Help me with moving thoughts (IL to FL)

[ginkgoleaf]

We're thinking about moving from the Chicago area to Florida.

Pros:
- lower cost of living
- all my extended family is there (everyone but parents and brother)
- nicer weather (at least better winter!  I realize summers are hot)
- lower taxes
- stronger rental market (we have a couple rental properties now and want more)
- more relaxed way of life
- cheaper homes, could buy new
- near the water/ocean/WDW (would love season passes!)

Cons:
- too conservative and/or redneck?
- too close to family?  Potential to be involved in more family drama (there's a bit due to family business there, but we wouldn't work there)
- schools, though my research tells me that varies a lot based on neighborhood
- too hot in summer?
- bugs! lol
- job market, tough to find something that pays decently?
- leaving our friends

Our major reasons are to escape the Chicago winters but still be close to family (only other area with family is DC, which is very HCOL and I'll be SAH still for awhile).  DH is quite unhappy at his job and wants to do something a bit more outside the box, such as having more rental properties and then a less intense job for the health insurance.  From our research it seems we would have a much higher return on investment there than here because our taxes are so ridiculous. We know we don't want to live here forever and moving before DS starts kindergarten next year seems like a smart idea.  Although moving with 2 newborns doesn't quite sound like fun.

How do you job search without living somewhere?  Hope a job will let you start in a couple months?  Have DH move first (not super feasible with me being pregnant)?  Some other alternative?

@this, is living in FL really as bad as you make it out to be?  What specifically don't you like?

We'd be looking at the east coast, between Ormond and New Smyrna, most likely.  Port Orange seems to have the best schools in that area.  DH does not want to move somewhere where we don't know anyone, so that leaves very few choices.

I realize we could try it for awhile and move again if we didn't like it, but I'd hate to uproot DS once he starts school.

What would you do?  What else am I forgetting about making a big move?  Thanks for helping me hash this out, we're at an impasse with making a decision on what to do.

[ginkgoleaf]

@this, thank you SO much for your thoughts. Super helpful. I'll reply to your PM too.

I was born in FL (parents lived in Longwood) but we moved when I was 2. I've spent a lot of time there since I have family there, but usually we avoid the summer. I assume having a pool helps a lot with the heat, right? We probably wouldn't have one, but my grandmother would be thrilled for us to come use hers (she's in Daytona, which looking at schools and having been there, hell no, don't want to live in that town). Even if it's equally unbearable, there's no hassle of all the winter coats/boots/hats, driving in snow and ice, literally freezing your face off to just go to the grocery store, etc. Or maybe I'm more naive than I thought? We usually travel in the summer, so we'd get out of there for a few weeks at least.

The neighborhood we like best from just looking online is Port Orange schools, and I'm pretty sure Spruce Creek is the high school. I know a few of my cousins went there. I was surprised that the schools in that area are rated as good as the ones in our Chicago suburb. What's the deal with all the charter schools? Is it lottery-based, test-score based, something else?

How were you able to find like-minded people? This is a big concern of mine. My 5 closest cousins are pretty great, but I know at least one uncle's ideas are scary enough that I worry there's a whole lot more people who think like him there. I assume the bigger cities are a little more progressive, though we're not looking at Orlando or Jacksonville right now.

[Purple]

following
I posted about this a while back. Moving from NY to FL.

[thebreakfastclub]

Not exactly where you are looking, but I had a coworker who came from a large retail HQ in Fort Myers and she really liked living there. It's a great company, although it gets made fun of here.

We are shut in for 4 months here, so it seems like an even trade. Not scraping ice off of my car would be huge.

The company works hard to keep people because it skews older. I found it appealing that Tampa and Miami were decently close.

H is not on board though.

[miamigirl]

I agree with the others, summers are tough. Spending this past summer super pregnant was no joke for me . Having access to a pool would be a plus.

We're in Miami, which I think is really different from other neighborhoods further north. We're lucky to have a very diverse group of friends here. But I know it's not the case everywhere. We have friends that moved to Boynton Beach and complain just about that.

I'd make sure to research school districts before makig a decision. Good luck with the move!

[marie3246]

I agree with everything @this and others have said. Summers are like winters however access to the beach/pool makes it less like cabin fever.

I'm from PA so I miss so much about being up north that I never thought I would. The mountains, the changing of the seasons, being able to ski on weekends, etc.

However, the cost of living is awesome, the schools we were near are way better compared to mine in Pa, and it is pretty easy living. Yes the summers are hot, but it is different because its not that dreary overcast cold all the time. Sweating going to your car sucks, but I also thinking scraping ice off your car daily sucks more.

Dh and I moved to GA recently and it makes every conservative I know in FL like an extreme liberal. I did have some friends who were super religious in FL that were very hard to relate to but I know people like that in PA as well.

FL certainly isn't my perfect place, but for DHs job we have to live in the south and I really only hate it in the fall when I'm sick of summer clothes and want to wear boots, scarfs and drink pumpkin spice while watching the leaves change colors.

[mlt]

As someone who lives in Illinois I could not make that move. The winters are bad but the summers are lovely - this year was so mild. It was only above 90 degrees for a few days. We were outside constantly. I also wouldn't want to be putting money into becoming a landlord in Florida. It was one of the areas hardest hit when the real estate bubble burst and I do think we are in another bubble now.

