Living in Florida

[rainman99]

My wife is done with cold weather and wants to move to Florida. Need advice on ware. Don't want to boat on the ocean, so must be close to a lake or river. Middle class neighbor hood with affordable condos. Area`with jobs medical Field and building maintenance. I know this is like asking what kind car should I buy. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Living in Florida

Around Jacksonville you have the St. Johns river, as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

Farther south there is:

Lake Okeechobee (pronounced /ˌoʊkɨˈtʃoʊbiː/) locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is a freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the second-largest freshwater lake wholly within the continental United States (after Lake Michigan) and the largest in the southern United States."

I think that you can see Okeechobee from the space station!

Happy boating!

 

[cribber]

Re: Living in Florida

Central Florida is where you want to look. Check out Lake County for The Harris Chain of Lakes, Seminole County for the St John's River and Lake George access, Osceola County for Lake Toho.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Living in Florida

Gainesville and surrounding little towns. there are many great fishing lakes and rivers, with in driving distance. you also have VA hospital, Shands Hospital, Univ of Florida.

all of which offer the types of employment.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Living in Florida

My wife is done with cold weather and wants to move to Florida.

Have you seen their weather this year? They got more snow than I have and I live in Canada.

 

[JB]

Re: Living in Florida

Before you commit, be sure your wife knows what Summers in central and south FL are like.

Daily in June-September you will have temps in the mid 90s with humidity that fogs your glasses when you come out of an air conditioned bldg or vehicle. Often mid afternoon to evening thunderstorms cool things for a few hours and put on the most spectacular lightning display seen anywhere in the world.

The rest of the year the weather is quite comfortable and the fishing is sensational year round.

You will become quite familiar with gigantic American cockroaches locally known as palmetto bugs (great bluegill and crappie bait) and charming little geckos that will keep bugs down in the house if you let them.

Also prepare yourselves for culture shock. The mix of native Floridians ("crackers"), retirees and transplants from the US northern and midwestern states, transplanted Canadians, Central American, Cubans and Caribbean immigrants often presents a conflict of ideas and values.

 

[rainman99]

Re: Living in Florida

Before you commit, be sure your wife knows what Summers in central and south FL are like.

Daily in June-September you will have temps in the mid 90s with humidity that fogs your glasses when you come out of an air conditioned bldg or vehicle. Often mid afternoon to evening thunderstorms cool things for a few hours and put on the most spectacular lightning display seen anywhere in the world.

The rest of the year the weather is quite comfortable and the fishing is sensational year round.

You will become quite familiar with gigantic American cockroaches locally known as palmetto bugs (great bluegill and crappie bait) and charming little geckos that will keep bugs down in the house if you let them.

Also prepare yourselves for culture shock. The mix of native Floridians ("crackers"), retirees and transplants from the US northern and midwestern states, transplanted Canadians, Central American, Cubans and Caribbean immigrants often presents a conflict of ideas and values.

Most of what you say we have here in Ohio. Late 80's & late 90 temps with LOTS of humidity. We have huge cockroaches (which my wife hates). We have bad thunderstorms and tornados. We have lots of mexican families as well as other nationalities that live in this area so that would not be a big culture shock.

If Florida is so bad how about my second or third choice, either Nevada or Arizona.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Living in Florida

By all means dont rule out the FT. MYERS--CAPE CORAL area. They are literary giving brand new houses and condos away. Just make them an offer. So bad right now the state is requiring the banks to hold properties off the market to try to keep values up, called wharehousing. East coast has too many wise guy, arrogant ex new yorkers, LIKE ME. Gulf coast is all mid west people that have drinking problems, like me again, guess thats why I fit in. This year is very unusual for weather, gulf waters rarely go below 70. Might be 120 miles by water to KEY WEST.
Unless thing have changed, positions in the health field for qualified people are a shoe in. People from the north that have a work ethic are always in demand and get signing bonuses. Search LEE MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEMS. Building maint jobs are tougher to came by as everyone wants to do it. One draw back is getting out of the state from this far south. Takes me 6 hrs. just to get to JACKSONVILLE. Would recommend you consider buying on the water as that is what this place is all about. Example, have 80 ft. of sea wall, covered lift and davits and 5 miles from the gulf. If I had to sell it today, would be lucky to get the 165K we bought it for years ago. Of course thats everyones problem nation wide.
Retirement income can also be subsidised by transporting cubans or picking up substances off shore but thats night work and often requires abandoning the boat afterwards. Wont go into that as it is never publizised. regards FRED

