Florida Guys, need your help.

[Zack]

Please help me out here, as I may be moving to your state, permanently!
The better half has a few job offerings in different cities. They are:
Sarasota, Haines City and Lakeland, Florida.
If you were going to move, which city would you choose, and why?
Which city has the best homes for the money? Jobs, Crime, schools, etc....
Please generalize in this thread and give me the nitty gritty in PM form.
Thanks everyone.

[MaLo03]

I've only been here 6yrs now and really don't know anything about FL
Now I do know some Conductors I work with that live in Lakeland and say its a good place to live and they love it.

[sspmustang]

Sarasota would be my choice, if you can afford it. Closer to the Gulf, some very nice areas. If you haven't looked at the cost of homeowner insurance here, you are in for a very rude awakening, but it is not just confined to wind zone coastal areas.

Lakeland and Haines City are both in Polk County, which is in the center of the state. More affordable, but only lakes nearby. Unfortunately, Polk County has had an endemic Meth situtation which is causing a real problem in that area.

The FDLE site may prove helpful for some general crime stats, especially if you have kids and you're concerned about living near predators..
Good luck.
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/

[Hotrauder]

Zack, we have only been here for 2 years. All 3 are close and Lakeland and Haines City are not only close but close to each other. Sarasota is on the gulf and a big city with a lot to do and places to go. All 3 are fairly central in the State with managable travel times to any point in the State. Lakeland is a small but very nice city surrounded by rural countgryside and lakes. Prices would be lower and the pace slower. I like Lakeland, 6 miles away. We do most of our shopping and out for the evening fun there. Come on down. You will really like winter in Florida and the SSM group is large and active. We had a meeting today with Marauder folk from all over the State. They came from The very north, the deep south, both east and west coast and areas more central. We have a big state but most of the Marauder guys know almost all of the others from our meets, picnic etc. If you move to Lakeland you will only be 40 miles or less from MVIV. Close enough to walk home if you drink to much:D If you guys want to come on down and look around let me know. We would be happy to play host. are digs our modest but the hospitality is warm and heartfelt. Dennis

[ctrcbob]

Traffic, traffic, traffic. Developments, developments, developments. People, people, people. (and this is in the summer - much worse in the winter when the "SnowBirds" return). Bugs, bugs, bugs. Storms that have names! Lightning capital of the world.

If you must move to Florida, it will be cooler in the summer in Sarasota than in the center of the state.

I have lived here for eleven years and am looking forward to moving out. Don't want to say that I hate it here, but I HATE IT HERE, and as soon as I can find a reasonable home out west, my house goes up for sale.

BTW, all houses in Florida are way overpriced, so don't have a heart attack when you see the prices. Also, it is now very hard to get Homeowners Insurance in Florida. Those of us that have it have riders that state that if the damage is from a Hurricane, our deductable is HUGE. Friend of mine who has lived here for twelve years got a letter from his insurance company telling him that they no longer sell insurance in Florida. He is having trouble finding another company to insure him. I'm paying through the nose for my insurance, and I did not have any damage from the three hurricanes that came through here two years ago.

Be careful what you wish for. You may get it.

[SergntMac]

My father retired from Federal service (U.S. Customs) in 1971, and he moved to Winter Park FL, just outside of Orlando. He passed in '82, but for those 11 years, I visited him an average of 6 times a year. Been a lot of development since then, and IMHO, Winter Park has lost it's identity. Also since then, I have vacationed in Orlando, Key Largo, Key West and other areas. Never a problem, except for the "love bug" season (yuuuuck!), and that sneaky speed trap on US. 1 in the Keys, where miniature deer propagate, and apparently feed the local government purse, but I digress.

When I visited, we traveled around the state, and IMHO, the best of the places we visited were Sarasota and Lakeland areas, as well as St. Augustine up north. In fact, at one time, my father said to me that he wished he had moved to Lakeland over Winter Park, but this was a while ago. Mine is a tourist's view, and somewhat stale too.

What ever you decide, just land close to a race track, K?

[Smokie]

Zack as Bob already warned you; is pretty bad down here everything he told you is true...and yet people continue to flock down here for some unknown reason.

Lakeland is more blue collar than Sarasota.
Lakeland has lakes, Sarasota has beaches.
Lakeland is more country, Sarasota more cosmopolitan.
Lakeland has lower cost housing and homeowners insurance.
Sarasota is nothing but beautiful beaches and higher real estate costs.

Zack if I had a choice to make, I would choose Sarasota, I love the ocean.

