OT Does any one on actually live

[PatriciaH]

Our house had 3 bedrooms and our electric was under $200/month most months. I really wonder what the difference was Are you talking about condos as opposed to single-family dwellings? Maybe somehow heat/AC are higher because they are multi-family units?

Seems like the houses had it the worst. They put in new meters about 3 years ago and everyone's electric jumped big time after that. Many people called them out to check the meters and they insisted they were fine. There was a huge stink about it for a while in town. Not sure if anyone did anything about it though. Most people just seem to give up and move if they can't deal with the bs there. Sad. The AMC theater just closed

 

[MissBritt]

$7000+ on that size house sounds huge. Do they have a lot of land, too? Our house is 1800 square feet on 1/3 acre in the county with the highest property taxes, so the math is confusing me. Luckily, our electric only runs $112-153 per month.

I agree with those who love Publix... best selection and prices if you know how to shop there!

 

[MiniGirl]

Being a resident of the Ft. Lauderdale area for more than 22 yrs now, I have been ready to move further north (within FL) for more than 10 years. When I say north, more into LoveBWVVBR's area. I love Melbourne/Viera, it's so laid back compared to this area. People are nicer, the pace is slower. The drivers are so much more considerate! It's crazy around here and I'm so tired of the rude people.

Your post gave me a giggle. We moved up here (Beachside, east of Melbourne) from the Ft. Lauderdale area. (We lived just north of FLL in Lighthouse Point.) Anyway, we were here about 3 weeks when someone rear ended me. Spent 10 years in south Florida with all those crazy drivers constantly running red lights, etc and never had an accident.

But yeah, for the most part we like it here. We could live almost anywhere we want to, and we choose to stay here.

 

[jwfla422]

The people who bought our old house (same town here in Brevard) are from Ft. Lauderdale. They are using it as a weekend home right now because they LOVE this area. They find it very peaceful compared to S. Florida. I must say that I love the pace of life here too. A woman who is about to move out of the area was ragging on Melbourne as being in the middle of nowhere and so horrible last week I was like "you know what? Some people LIKE that aspect of it!" Seriously, the pace here is just fine with me. I like to visit S. Florida and I sure do envy your shopping options, but I could never live anywhere but here.

So funny how it's all "relative". Some years back I discovered Kohls in Viera which was, at the time, the closest Kohls to South FL, LOL! And I loved that store (and I still do because it's big and has a great selection). Other than having several of the "same" store within a short distant I don't know what we have that's all that much different, LOL! (Yes, I do live within a 5 mile radius of 4 Targets and 4 Walmarts LOL!)

I think that may be the way to go though. A "getaway" home in Melbourne, sounds great to me. I took my dd there last summer (and the summer before). Our favorite place to eat is "Grilles" and we miss it so much!! We go to the beach one day and then we do a day trip to Orlando to the factory outlets. Otherwise we go to the zoo or hit the Avenue.

I'll be more than happy to trade places with that woman who was ragging on Melbourne, she'd probably be VERY happy down here!

I do agree with the other posters who mentioned that Florida wasn't for some people. Definitely very true. You have to be able to stand the heat and humidity for one and have to be able to deal with the chaos during a hurricane warning. I know many people who didn't like it here. However I'm one that would never want to leave the state. I don't love this area, but I'll take it over the northeast ANYDAY! (and I am an official transplant and my dd is a native and can't stand wearing anything but shorts and flip flops!)

 

[jwfla422]

Your post gave me a giggle. We moved up here (Beachside, east of Melbourne) from the Ft. Lauderdale area. (We lived just north of FLL in Lighthouse Point.) Anyway, we were here about 3 weeks when someone rear ended me. Spent 10 years in south Florida with all those crazy drivers constantly running red lights, etc and never had an accident.

But yeah, for the most part we like it here. We could live almost anywhere we want to, and we choose to stay here.

