What are the PROS and CONS of living in Florida? Would you live there or move out..

[ilovepcot]

I'd love to offer some helpful imput, but can't get past these 2 questions.

1) Do you already KNOW someone TRUSTWORTHY in the Orlando
area?

2) Have you secured employment? If so, are you aware
(for planning new budget) of the new proposed salary?

I certainly don't expect you to answer these questions online but feel the answers to them should weigh heavily on your desision.

By the way, your children are adorable!

 

[*Fantasia*]

Thanks for responding guys. ::SIGH:: Lots of things to think about here. But I am glad you guys are really making me think really hard.

How about just trying it for one year? And just see how it goes. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. If I feel that it is affecting the kids being away from the family then we will head back. Or if I can't deal with the thunderstorm there, then I will head back.

HI ilovepcot, to your questions...

1) Yes, I know someone down there, it's my Godmother, but it's been ages since we saw each other. I have someone going with me, so I won't be alone with my children.

2) I can transfer my job there. The money shouldn't be a big issue.

My issue is regarding about how good the school system there and moving my kids away from my family and my in-laws. My other issue is the LIGHTNING!! I am terrified of lightning. I will. deal with bugs and lizards, but lightning, that is something I cannot avoid, it is out there.

Keep it coming guys...I would love to hear more from you. Thank you guys, I very much so appreciate you guys taking your time reading this thread.

Mahalo,
Telly

 

[ilovepcot]

Your answers make me feel soooo much better!!! I pictured in my mind your coming here totally alone and not knowing a living soul. Worried me something unforseen could happen and you'd have no one to help you. It's also a major help that you're able to transfer with your job!

Don't know what to tell you about lightning. Never really thought much about it. During thunder storms we've (Floridians) been told to avoid bodies of water, not to stand under trees and go indoors when possible. That's about it.

Will be very anxious to hear about your trip in May. Hopefully it will provide all the information you need to make the right decision. And by chance it's the decision to move here......I want to be the first one to say "WELCOME"!

 

[safetymom]

I moved to the Orlando area in Dec. from PA. I am a widow and my youngest graduated high school in June. The family I had left in PA were not enough to keep me there. They didn't bother much so I figured I could move to Florida and they still wouldn't bother.

I love the area that I moved to here. I am about 12 miles from Epcot and the rest of the parks so I can come and go all the time.

I came down one weekend in November and looked at 30 houses between Friday afternoon and Sunday. I found my house at about number 25. It is in a great neighborhood with lots of orange groves around and plenty of farm land. I don't have any kids in school but I love it here. I moved here a month later. It all worked out well!!!

My only advice is to just go over your decisions and talk with people before you decide to move. Even at 2 years it is hard to make decisions about your future. It has been 8 years for me.

I moved because my house in PA was taking up a lot of my time. I bought a smaller house and yard so I had more time to do other things. We bought Annual passes for WDW and Universal.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Thanks ilovepcot. I actually want to do a quick solo trip there prior to our May trip. It's really hard to get a good feel about Florida if we're only go there for a few days. Thank you for your warm welcome even though I don't know what my final decision will be. I appreciate your thoughts.

HI safetymom, I'm sorry to hear about your husband. How are your folks handling your move? How are your kids being far from their grandma/pa and other relatives left behind in PA? if I talk to my folks and especially my in-laws, they will just tell me to stay here of course. Friends, I don't have much. I guess I better start getting a hold of them and see what they say.

If you don't mind me asking, what city are you residing right now? Is it Orlando? How do you find the thunderstorm/lightning there? I'm glad to hear you like Florida. Thanks for your advice and thanks for sharing your story.

I just don't understand why my parents wouldn't want to move there. It's nicer (weather-wise) and they don't have to shovel any snow and drive in the snow. My family don't care for the Florida heat. They like the snow better.

I don't care to move to California. I think it's over populated. I think Cali is too fast for me. The pace is too fast and too much hussle and bustle.

 

[safetymom]

Fantasia, my parents aren't living. My mother died 5 months before my husband. My in laws never bothered much with us after their son died. So it isn't like I took my kids away from their grandparents. In fact it was probably a good thing to move here because of them. They lived very close back in PA and never bothered to call or stop. They miss their cousins but being here in Florida they have plenty to do.

I live in Davenport which is very close to WDW. I haven't been here for the rainy season yet so I can't tell you about the lightning. It can't be any worse than the bad snow storms we had back in PA.