PS: If you move down here never bad mouth Florida in front of me or I will feed you to my pet leezard.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=50 51&d=1102966136

[Zack]

Thanks for the replies, keep them coming!

[Rider90]

Zack,

A decent resource in this case would be to look into the demographics, history, economy, etc... just about any and all statistics that could be found on each town.

Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

In the search bar on the left type the town and state (ex. "Ft. Lauderdale, FL")

Good luck.

[MM03MOK]

I'd suggest the State's website for a great deal of information for those looking to relocate to FL.

Neat feature - Salary Calculator - lets you compare your current area to any new area.

http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=40

[JMan]

My work area covers all three cities. If I had to make a choice, there would be no doubt and no hesitation.

Haines City is very centrally located and hot as Hades in the summer. It is soon to be enveloped by the Mouse and the constant growth from the Kissimmee/ St. Cloud/ Orlando Metro area. The bumpkins that are four generations deep there are ready to pack it up. On a bright note, property values are likely to increase tremendously in the next decade.

Lakeland is the distribution center of Central Florida. Over the past two decades, the number of factories and warehouses in and around Lakeland have multiplied like rabbits creating jobs and expansive growth. It is located in the center of the peninsula and is thirty minutes from either Orlando or Tampa. Once again, it is hot as Hades there in the summer. The growth has driven up property values in and around Lakeland. But there is great area to expand particularly to the south towards Bartow, Ft. Meade and Highlands County. One last note - The area between where Hotrauder lives and Lakeland has an average of thirty-five cloud-to-ground lightning strikes per acre, per anum.

Sarasota is an old and historic town that was quaint until the '80's! It has beautiful beaches and the life saving seabreezes in the summertime. The expansion is towards the East as that's the only way to go. Although there are some undesirable neighborhoods in town, they have done a tremendous job of eradicating blight. Their civil services are above average and with that comes a price - much higher cost of living than the other two cities. Many people live in adjacent communities and commute to Sarasota. Bradenton to the North is not desirable (Sorry Morton!). Venice (Where Tallboy hails.), is a very nice, modestly sized town to the south. North Port, Nokomis and Osprey are nice little communities in close proximity as well that are near the coast.

My choice would be Sarasota County over Polk County. It would be wise to go to the My Florida or the U.S. Geological Survey sites and peruse the evacuation zone maps. My Florida also has info on the school systems and links to the county and city websites. Did anyone mention the number of Marauders down here?

Best luck in your endeavors,

J

[Tallboy]

Sarasota. Period. Don't worry about the cost of living, taxes, or insurance. Do what I do. Live 15 minutes south in Venice. It's a buyer's market right now. If you want to get down here for a weekend to check it out, tell me your flight number. I'll be waiting on you at the airport. You can stay at my house and drive one of my cars.

This offer is serious. Say the word...

[SergntMac]

Keep your doors open, Chuck, this may be sooner than you think.

[Tallboy]

Keep your doors open, Chuck, this may be sooner than you think.

I'm ready when he is. Like I said, My offer is serious and unconditional.

[shakes_26]

I'm with Chuck, I may yet move near Venice, come by his house, drink his beer, watch his TV, smoke his cigars.

Seriously, I've been in Florida over 13years, and I would choose the Sarasota area, hands down.


Sarasota. Period. Don't worry about the cost of living, taxes, or insurance. Do what I do. Live 15 minutes south in Venice. It's a buyer's market right now. If you want to get down here for a weekend to check it out, tell me your flight number. I'll be waiting on you at the airport. You can stay at my house and drive one of my cars.

This offer is serious. Say the word...

[JMan]

Southwest Airlines - $69 one way from Midway to Tampa and back. Book by tomorrow, midnight. I'll cart you down to Venice if necessary. Serious! http://www.southwest.com/hotfares/hotfares_air.html

J

[Zack]

Checked the flights, thanks JMan.
Chuck, we would be down on July 13th thru the 16th.
I appreciate the generous offer and accept.
Gonna finalize some details with my job tomorrow before booking the flight and will let you know.
Thanks to all!

[Zack]

Mary, Ill be needing a Comcast job asap!

[MM03MOK]

Mary, Ill be needing a Comcast job asap!I'll get right on it, Zack!!!

[O's Fan Rich]

Zack, The in-laws live in Lake Wales, which is just south of Haines City.
I've been there, it's not bad. I haven't lived there, just visited. But, there is a lot of baseball around there!
That freakin' route 27 is circus though.