I would also struggle with the lack of public transportation.

[irishbride2]

I live in a fairly liberal area so my experience is different I suppose.


We moved from IN to FL and we are beyond happy. Yes summers are hot but you get used to it and you go on vacation up north for  a bit

[redpenmama]

I lived in Gainesville for 4 years and Orlando for 5, and my family and H's family are all still in central FL, so we visit often.

I do agree that the summers can be unbearable. We were down in June, and I tried taking the kids to the playground at like 9 am, and the equipment was too scorching for them to even play on it. Bascially, you need to be submerged in a body of water if you're going to be outside in the summer. That said, we live in an area that gets snow now, and I would much, MUCH prefer hot summers over cold and icy winters. You can still get out of your house and enjoy the world when it's hot; whereas, we end up cooped in the house and wanting to strangle each other when it snows. So, FL summers far, far outweigh miserable winters in my book, but obviously that depends on the person.

My H grew up in Daytona, and his family is still there now. We got married in Port Orange, in fact. I definitely would not want to live in Daytona, and based on my H's experience, public schools there are not (or at least were not) good.

That said, I'm not at all opposed to living in Florida, and we do hope to move back someday since that's where our family is located.

[chickadee77]

I haven't read everything here yet, but I was pleasantly surprised at the politics here. Granted, it depends where you live and with whom you associate, but coming from the Bible belt (most recently) Florida is awesome.

I don't think northern FL/panhandle is necessarily like that, though.

Weather-wise, it's way cooler here than where we came from in KY. Here, we get a Gulf breeze that keeps us comfortable rather than stagnant. But again, it depends on your location within FL.

If you have other questions about our area (Naples area), feel free to pm me.

[irishbride2]

I will say that summers are not as bad as some are making it out to be.

We spent most mornings outside this past summer (and afternoons in the pool). We even went to disney 4-5 times for the entire day over the summer.

Its hot, yes. But you prepare with proper clothes, sunscreen, and drink lots of water.

[noodleoo]

Following. My parents live in FL and the LCOL is a big draw. Every time I go visit in March I say I want to move there. The weather kind of stinks in MA pretty much from Nov to April. But it seems too scary to think about really leaving New England.

[irishbride2]

Oct 1, 2015 19:36:05 GMT -5 @this said:

I would vote for Donald Trump before I went to Disney in July or August.

It really wasn't bad. I plan to do it all next summer too

But maybe because I grew up here I'm used to it? IDK. I just dress appropriately and know I'm going to be sweaty and embrace it. 

[bowies]

I grew up in Florida. The mark of success was moving out.

Florida is quirky, to put it lightly. It often functions as two different states (I-4 is the dividing line) that can barely tolerate each other. Orlando is the seventh ring of hell in the summer. I remember being there for a wedding in August and literally crying in the car because I could barely breathe from the oppressive heat and humidity. I live in Virginia now and people will marvel at the humidity here and I'm all ROTFLMAO. Your governor would be Rick Motherfucking Scott. The legislature is corrupt as hell. Think real carefully on that. Though if you're coming from Chicago that might feel like home.

Property values are mostly decent in the state, but you might want to price out insurance. Living in a state that is bearing the brunt of climate change has consequences.

HOWEVER.

The biggest plus of Florida, and your reward for putting up with all the bullshit that exists there, is that they do have a scholarship system in place for academically talented kids. The qualifiers have increased since I utilized it, but they aren't outrageous. I went to college for free. I attended a Top 200 high school. Don't write off the education there as uniformly terrible. It's not.

I also think it's a pretty diverse state. I'm always surprised when people say it's not. I lived in the more conservative area of Florida but my friends and classmates were from different races, cultures, family structures. If I get homesick, this is what I get homesick for. It was a great way to grow up.

I would encourage you to spend some time there before you make a decision, and beyond the tourist stuff. See if it could feel like home.

[curbsideprophet]

Oct 1, 2015 19:36:05 GMT -5 @this said:

I would vote for Donald Trump before I went to Disney in July or August.

I am not sure I would this far, but I agree that going tonDisney in July or August has absolutely no appeal to me.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I live in Florida, and I love it.

There are annoying things about it. It would be awesome to live in a more liberal area. And in my area, diversity is seriously lacking.

The summers are no joke. By this time of year I'm SO over the heat. The heat doesn't usually really break until early November -- and I'm in North Florida. But the actual summer isn't bad. Playgrounds are out of the question unless there's good shade, but pools are everywhere. In my area, most neighborhoods have pools, plus lots of people have their own, so we spend most of the summer in the water. And we're 5 minutes from the beach, although I hate sweating on the beach in the summer.

I live in a neighboring county to Jacksonville, and our schools are some of the best in the state. DD1 is in first grade, and I love her school. I would carefully research schools because they can vary greatly.

As far as the redneck aspect, yes, we're barely south of Georgia, so there are plenty of rednecks. But again, it depends on where you live. My area is far more country club than country.

[krystee]

One expense to be aware of since you'll have several homes is that home insurance is about six to seven times what we pay here. I think my IL's is close to $3K.

Also, if you move, I want to buy your beautiful house.

[ginkgoleaf]

Lots of things to think about and lots of excellent points. I'll reply more once I've had more time to think about all of it, but thank you.