I had some friends that I asked before I moved, but I found a grief group on the computer after my husband died. We have stayed in touch over the years. They all after several years started moving to new houses and locations.

I think of this as a new chapter in my life. If I could survive the death of my husband I could handle selling my house and moving to Florida.

PA was hot and we didn't have air conditioning so it may be hot her in FL but probably will be more bearable.

I had made many trips to WDW over the years so I felt like I was coming home when I moved here. I am having fun exploring the area and it already feels like home to me.

 

[capegirl]

So glad I found this great thread!
Our family is seriously thinking about relocating to Florida too.
When we vist WDW in April, we plan on looking at some homes in the area. Our son will be a high school senior next year, so as soon as he graduates, we want to put our house up for sale.
We are also fed up with winter...especially THIS winter when our heating bills climbed into the stratosphere!
The pro's and con's of Florida are driving us crazy, we just can't seem to make up our minds either.
Right now we live in a resort area in Massachusetts , so our food and gas prices are about the same as in Florida. However Florida's housing costs are significantly lower.
Our biggest concern would be the crime rate, followed by our ability to survive the brutal Florida summers. People tell me that you eventually become "climatized"....is this really true?

We are also confused about what part of Florida to move to.
While we adore Disney and would love to live nearby, we also love the ocean as we presently live on the coast.

You also have to consider the "vacation factor". This happens all the time here on Cape Cod. People come on summer vacation and like it so much that they decide to relocate here. Once they make "the move" reailty sets in, and they begin to realize that actually living and working on Cape Cod is totally different from their vacation experience. So I have to keep asking myself this dreadful question... will our family really be happy living and working in Florida if we are NOT on vacation???

Thanks for listening to me ramble on. At least I know there are others out there in the same "undecided about Florida" boat.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Hi Everybody!

Have been reading/lurking on these boards for what seems like forever, and wanted to jump in when I read this thread!

I have lived in Orlando for 8 years and really do love this place. That being said, though I do have to agree about the schools. There are pockets here where the schools are good and then there are pockets where the schools are downright awful!

My sisters, one in New York the other in MI, have children that are learning much more advanced subjects/materials in the Northern schools than what is expected here. ie: what my child is doing in 5th grade, my sisters kids had in 3rd in MI!!!!

Yes, the weather is nice here year round. Yes, you will become "the free hotel of the south" when you live here. People you barely know will call you for "advice" on where they should stay when they come down!!! LOL

The salaries are a lot lower here, but so is the cost of living. We have no state income tax, no soda bottle deposits, but the wages are lower. Unless you are able to bring your salary with you on your job, you will make less money in Florida.

There are some catholic schools here, but we are Southern Baptists, so I cannot give you any advice on these. ( I do have a friend that sends hers to Holy Family-haven't heard her complain-except on the cost)

Hunters Creek is a nice area. Located just off John Young and Hwy 417-(Greeneway) it is in South Orlando in unincorporated Orange County. The elementary school in Hunters Creek is one of the best in Orange County. The middle school is pretty good too.
They have a wide variety of house prices here in Hunters Creek.
There are many apartments with the average rent for a 2 bedroom around $985-1100 per month.
Housing starts around $145,000 all the way to the $400's.

Another area that is widely catching on in Orange County is Winter Garden. However the schools in west Orange County as a rule are awful and you would really want private school here.

The Lake Mary area is also nice. This is in Seminole County just north of Orlando. The schools in Seminole are MUCH better than in Orange. However you will have I 4 to contend with.

Your solo quickie trip sounds like a good idea. You will be able to grab a bunch of books and brochures on housing in the supermarket racks as you walk in. You may want to also visit www.myflorida.com or www.orlandosentinel.com for a liitle more info and questions you may have.

Hope this helps you and good luck!!
Feel free to PM if you need anything else!

ChristmasElf

 

[joe]

I've lived in Florida for 28 years. It really varies a lot depending on what part of the state you are living in. There are areas that are like hick towns, big cities, and retirement areas. Pay can vary greatly depending on if you live in Orlando, Miami, or a small town.
I live in Miami and hate it. I will be moving to the west coast of Fla. or a couple of hours north from Miami next year. I will be buying a gas station so the job situation doesn't matter to me or my wife(she will help me with the business).

The weather is nice but the humidity is awful in the summer. It rains a lot in the summer. You have to consider what career you are in when you decide to choose the best location. Wherever you move you will most likely be within 4 hours of Orlando(unless you move to the panhandle of the state of the keys). The people in Miami are the most rude and crime in Tampa is getting really bad also.

