FL Residents: How do you like living in FL?

[Chicago526]

BF and future hubby works for a major newspaper here in Chicago. The company also owns the Orlando newspaper. BF does not like the Chicago paper, but has heard great things about the way the Orlando paper is run, and is seriously considering transfering down to FL after we are married. I work right now as a travel agent, and could (hopefully) find a job in the Orlando area either with Disney, or perhaps at another agency.

I've never lived anywhere else but the Chicago area. I've been visiting FL my whole life, and like going there for vacation. But LIVING there may be a differant kettle of fish all together.

So, my question to all you FL residents, especially those that have moved there from other parts of the U.S., is how do you like living in FL, specificly the Orlando area. How are the schools, how do you survive the horrible heat/humidity in the summer? How are the taxes (both state income and property). Any info you can give would be very helpful!

This is of course by no means certain that we will be moving, and even if we do, it won't be for at least 1 to 3 years from now, depending on when we get married and what our $$$ situation is. But the more info I have about a subject, the better I feel about it, and the idea of moivng 1000 miles across the country is a little daunting!

Thanks again!

 

[4disneyfans]

We moved here last year. I was very apprehensive about the move but looking forward to it also. We are really enjoying it!
The heat...Stay in doors during the middle part of the day!The mornings and evenings aren't bad at all. I dreaded this so much but as it turns out even when we are out it really isn't that bad.
Property tax?? Depends on where you buy but have heard it is cheaper than up north on a general bases.
Schools.......be careful and do your research!! There are good schools here but I can't say it enough..do your research!!!
NO STATE INCOME TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope this helped answer your questions..I am sure there are many people here on the DIS boards that can help with property tax questions when you have an idea of where you might move.
Good luck!!!

 

[Feralpeg]

I moved to Orlando from Missouri a little over a month ago. I really like it here. Yes, it is hot right now. Of course, the heat index in Kansas City was 105 the other day. Not much of a difference.

Orlando is a really pretty city. It is fairly easy to find your way around. I4 is bad. I don't work, so I can avoid I4 during rush hour. That is a definate plus.

There is so much to do here and I am not just talking about theme parks. The city has much to offer.

It does tend to storm most afternoons at this time of year. I could do without that since my dog is afraid of thunder. Once we get past September, that shouldn't be that big a problem.

My DD starts high school here on August 9. So far, our dealings with the school have been very positive. They have some great programs here. I have no idea how old your kids are, but they have a program that you can contribute to on a monthly basis that will set aside funds for college and freeze the tuition that you will pay to what it is when you start paying into the program. Since DD will be a junior in high school, that program is of no interest to me. If she were younger, I'd definately be interested. They also have the Florida Bright Futures program that is supported by the Florida Lottery. It will pay up to 100 percent of a students college tuition if they maintain good grades in high school. DD is a very good student. This program will save me a ton on college tuition.

If I had to pick one thing that I don't like about living here, it would be the way people drive. There are totally maniacs on the road. The speed limit tends to be high in most areas. The normal speed limit on large roads (non-highway) is 45. Of course, no one drives the speed limit. They weave in and out and have no problem with cutting you off. The U-Turn thing still freaks me out. You really have to watch for people doing U-Turns on major roads. U-Turns were not legal in Missouri, so this really seems strange to me.

Other than drivers, the people down here are very nice. We've yet to meet anyone that hasn't been really friendly. That includes neighbors, store clerks, delivery people. The only place we've encountered less than friendly people (and this will probably get me in trouble) is in the theme parks. I'm not talking about CMs.

In general, I really like it here.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Don't like it, can't wait for DH to retire so we can move to the mountains in North Carolina. It's too hot, it's too crowded, planning and development is done by morons, infranstructure is not keeping up with growth, wages are not keeping up with property values, the school system is not the greatest (even at the "good" schools), the older, retired people won't let us raise the sales tax here so we can help the infrastructure keep up with growth which means the burden will fall solely on home owners, ummm I could go on and on and you probably don't want me too.

You'll find the happiest people are the ones who are still newer residents. It will change over time.

 

[ladycollector]

We live in Destin/Ft Walton Beach and really love it. There are things to do, we have the prettiest beaches!! They are WHITE WHITE. The whole area is well maintained, and the schools are great. Destin Middle is the only one I would be aprehensive about, its a NICE school, but the people who run it are very underhanded and have that "I'm better than you are" attitude.

Before you move I would say that you should visit some of the areas you are thinking about. BTW, we've lived here 10 yrs.

 

[stitch79]

Originally posted by Miss Jasmine
Don't like it, can't wait for DH to retire so we can move to the mountains in North Carolina. It's too hot, it's too crowded, planning and development is done by morons, infranstructure is not keeping up with growth, wages are not keeping up with property values, the school system is not the greatest (even at the "good" schools), the older, retired people won't let us raise the sales tax here so we can help the infrastructure keep up with growth which means the burden will fall solely on home owners, ummm I could go on and on and you probably don't want me too.

You'll find the happiest people are the ones who are still newer residents. It will change over time.

Amen!! I would love to move to the NC mountains also, its a beautiful place. On our last vist up there we lost count of how many people told us that they had moved up there from FL.

 

[Gwene65]

I moved to Fort Myers 2 years ago from California and to be honest; I miss California.
Which would explain why we are moving back in March. I just don't feel home here in Florida. Don't know what I'm looking for and since I'm still young, I think I'd like to give life a try back where my roots are from.

