the trailers away. One Guy I worked with him and his wife would come to the facility that I worked in to shower the residents took turn letting them shower, the owners found out and let them move into the maintenance apt which was full of stuff but, at least then they had a roof over their head, and a bed room, and bathroom and small kitchen to use... which was way better than living in a tent in the drive- way, as the house was washed away, my bosses home and whole neighborhood washed into the gulf. Living in a beach town is so different, your home and car maintenance will be higher due to the salt air. If you want better schools and lower taxes I would look at the surrounding towns around of each of the major cities. The beach is really only about a hour or so to either coast if you live in the middle of the state.

 

[beffiegirl]

Well living by the sea is a dream...thats probably not gonna happen. We are really trying to decide between new Tampa area or outer Orlando, maybe Sarasota? My husband has been networking for a job. It's hard to get a job when they see that he lives in NJ. We are so ready, been planning this for 3 years. We have an emergency savings for any problems. Plus we want to rent when we get down there before we buy. Another question would be, is it better to live in a community that has a pool versus a house with private pool? Have to find a realtor so we can go down again and look at houses. Someone said it was expensive to switch your license and plates, why? Thanks for all the info!

 

[Eureka]

Well living by the sea is a dream...thats probably not gonna happen. We are really trying to decide between new Tampa area or outer Orlando, maybe Sarasota? My husband has been networking for a job. It's hard to get a job when they see that he lives in NJ. We are so ready, been planning this for 3 years. We have an emergency savings for any problems. Plus we want to rent when we get down there before we buy. Another question would be, is it better to live in a community that has a pool versus a house with private pool? Have to find a realtor so we can go down again and look at houses. Someone said it was expensive to switch your license and plates, why? Thanks for all the info!

I don't live in FL but I imagine it's the taxes that make the plates so pricey. But really wanted to say I think it depends where you're coming from, and I don't remember where you said you're from. When my grandparents were alive, they wintered in FL and lived the rest of the year in Queens, NY. They ended up switching their plates to FL because it was less expensive for them and they qualified by living long enough each year in their FL residence.

 

[gatormom2tots]

We live about an hour north of Atlanta...so not that far away and definitely still in the south. But we moved her from Florida right after college due to better pay for me (I am a teacher and got the first job offer). Husband is an attorney and the market is overrun with them in Florida-plus there is no reciprocity for those licensed outside the state.

That being said, we talk as soon as out kids are out of college and we are retired- straight back down to Florida we will go. I lived in Tampa for about 4 years and LOVED IT. My dad still lives in Plant City. And as far as traffic- doesn't even compare to Atlanta!

But I think some people do underestimate heat, critters, etc. Its not for everybody.

And to add to the pool question- we have owned a backyard pool. We now have a community pool and prefer it 10xs over a backyard one. No maintenance, no increased homeowner insurance fees, and no constant fear of kids slipping into the backyard unattended and some unfortunate accident occurring!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

OMG, this! Hot may be uncomfortable, but cold HURTS! Anything below about 45F and I'm miserable. I want to move to florida so badly. I'm just not sure about giving up my sweet job to do so.

This is the only reason we can't move in 2 years as planned.
We have been saying for 3 years that we would move as soon as DS graduated, but now my DH got this awesome new job and doesn't want to leave. UGH!!!
I am seriously depressed!

 

[Bree]

Well living by the sea is a dream...thats probably not gonna happen. We are really trying to decide between new Tampa area or outer Orlando, maybe Sarasota? My husband has been networking for a job. It's hard to get a job when they see that he lives in NJ. We are so ready, been planning this for 3 years. We have an emergency savings for any problems. Plus we want to rent when we get down there before we buy. Another question would be, is it better to live in a community that has a pool versus a house with private pool? Have to find a realtor so we can go down again and look at houses. Someone said it was expensive to switch your license and plates, why? Thanks for all the info!

I wouldn't jump the gun with a realtor until your DH has a job. Running around all over the state looking at houses when you don't even know where his job will be is a waste of time and money, IMO. We know from experience that it is very hard to get a job in one state when you are living in another. It took us years to get out of MA. My DH started his job in FL before we actually moved there. He lived in temp housing until we closed on our house in FL.

Pool is really up to you. We have our own pool now and will be installing one for our new house. I like the use of one in my backyard instead of having to walk/drive/bike to the community pool and schlep all our gear. Also, the more amenities your community has the higher the HOA fees will be.

Registering vehicles is very expensive. We do not have state income tax so they need to make up for it somehow.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Cold does really HURT!! I was outside this the dog this morning and the wind chill was 0 degrees F.
My poor DS is on a ski trip with school and the temperature there this morning is -11 degrees. I hope he doesn't get frost bite.

 

[momtwoboys]

Cold does really HURT!! I was outside this the dog this morning and the wind chill was 0 degrees F.
My poor DS is on a ski trip with school and the temperature there this morning is -11 degrees. I hope he doesn't get frost bite.

AGREE we are freezing our asses off here in MASS, and want to move so bad! I'm wanting the Winter Garden area, nice condo with a community pool.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

AGREE we are freezing our asses off here in MASS, and want to move so bad! I'm wanting the Winter Garden area, nice condo with a community pool.

Winter Garden is a nice area.

 

[penn19]

Yes, you have that in Florida, but we have the same problem here in Virginia. Just get the black poison boxes and keep them filled outside and a few inside if necessary. Fire ants are way worse and I forgot about palmetto bugs!! I've been out of Fl for 4 years, I could live the rest of my life without getting huge welts from ants and never seeing flying giant roaches again!

Snakes too, yes, but we usually had the harmless garters (and our snake friends eat the mice and rats). Once there was a legless lizard in my garage. it's not a snake it really is a lizard without legs. It's a whole other world there.

I used to live in Fl. We used to have those in my garage. We called them Skinks. They were gross looking.