Go to bestplaces.net and research the cities in Florida.

Hope this helps

BTW, I remember your breast implant thread. You'd fit right in with larger breasts in this state, LOL! Florida is the #1 state for cosmetic surgery.

 

[Robinrs]

Way to go, Joe.... nice thing for Florida to be known for...

Telly, I'm sneaking in on your thread to hear the pros and cons because I WILL be moving there myself in a few years. I wish I had it like you, if I could take my salary with me I'd be fine!

I will miss my family here but I know they'll use me as an excuse to visit. I moved here to Atlanta alone and everyone followed ME! Hopefully they'll do the same when I go to Florida.

So far nothing bugs me because I deal with a lot of the same things in Georgia. Tourists, bugs, hot, BAD schools, we've all got it here! The one thing I really like about Orlando... LOTS of transplanted New Yorkers there! I miss Nyers but not NY!

Good luck, honey!

 

[*Fantasia*]

ChristmasElf...WOW..lots of great infos!! Please feed me some more! Yes...I keep hearing that Hunter's Creek are nice and the school is much better there...BUT the prices on the apartment complexes are expensive too!!

Do you think the private schools there are comprable to the private schools here?? I mean like you said 5th grades there are doing the 3rd grade work. I am wondering if the private schools there are just as advance like it is here. I am thinking of just sending them to Catholic school which they are currently attending.

Yes, I have heard of Holy Family... Isn't that in Kissimmee? I am looking at Catholic schools in Orlando or Kissimmee/St. Cloud. I am planning to give all the Catholic schools a call tomorrow. I hope the tuition there are not as expensive here.

Thanks for the link BTW and please if there are any more details you would like to share with me, I would be more than happy to hear them. When we were there in January, I went ahead and bought a local map of Orlando and it's vicinities. I also went ahead and grabbed a couple of Apartment Guide Book. This will give me some ideas of where and the rate. Thanks again ChristmasElf!!

Hi joe, thanks for sharing your experience there and also thank you for the links. Yes, joe...I will fit perfectly right in!

HI Robin, Hopefully I will see you there someday...that is if I decide to moving there. I guess the move for you will not effect you so much except more fun in the sun being near Mickey!! Thanks Robin!!

MORE...MORE...MORE....PLEASE FEED ME MORE INFOS!! I love details...even little details. You guys are very much appreciated!
YOu guys are welcom to chime right in! Please do!


Telly

 

[FINFAN]

Hi *Fantasia*,
I just wanted to ask if you're feeling o.k.(post-surgery) and to let you know I,too hope to be relocating to FL one day. I have 8 years left of "school age" kids, so I am soaking in all the posts about that. I have familey south in Ft Meyers and Naples. My niece goes to Catholic school and is getting a top notch education. My Brother basically says the Fl public school system is cr**, jokes that when he buys his lottery tickets it is *for the betterment of the schools* as some of the $ goes there I guess. I am a firm believer in the actual teachers more than the schools or districts. We have had just about every type teacher you can imagine here in Chicago, and the results my kids had each year truly were a result of the teachers abilites as well as my kids. I always tell DH that people who go to school in Florida go to college and get decent jobs just like anywhere else. Life is what you make it. Kids are resilient, tho your family has been through a lot in such a short time. Hey, you can always move back to MI if you don't care for it!
Pam

 

[*Fantasia*]

Hi Pam, thanks for replying. I have been thinking and thinking about if it doesn't work out, I can always move back. I would just hate to do all the moving and then doing all the moving again. Kind of a drag. I agree...Life is what you make it. I just want to live in a happier place. I mean what could be happier than living near Mickey! And the weather is nicer most of the time, except when it is lightning though. Florida is the lightning capital, and I am not too crazy about that.

Everything that was said here on this thread, I am just absorbing it and taking every details into conciderations. I guess the truth of the matter is...I AM AFFRAID OF CHANGES. I don't know what to expect and sometimes I don't know how to deal with changes. The biggest fear that I have ever encountered as far as changes was loosing my husband. It defenitely changed my life, my outlook of what life is. I think it made me a better person since he passed away. I appreciate more things now than I did before. And I don't take things for granted anymore. I have more respect on a lot of things in this world now. Anway... I hope if I do move, I wil be able to handle it. I guess if I can handle the loss of my husband which is a HUGE CHANGE in my life, I should be able to handle this change if I do decide to move to Orlando. The change should be good right?...I will be near WDW!! NO...In all honesty and seriously...there's a lot to consider.


