Moving to Florida??

dixiegirl

dixiegirl

Well-Known Member
DisJosh said:
My girlfriend and I are planning to make some changes in the coming years. We're looking to make a big move. Florida is one of our options...

I know a lot of members here are transplants. I'd love to hear the pro's and con's of your big move and living in Florida.

We live in Rhode Island and I work in Mass. The cost of living here is pretty high so that's partly the reason for a move...well that and Disney World. Though I've heard Florida is getting to be more costly than ever. I know, I know that's the case everywhere!! lol

So please tell us about your experiences. We'd love to hear them! :)
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The price high living here in RI??? ( we're in West Warwick , RI) Nah!!! No I agree it is...! I'd move in a hearbeat..More though in the Carolinas.....Its just beautiful there! Nice people, cost of living is heck of lot better there....But there is that thing of Employment ....and hubby has a good job here....
 
M

Mammymouse

Well-Known Member
Wow I can't believe how many posts are from RI!!! Well it doesn't really surprize me that much when I stop to think about the awful condition of RI in recent years and the pros of living in FL. We moved down 4 years ago to Fl from RI. We had lived a year in 1988-1989 in Wellington (West Palm Beach) and wanted to move back to FL. for retirement. Our daughter and her family are here, too. We still need to return to RI on occasion because my son still lives there and we have rental property there, but we love Florida. We moved to Highlands County which is south of Polk County so I don't know much of the job/economic status outside our area. Nice rural old city here - Sebring - and miles of orange groves and cattle ranches. Yes - CATTLE!! Central Florida is a very different landscape and community than the coast. Very nice community of people but our county is the top county in the country for the most 65+ old residents. It takes us about 90 minutes to get to Disney so it is definitely a day trip do. Yes!! As mentioned before jobs are hard to come by, especially in rural counties, and the Real Estate market is coming back in some parts of the state and not so good yet in others. But look at RI right now. At least Fl has sunshine, warm beaches and Disneyworld. My daughter is a Real Estate agent and they are still dealing with a lot of foreclosures. We like our town but would like to be a little closer than a 2 hour drive to the coast. Maybe someday when the r/e market comes back. So many people are underwater (financially) in their homes right now because of the drop in valuations, so they can't sell. But Florida definitely is the land of happy people! As said in previous posts - having a job to come to will be a plus. Good Luck where ever you end up - there are some great suggestions in these posts!
 
SOLISIMO

SOLISIMO

Member
Funny bc Im dying to get out of Florida. I live in Broward County and its a haven for crime, I know bc Im in law enforcement. Dade and Broward County are horrible when it comes to crime. The people here are rude and constantly on the go and if your in their way, good luck.

WestPalm Beach is a really nice county with a respected Sheriff. I cant comment on northern counties but I can tell you that Orlando is a crime haven too. Tampa just had two cops killed recently also. I know anywhere you go there will be crime but Florida is on the top of the list and dont come to me with statistics bc they could be made to read however yo want. Ive had friends that left Florida and now work for departments in Georgia they say its a different world with the type of people that he deals with (which is a good thing)

Also if you plan on working for Disney make sure you read the post about their wages:hurl:

Take the advice from someone that sees the day to day activity of the citizens down here and the crap that I have to deal with. I would think long and hard on your decision.

Good luck.
 
Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
Add me to the list of Rhode Islanders who can't wait to leave! We were really hoping the airport runway expansion plan would take our house, but instead it looks like we'll just have front-row seats for arrivals and departures! :(
Anyway, I have one more year of paying DS' college tuition, then I can retire and DH and I will at least be snowbirds!
 
dixiegirl

dixiegirl

Well-Known Member
Nemo14 said:
Add me to the list of Rhode Islanders who can't wait to leave! We were really hoping the airport runway expansion plan would take our house, but instead it looks like we'll just have front-row seats for arrivals and departures! :(
Anyway, I have one more year of paying DS' college tuition, then I can retire and DH and I will at least be snowbirds!
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Man, We have a long way to go before College thats for sure..Our kids are just going into 1st and 5th grade ( and I am not gonna rush it, seems like its flying by so quick already)!!!!..Yeah I'm not going anywhere...for a LONGGGGGGG time! Although already told the hubby when I get older I'm going to Disney and working there for seasonal help, I absolutly hate the Winter here ..To Freakin cold!! Give me the South any day!
 
kangaand2roos

kangaand2roos

Member
We came really close to moving to Florida last year due to my husband's job but we ended up here in RI instead. I'm actually thrilled we moved here. When we were searching for areas to live in Florida, we found high crime rate areas with bad schools, rural areas with bad schools or high elderly population areas with bad schools. So being a mom of two young children, we found very few public school systems that were rated well. Luckily we got moved to RI instead of FL, we seem to live in a nice community and the schools are rated well and although the beaches close by maybe a whole lot different than any FL beach, I'll take it and just visit and have fun planning our next Disney trip. Talk to me in 30 years and I may have better things to say about FL.
 
dixiegirl

dixiegirl

Well-Known Member
kangaand2roos said:
We came really close to moving to Florida last year due to my husband's job but we ended up here in RI instead. I'm actually thrilled we moved here. When we were searching for areas to live in Florida, we found high crime rate areas with bad schools, rural areas with bad schools or high elderly population areas with bad schools. So being a mom of two young children, we found very few public school systems that were rated well. Luckily we got moved to RI instead of FL, we seem to live in a nice community and the schools are rated well and although the beaches close by maybe a whole lot different than any FL beach, I'll take it and just visit and have fun planning our next Disney trip. Talk to me in 30 years and I may have better things to say about FL.
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Hay there Roo, where abouts in RI? I am amazed how many of Rhody's us are on here!! We live in West Warwick.....
 
ms7479a

ms7479a

Well-Known Member
Add me to the list of Rhode Islanders. I grew up in RI and live in Florida now (working for Disney). I like it down here, but I really miss the change of seasons. Although, no state income tax is a definite plus!
 
