Moving to Florida??

[palmage]

Hello Dhana-

I'm not from Florida so I may be of limited help, but I've spent considerable time there over the years.

First, the three areas you're talking about, Miami, Tampa, and Orlando/WDW are hundreds of miles away from each other and each is distinctly different from the other. You may want to do some further research and try to lower it down to one of these areas, then research further into neighborhoods.

The median age of Floridians is approximately rigor mortis, so just about any area is near medical facilities. The job market is still tight in Florida, so unless you have specialized skills, such as an RN, you will be competing against a lot of folks for employment.

Being from Chicago does not prepare you for the humidity in Florida. Standing in a pot of boiling water in a thunderstorm does not prepare you for the humidity in Florida during July, August, and part of September.

The same goes for bugs. What people call "bug" in Florida is what you would call "rodent" in Vegas.

I hope this is some help.

Wow, don't sugar coat it........
Tell us what you really think.

 

[Cubs Brian]

Hello Dhana-

I'm not from Florida so I may be of limited help, but I've spent considerable time there over the years.

First, the three areas you're talking about, Miami, Tampa, and Orlando/WDW are hundreds of miles away from each other and each is distinctly different from the other. You may want to do some further research and try to lower it down to one of these areas, then research further into neighborhoods.

The median age of Floridians is approximately rigor mortis, so just about any area is near medical facilities. The job market is still tight in Florida, so unless you have specialized skills, such as an RN, you will be competing against a lot of folks for employment.

Being from Chicago does not prepare you for the humidity in Florida. Standing in a pot of boiling water in a thunderstorm does not prepare you for the humidity in Florida during July, August, and part of September.

The same goes for bugs. What people call "bug" in Florida is what you would call "rodent" in Vegas.

I hope this is some help.

having lived in both Chicago and Florida( Clearwater and Orlando) you are right about the humidity. It is much worse in Chicago. I've had several relatives who would come up here in the summer and would complain about how bad our humidity was. The only upside we have is that it is really bad for about 3 months as opposed to 6 or 7 months.

 

[Samadamz]

Hello, my name is Dhana. I currently live in Las Vegas but want to move to Florida in August. I was wondering if I can get some leads as to what neighborhoods are nice to move into preferably in the Tampa/Miami/WDW area. I have 2 teenage daughters(13&16) and would like to find good schools for them. I work in the medical field and would like to be somewhat close around the medical areas, no more than an 1hrs drive. I am a single mom so affordable areas is a must...affordable but descent. Also some pros and cons of florida would be helpful as well. I'm originally from Chicago so humidity is not a factor. And I'm sure the bugs are no bigger in Florida than they are here in Vegas. Thanks in advance

Hi, we also moved here with kids about 8 years ago. I would tell you no area is perfect, but if you want to live in Florida you should be able to find a location that you really like. Schools are very important, and we eliminated some otherwise-desirable locations based on the school district. I advise looking up school rating websites on the internet. Choose more than one and look at as much info as you can. Schools have ratings here based on FCAT scores, but these shouldn't be used as the ONLY criteria for judging a school. Look at student/teacher ratios, graduation rates, % of graduates going to college, school activities etc.

Also, when you are up north, everything in Florida seems close to Disney. But after you live here a while your perception adjusts and one day you may think that 1.5 hours is way too long of a drive. So, decide how important proximity is to you. Miami is not close by local standards.

Talk to everyone and anyone you can. Realtors are helpful to an extent, but realize that a realtor in Tampa won't tell you Orlando is better, or vice-versa. So, you need to narrow down your general area first.

Just be honest with yourselves on what's important to you. Do you want to live within walking distance to a beach, or is a drive OK with you. For example, I really like my neighborhood and school and live an hour drive from Disney, work and the beach (different directions), but that's ok "for us".
Final note when reading neighborhood or school reviews or talking with people is that you will run into extreme opinions. There is always one person who thinks one thing is great while another thinks it's terrible. We also found people will even get defensive sometimes when asked opinions of their area....just balance it all out.

All Florida isn't the same, and there are some uniquely great aspects to different regions

 

[dorothy_l]

My vote is for Lakeland! Lived in Florida briefly for 6 years and loved this place.

 

[golden redhead]

I moved here from Philly in 2004 (just in time for 3 hurricanes in 6 weeks). I agree with the advice of renting before buying. I made the mistake of renting an apt about a mile from Universal - so going to the McDonalds 1/2 block away was not smart! The price for a cheeseburger & med. fries was more than back in Philly!

