Moving to Florida

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Aloha!
PatriciaH, you have secretly been one of my heroes! I thought it so great how you made it to Celebration and all seemed so well...but now, like so many, you seem to be falling victim to so much of what is wrong with central FLA.
What a shame! I know there has been lots of foreign investment in real estate there...are they the only ones who can now afford it?

Best wishes in making your decision...Keeping you in my thoughts!

~rose~

 

[CPM]

Well, we will be in Florida 2 years next month so I though I would add to this thread

Bad:
Pay (stinks)
Right to work state
Cost of living (higher than Boston and NYC for us)
Cost of housing
Electric costs (doubled and tripled for people in Celebration this summer)
Insurance costs (ditto if you can even get it)
Hurricanes
Lightning (beautiful but scary)
Summer heat (we find the strength of the sun worse than the hummidity esp. this year)
Fire ants
Bugs (facinating but plentful)
Drivers (worse than NY/very scary)
Red Tide (and we thought we would go to the beach more here )
Lots of folks dumping and running from Celebration (too $$$ so they can't afford it anymore)
Homes are not built like they were up north (shoddy construction)
Schools stink
Hospitals/medical care is not as good
Crime is on the rise
Flat-not as scenic as other areas of the country (Yes, I think CA is georgous)
.

Hmm, also moved here from Boston. 7 years ago and would NEVER move back.
Pay, same or more. I guess it depends what business you're in.
Cost of living? Well, I guess it depended when you moved. We paid almost exactly the same for our home. But, here in Florida, it's almost twic ethe size. I looked at homes in Celebration and thought for being so far away from a beach, they were extremely over-priced and that was 7 years ago. Even now, homes in NYC & Boston are still more than most cities in FL.
Electric, not really sure, but I haven't heard DH complain too much.
Insurance, home owners is more, but car insurance is about a third.
Hurricanes and lightening, well, more than NE, but as expected and we are well prepared.
Summer heat, as expected. I think FL is more prepared than NE for the heat and I think it's better than dealing with the extreme cold.
Fire Ants- never had a problem. I would never step in a pile of dirt and i get my yard sprayed.
Drivers- LOL Boston drivers? Need I say more?
Red tide- I have seen this more the last two years, but I spend more time at my pool, and I have only seen this as a problem in late summer, early fall.
Homes- I have a well built home. It survived a cat 4 hurricane with very minimal damage. My home that was built up north wasn't built as well. You need to keep an eye out for contruction when building a home.
Schools- ours are wonderful. I feel like that is a generalzation of schools in FL. I'm surprised the schools in Celebration stink?? That is something I researched before moving here. My area in Ft. Myers has great schools.
Hospitals,not quite sure. My DH was hospitalized for 11 days and was treated great. I;m sure the Boston hospitals are better. I don't want to find out.
Crimes, generalation again. I feel very safe where we are, better than Boston or any NE town I have lived in.
Scenice, Flat, yes, but I love the palm tree, beautiful sunset and ocean scene.

 

[safetymom]

I say to each his one. I don't find the cost of living any more than where I lived in PA. Taxes are less than PA. I got more house here in FL than in PA for less money. My house has appreciated much more than it ever did it PA.

My Florida home is very well built. My electric bill is no worse here than it was in PA. I knew it was going to be hot in FL but we had lots of very hot and humid days in PA and I didn't have a/c.

I love living close to the parks but where I live I see grazing cattle and orange groves. The roads are in much better shape here. I don't have to worry about traffic jams like I did in PA.

I am very thankful I live in FL when it starts snowing. No worries about the weather and if I will be able to drive where I need to go.

Florida living isn't for everyone but many of us are very happy we moved to Florida.

 

[AKLRULZ]

Yes, in a heartbeat. The farther south the better - I had a job offer in Tampa in the late 90s that I regret not accepting.

 

[SillyMe]

My sister is moving down there next week. She tried talking me into going along. As much as I love Florida, I couldn't move down there....not at this point in my life anyway.

 

[cgcruz]

I would LOVE to move to Florida! My fiance is about to finish College this December and I am trying to convince her to have us move to Florida. I just love the state! I would love never to have to deal with snow again! I love the Orlando area in general, not just WDW.

Also, I HATE the Washington, D.C. area (northern virginia). People here are so darn snobby, neigborhoods here have a very "stepford wives" feel to it. People here just are too self-important. I hate seeing those darn monuments everyday, the Pentagon everyday, and I can't stand the Redskins!

I am originally from Los Angeles, been here for 10 years now, but I have always hate it here!