Nothing against Florida, it just doesn't hold a candle to Cali.

 

[Kallison]

Make sure you can afford private school if possible. Like everyone else said -- research the schools.

 

[buzzz1]

Another Florida native checking in !!

I have lived in the Florida panhandle for all my 35 years.......
It is beautiful here and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else !!

(It would be nice though to get a surprise SNOW... every once in awhile...)

Come see us at the World's Most Beautiful Beaches........
PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA

 

[Chicago526]

Thank for the replies, everyone!

No kids yet, but since we plan on having them, I figure schools will be important in the future, if not right now. Schools here can be hit and miss too, I guess it's the same no mater where you go.

It does get as hot and humind in the Mid-West as it does in FL, the differance is that here it only stays that way a few days at a time, then it cools off for a few days, then gets hot again. As far as I can tell in FL it gots hot and humid in May and stays that way until September. Thunderstorms, I can deal with. They aren't daily here, but more like weekly. But no snow in the winter sounds great, and hopefully will make up for the icky summers.

Nice to know there is no income tax, although IL's is rather low so I don't really complain. I'm not familure with the Orlando area, but I figure if BF needs to work downtown at the paper, and I want to work for Disney, we'll want to live about 1/2 way between the two, so I'm not sure what towns those would be. We would be able to afford a house between $200,000 and $250,000, I think.

I've driven enough in FL to know that the drivers there are NUTS, but since I know that going in, I hope I'll be okay! Besides, there are plenty of idiots on the roads of IL, too!

Anyone else want to put their 2 cents in?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Yeah just keep on coming, there is plenty of room for everyone! You might want to bring some water with you though, the water supplies are expected to run out in less than 10 years! Oh and good paying jobs, not realated to tourism, are plentiful in the Orlando area.

Carl Hiaasen was onto something when he started writing his books.

 

[doxdogy]

I have lived in Florida all my life and hate it. I am tired of the heat and humidity in the summer. The temp right now is 90, but factor in the humidity and it feels like 96 outside. Yesterday morning the low was a nice sweltering 79. If it wasn't for the fact that my father (he is 78) still lived here, DH and I would move away from Florida.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

doxdogy, I understand about being "stuck" here. I could work any where, no problem. But DH is more than halfway to his retirement, he has only 10 years left, and he will get 75% of his pay. So we are stuck for 10 more years.

 

[Chicago526]

BF is from PA, and hates IL, and is one of the reasons he wants to move. So I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!

BF will have a non-tourism related job going in, so that not a problem, and I already work as a travel agent dependant upon the economy and how willing people are to travel and spend money, so that much won't change at all!

The water shortage is disconcerting, though...

 

[doxdogy]

I am so glad that someone understands how I feel. DH and I are going to retire up north. We would really like to retire someplace that has a change of the seasons.

Originally posted by Miss Jasmine
doxdogy, I understand about being "stuck" here. I could work any where, no problem. But DH is more than halfway to his retirement, he has only 10 years left, and he will get 75% of his pay. So we are stuck for 10 more years.

 

[AMClvsMKY]

We moved to Gainesville, Fl from a south suburb of Chicago ( Mokena, close to Joliet) and love it!! We are about 1 1/ 2 hours from Orlando. Being that we are in a college town, the schools are pretty good here ( comparing them to the schools they went to before, which were considered good schools also). The proce range you mentioned would get you a nice house in a gated community (here anyway) Dh and I both make more at our current jobs than we did in Illinois. My DH's job ( which is what brought us here) is pretty much the same, just at a different university and mine is pretty comparable also, both office jobs.

So, when you hear that jobs pay less here, just keep in mind that is not always the case. And, you have to keep in mind that cost of living is considerably lower here so you can make less and still keep the same standard of living.


Hope this helps

 

[TennVolTony]

I've been here 4 years (ALREADY ) and it's great. Golf and sunshine just fit really good together. Being 10 minutes from WDW helps too. The area I live in, Hunters Creek, has everything I need within 2 or 3 blocks of me.

 

[Poohbear123]

Checking in, to let you know I will be moving either to Ft. Myers area or Port Charlotte area in the next 2 years I hope! You see, I HATE MIAMI--it has too many People, Schools suck, traffic sucks, and everybody lives here, including Shaq! Need to get out SOOON! You might want to try this areas to move too: Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Pensacola, Tampa Bay...just make SURE you reasearch the area you want to move too extensively.

 

[tnkrbell]

Well We are very lucky the schools in our area are actually wonderful!!The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton area ranks third among the 65 largest metropolitan areas in quality of schools as the most desirable schools in the Nation.
The weather is great but I do miss the change of seasons.

 

[JimB.]

I've lived in Florida since 1962.

Would not live anywhere else.

I grew up on the Space Coast (Brevard County) during the height of the "space race" & it was tremendously exciting. I now live in Northeast Florida (sT. aUGUSTINE) & am tremendously happy & content.

Our schools are good, the cost of living is................. well, so-so. Cost of housing is going up fast, but otherwise it is not too bad.

Love the beach. Can drive to the mountains in 1/2 a day if I want. Fishing and boating on either fresh or salt water. Some sports in the area. College & pro foorball, minor league baseball & hockey. PGA golf tournament. About 17,000 golf courses within a 45 minute drive.

It IS gettin' a wee bit crowded here, but I live on 6 acres, so no nearby neighbors.

Only a 2 hour drive to WDW. We don't really like the Orlando area, so this is a good distance to be away.