[pantheroc]

Zack, not to get off topic, but I thought I'd beat Killjoy to this one.... "schools"??? kids go to schools.....?? Hmmm? Anyway, I'm sure you were just general-izing your question as an indicator of the areas your looking at.?. My folks live inland and I like it, you'll have to experience the different areas in person yoursevles and make the decision. Best of Luck!
Please help me out here, as I may be moving to your state, permanently!
The better half has a few job offerings in different cities. They are:
Sarasota, Haines City and Lakeland, Florida.
If you were going to move, which city would you choose, and why?
Which city has the best homes for the money? Jobs, Crime, schools, etc....
Please generalize in this thread and give me the nitty gritty in PM form.
Thanks everyone.

[Rick-n-Miami]

Forget those other places and come down to Miami. You'll have your choice of millions of people in the greater Miami area, from all walks of life. Miami "IS" Florida. :)

That said, stay FAR FAR away from Miami if you value your life. :)

[Zack]

Zack, not to get off topic, but I thought I'd beat Killjoy to this one.... "schools"??? kids go to schools.....?? Hmmm? Anyway, I'm sure you were just general-izing your question as an indicator of the areas your looking at.?. My folks live inland and I like it, you'll have to experience the different areas in person yoursevles and make the decision. Best of Luck!

I need to know where the schools are, so I can get the 'report card'

Kids.... no.

[O's Fan Rich]

I need to know where the schools are, so I can get the 'report card'

Kids.... no.
Zack, am I correct in assuming she's in the medical field?

[bradical]

Hi Zack. I have one of your grilles and love it- would welcome a chance to meet you. I have lived almost my entire life in Florida. I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale but have lived in Tampa Bay since 1983. I have left the state 3 times, but have always returned to Tampa Bay.

I agree with the other opinions given here- of your 3 choices I would select Sarasota. All 3 areas you mentioned are considered neighbors or extensions of the Tampa Bay area. If you have more flexibility, I would encourage you to check out the Tampa Bay area proper (Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.) Bradenton is a very nice town just north of Sarasota and a quick hop across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to St. Petersburg. The more inland you go, the hotter it is in the summer.

Florida lifestyle is excellent, if you enjoy outdoor activities, the beach, boating, fishing, golf and the like. You can work and play outside all year 'round (depending on your adaptability to heat and primarily humidity!) Cost of living is still relatively low, but has been climbing rapidly in recent years- but many things are still cheaper than other places. You do not need two wardrobes (winter and summer, because it is always summer here.) Housing prices have been rising, but are still very affordable compared to many other areas. Some may disagree with that statement, but I have lived in several other areas and Florida housing is still relatively cheap. Of course it depends on what you are looking for - 3,000 sq. ft on the water will probably make your heart stop, but something more modest (1,200 to 1,600 sq. ft 3 bedroom 2 bath in a decent neighborhood should run between $150,000 to $225,000, in this part of Florida, depending on how close it is to a major city, etc.)

Traffic and growth are two of the biggest issues facing this part of Florida. Lakeland is accessed primarily from I-4, which is a disaster. Horrible traffic and near constant construction. When conducting your research look closely at traffic and commute times. Many areas popular for housing can involve commutes of an hour or more in some cases. Housing prices near the water and city centers have risen the most, primarily because of traffic. Due to our geography, the only way to grow is away from the coast. Unfortunatley, most of the jobs are closer to the coast so you trade commute time for housing price. In Lakeland you bump into the Orlando metro area going north and east (Disney and the rest) and Tampa going west. South is pretty much still nothing.

Other issues to check out are wages and jobs. Jobs are plentiful in Florida (current unemployment rate is less tha 3%-- among the lowest in the U.S.) but wages are low. This may be the biggest shock to you. Florida is based on a service economy for all the elderly and tourists. Jobs paying up to about $40,000 to $50,000 annually are fairly easy to find, but things dry our rapidly above that mark. (I'm speaking in very broad generalizations here, but many people I know who have relocated here have taken pay cuts.) FLorida is also a "right to work" state with little to no Union power and the law states that employees may be "hired or fired for any or no reason."

Some good news about homes- Florida has "Homestead Exemption" which deducts the first $25,000 of assessed value for tax purposes. Some areas also have a "Save Our Homes" program which limits tax increases to no more than 3% per year. As others have written here, taxes and insurance are the biggest problems - mostly insurance. Near the coast you will get hit for flood (possibly- depends on the area - and this is amazingly expensive) and wind damage which is now difficult to get, as many insurer have pulled out of the state. You may get stuck with Citizens, which is a government backed insurer of last resort. Rates have gone through the roof in the past 2 years. Further inland (especially the Lakeland area) you will need protection from sinkholes. The ground can literally open beneath your house and swallow it in a 20 foot deep (or bigger) hole.

