Could use some advice about move to Florida...

[LaneOT]

I am an Occupational therapist and I have always had my heart set on living in Florida. I recently got my mom hooked on Florida and she travels 5 times a year down there. I really considering a move to the sunshine state... Its a better environment for my children and work is available for me. I am thinking somewhere along Jacksonville or Daytona...even Boca Raton.

any advice is helpful...

 

[rparmfamily]

My family moved outside Jacksonville in 1989, and never turned back. Moved down from Ohio. We ended up loving it!

St Augustine is a great neat city. Palm Coast has lots of retirees, Daytona is a quick 90 min or so drive to Disney and lots to do there. My family is in St John's and Clay county, and love it.

Good luck!

 

[ChristmasElf]

Jacksonville is nice. Not too expensive for housing either.
St. Augustine hassome great areas as well.
I have lived in Boca Raton and housing as well as everything else is quite expensive. Traffic is crazy and as far as housing goes, most of the houses are thisclosetoeachother so you don't end up with much of a yard. Don't even get me started on the schools there either.

 

[Birdman1511]

I moved down here about a year and a half ago, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.. You'll probably find arguments scattered all over about where the best areas are to live... but quite frankly... its Florida, ANYWHERE is a great area to live in. I would suggest to do your homework, maybe come down and see a few areas first and you'll be able to decide what part of FL is best for you and your family. I live in Orlando and I love it.. its perfect for me. Theres so much to do here, anything and everything, its not too expensive and its so close to so many great cities.. I'm only an hour-hour and 15 min. from Tampa, 3.5 hours from Miami, 3 hours from Ft. Lauderdale, 30 miles from Cocoa Beach, an hour from Daytona....every other weekend I head down to South Beach with some friends, or Ft. lauderdale and have a blast But, like i said, if you do a little research first you'll figure out whats best for you and your fam. Hope all goes well!!! We'll welcome you down here with open arms

 

[mhsjax]

I am a born and raised Floridian. I love it, except for August. Too hot. Anyway, another poster said that her family was in St Johns county. If you have kids, I highly recommend looking in St Johns. It is great. the schools are very good and it has a real family atmosphere.

I grew up in Duval county, which is technically Jacksonville. But moved to St Johns when we had kids. In fact we are now known as St Johns Fl. Most people her work in Jacksonville proper. We are only 10 miles from St Augustine and it only takes 2.5 hours to get to Disney.

HOpe this info helps.

 

[GeorgeG]

If you have work opportunities you are better than half-way there. We're coming up on five years here and have no regrets.

 

[Piglet4Ever]

Dh is in the Navy and we were stationed in Jacksonville for a couple yrs. We lived in Middleburg FL and really liked it, Orange Park is also a nice area, at least it was when we were there about 6 yrs ago.

 

[rparmfamily]

Middleburg and Orange Park are still nice areas, though Middleburg is fairly rural. That's actually where my house is (which is for rent BTW LOL), great schools and since it's not totally on the coast, the insurance on homes is a little cheaper.

I'd avoid Jax itself, unless you are looking for cool historic areas (Riverside, Avodale) and don't have to worry about schools or can afford private. Mandarin is very nice area of Jax though, and out at the beaches too. Amelia Island is just gorgeous.

Cost of living in the Jax-St Augustine area is AWESOME.

 

[Mom2Ty&Lins]

We live in St. Johns County, slightly south of Jacksonville, slightly north of St. Augustine. We moved back to St. Johns County (I lived most of my childhood in St. Johns County) from Jacksonville for the school system. Would definitely recommend St. Johns County if you have, or plan to have, children. I love it here but I am a native Floridian, born in Jacksonville, so I don't really know any different!

Just reread original post and saw you do have kids - St. Johns School District is top notch!

 

[Pig Pen]

My son and DIL were also stationed in JAX for 3 years. They lived in Green Cove Springs just south of Orange Park. At the time they were ambivalent about it, but now, a year after their transfer to Norfolk, they are very homesick for FL.

We loved visiting them in Jax and thought it was a nice city.

That being said, we just bought our "retirement" home in Winter Haven FL and will be moving down in Jan. We chose that area because it has a small town feel but is only 30 minutes to WDW, 45 minutes to my parents, and fairly close to Tampa/Clearwater where we still have lots of friends from high school. The real estate was cheap, cheap, cheap!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I am a 3rd generation native Miamian (now living in the Ft Lauderdale area) and I agree that you should move NORTH of Palm Beach County. If I had to start over and was not settled here with family, friends and DH's business...that's where you would find me!

Have you ever been to City-Data.com? Great stats on all cities and towns AND a very helpful message board, click on "forum" at the top of the page to find the message boards.

Good luck!

 

[Ricky's Girl]

I am a 3rd generation native Miamian (now living in the Ft Lauderdale area) and I agree that you should move NORTH of Palm Beach County. If I had to start over and was not settled here with family, friends and DH's business...that's where you would find me!

Have you ever been to City-Data.com? Great stats on all cities and towns AND a very helpful message board, click on "forum" at the top of the page to find the message boards.

Good luck!

I have a similar thread going about our possible move to Florida so I had to peek in here in hopes of finding some useful info. Thank you so much for posting the info on City-Data.com. I am finding it very usefull!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I have a similar thread going about our possible move to Florida so I had to peek in here in hopes of finding some useful info. Thank you so much for posting the info on City-Data.com. I am finding it very usefull!

Glad you like it...it is very helpful and interesting~!

 

[JKLLady]

I highly recommend looking in St. John's & Clay counties. My sister is in St. John's and we're in Clay. Both have "A" rated school districts, and I've been happy with DS's school experience so far. We moved two years ago from NJ & lived in a top school district there, so I was concerned.

We're also close to everything; health care in Jax (even Mayo clinic), shopping (St. John's Town Center, St. Augustine Outlets, Whole Foods, Fresh Market), beaches, golf, 2.5 hours to Disney (we usually go once a month), one hour to Daytona, concerts in Jax & St. Augustine, etc.

As someone else mentioned, cost of living is great; in NJ our property taxes were 10K, here we're under 4K, with more services included for the same size house.

 

[LaneOT]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. Having been a NY'er for almost 20 years (10 years as a Californian), I am so scared of having to leave creature comforts of the big city for a different state. As a single mom of two its a little leary. My profession translates well in Florida, I work with Geriatric and pediatric populations, but do not know if the cost of living is equal or less...