Oh no, can you believe that! I have to admit during our trip up last summer we hit one of those tropical down pours on 95 around Palm Bay and wouldn't you know it, they were doing major road construction (believe it or not!), but I had a tough time seeing which way the road was going and I was real lucky we didn't have an incident! Sorry to hear about yours but I'm glad you're happy there, everyone I know around here thinks I'm crazy when I say I want to move to Melbourne but that's ok because we don't want everyone to know our secret!

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

So funny how it's all "relative". Some years back I discovered Kohls in Viera which was, at the time, the closest Kohls to South FL, LOL! And I loved that store (and I still do because it's big and has a great selection). Other than having several of the "same" store within a short distant I don't know what we have that's all that much different, LOL! (Yes, I do live within a 5 mile radius of 4 Targets and 4 Walmarts LOL!)

Well, you guys have things like Gymboree stores, Pottery Barn, etc. that we have to drive to Orlando for...you also have Whole Foods still. Ours closed. I was thinking more of stuff like that.

There is a Kohls in Palm Bay right off 95 now, so a little closer to you than Viera

Grills...is that the one that is on US1 right on the river or am I thinking of a different place? I know that I drive by it all the time, but I can't think of where it is! That is one thing about this area. We sure don't lack for yummy locally-owned, non-chain restaurants. Soooo many delicious options!

If you want a weekend place in Melbourne, now would be the time to buy. I couldn't believe the deals that were out there this fall when we bought and sold here. There was a place in my old neighborhood literally just across A1A from the beach, really nice pool, OK sized house (1300 sq. ft. or so) for $135K. It was a short sale and was headed for foreclosure. My old neighbors made 2 offers on it (both were rejected by the bank though) and were waiting for it to got to auction to get another chance at it. They want it as an investment. The deals out here are insane for beachside!

I had to LOL at your DD refusing to wear anything but shorts and flip flops. When I put a long-sleeved shirt on my 2 year-old she started screaming "it hurts! too small!" We had to convince her that it didn't hurt and wasn't too small. She just isn't used to wearing much more than tank tops and shorts, LOL!

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

everyone I know around here thinks I'm crazy when I say I want to move to Melbourne but that's ok because we don't want everyone to know our secret!

I don't think you're crazy. This area is a hidden gem

 

[lyncecelia]

My parents live in Palm Bay. They moved to that area from South Florida (Sunrise, to be exact!). They love the country feel and my DSis12 can walk home from the bus stop without them being afraid lol.

The schools are much better there too! My sister is on an IEP, and in Sunrise they let her slide on everything because they didn't want to deal with it! Her new school is MUCH better with her and actually holds her accountable! I am happy they moved there. If I ever did have to live in Florida again, I'd definitely would want to live in Brevard!

 

[momrek06]

My parents have a home in Palm Harbor (Tampa) and while we lived in Boston, we would go every other year (winter) to visit them and spend quality time at WDW.

We are in CA now and just an hour to DL so we are at DL all.of.the.time.

I will say about Florida, my Mom said it is freezing there right now. FL's Nov and Dec have been unseasonably cold and she said allot of their friends that have family that come to visit them and hit up the Parks are so unhappy with how cold it has been for the state of Florida.

Come to CA everyone, it is going to be 75+ all weekend long.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I will say about Florida, my Mom said it is freezing there right now. FL's Nov and Dec have been unseasonably cold and she said allot of their friends that have family that come to visit them and hit up the Parks are so unhappy with how cold it has been for the state of Florida.

Yesterday and today have both been nice, but I guess that the freezing weather is coming back shortly. Mon. is supposed to be really cold. I'm OVER freezing cold weather in FL. It's just so wrong

 

[jodifla]

I love your attitude! You know what irks me most about living here? All of the people who constantly talk about how much better it was "back home". OK, then go back there if it was so great, KWIM? If you move here, really MOVE here and don't look back! That's what we did too and I'm so glad. There is so much to love about FL if you let yourself really MOVE here mentally as well as physically and if you stop comparing it to "back home". Off my soapbox now

Great point!!!!

Florida is a state with so much to offer. So many different, interesting, one-of-a-kind areas...the Everglades, the Keys, Lake Okeechobee, the springs of Central Florida. One just has to be open to a bit of exploring.