Telly

 

[FINFAN]

I totally understand the fear of change, especially being a single mom...there is no one to shoulder the *blame*(lack of a better word) if it does not work out as well as you are hoping. DH has been job searching FOREVER...I am driving everyone NUTS on these boards because I research the heck out of every job possibility. Bottom line, 2 weeks ago he had an offer for Oklahoma. Great pay, but distance of the drive to any area we wanted to live in was over 75 min each way. You mention Orlando as the lightening capital of the world, Ok is the tornado capital and homes do not have basements there. DS greatest fear in life is a tornado. Poor Merrypoppins was helping me every which way she could w/schools, houses, traffic,recreation...you name it, she found it(thanks again MP) Even tho I was game to make the move, and DD too, DH said it just was too far to commute and that it just did not feel like the right career move to make. Something about it was not worth uprooting his family. He admitted that he does not like change. His parents have lived in the same house their whole lives, he never took a vacation 'till he met me in college. Now I am trying to get him to move to FL!: He realizes that his mental health and ours is at stake if he stays w/current company, and with the paycuts he has had to take to stay employed, we are getting behind quickly, not ahead. He as realized a move will be out of necessity for "quality of life reasons" and so far, he seems to be O.K. with it. Once he admitted he does not handle change well, it was like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. He realized even tho a move is scary, and it may not be exactly what we are hoping for, it means he did something to end the bad situation we are currently in.Add the stress of finding schools your kids will be happy in, similar housing neighborhood stuff, so it is not COMPLETE culture shock...it is all a very daunting task. I am glad to see you are planning on renting. I know it will take me about 2 years to find a neighborhood that I really know enough to move to, but will have to look at it as a possible double move...as wondrEful as all the help on these boards is and all the info on the internet..I just can't get a feel for an area until I live there for a while. We may rent ourselves for a while, if we can find an apartment in the school boundaries that we choose.
Hang in there...you are going crazy, I can tell, you will find peace in your decision, whatever you choose to do.
Pam

 

[*Fantasia*]

OH Pam...I hope I will find that peace in my decision. Ahhh...so you can tell that this is driving me crazy huh? Well..you are so right about that!

Yes...I thought living in an apartment is a good thing cause if it doesn't work out, when the least is up, then we just won't renew it and move back in Michigan. I would surely hate to buy a house and come to find out, we need to sell it right away. I don't want anymore headaches. AAAAAAHHHH!! This decision is driving me nuts as it is! I hope soon enough I will find that peace. I just feel like my life is not quite complete. I thought maybe I will find that happiness...MY happiness. Don't get me wrong...I am happy...happy with my children..and happy with my job...I am happy with my family/friends here. Maybe Telly needs to move to Florida to find her personal happiness. I don't know... Thanks Pam.

 

[PatriciaH]

Hi Fantasia! I am reading your thread with great interest because DH and I were all set to move to Orlando last March. We had the moving truck all set to go and an apartment in Celebration lined up while we looked for houses. Then the war started and the ecconomy tanked and we said to ourselves - NOT a good time to be moving We both had jobs we liked here and felt we should give it some time and see if things improved. Well, we still don't feel like the ecconomy has improved enough. A ton of people have been laid off near us (North of Boston.) The stock market is improving though and I hope places will start hiring again. My husband and I tend to play it safe. We have no debt, a lot of savings and no children so we are in a good possition, but I still feel nervous moving someplace with no job lined up. You are lucky your job will move you!

We like Florida but it is a lot different than up North! DH grew up here North of Boston and I grew up in New York. We drove around for 2 days last August looking at homes in Clermont and near WDW. We had already looked at Hunters Creek, Poinciana and Celebration. The first two we did not like at all, Celebration we loved. I made a list of my pros and cons and maybe they will help you

Pros Florida:
-mostly nice weather year round (we LOVE the heat and have been in the summer many times)
-beautiful beaches where you can swim in the water (too COLD here year round)
-new/developing
-lots of nature (parks, trails, bird watching, etc..)
-home prices MUCH cheaper than here
-1 hour more sunlight (further South)
-Disney World! (would love to work there too!)
-taxes
-shorter flights to the Caribbean/Mexico
-lots to do
-my parents will be moving there this year
-many parks
-more rain=clean water
-2 cruise ports close by

Cons Florida:
-low income/pay
-flat
-lots more crime
-humid in the summer
-lightning
-far from friends
-unfamilar
-schools not great
-sun is strong (more chance of skin cancer)
-bugs
-have to drive everywhere

