Anyone live near or around Hollywood FL??

[robbcayman]

40's for the Miami area is crazy. Acutally right now it's been unusually warm for Oklahoma the other day it was 78!!!! It cooled back down to the middle fifties today.

Anyways, did you guys grow up in Florida or did you move there? We're seriously considering taking the plunge. One thing that makes us a little nervous is the past hurricane season. Was anyone here hit by the past few hurricanes?? Thanks

 

[ReneeC]

OK - very long response...

My husband and I moved here from Massachusetts for much the same reasons you are considering. When we first arrived it was like living a vacation in paradise! For me it still is - I've been running around with the roof off my little convertible (KIA - no Mercedes for me!), with shorts and a t-shirt and its January! Got to love it! Yes there will be a cold spell but it will pass quickly and it means no air conditioning, all the sliding doors wide open, dinner out on the patio every night - its gorgeous right now. And since I love summer the heat doesn't bother me a bit! I love Hollywood!!! Love to wander around the downtown shops, love the boardwalk and the beach, love the parks, love my neighborhood with big, old trees and large lots! Love Mardi Gras and music on the beach and the festivals every other weekend. Plus it is mid-way between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, 1 hour to West Palm and 1 1/2 to Key Largo! Flights to everywhere are available and tend to be fairly reasonable - so if we need to visit the folks or the kids its a quick trip away. And we love cruising - since the terminals are right here we get great local and last minute rates. AND OF COURSE - the diving is the best! Miami has great wrecks, Broward County as well and excellant beach diving, the Keys - well no need to explain, and Palm Beach drift diving!

On the other hand.... Hubby hates it here for all the reasons presented by others. The traffic is a pain - learn the sideroads! And don't be in a hurry to get anywhere! You have to make a special effort to meet people and make friends. (Took me almost eight years to get to know my neighbors and I'm an outgoing person. However, you will meet lots of great people on the board and have a base right there.) It is very hot in the summer for people who do not tolerate heat and humidity well. Home prices, taxes, insurance, gas, groceries - everything is expensive compared to other areas. (But the houses can be kinda cool! - Mine is sorta an L-shape and looks small from the front but every room on the back opens through big sliders onto the patio and pool. Big pass-through windows with bar seating is the norm.) There is a lot of crime and poverty in some areas but most of the crime stays in those areas. Where we live there has not been a major crime in the eight years we have been here. Some car thefts and some minor vandalism but not breakins, murders, or other major crimes that I am aware of.

Hurricanes? Well Florida is home to more hurricanes than any other state. Plus we get massive thunderstorms in the summer that yeild flooding, lightening strikes and spawn tornadoes. The dry season sees huge fires in the everglades. This is why my husband is insisting we leave. Doesn't bother me as much as does him. This year's hurricanes cost us our pool enclosure but it was old and needed replacing (silver lining), it trimmed alot of trees that needed trimming (silver lining), and the extra we will get from insurance will replace our old appliances (big silver lining). After all that is what insurance is for! Yes, some people lost a whole lot more - mostly multi-unit facilities and older homes or homes with older roofs. A worse hurricane would concievably do more damage. The power outage was an inconvenience but I kinda enjoyed it - everyone got to meet their neighbors and acts of kindness were everywhere. Pick your house wisely - hurricane shutters are a must and should be up to current code, make sure the roof is new and check the construction for code as well, don't buy east of 95 even to be near the beach - prices are higher and insurance is twice!, check to see if you are in a flood zone - much of Hollywood isn't but big areas are.

Enough for now. Hope this helped. If I was being given a choice I would not be leaving! Ever! But that's what marriage is all about.

Let us know what you decide. Come for a visit and we'll show you around!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Well said Renee.
And I agree, I wouldn't want to leave either!

 

[Tom Winters]

40's for the Miami area is crazy. Acutally right now it's been unusually warm for Oklahoma the other day it was 78!!!! It cooled back down to the middle fifties today.

Anyways, did you guys grow up in Florida or did you move there? We're seriously considering taking the plunge. One thing that makes us a little nervous is the past hurricane season. Was anyone here hit by the past few hurricanes?? Thanks

I'm from Hawaii. 20 years there and I had two hurricanes hit my island (O'ahu) - Iwa in 1982 and Iniki in 1992. I move up north to Florida and in one calendar year: BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM ---> Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, and Wilma. The eye of Wilma went right overhead here, and it was not fun. And we're in a 10-year cycle for increased hurricane activity.
So if you move here, you will be impacted by hurricanes. To what extent, who knows? Make that "¿quién sabe?" if you move to Dade county.