One of the big pros is no state income tax. that will be a big plus for you. My renters insurance was more than what it was back home. I tried to buy a home in 2005, but the market is much better now for someone to try. Unemployment is around 11%, so i would suggest that you do what I did - find a job first then move here. I live in Winter Springs, which I really like (much better than the aforementioned MetroWest). My office is 4 miles away, and Disney is 35 miles.

FYI a majority of the highways are toll, so sometimes you spend more in one area and save more in another. I have saved a bit of money over the past 6 years, partly because of the items mentioned. I also work a 2nd job (which I worked in a different capacity back home).

Bottom line - do your research! But I really recommend you try to find something before you move, like I did.

and I sure don't think the median age is elderly....

 

[mkt]

Also, before you move, make sure you have guaranteed employment!! The job market across Florida is... well... stagnant.

 

[awalkinthepark]

I lived in the MA/RI area before moving to FL 5 years ago. We ended up in Lakeland thinking it would give us some options work-wise...Orlando, Lakeland, and Tampa all have major employers. Lakeland(south end) reminds us of North Attleboro, MA....everything close by...but not too close.
*Note: Poorly managed city owned electric companies are also a shared trait between N. Attleboro and Lakeland...budget accordingly...it gets expensive fast...we average about $400 a month and I sit around in the dark a lot reading my kindle.

Hubby ended up starting his own business after 2 bad experiences with 2 different companies. I went back to work after being a SAHM..but also picked out a horrible company to work for and ended up back home when hubby's business picked up. We used to complain about our employers 'up north' but they were teddy bears holding lollipops and cotton candy while doing back flips on pogo sticks to keep you happy compared to some of the nonsense that goes on down here.

Rent first....neighborhoods can change from one extreme(McMansion) to the other(30 y/o singlewide) in the matter of 2 blocks....check schools...besides... you really don't want to tie yourself down with a house and mortgage until you know your employer is sane and respects human life....2 of the 3 companies that we worked for were HUGE, well known, national corporations..not mom and pop operations. I'm not usually pro union...but I would enjoy watching a union terrorize a little green lizard with an peculiar accent that I used to know..I would enjoy that very much...lol.

 

[PryncessLace]

I would like to Echo the warning of staying away from MetroWest. My sister moved to Orlando two years ago and this is the area she first ended up in. There were almost nightly shootings and robberies. When she came home to visit her neighbors had to check on her apartment every 6-8 hours.

She moved to Winter Garden 8 months after moving there and loved it, so did we when we visited!

 

[palmage]

I would like to Echo the warning of staying away from MetroWest. My sister moved to Orlando two years ago and this is the area she first ended up in. There were almost nightly shootings and robberies. When she came home to visit her neighbors had to check on her apartment every 6-8 hours.

She moved to Winter Garden 8 months after moving there and loved it, so did we when we visited!

Haven't been there in a while, but I used to play golf there a lot.
Had no idea it got skanky.

 

[Duke of Disney]

Good information all around - I'm one of the unemployed and job hunting - July 24th makes one year without a paycheck! But things could be much worse. I've been looking in Florida for over a year, I've had a couple bites but nothing worth making the move for yet. Disney seems to be impossible to get into (corporate) - I still apply every few weeks - I can only go UP from here!!!

 

[Duckberg]

Rent do NOT Buy!

Based upon the current underwater Florida real estate market would also suggest renting as a safer option if moving to Florida at this time.

The Disney CP (College Program) is a good option to gain work experience @ WDW & a possible toe in the door, maybe more for a person with the right skills set after the program.

Duckberg

 

[devoy1701]

I don't suggest Pasco county. Lots of inside jokes about people from Pasco County.

And Bradenton has a significantly higher percentage of older people than some other areas of Central Florida...just saying...

And whoever said Brandon was close to the beaches...you lie... I get to Disney alot quicker than I can get to any beaches worth going to.

A good centralized location for living in Central Florida is anywhere between Orlando and East of I-75. Places like Riverview, Brandon, Plant City, Lakeland are all very convenient to both Tampa and Orlando.

The big downside to living in Central Florida is that it takes soo dang long to get to anywhere outside of the state if you're driving. it's 3.5 hours to the state line, and Georgia is pretty big too! We're so far away from the rest of the country, and with airfares continuing to go up, forget ever leaving! Good thing the vacation capital of the world is only an hour away!

