[trap]

My wife and I just moved from the Tampa Bay area to Iowa a couple of months ago. We lived down there for 13 years.

We had a number of reasons for moving. The summers were slowly becoming way too long. We lived on a canal about 100 yards from Tampa Bay - and, unfortunately, had mangroves nearby. The mosquitos and no-see-ums would rip my skin off - particularly in the early morning and evening. That got old. But it was great having a dock in our backyard.

Things have changed considerably over the years. When we moved down in the 90s, our area was still quiet and friendly. As people moved down in droves, that changed. Traffic became horrible and there seemed to be lines for everything - from the gas stations and convenience stores to restaurants. Part of the problem was that the state welcomed all the new people with open arms but didn't bump up the infrastructure. And the infrastructure wasn't great to begin with. With the added crowds, stressors increased and the friendliness that we loved soon began to fade. More and more, it was everyone for themselves. Also, as others have mentioned, property taxes and insurance are killers. And, depending on your lifestyle, the lack of income tax will sometimes be made up for in the various fees and other charges - or simply in the amount of time you have to spend waiting in lines at the county clerk or DMV, etc.

That said, it's great when you come across the occasional clerk, etc., that will greet you with a "How ya doing, darlin?" She'll be sincere, too. Sometimes it would seem there's not many of those real Floridians left, though.

I'd like to say that it was great driving the 911 and riding the motorcycle all year-round but that wasn't the case for me. There's nothing fun about being on a bike in traffic baking under the August sun. That is not only baking from above but also from the superheated pavement. I began to realize there are a few good months and a few bad months - just like there is up north.

Strangely enough, we've found that people up here seem to be happier and they seem to celebrate life more than what has become the case in Florida. People are certainly more friendly overall - and seem to be less stressed out.

The caveat to all this is that there are almost certainly still the good places left in Florida - we lived in one once but then it went away. But I'm sure there are others.

It was 19 degrees here this morning. I didn't mind - over time the Florida summer became something to dread more than I ever dreaded a northern winter. But then again, maybe I'll think differently in January. Probably not, though.

Good luck on your decision. Personally, I'd look for something right on the coast (but away from mangroves). You'll lose quite a bit of the heat in the summer via the sea breeze.