Two good sites to learn more about this area are www.tampabay.com (http://www.tampabay.com) and www.tbo.com (http://www.tbo.com).

I've rambled on way too long - PM me if you have questions or to discuss any of this in more detail. Good luck!

[BigCars4Ever]

Zack, I think everyone failed to mention the most important thing. Which city is closest to a drag strip. I live north west of Orlando. Lakeland is south to southwest. I think Orlando Speed World would be closest to Lakeland. I'm not sure where the Tampa guys go but I here Bradington every now and then. You may also want to do a search on Monster.Com for jobs in the area. It would give you a good idea of where the industry centers are. And about that insurance... here in clermont I pay about $1400 for homeowners insurance. I've heard the shoreline pays 2 to 3 times that for about the same coverage. But I will never go back up north. I am done with winters and have been for 11 years now.

[fastblackmerc]

Zack, The in-laws live in Lake Wales, which is just south of Haines City.
My Dad lives in Lake Wales... small world...

[juno]

Zack,

Come on down! :up: It does take some adjustment, but after a year you realize the sun comes out almost everyday, there is no income tax, property tax is less then most states, good gas, good gun and self protection laws and you can vote as many times as you want! :D

[O's Fan Rich]

My Dad lives in Lake Wales... small world...
Small world? Ain't that where the "Mouse" lives?

[Tallboy]

Checked the flights, thanks JMan.
Chuck, we would be down on July 13th thru the 16th.
I appreciate the generous offer and accept.
Gonna finalize some details with my job tomorrow before booking the flight and will let you know.
Thanks to all!


Just let me know when the details are hammered out. :beer:

[SergntMac]

and you can vote as many times as you want! :D Dude...He's moving from Chicago. All of us can vote as often as we want, it's more like how many guns can you carry...

[StevenJ]

Some may disagree with that statement, but I have lived in several other areas and Florida housing is still relatively cheap. Of course it depends on what you are looking for - 3,000 sq. ft on the water will probably make your heart stop, but something more modest (1,200 to 1,600 sq. ft 3 bedroom 2 bath in a decent neighborhood should run between $150,000 to $225,000, in this part of Florida, depending on how close it is to a major city, etc.).....
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Maybe up in your area but not down here. Housing has SKY ROCKTED in South Florida. My home when my parents purchased it in 96' was $180,000 now is worth $480,000! Good luck trying to find something that cheap in Broward/ Dade counties! Maybe up north by where you live!

PS> Sorry to have to criticize your post like that. It's just not true about South Florida. The only thing $200,000 can buy you in Broward is a one bedroom condo with no garage!

[bradical]

I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale and have a brother who still lives there, so I'm familiar. I was quoting Tampa Bay prices, since Zack stated he was interested in coming to this area. You should see the prices in Naples or Palm Beach! I own property in St. Petersburg, Hudson and Ocala. Prices have skyrocketed everywhere in Florida. And let's face it- pricing is highly subjective and varies widely in every area- houses in Tampa Bay are available from the $90's to well over $10 million. The average house is about $240,000. Hulk Hogan has his house near Clearwater on the market for $25 million- it is the most expensive home currently for sale in the South (according to the St. Pete Times.) Prices are MUCH higher in highly desirable areas- like I said, you trade commute time for housing price.

[MarauderTJA]

I agree with TallBoy and Shakes26. Sarasota County is really nice and cooler than inland Florida with the Gulf breeze. I live about an hour south of Chuck and have looked at the Northport area due to the incredible growth here in SW FL. In the Venice and Northport areas some reasonable housing can be found close to shopping and more. Plus being the motorhead you are, Bradenton Motorsports Park is close by.

[Zack]

We will be down the 13th of July thru the 16th.
Cant wait.

[CRUZTAKER]

Sarasota would be my choice, if you can afford it.

I agree. Very clean, ritzy, lavish...
My parents lived on St.Armands for years. A small island off the main Sarasota center area.
I was always impressed with this area.

They now live 6 miles north in Bradenton.

This area can be summed up as as a MAJOR tourist area. Of course it lightens up in the dead of summer...but come October...BUSY BUSY BUSY and constantly congested.

Well maintained common areas, great weather (hurricane evactuations aside), and not too bad cost of of living compared to what we deal with up north.

I could never find a job that paid as well as the northern jobs, therefore I stay up here and visit my place there.

Bear in mind, no more cold weather clothing and other items we purchase up here. Tiny heating bills....but A/C is must in the summer.

Good luck with your decision...lucky duck.;)