Ever considered moving to FL? About This Page:

[angiek1024]

Florida is our retirement plan right now. We may actually move down a few years before retirement, buy our final home and work for a few years. My husband is an SICU RN and has already had offers to work in Florida but we want to get our son through school and pay off our house first. I think it is really important to get in a good area and do alot of research before you move. We are researching other areas of the country too but everywhere has its pros and cons. I live in Southeast Tennessee and I am very used to high heat and humidity so that won't really be an issue for us but there are so many things to consider. I do see us probably there in 15 years or so at this point.

[Mares75]

We're in Kane county too and DH absolutely hates the cold. He doesn't tolerate it well at all. I'm the opposite and don't like heat but honestly 90 and humid is just as bad here as down in FL. We talk about moving to FL but not for a good 7 to 10 years. DS is only 11 and his mother lives here. Even if he never sees her, which he rarely does, I don't want to move him halfway across the country from her. DH always wanted to move to CA but I said no way. I love to visit there but I wouldn't want to be there all the time. The compromise was FL.

I have a good friend that moved to FL a couple years ago. She really likes it and her kids love it too. Plus my two best buds for years want to move there someday. One of them already lived near Tampa for a few years.

We're realistic about it though. In 10 years our parents will be getting up there in age and I don't know if we'll want to leave them behind either. But someday we'll get there!

[bullockfamily5]

Originally Posted by Ashli

It just so happens that the first year we were in AL, we took an anniversary trip to Savannah, GA and we both fell in love with this town. So it didn't take too much deliberation when we decided it was time to leave AL and head south. We've been here 2 yrs, and I never want to live anywhere else. So, it's not FL, but South GA, but we did it and we haven't regretted it for a minute! I wish you the best of luck if you decide to go that route.

So you are in Savannah? My dad's family is originally from Richmond Hill - my grandmother and my sister & niece still live there! DH thinks that the culture is just too slow moving around Savannah... but it is so beautiful! I have so many great memories there!

[Ashli]

Originally Posted by bullockfamily5

So you are in Savannah? My dad's family is originally from Richmond Hill - my grandmother and my sister & niece still live there! DH thinks that the culture is just too slow moving around Savannah... but it is so beautiful! I have so many great memories there!

Yep, we're here and love it! I have lots of friends in Richmond Hill. It's funny that you mention the culture being slow here....to us it is a HUGE improvement over the last place we lived - northeast Alabama. Talk about slow/no culture... Downtown Savannah is actually quite lively, but with a Southern twist of course. We have tons of museums, clubs, restaurants, etc. My favorite thing to do on a weekend is just go downtown (I live on the Southside of Savannah) and just walk around. You always run into festivals/art exhibits/etc that are just there for a couple days. One of my favorite things is the SCAD Sidewalk Arts fest...

[Eeyore Tattoo]

It's a wonderful place to visit, But...
My Sister & Niece moved there a few years ago,My Dad & Mom talked them into it because they retired there. Sister & Niece are still looking for jobs that pay well. They have jobs that pay just enough get by on. My Niece worked for Disney for 2 years but they don't pay well either ( The perks were nice though)Think we will stick to vacationing there only.

[Carla33]

We have been talking about moving to Florida for the past 2 years. DH and I are thinking of moving next summer. I hope everything works out.

[HiddenMickey]

One thing that we found many years ago is that a place you might love to vacation at is not necessarily a place you'd want to live. Before DH and I married in 1988, we moved to Hilton Head Island. My family had been vacationing there just about yearly since the the early 70s. DH and I had been there a couple times together and were looking to change our lives a bit. We moved there (with jobs) and within about two months, realized that it was not the place for us. We just didn't fit in anywhere or with any groups. We stayed for a few more months to build up our savings and then moved back to NC (without jobs) to get married and stay.

So, don't get clouded by your love for a vacation place. Look at it with more realism. What kind of people will you be living around, what kind of activities are there for you, what about schools, taxes, insurance, traffic?? etc.

[Carousel96]

My accountant tells me I should -- better tax rules when my parents' trust liquidates. But I don't know.
DH has a good job, and we have friends here. Yes, winters in MN are long and cold, but houses here do have furnaces!

