Florida - opinions on living there?

[David McLaughlin]

During my vacation a couple of weeks ago, a business opportunity presented itself. First and foremost I need to see if it's a solid business but also I need to see if central Florida is where I want to live with my family. So, while I'm checking out the business, what's your opinion on the land of 6' mice and hurricanes?

[stomachmonkey]

Lots of people who visit on vacation leave thinking what a paradise it would be to live in.

But living there is not the same as visiting.

Really comes down to where specifically.

Schools are mediocre. Many opt for private schools.

Depending on where in the hurricane belt you end up things like homeowners ins can be pricey.

Good paying jobs down there can be hard to find so depending on your line of work if the opportunity goes south can you find employment down there?

If Burlington Mass is anything like Burlington VT it would have to be the opportunity of a lifetime to get me to make that switch.

[id10t]

*where* in Florida - I'm in N Central (gainesville area) and up here is *very* different from anything more than an hour or so south of us ...

[scottmandue]

I did a show install in Orlando Florida... sunny sky's mild weather... wow I could live here!

Went back in six months to take down the show... thunder storms every night... humidity at daytime felt like you were swimming through the air.

I love snorkeling and intend on vacationing in south FL. someday to see how it compares to Hawaii.

[URY914]

Everyone North of North Carolina will end up in Florida one day.

[pwd72s]

Never have been to Florida...but I do know it is one of the states with no income tax.

[ErVikingo]

I love it! Lots of race tracks

[targa911S]

OK I lived there for 20+ years. Worked in Tampa, lived in Clearwater. We loved it and it was the best time of our lives. However.........insurance is a killer, bugs are HUGE, hurricanes, LOTS of people and traffic. You MUST have a pool to survive. Winters are mild summer is really hot. It should be known as "the clothing optional state". When I retired, we decided it was too expensive to live there anymore so I sold my house before the housing bust and took a LOT of profit and bought a house in the country in Western PA. I can't comment on the schools. They have no state taxes, only fed but they will "fee" you to death. Mid state is HOT try to live on one of the coasts so you get the breezes. Fishing on the Gulf is awesome. We had 100 reasons for moving but still miss the Florida life style. I'm happy sitting on 2 acres of woods that I paid cash for, but winters are harsh. I will never get used to it. When we are ready to give up on maintaining all this land we will move back, but to a condo on the beach. Gulf coast please.

[David McLaughlin]

Since I gave up skiing, I really hate winters here. Burlington MA is nothing like Burlington VT, it's busy, traffic, rude, fast paced, rude, taxed, and rude. The business I may buy is in Orlando at one of the parks. If the job is what it's billed out to be, It's 3X my best paying job.

[URY914]

I think the hurricane thing is over blown by the media.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Lived there for several years back in the 1990s. Like everywhere else it has good aspects and bad ones. Good are that it's pretty casual, money goes far, weather is good year-round, no snow, etc. Housing is (or was, probably is again in most areas) inexpensive. Lots of touristy things, but those can be fun to do. Also lots of hidden secrets off the beaten path if you look. Gun laws are fairly relaxed as is the state's general attitude towards governance.

On the flipside it is flat, boring (terrain-wise) and hot. Summers are nasty, disgusting due to the humidity. You'll never quite get used to it. There were days I literally had to take 3-4 showers. The afternoon thunderstorms (every day at 3:00, you could set your watch by 'em) helped for 20 minutes, then it'd get gross again. A/C is a must in the summer months and you can't wear decent dress clothes (including "business casual) and walk outside more than about 5 minutes without becoming a sweaty, rumpled mess. But usually you can work around it.

There are a LOT of scheisters and sleazeballs down there - the place is a magnet for them. Always be on your guard for petty thieves and similar wastes of skin. Maybe it's better now but when I lived there home invasions and carjackings were a daily event.

Lotta' bible-thumpers and jus general weirdos too, bit honestly they kinda just add to the flavor of the place and make it kind of interesting. The stereotypes you hear about retirees are all true - at least they were in the coastal areas. In Orlando and surrounding burbs, not so much. Every single retired obnoxious New Yorkers eventually ends up there. Makes for interesting encounters.

I can think of worse places to be and could go on and on but suffice to say it's a different world - certainly a chance from run-of-the-mill American generica. It does (or did) have a lit of southern simplicity and practicality which was nice (of course this gives rise to a lot of redneckery too). It's an interesting place.

If you have a good job and can make decent money you can live pretty well there but those are tough to find in good times. Now? I'd be wary for sure and VERY sure about future employment before headin down there. It's not a place you'd want to end up with no income...