 

[jwfla422]

Yesterday and today have both been nice, but I guess that the freezing weather is coming back shortly. Mon. is supposed to be really cold. I'm OVER freezing cold weather in FL. It's just so wrong

But, just remember it doesn't stay cold ALL winter. We have days that are cold and then days like today that it goes well into the 70s. It's fairly unusual that we're getting these cold, cold snaps right now. It'll probably be warm for Christmas LOL!

That's hysterical about your dd not wanting to wear the winter stuff too. My dd spent the night at my mom's and called me today giving me grief for forgetting to pack flip-flops! She'd go barefoot before she'd put her sneakers back on, and clogs with shorts....oohhh no!

 

[jwfla422]

My parents live in Palm Bay. They moved to that area from South Florida (Sunrise, to be exact!). They love the country feel and my DSis12 can walk home from the bus stop without them being afraid lol.

The schools are much better there too! My sister is on an IEP, and in Sunrise they let her slide on everything because they didn't want to deal with it! Her new school is MUCH better with her and actually holds her accountable! I am happy they moved there. If I ever did have to live in Florida again, I'd definitely would want to live in Brevard!

Glad to hear that! Sunrise isn't far from us so I know the area well. I had to send my 12 yr old to private school this year because her and middle school...well, let's just say it didn't work. Nice to hear your DS is happy at her school there. I don't think they have middle school like they do here up there. Isn't it more like Jr high? ( just 7 & 8th grades??) If we ever do move to Melbourne I'd love to be able to send my dd to public school.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

If we ever do move to Melbourne I'd love to be able to send my dd to public school.

There aren't a lot of what I'd deem stellar middle schools in our area, though. That is the ONE thing that I think we're lacking educationally. I'd consider West Shore (school of choice) or possibly DeLaura (Satellite Beach), but that's about it for public options. We have great elementary and great high school options, but I just don't love our Jr. High options.

 

[rparmfamily]

That's interesting about the utilities. In Brevard, I paid (averaged over the year) $200/month for electricity for our 2900 sf house - everything was electric. I guess it depends on which utility provider you have - we had FP&L I'm pretty sure.

In WNY, I also paid an average of $200/month for gas + electric together for a 1500 sf house - so utilities were a wash for us from a monthly budget standpoint when we moved. But of course in Florida, we had to have the pest control service too - didn't need that in NYS.

I didn't mind grocery prices in FL either but I hated the stores for the most part. I begrudgingly shopped @ Publix, but really didn't like it but it was the best choice in my mind. I'm a bit of a grocery store snob.

Overall I thought the cost of living was about the same - it's just that the house prices were so much more (we also built a house at the height of the bubble in 2004-2005). But that's all changed now!

This thread just shows though - that it's all about the individual - I don't think anyone can accurately predict whether you will like living in FL or not - some people love it, some people do not/ did not. My SIL and family live in Orange Park (JAX) for the past 15 years and wouldn't dream of leaving FL - part of why we moved there was their persuasion. But it wasn't for us.

My family all relocated (2 sisters, my mother and my brother/SIL) to the Orange Park area and really really like it. The cost of living is pretty cheap, houses are cheap and you're not close enough to the ocean to really get hit with high home insurance.

Clay County Co-op is the electric company and I've found them MUCH cheaper than neighboring Jax Electric Authority in Duval Co. I'd never live in Duval Co personally, the schools overall are terrible but there are some gems in there. I do like some of the historic homes in Jax but I'd rather be in St Augustine. (cute town, great schools, close to the beach)

My parents have a home in Palm Harbor (Tampa) and while we lived in Boston, we would go every other year (winter) to visit them and spend quality time at WDW.

We are in CA now and just an hour to DL so we are at DL all.of.the.time.

I will say about Florida, my Mom said it is freezing there right now. FL's Nov and Dec have been unseasonably cold and she said allot of their friends that have family that come to visit them and hit up the Parks are so unhappy with how cold it has been for the state of Florida.

Come to CA everyone, it is going to be 75+ all weekend long.