 

[devoy1701]

Based upon the current underwater Florida real estate market would also suggest renting as a safer option if moving to Florida at this time.

The Disney CP (College Program) is a good option to gain work experience @ WDW & a possible toe in the door, maybe more for a person with the right skills set after the program.

Duckberg

I beg the differ. Housing prices have come down pretty far here. I just bought a house that would have cost me probably $50K more had I bought 2 years ago. And interest rates are to die for...down a point and a half even from when I closed! If you can afford it, now is the time to buy!

 

[palmage]

I don't suggest Pasco county. Lots of inside jokes about people from Pasco County.

And Bradenton has a significantly higher percentage of older people than some other areas of Central Florida...just saying...

Pasco??? What about Polk, Grady Judd (the Sheriff) is on twice a week because some toothless hillbillie shot his wife and married his 14 year old babysitter.
If it wasn't for Polk, Pasco would have no one to look down at......

 

[awalkinthepark]

Pasco??? What about Polk, Grady Judd (the Sheriff) is on twice a week because some toothless hillbillie shot his wife and married his 14 year old babysitter.
If it wasn't for Polk, Pasco would have no one to look down at......

Polk is very conservative to boot...I used to joke that Sheriff Judd arrests people for being naked in the privacy of their own homes...until he arrested someone for being naked inside of their own home...then it wasn't so funny any more.

South Lakeland isn't too bad...but parts of the rest of the county definitely are a wee bit redneck-y

 

[palmage]

Polk is very conservative to boot...I used to joke that Sheriff Judd arrests people for being naked in the privacy of their own homes...until he arrested someone for being naked inside of their own home...then it wasn't so funny any more.

South Lakeland isn't too bad...but parts of the rest of the county definitely are a wee bit redneck-y

Polk is great for laughs......sorry.
Lakeland is OK

 

[CaptainAshley]

I just had to come onto this board after all these years to say I'm finally moving to Orlando!!!!! Ahhh! We set the date, July 29th!!!!

I'm amazed how many Rhode Islanders are on this thread alone. My boyfriend and I both just earned our B.S.'s in Hospitality Management from Johnson and Wales and we're making the move.

I did the CP years ago and have thought about nothing but going back since. I got rejected for all my professional internships and was devastated for some time (I have 10 years of service industry jobs and great grades, but no luck) But I always just planned that I'd be working for Disney after graduation so their rejection isn't going to end it all. I believe I really just need to submit my resume to Casting in person. Honestly, I'd be happy to just get my old Boat Captain gig back again... as long as it pays the rent down there!

So we just bought of pair of one-way Southwest tickets and are bunking in the guestroom of my old CP roommate-- she never went back to CT and convinced her mother to leave her engineering career and move down with her to be a Cast Member. They're being gracious enough to take us in for a few weeks while we search for a good 1-bedroom rental and jobs.

Never have I been so nervous in my entire life! Every time i remember I'm going to be living in WDW my heart literally skips a beat. We don't have much to lose but everything we do have is riding on this now and I just hope and pray this is the right decision.

If anyone hears about any good and inexpensive rentals, let me know!!!

 

[Duke of Disney]

Love hearing this type of thing. I've been job hunting in FL for over a year and have been unemployed for a year, master's degree to boot.

I have some CM friends that work at WDW, but it doesnt seem to make a dent, I get the rejection emails all the time. I now apply all over the area with the thought that if I lock down a job there, I would go to casting and try to snag a PT job while trying to find something in corporate.

Best of luck to you both!!! :sohappy:

Hope to find something there soon.

 

[lilclerk]

I just had to come onto this board after all these years to say I'm finally moving to Orlando!!!!! Ahhh! We set the date, July 29th!!!!

Congrats! If I could get my boyfriend to move down there, I would in a heartbeat. I already know I can transfer and keep my same job in the Tampa area, we'd just need to find him one. But he isn't wanting to leave East Providence, nevermind RI any time soon! :lol:

 

[palmage]

she never went back to CT and convinced her mother to leave her engineering career and move down with her to be a Cast Member. They're being gracious enough to take us in for a few weeks while we search for a good 1-bedroom rental and jobs.

Wow, leaving an Engineering position to be a cast member?
Hope she got a good position.