 

[robbcayman]

OK - very long response...

My husband and I moved here from Massachusetts for much the same reasons you are considering. When we first arrived it was like living a vacation in paradise! For me it still is - I've been running around with the roof off my little convertible (KIA - no Mercedes for me!), with shorts and a t-shirt and its January! Got to love it! Yes there will be a cold spell but it will pass quickly and it means no air conditioning, all the sliding doors wide open, dinner out on the patio every night - its gorgeous right now. And since I love summer the heat doesn't bother me a bit! I love Hollywood!!! Love to wander around the downtown shops, love the boardwalk and the beach, love the parks, love my neighborhood with big, old trees and large lots! Love Mardi Gras and music on the beach and the festivals every other weekend. Plus it is mid-way between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, 1 hour to West Palm and 1 1/2 to Key Largo! Flights to everywhere are available and tend to be fairly reasonable - so if we need to visit the folks or the kids its a quick trip away. And we love cruising - since the terminals are right here we get great local and last minute rates. AND OF COURSE - the diving is the best! Miami has great wrecks, Broward County as well and excellant beach diving, the Keys - well no need to explain, and Palm Beach drift diving!

On the other hand.... Hubby hates it here for all the reasons presented by others. The traffic is a pain - learn the sideroads! And don't be in a hurry to get anywhere! You have to make a special effort to meet people and make friends. (Took me almost eight years to get to know my neighbors and I'm an outgoing person. However, you will meet lots of great people on the board and have a base right there.) It is very hot in the summer for people who do not tolerate heat and humidity well. Home prices, taxes, insurance, gas, groceries - everything is expensive compared to other areas. (But the houses can be kinda cool! - Mine is sorta an L-shape and looks small from the front but every room on the back opens through big sliders onto the patio and pool. Big pass-through windows with bar seating is the norm.) There is a lot of crime and poverty in some areas but most of the crime stays in those areas. Where we live there has not been a major crime in the eight years we have been here. Some car thefts and some minor vandalism but not breakins, murders, or other major crimes that I am aware of.

Hurricanes? Well Florida is home to more hurricanes than any other state. Plus we get massive thunderstorms in the summer that yeild flooding, lightening strikes and spawn tornadoes. The dry season sees huge fires in the everglades. This is why my husband is insisting we leave. Doesn't bother me as much as does him. This year's hurricanes cost us our pool enclosure but it was old and needed replacing (silver lining), it trimmed alot of trees that needed trimming (silver lining), and the extra we will get from insurance will replace our old appliances (big silver lining). After all that is what insurance is for! Yes, some people lost a whole lot more - mostly multi-unit facilities and older homes or homes with older roofs. A worse hurricane would concievably do more damage. The power outage was an inconvenience but I kinda enjoyed it - everyone got to meet their neighbors and acts of kindness were everywhere. Pick your house wisely - hurricane shutters are a must and should be up to current code, make sure the roof is new and check the construction for code as well, don't buy east of 95 even to be near the beach - prices are higher and insurance is twice!, check to see if you are in a flood zone - much of Hollywood isn't but big areas are.

Enough for now. Hope this helped. If I was being given a choice I would not be leaving! Ever! But that's what marriage is all about.

Let us know what you decide. Come for a visit and we'll show you around!

Thanks for the long reply. I like how you look at things with so much optimism it's really refreshing. As for the heat, it wouldn't bother me one bit it's the main reason we're considering leaving is to get to a warmer climate. My wife and I love to be outside; going for walks, riding our bikes etc.. we just like to stay active and sometimes the Oklahoma weather prevents that. We have tornadoes in Oklahoma but they aren't that often or as devistating as hurricanes. There are a lot of factors to consider in making this decision it's not something we want to rush into, but are seriously considering. So Renee are you leaving??? If so when and where?? Not trying to be nosy so if you don't want to share that's cool. After this I promise not to ask any more questions thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[ReneeC]

Thanks for the long reply. I like how you look at things with so much optimism it's really refreshing. As for the heat, it wouldn't bother me one bit it's the main reason we're considering leaving is to get to a warmer climate. My wife and I love to be outside; going for walks, riding our bikes etc.. we just like to stay active and sometimes the Oklahoma weather prevents that. We have tornadoes in Oklahoma but they aren't that often or as devistating as hurricanes. There are a lot of factors to consider in making this decision it's not something we want to rush into, but are seriously considering. So Renee are you leaving??? If so when and where?? Not trying to be nosy so if you don't want to share that's cool. After this I promise not to ask any more questions thanks for all the help everyone.