 

[rainman99]

Re: Living in Florida

Quote:Retirement income can also be subsidised by transporting cubans or picking up substances off shore but thats night work and often requires abandoning the boat afterwards. Wont go into that as it is never publizised. regards FRED


Fred thank you for all the helpful info. Sounds like that area is investor Mecca. Central Florida seems to fit more of our needs. Don't want to live close to the ocean were inlander's. But we will keep the retirement income thing in mind.

 

[Shamus O'toole]

Re: Living in Florida

If your looking for freshwater boating...lake county for sure.

P'S' the Gulf coast has more new yorkers then you can shake a stick at and there a pain in the azz....I should know I'm one of them.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Living in Florida

Hey rainman, not everybody in the Gulf area is a midwestern alcoholic as was stated above. Geez.

Keep in mind that many of the smaller lakes in the state have dried up considerably due to several years of low rainfall. What you see on a map may not actually be there anymore.

Health professionals are needed everywhere in the state, just as they are needed elsewhere in the country.

 

[smclear]

Re: Living in Florida

Most of what you say we have here in Ohio. Late 80's & late 90 temps with LOTS of humidity. ......... We have bad thunderstorms and tornados. We have lots of mexican families as well as other nationalities that live in this area so that would not be a big culture shock.

If Florida is so bad how about my second or third choice, either Nevada or
Arizona. :

I'm from Indiana, and live there currently, so I can relate to Ohio weather. However, I did live in the Ft. Lauderdale area for approx. 10 - 12 years. Trust me, the summers are NOT the same. The conditions you refer to having in Ohio only last for 4-6 weeks at best (maybe mid-July through August). In Florida, those hot/humid conditions last from mid June through October. At least in SE Florida. Thunderstorms?????, Florida is the lightning capital of the world. Personally, I love thunderstorms so that's cool. Tornadoes? I was living in Hollywood when Andrew struck. Damage potential between the two is a toss up. Tornado's can be more powerful, but Hurricanes are vastly larger and affect a much greater area. As for % of immigrants living in the area, you will become the minority moving to Florida. Now don't get me wrong, I loved Florida, hated the weather (except maybe February), loved the culture, food, and most other things. I'm just saying you're still in for a bit of a shock if you go.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Living in Florida

...


Fred thank you for all the helpful info. Sounds like that area is investor Mecca. Central Florida seems to fit more of our needs. Don't want to live close to the ocean were inlander's. But we will keep the retirement income thing in mind.

Yeah, Polk County is one of the more affordable places housing wise to live. A little more "native" Florida though. And I don't mean "original" inhabitants. Lakeland is not a terrible place. Plus, it's got plenty of medical field stuff, (ALL of Florida does, though) and since it's on I-4, you are just 35 mins from Tampa, 35 from Orlando, and 1.5 hours from Daytona. Very convenient location.

Sarasota county isn't bad either. But I don't think housing there is as affordable. Mostly because it's so close to the ocean.

Someone mentioned Ohio summers being hot like Florida's. That is almost exactly true, they are. However, when the sun goes down, it cools off. It doesn't in Florida. Nothing quite like playing a softball game in late May, at 10:30pm on a Friday night, and it's 85 degrees with about 90% humidity!
The fact that it gets HOT in March and stays HOT until November is what makes the Florida summers seem worse.