[WishIwasinDisney]

We moved to Orlando, from Mass, four years ago and I have not once regretted my decision to move here.

Its different for everyone, some people complain of traffic, but its all in where you live. I live on the east side of Orlando and never experience any traffic and I drive 27 miles to work every day. But I am willing to pay for toll roads, so that helps. We make more here than we did in Mass, it all comes down to your occupation. I find the cost of living very comparable to living in Mass. The school systems can be bad, but again it all comes down to where you live. If you are willing to pay more for a neighborhood with good schools, then that's not a worry either.

I do suggest having a job before you move here though, the job market is very rough right now. The weather, well its HOT. We have 3 seasons, not summer, summer and hot summer. And hot summer is HOT. So if you "hate" the heat, you won't like living here for very long.

I suggest coming down to visit during the heat of summer and visiting different areas to see if you like it outside of Disney World, then once you know where you want to be, then search for jobs.

No matter where you live, there is going to be something you don't like, but Florida can be a wonderful place to make your home, as long as you know what you are getting into and come prepared. Oh and it certainly does not hurt that Walt Disney World is right around the corner!

[Angela1312]

DH and I live in North Alabama. While in the Marines, he was stationed in Pensacola and enjoyed the weather there (he was there a year). I've lived all over the country b/c my parents were Marines too. DH and I were last stationed in eastern NC. I lived there as a kid and really looked forward to moving back. When we got to NC it wasn't that great for me b/c of my job field. When we were stationed in NC I had a 1.5 hr commute one way, to a job that wasn't really going to get me very far in my career. That was one reason we came back to AL. We vacationed at WDW and loved the area (we drove around Orlando) and loved the weather. Living in the deep south we are used to the humidity. When DH decided not to re-enlist we moved back to AL because we wanted to be close to family again. But since we've been back (almost 4 yrs) we still don't see our family much because they still treat us like outsiders (long story). We don't have kids yet, and DH's company has a division in Tampa. When he finishes his Engineering degree in a couple years we are going to look into transferring to Tampa. We have a friend that moved from SC to Orlando, and she loves where she lives (close to Celebration) and has nothing but good things to say about her community/schools. We figure that if we move south and don't care for it, he will have the opportunity to transfer back to AL with his company (after a certain period of time and other restrictions). There are some cultural things here in Huntsville, but not very much. My only concern is finding a job in my field (science) in the area we decide to move. So I would want to make sure I can get a job there before we moved. I think that if we really look seriously at what is feasable as far as housing at his salary and if he gets a transfer to Tampa, it's worth a try. I'm a gypsy at heart from moving around so much as a kid. I figure if we are frugal with our money we don't have anything to lose!

[ErikaandAdam]

My Bf and I are seriously considering Moving to FL after we (ie. me since I'll be later) graduate from college. We live in MN and HATE the winters.
plus Disney is in FL :P

[guitardiva]

Originally Posted by jimmymac

WE'd like to move to Florida when we retire

DH wants to do that. He jokes and says that is what all good Italians do when they retire. lol. I actually only want to go as far as Tennessee. A Winter home in Florida would not be bad, but unfortunately we have not won any lotto yet.

I kind have always seen Florida as a nice place to vist......well you know the rest.

[graygables]

Just an FYI, I got my electric bill for May and it was $319. We've got the A/C turned up as much as we can stand (76), use ceiling fans, keep lights off, insulated drapes, rugs on the stone floors where the sun might hit. I can't think of another thing we can do to cut back.

[bullockfamily5]

Originally Posted by graygables

Just an FYI, I got my electric bill for May and it was $319. We've got the A/C turned up as much as we can stand (76), use ceiling fans, keep lights off, insulated drapes, rugs on the stone floors where the sun might hit. I can't think of another thing we can do to cut back.

LOL It's just as bad up north where we have natrual gas for heating, cooking etc. My gas bill for the winter averages $350-400 a month.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

We keep our AC set at 79degrees with all the ceiling fans on all the time, Keeps the electric bill at around $100.00.
We live in Texas & have been at 100 degrees + for weeks now. I think installing solar screens on the windows had made a huge difference in keeping the house cooler too.. Well worth the small investment..