Thanks for the nice compliment!!
I'm guessing we will be leaving within the 6 months. Need to do some simple cosmetics to the house (fresh paint etc.) before leaving and we are going to take some road trips to potential new locations. I insist on being no more than 3 hours from the ocean and nearby some form of inland diving so we are starting with a couple locations in South Carolina and north Georgia. Much as I don't want to go, marriage is a compromise and I figure at least I'll be able to get back into some gardening (which I used to love) and can maybe turn some land-locked southerners into divers at the same time. When are you thinking of moving here?

 

[olddiver2]

As you can see, it's a different place down here. Two years ago, I interviewed in Ardmore, Oklahoma and Miami. I feel so lucky that I landed the job here in FL. If you love year-round out door recreational opportunities, this is it. I have met some of the greatest people because of my interest in outdoor activities. Seems the other types-there are those other types everywhere, right?-aren't too interested in getting up early and enjoying a beautiful sunrise, lugging the tanks down to the beach for a swim out to the reef, helping a newbie with a gear problem, spending a pleasant SI talking with like-minded folks....

I love to run, and fell in with a bunch of old geezers who have been running together for 20 years. I love diving, and have met and made some good dive friends and spend more bottom time than I ever would in Illinois. I don't miss the old home town or friends I left behind. Life goes on, make the best of it, but opportunities here abound.

So, just like anything else in life, your attitude makes a big difference. The location provides a fantastic opportunity to enjoy activities that so many just dream of. A few years from now, I will not be saying "What if I had taken that job in Florida?"

 

[robbcayman]

Thanks for the nice compliment!!
I'm guessing we will be leaving within the 6 months. Need to do some simple cosmetics to the house (fresh paint etc.) before leaving and we are going to take some road trips to potential new locations. I insist on being no more than 3 hours from the ocean and nearby some form of inland diving so we are starting with a couple locations in South Carolina and north Georgia. Much as I don't want to go, marriage is a compromise and I figure at least I'll be able to get back into some gardening (which I used to love) and can maybe turn some land-locked southerners into divers at the same time. When are you thinking of moving here?

We would be considering moving there within the next year or so. I understand the whole marriage compromise thing that's just how it goes. Hey, at least you're not moving too far away from the ocean. Good luck in Georgia or wherever you may choose. Thanks for all your help, (btw) I would say right now we're probably 90% going to move there.

 

[robbcayman]

As you can see, it's a different place down here. Two years ago, I interviewed in Ardmore, Oklahoma and Miami. I feel so lucky that I landed the job here in FL. If you love year-round out door recreational opportunities, this is it. I have met some of the greatest people because of my interest in outdoor activities. Seems the other types-there are those other types everywhere, right?-aren't too interested in getting up early and enjoying a beautiful sunrise, lugging the tanks down to the beach for a swim out to the reef, helping a newbie with a gear problem, spending a pleasant SI talking with like-minded folks....

I love to run, and fell in with a bunch of old geezers who have been running together for 20 years. I love diving, and have met and made some good dive friends and spend more bottom time than I ever would in Illinois. I don't miss the old home town or friends I left behind. Life goes on, make the best of it, but opportunities here abound.

So, just like anything else in life, your attitude makes a big difference. The location provides a fantastic opportunity to enjoy activities that so many just dream of. A few years from now, I will not be saying "What if I had taken that job in Florida?"

We think a lot alike, because I don't want to look back and wish I had made the move to Florida. I live in Oklahoma City with a million plus people even I couldn't live in Ardmore. I just want to enjoy the outdoors like you're doing I'm honestly envy you. Thanks for responding your post has inspired me.

 

[plongeursousmarin]

I could not agree more with the statements and the outlook and the final question of potentially making a mistake (moving here) versus regretting not doing something and wondering for the rest of your life, "what if"? Change is a good thing, especially if you control it. Good luck.