I need to live in Florida now!

 

[Southern4sure]

Yes, in a heartbeat. The farther south the better - I had a job offer in Tampa in the late 90s that I regret not accepting.

Awe, it's never too late to make the move. I live just north of Tampa and I love it! In Jan, it will be two yrs and I came from southern AL so I guess the bugs, heat, humidity and hurricanes aren't any different than what I'm use to.

 

[Ranatra]

I think what would be ideal is to live in Florida during the winter months and come back here to Pittsburgh for the summer! I couldn't leave Pittsburgh all together, I'd miss everyone too much.
I checked "When I retire" which means for me when DH retires.

 

[safetymom]

We are making a visit back to Pgh. in November. My parents are not living, and my sisters moved to FL. as did my oldest child. It made it easier to move here.

I can't wait to eat my favorite foods in the Burgh. Daughter wants to stock up on Steeler merchandise.

 

[C.Ann]

Well this year I'll be spending the winter there - from Jan. to late/March or early April.. When my DGD is older - and having "Grandma" around all the time isn't so important - I'll continue to spend 7 months or so here at the lake and the rest of the time in Florida - with flights back for the holidays..

I couldn't live there year-round because the humidity would kill me and I have to have my "mountain fix" every year..

 

[J.Cooper]

I would LOVE to live in Florida. I would move there in a heartbeat!!! I HATE the winter snowy weather, just HATE it!!! Unfortunately, DH does not like the HOT weather so moving to Florida won't be happening no time soon.

 

[iluvflorida8]

Moved from NE Ohio 10 months ago. Had snow,ice,pot holes,dirty cars,etc for 50 years. Would NEVER move back north.

In fact I have 3 other brother and sisters that also lived in Ohio up until the last 2 years. Now 2 brothers have moved to Phoenix Az, and my sister moved to West Palm, and we moved to Vero Beach.....and we all agree on one thing.......none of us would move back to Ohio EVER!!!

 

[DisneyCP2002]

I would love to live again in Florida. Maybe not in Orlando though but close enough that I could visit Disney as often as I would like.

 

[Stitchfans]

If I had my way I'd be there now. Have relatives there, Disney, what else can you ask for?

 

[grinningghost]

We always planned to move to Florida after DD graduated from high school, but DH's job is too good right now to leave - so we're hanging out until he retires. I wish we didn't have to, but life is full of tough choices.

 

[Faerie]

I moved to Coral Springs, Florida (Broward County) from Taunton, MA in 1994. Although I don't love South Florida, you couldn't pay me to live in the Northeast again (or anywhere that it snows). I'd love to move further north, I am not a fan of living in South Florida. People are rude, can't drive, cost of living is getting way far out of hand, I don't speak Spanish so I can't go to Miami

I love the Melbourne area.... maybe in a couple of years.

 

[PatriciaH]

Aloha!
PatriciaH, you have secretly been one of my heroes! I thought it so great how you made it to Celebration and all seemed so well...but now, like so many, you seem to be falling victim to so much of what is wrong with central FLA.
What a shame! I know there has been lots of foreign investment in real estate there...are they the only ones who can now afford it?

Best wishes in making your decision...Keeping you in my thoughts!

~rose~

Thanks Rose Yes, it seems like at least 60% of Celebration is British. Most of the businesses seem to be as well. I think Celebration is a great idea but just don't think it is working (yet?) Too many investors/part time residents and not a lot of full time people. Lots of empty houses. Just learned another business is going under today (Bloom Street Trading Company.) We have been checking out other places in Florida as well but nothing is really "clicking." The weather is great but I don't know if the state is right for us. We will see what happens! My parents moved down last year from NY (retired) and are not pleased with the cost of everything. They may be moving back to NY soon.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

I have no desire to live in Florida. I like the four seasons, I love snow, I hate hot, humid weather, I'm not crazy about big bugs or gators, and I love living where I'm at! I wouldn't mind going there to visit WDW (only ever been to Disneyland) but a visit would be more than enough for me!

 

[nightowlky]

I think I would miss the change of seasons.

But, I wouldn't miss the dreary days of winter that much.

 

[PenskeSth1]

I moved from North West Pa. to Florida in 1983. At that time it was nice to rub it in my familys face that I lived in beautiful Florida and they didn't.

Now DH and I are looking for property back up north somewhere in the country. We miss the seasons. We love the snow, and we don't get to see the leaves change.

Yeah It is nice living so close to Disney and the beaches, but it is getting so crowded down here and home insurance has gone through the ceiling. I hate the heat and the bugs.