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by URY914

I think the hurricane thing is over blown by the media.

Andrew,Francis, Charley, Ivan, Rita, Camille, ...how soon ya'll forget. yes I still say ya'll, around here it's yinz, and it makes me cringe!

I DO miss Cuban food.

What porsche O phile sez too for sure. Also ....guests. Everybody will want to visit you. Have a 3-4 day limit. Sounds cold, but guests cost you money in everything from food to electric bills. Oh and they are running out of fresh water. Desalination is costly so some areas are recycling waste water.

[masraum]

As stated, the exact WHERE can make a huge difference in lots of things. Tampa is different from clearwater is different from Orlando is different from....

What are you calling central?

[944Larry]

I live in NW Florida. Schools are great and I like living there. Much to do. But I do have to travel to work. So many people want to live there it drives wages down. As far as "flat" goes I live in hill country.

[David McLaughlin]

Don't know where I'd try to live but the shop I'm looking at is right outside an Orlando park.


Looks like Margaritaville to this snowbird.

[BeyGon]

I understand they have a pretty good pick for the jury pool there.

[MBAtarga]

air brushed t-shirt shop?

[bell]

ok....here we go........
the wife and i moved to florida 3 years ago. we both lived in the cleveland area for all our lives...we were sick of winters and needed a warmer climate.....
we had gotten married on the beach in wilmington n.c. oct of '07......honeymoon at disney (she would always say how she wanted to go back there so i gave it to her).....
in the same 2 locations we were also gathering local info and doing research for the future move, central florida had more opportunities (seemingly)......
so the following spring we came to orlando to do some reconnaissance, i found a job, house (rent), etc (but was in ocala.....don't move there......we call it SLocala for a reason).....went home, 3 weeks later i was on my way with the moving truck, the wifey came down a month later........

what i learned is there is VERY little opportunity in ocala/gainesville unless you are in the medical field or law enforcement, the guy i moved down here to work for ended up hamstringing me, false pretenses, etc.....screwed me big time, i'm still recovering.......

anyway i walked away from that situation feb of 2010 (when i got my p-car wrenching gig) and moved to the orlando area (celebration first, now in winter springs).....

the MOST IMPORTANT thing to keep in mind about orlando when deciding where to live, the demographics are nothing like up north, one block/neighborhood may be all 1/2 million dollar houses, and the next strait up ghetto......most everything is also HOA controlled....so keep that in mind, that combined with the cost of insurance makes florida the place to RENT.....period, there are alot of houses in forclosure and many have been on the market for years since the bubble first burst.....so do your homework if you plan to buy.....i'd rent for the first year or so before buying to learn the areas.......

there are actually very good public schools in the orlando suburbs, but they are few.......

no state tax.......expect a 17% increase (approx) because of that, but keep in mind people don't generally like to pay here, most places are offering people with bachelor degrees 9-10/hr.......so it's going to depend on your field, the theme parks don't pay squat fyi unless you're high corporate/operations manager.....

the gulf coast and atlantic will be an hour away......

so my biggest piece of advice.......find a job first, locals tend to not like transplants....so keep that in mind......
and secondly, (and don't take this the wrong way locals) the general population here is lazy...poor work ethic....selfish......and they cant drive.......

sorry for the ramble....there's more i'm sure.....but i did EXACTLY what you are thinking, this place has changed in the past 5 years......so use current opinions/local knowledge.....

[URY914]

[QUOTE=targa911S;6134127]Andrew,Francis, Charley, Ivan, Rita, Camille, ...how soon ya'll forget. yes I still say ya'll, around here it's yinz, and it makes me cringe!
QUOTE]

Hurricanes- you can see them coming days in advance, few people die from them, some wind, some rain. So what. More of them pass by Florida than ever hit it.

I'll take a 'cane over a tornado, earthquake or blizzard any day.

[targa911S]

[QUOTE=URY914;6134229]

Originally Posted by targa911S

Andrew,Francis, Charley, Ivan, Rita, Camille, ...how soon ya'll forget. yes I still say ya'll, around here it's yinz, and it makes me cringe!
QUOTE]

Hurricanes- you can see them coming days in advance, few people die from them, some wind, some rain. So what. More of them pass by Florida than ever hit it.

I'll take a 'cane over a tornado, earthquake or blizzard any day.

point well made. ya'll have not had a cane make land since I moved. You owe me big time.

Pay attention to Bell's story here it is advice that is current and solid. He's an ex clevelander ( so am I ) so he don't lie, he also tells the "yankee moves south" story very well.