Florida residents I need you help really bad

[ducklite]

There's no pro football (NFL anyway) in Orlando.

I have to agree with the previous posters. You really ought to be looking at employment and schools... not sports teams.

Within a three-four hour radius there are three pro football teams though. Plus a pro hockey team, a couple pro baseball teams, and a couple pro basketball teams. And I have absolutely no idea how many minor league teams--but tons and tons!

And if you throw college into the mix...

My guess is that withint a four hour drive there is a professional or college game every single Saturday year round.

Anne

 

[ophie]

Within a three-four hour radius there are three pro football teams though. Plus a pro hockey team, a couple pro baseball teams, and a couple pro basketball teams. And I have absolutely no idea how many minor league teams--but tons and tons!

And if you throw college into the mix...

My guess is that withint a four hour drive there is a professional or college game every single Saturday year round.

Anne

Yeah, trust me, I know. It's actually more than what you mentioned (there's more hockey, pre-season baseball, etc). But the OP said that sports was a priority for moving. I wasn't arguing. I was just stating that there's no NFL in Orlando. As NFL is pretty much the ranking sport in the US, it was a calculated statement.

 

[KellyLynn]

I lived in Port Chharlotte for 5 years my whole family is still down there including my oldest son who goes to school there he was a Meadow Park Student and now a murdock middle school student in 7th grade. He loves it ans someday ( soon I hope we will move back there from Pa)

Like everyone said employment is key however both Fort Myers and Sarasota are withen commuting distance .

 

[ducklite]

Yeah, trust me, I know. It's actually more than what you mentioned (there's more hockey, pre-season baseball, etc). But the OP said that sports was a priority for moving. I wasn't arguing. I was just stating that there's no NFL in Orlando. As NFL is pretty much the ranking sport in the US, it was a calculated statement.

Have to agree with you, unless you are young with no kids and a nursing degree, moving someplace for a sports team is kind of whack.

Anne

 

[ophie]

Have to agree with you, unless you are young with no kids and a nursing degree, moving someplace for a sports team is kind of whack.

Anne

I'm hoping that the OP was exaggerating.

 

[Keggy]

If you are interested in living in the Tampa area for the sports teams. You should also look into St Pete, Clearwater areas. I lived in St Pete for three years and worked in Clearwater. Great areas.

My in-laws are from Pinellas Park - also a good town.

These are all very driveable to Tampa - I wouldn't ever recommend to someone to actually live in Tampa proper - it is a city....

There is crime everywhere - but I have never personally experienced anything it the 5 yrs I have been down here.

Kelly

 

[bambii]

not sports, my son is delayed, ADHD and has OCD. then my youngest has cold weather astma. so that is two main reason we want out of SD the doctors here are not helping my oldest all they want to do is give him pills after pills. so that is what we are looking in to.. i would like a good choise of Doctor and and good hopistals..

My husband lived in clearwater is the late 80's early 90's and we have aunts and cousins in Sarasota.

.my husband is disabled and as soon as we are moved i want to go back to school I have a degree in phelbotomy and it isnt what i want to do.. i didnt like it but im doing it now..i want to go back as a computer tech.. my husband is like 2 to 4 credits away from getting his assosiates degree in business from national american university.

 

[ducklite]

As far as finding a job, as a phlebotomist you should have no problems finding something, although I doubt you'd be able to get a relocation package. I'm a little concerned that this move might end up costing you a lot of money--have you thought about the cost of getting your belongings from SD to FL as well as first/last months rent or downpayment and closing costs?

We moved ourselves, it was 1100 miles and a one way Penske rental (we made two trips with seven months inbetween) and it cost us over $3000 for each trip with fuel and rental costs.

Anne

 

[Galahad]

not sports, my son is delayed, ADHD and has OCD. then my youngest has cold weather astma. so that is two main reason we want out of SD the doctors here are not helping my oldest all they want to do is give him pills after pills. so that is what we are looking in to.. i would like a good choise of Doctor and and good hopistals..

Then be very careful about the schools in the area you choose. Florida schools are quite overcrowded with all the folks moving down. They are not universally good at helping and teaching kids with any special needs. Some are, many aren't.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Employment is definately the biggest thing to consider. You need to look at housing costs versus the amount of money you are going to make. I have what I consider to be a good paying job for the area, and I still work weekends at a part time job for extra money because housing costs are just that high right now.

 

[Aidensmom]

I've lived in Tampa over 20 years, haven't had to run from a sex offender yet. It sounds like she just doesn't want her grandbaby away from her.

I went to high school in Lakeland, and that is where my mother still lives. It is a nice area, more of a small town feel, thought it really isn't a small town. Houses are a bit cheaper there in Tampa or Orlando, but of course more of the big corporations are in Tampa & Orlando, so a lot of people commute to these cities to work. I would start out with finding where you can get jobs, and go from there.

 

[jeffn5631]

We live close to Lakeland and we can recommend it as an area to move to. It medium size city with a lot of economic activity going on and it is a family oriented community with good schools. Most of the Gulf communities you listed have a very large "snow bird" populations and when the are in during the winter really burden the local facilities to handle them, but Lakeland is just the opposite and best of all right down I-4 you are about 40 miles away from Orlando to the east and about the same distance to Tampa to the west and you are far enough inland to escape the severe hurricane damage.

J & J

 

[Donny Baker]

we just bought property in Lakeland because it is going to explode in population in the forseeable future. we live in Brandon, and have no qualms except for traffic at times. I like Lakeland, but it's too far from the Gulf and my job. keep in mind that your homeowner's and auto insurance are going to jump big. there are a lot of trade-offs living here. we love it. we've also lost friends that moved back home.