 

[Capt Craig]

Re: Living in Florida

My wife is done with cold weather and wants to move to Florida. Need advice on ware. Don't want to boat on the ocean, so must be close to a lake or river. Middle class neighbor hood with affordable condos. Area`with jobs medical Field and building maintenance. I know this is like asking what kind car should I buy. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

If you are a flats fisherman. Port Charlotte may be for you. Charlotte Harbor is just beautiful. I can hook you up with some great guides to get you aquainted with the area. Home prices are GREAT there right now. I worked for Fawcett Hospital and they are by far the most outstanding group of people to work with. It is part of HCA. Send me a email if you want to know more and what type of medical.bldg maint. position you are looking for. I can get you in touch with some people. Too much good info to list about the area on here.

Capt Craig - craig.copeland@att.net

 

[skargo]

Re: Living in Florida

Before you commit, be sure your wife knows what Summers in central and south FL are like.

Daily in June-September you will have temps in the mid 90s with humidity that fogs your glasses when you come out of an air conditioned bldg or vehicle. Often mid afternoon to evening thunderstorms cool things for a few hours and put on the most spectacular lightning display seen anywhere in the world.

The rest of the year the weather is quite comfortable and the fishing is sensational year round.

You will become quite familiar with gigantic American cockroaches locally known as palmetto bugs (great bluegill and crappie bait) and charming little geckos that will keep bugs down in the house if you let them.

Also prepare yourselves for culture shock. The mix of native Floridians ("crackers"), retirees and transplants from the US northern and midwestern states, transplanted Canadians, Central American, Cubans and Caribbean immigrants often presents a conflict of ideas and values.

Sounds like MD!

at least in the summer...

 

[DirtNapp]

Re: Living in Florida

I live in Santa Rosa Beach, it is about ten miles from Destin. Both employment fields are available here as far as I know. I have a condo cleaning and maintenance business. Wife cleans condos I do the maintenance. Six months a year we make a killing and the other six months is average. Slow season allows for a lot of fishing and hunting.

 

[JB]

Re: Living in Florida

I have lived through summers in NC, VA, TN, IL, MN, HI, Guam and TX, as well as FL.

HI is the only place I have lived that did not offer at least a few months of weather unfit for human life in one way or another as payment for the rest of the year. Most places it is a fair price.

The Hideout gives me 30 or 40 days over 100* each year and droughts (no rain at all) that may last 12-18 months. I much prefer it to FL, but that is a cultural and environmental choice. . .not weather.

I promise you: Unless you have spent a few summers in FL you cannot even imagine it. I did a poor job of alerting you.

The only way you will understand is to go there in mid summer and spend a week or so.

"Sounds like MD". . . .Bwaaaaaahahahaha!!

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Living in Florida

Before you commit, be sure your wife knows what Summers in central and south FL are like.

Daily in June-September you will have temps in the mid 90s with humidity that fogs your glasses when you come out of an air conditioned bldg or vehicle. Often mid afternoon to evening thunderstorms cool things for a few hours and put on the most spectacular lightning display seen anywhere in the world.

The rest of the year the weather is quite comfortable and the fishing is sensational year round.

You will become quite familiar with gigantic American cockroaches locally known as palmetto bugs (great bluegill and crappie bait) and charming little geckos that will keep bugs down in the house if you let them.

Also prepare yourselves for culture shock. The mix of native Floridians ("crackers"), retirees and transplants from the US northern and midwestern states, transplanted Canadians, Central American, Cubans and Caribbean immigrants often presents a conflict of ideas and values.

Not to scare you but if you are going to be near any inland water be very careful. I saw this week where they estimate that over 100.000 large water pythons are multiplying . These giant snakes can grow to about 30 feet long and are even eating up aligators. They can stay under water for 30 minutes and get you while swimming and then they have been know to come onto land and chase the prey down...bad snake. They also eat humans....

 

[cribber]

Re: Living in Florida

Yeah I didn't mention Julaugust when I suggested central Florida. That is when the heat and humidity numbers here are both 90+ for at least a month or so. Everyone has their months of unbearable weather unless you live in San Diego. Bonus is during hurricane season you already live where the coastal folks evacuate to during a hurricane.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Living in Florida

Not to scare you but if you are going to be near any inland water be very careful...

I hadn't heard that they were plentiful anywhere but in the Everglades.