BoardWalkBelle

BoardWalkBelle

New Member
As far as it being difficlut to get a non entry level position with Disney(beside the current crappy economy) Disney likes to see "Disney" on your resume. They like to hire from within so getting an entry level front line position or having been in their college program or Pi program is the number one way of being hired into a non entry level position.
 
Ziggie

Ziggie

Member
SOLISIMO said:
Funny bc Im dying to get out of Florida. I live in Broward County and its a haven for crime, I know bc Im in law enforcement. Dade and Broward County are horrible when it comes to crime. The people here are rude and constantly on the go and if your in their way, good luck.

WestPalm Beach is a really nice county with a respected Sheriff. I cant comment on northern counties but I can tell you that Orlando is a crime haven too. Tampa just had two cops killed recently also. I know anywhere you go there will be crime but Florida is on the top of the list and dont come to me with statistics bc they could be made to read however yo want. Ive had friends that left Florida and now work for departments in Georgia they say its a different world with the type of people that he deals with (which is a good thing)

Also if you plan on working for Disney make sure you read the post about their wages:hurl:

Take the advice from someone that sees the day to day activity of the citizens down here and the crap that I have to deal with. I would think long and hard on your decision.

Good luck.
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Umm... West Palm Beach is a "city", not a "county". It's located in Palm Beach County.

(Ziggie.. living in FL for over 30 years).
 
RooBear

RooBear

New Member
Well, I lived here for a week. Surprisingly, I only went to do Disney once, when a colleague paid for me to go. Our house has not sold yet in Colorado, so my better half is hanging back until it does. Money's a bit tight so I'm not going to go to the parks until my partner/husband is here full time. However, some things I've noticed already during this one week. THis is not scientific in any way.

*) In the little town, friendliness is appreciated but not always present. I'm from the West, where we say, "howdy" and strike up conversations at cashier counters. Here? They pause. People tend to be private.

*) I had heard the nightmares about the drivers here--and noticed many. However, it's not because of age or anything. People chat on their cells constantly whilst driving. I almost got into an accident last night because a driver decided to pull into my lane from a gas station. Understand, she was entering a highway where the traffic was 50 mph. That was a religious experience.

*) People move at a slower pace here--and that's a good thing. I kinda need that.

*) The weather is consistently beautiful. I cannot stand cold and, well, folks, it's easy now to predict what the day will bring. I like this. Heck, I love this.

*) My proximity is an hour from our homeland, WDW. I like the distance, frankly. No impulse drives.

*) I live between two very beautiful lakes.

*) Driving out here, the bugs were worse in Georgia.

I'm loving is so far.

Peace,
Roo
 
Ziggie

Ziggie

Member
RooBear said:
Well, I lived here for a week. Surprisingly, I only went to do Disney once, when a colleague paid for me to go. Our house has not sold yet in Colorado, so my better half is hanging back until it does. Money's a bit tight so I'm not going to go to the parks until my partner/husband is here full time. However, some things I've noticed already during this one week. THis is not scientific in any way.

*) In the little town, friendliness is appreciated but not always present. I'm from the West, where we say, "howdy" and strike up conversations at cashier counters. Here? They pause. People tend to be private.

*) I had heard the nightmares about the drivers here--and noticed many. However, it's not because of age or anything. People chat on their cells constantly whilst driving. I almost got into an accident last night because a driver decided to pull into my lane from a gas station. Understand, she was entering a highway where the traffic was 50 mph. That was a religious experience.

*) People move at a slower pace here--and that's a good thing. I kinda need that.

*) The weather is consistently beautiful. I cannot stand cold and, well, folks, it's easy now to predict what the day will bring. I like this. Heck, I love this.

*) My proximity is an hour from our homeland, WDW. I like the distance, frankly. No impulse drives.

*) I live between two very beautiful lakes.

*) Driving out here, the bugs were worse in Georgia.

I'm loving is so far.

Peace,
Roo
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Welcome to Florida :wave:

The bugs (love bugs to be exact) show up twice a year.. April and Aug/Sept. You haven't been introduced to them yet if you've only been here a week.

As you come to experience more of Florida, you'll see how varied different parts of the state can be. Want a big city feel with congestion and a fast pace? Visit Miami. Want laid back? Visit Key West.
 
mkt

mkt

When a paradise is lost go straight to Disney™
Premium Member
ms7479a said:
Although, no state income tax is a definite plus!
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It is a plus, but living in a market with a similar cost of living, and (in my field) considerably higher wages makes better sense to me.
 
P

PryncessLace

Member
Ziggie said:
Welcome to Florida :wave:

The bugs (love bugs to be exact) show up twice a year.. April and Aug/Sept. You haven't been introduced to them yet if you've only been here a week.

As you come to experience more of Florida, you'll see how varied different parts of the state can be. Want a big city feel with congestion and a fast pace? Visit Miami. Want laid back? Visit Key West.
Click to expand...

& If you want a more southern feel, visit us up here in Northwest Florida!:)
 

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