Pros MA:
-2 airports close by (we love to travel-I am a Travel Agent)
-close to many places (states, Canada)
-friends here
-familiar
-scenery nicer (hills, trees)
-larger plots of land with homes
-higher pay
-have a job and business/clients (pet-sitting) here
-older/established towns (lots of history)
-good public transportation
-can walk many places
-great library close by
-great medical system
-great colleges close by
-no tax in NH right over the border

Cons MA:
-SNOW and COLD 6 months of the year (yuck)
-Water getting very dirty (too much of a strain/too many people)
-homes very expensive
-bad roads
-bad drivers

Well, there you have it I wish you a lot of luck on your decission we are STILL making ours after 2 years of debating-hahaha. Please feel free to PM me if you would like to chat about it. I know it is a very hard decision!!!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Well in this area of FL, people aren't exactly the warmest. I find friends here a bit strange. LOL! They definitely are NOT the type I can call at any moment to shoot the breeze and feel better. However, resales of homes here are GREAT! I listed my home with a realtor last night. I now have 3 potential buyers!! One is coming tomorrow morning, and the realtor thinks we may have a contract!!!!!!!!!!! Wooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooo! Cross your fingers.

Oh! I have my son in a Catholic elementary school. He's been there 6 years now. The first year, I believe tuition was $2,900. Next year it is $4,100! If we were staying here, I would unfortunately pull him out. Add in the books, uniforms, fund raisers, etc. It will be over $5,000. Good luck!!

 

[gshoemate]

Hi *Fantasia*, I know I have replied to your post before but thought I would add more

I know you are concerened about the lightning but you really have nothing to worry about as long as you take some precautions. If you will be renting, make sure to get rental insurance, watch the news....keep up to date on the weather that way you will know when storms come in. Also when you are out and about, pay attention to the weather. There were times when we were at WDW and you could just look up at the sky and tell something was coming in, thats your cue to leave. And if your at WDW, pay attention to what they are doing, if they kick off parades early or cancel parades...storms are coming. And just know that if theres a storm coming, stay inside. And lightening season doesn't last that long.

As far as your family, if you haven't discussed with them about moving, you might want to so you can hear their side of it and they can hear yours. This will give them some extra time to prepare for your move and spend some extra time with you and your children. We had less then 2 weeks notice, that wasn't enough time for the grandparents to spend with my children.

I know that you mentioned in a post that you could transfer your job, you might want to look into living near your work...or at least able to avoid I4, it can be a long commute if you work the normal 8-5 shift.

And also all of you snow bunnies thinking of moving to Florida, your heat bill may drop but your air bill will rise. We have had our air going nonstop for the past 3 days....can't wait to see that bill!

Anymore quetions....just ask away!!!

 

[safetymom]

It is great being able to have the windows open in March. I found out when I started to meet the neighbors I am surrounded by Disney CM's. So we have plenty to talk about.

I like the fact that it is flat here. Except where I live we have what they call hills here. Nothing like back in PA. My gas mileage has improved.

You have to do what feels right for you. I waited till my kids graduated high school so it wasn't like I was uprooting them from their friends. It just felt to me like I was moving down the street because I mentally prepared for the move for quite a while.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Hi Again Telly!

Did your job give you an exact location where you will be working? (sorry if you have posted this somewhere, I didn't see it!)
This will no doubt be the best way to make a decision on your housing.
Holy Family is in Kissimmee. If you do a search on the Catholoc schools in Orange, Osceola (Kissimmee) and Seminole counties you will get the idea on what tuition will run you.
Renting an apartment will be your best bet in case you wish to move back to Michigan.
As far as apartments go, there is certainly NO shortage of them here!
Kissimmee will be less expensive than Hunters Creek will be. But Hunters Creek is a better neighborhood.
Dr Philips will be better than Hunters Creek. BUT more expensive as well. East Orlando (Waterford Lakes area) will also have lower rents, but your drive time will be terrible in the morning if you are working in the Maitland/Longwood area.
STAY AWAY from Pine Hills area. Here we call it Crime Hills Doesn't matter how good a deal you find in that area, in the long run it wouldn't be worth it.
Celebration is ridiculously over priced. Everyone is originally drawn to it because of Disney (no matter WHAT they say) I know a few people that live there and a couple of them are most unhappy and can't wait to move out to another area.
Sorry so long. I will try to post shorter!!!!

ChristmasElf