LOL, last time I was in Cali it was nearly 120 degrees. No thanks. Felt like hell LOL. That was Aug 07 and it was a heatwave but YIKES! We were in San Diego and some inland areas too visiting friends. Getting out of the car nearly knocked me down! Luckily it does not get that hot in northern FL.



I do have to say...the best weather is in Hawaii LOL...but the cost of living is outrageous.

 

[rluey29]

Here's our story:

In August we lived in Arkansas. My husband was a teacher/coach at a local school and I had just graduated college (got a late start). We hated AR!!! Super cold winters with ice storms that would knock out electricity and keep you in for days, super hot summers that was miserable to go out in, so many mosquitos that they would get stuck in your eyelashes as you tried to get in your front door, major allergens, and no entertainment whatsoever. We lived in a good sized town too.

We came to FL every year on vacation and would go into depression every time we had to leave. We were at WDW on vacation sitting in our hotel in June and my husband applied for a teaching job online. He was hired, we sold his truck and our house in one month, packed up a large moving truck and moved our 2 kids to sunny Florida.

We are in Mount Dora which is a wonderful town and we're 35 minutes away from the mouse. We are thinking of moving towards the Sanford/Lake Mary just for the large malls but it's good here too. We absolutely LOVE it here!! I think people who say they don't like it are just in the wrong part. It's no more humid here than in AR. I'm kind of ashamed to say that we go to Disney World every single weekend. I'm sure that will change eventually but we're living it up right now. There is always something to do and my husband makes more money here teaching and has NO coaching duties. We will be here forever...

 

[elf]

Mount Dora is so pretty. While we lived in Fl we visited a few times. Took the nature walk along the Boardwalk. We liked the layed back feel and cute homes. Really miss Fl. It's freezing here in NY. Someday we'll be back.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Mount Dora is so pretty. While we lived in Fl we visited a few times. Took the nature walk along the Boardwalk. We liked the layed back feel and cute homes. Really miss Fl. It's freezing here in NY. Someday we'll be back.

If it makes you feel better, it's freezing in FL right now too

 

[dfchelbay]

Here's our story:

In August we lived in Arkansas. My husband was a teacher/coach at a local school and I had just graduated college (got a late start). We hated AR!!! Super cold winters with ice storms that would knock out electricity and keep you in for days, super hot summers that was miserable to go out in, so many mosquitos that they would get stuck in your eyelashes as you tried to get in your front door, major allergens, and no entertainment whatsoever. We lived in a good sized town too.

We came to FL every year on vacation and would go into depression every time we had to leave. We were at WDW on vacation sitting in our hotel in June and my husband applied for a teaching job online. He was hired, we sold his truck and our house in one month, packed up a large moving truck and moved our 2 kids to sunny Florida.

We are in Mount Dora which is a wonderful town and we're 35 minutes away from the mouse. We are thinking of moving towards the Sanford/Lake Mary just for the large malls but it's good here too. We absolutely LOVE it here!! I think people who say they don't like it are just in the wrong part. It's no more humid here than in AR. I'm kind of ashamed to say that we go to Disney World every single weekend. I'm sure that will change eventually but we're living it up right now. There is always something to do and my husband makes more money here teaching and has NO coaching duties. We will be here forever...

Can I come live with you guys...please!

 

[Disney845]

Grills...is that the one that is on US1 right on the river or am I thinking of a different place? I know that I drive by it all the time, but I can't think of where it is! That is one thing about this area. We sure don't lack for yummy locally-owned, non-chain restaurants. Soooo many delicious options!

There are two now. The original one is actually up by the Port. It is the smaller of the two, but I like that one because you can sit there and watch the cruise ships leave port. The second (newer) one is off US1 just north of Pineda Causeway and is bigger (but parking can be a nightmare on weekend nights when they have live music playing at the Tiki Bar, last time we were there...maybe 2 months ago on a Friday night, we had to park across the street at a daycare and run across US1 in the dark). They do have some yummy food. I particularly like their kabobs and they have a drink called the Lazy Pelican that is tasty.