Help me move to South Florida.

[Texasguy]

Moved to Fort Lauderdale a year ago. Was a bit scary but it turned out alright. My goal was to have vacations every weekend. I got it. I got tired of sitting at work and daydreaming about a future vacation that can be taken only twice a year. I did mental math, 2-3 weeks a year, say for the next 20 years is nothing, like only a year... Seriously? That is it? All my life has to offer is a year of real existence? I was shortchanging my passion for South Florida and diving. And for what? I could not find an answer.. For what?

Today I am free, Sat+Sun I am 5 mins away from a great shore dive or 10mins from a boat dive. I have all my gear and more. Keys is like 1.5 hours away. Blue Heron bridge is like 45mins away. Plenty of things to explore for years to come. Even the bay side is like 1.5 hours away. After work I often go swimming or just walking on a beach, it is a 5min drive, easy parking. Ocean is available to me 24 hours a day. No need to park a car at an airport, going through security, waiting for the damn flight, sitting for 3 hours without moving, arriving, getting a rental, checking in into hotels. And the worst of them all, the rush to do maximum sightseeing and fun in the allotted time.

Do you know what I felt missing once I moved? A strange feeling that I don't have a ticket and a date when I have to go back! That felt very odd. Though, at that time I really did not have a limit to my "vacation", I moved, bitches! This deadline of a vacation was something that was like a Pavlovian response to me being in Fort Lauderdale. Can this be, I don't have to go back, I kept asking myself?!? So many times I been here as a tourist and knew exactly a day and hour I'll have to say goodbye to that place and go back to that daydream land. Sad. But I said: no more, I don't want to live away from my daydreams, I don't want to dream, I want to live them. I am not a young man anymore, if I don't live now the live I want, then when?

I remember watching Dexter or Netflix's BloodLine, I wished I was there. Well, wishing is one thing, doing something about it is another.

Anywhere I go, infrastructure is made for tourists. While I am a local, I still consider to have a tourist mindset, going to all the places, seeing things. It is the same if I drive North or South. Even after a year I have not seen 99% of what the places around me have to offer. Seriously, each weekend is like a discovery mode, going to new places. Don't even feel like I want to fly out to see other things, still happy with exploring places locally. It is still new, still fun. If I need to see new things, I have a whole state, the parks, the shore line, everlasting summer... How can it not be a paradise?

Cannot say that the move was effortless. It was a battle for everything. Now after a year I can take a breather and enjoy the accomplishments.

 

[cbm369]

@Texasguy , we seem to have the same mindset. I live in SC, but long to move to Florida. Still kinda torn on West or east coast, wife and I love the Venice-Sarasota area. Also love Pompano.

Almost ready to pull the trigger, but youngest is in 9th grade and by the time she graduates, we will be moving.
I'm already actively looking for property.
Soon

 

[matts1w]

I spent seven years in Florida...loved the first five. When real estate tanked around 2007 it got pretty damn depressing. From a recreational/nature/scuba/fishing/boating aspect there is no greater state in the US....at least I think so. I am also a high school teacher, so from that aspect Florida is awful. That being said, If I ever repatriate it will probably be to Sarasota- a great small city and solid spearfishing... Man, do I miss spearfishing...and lobsters...and spearfishing.

 

[sheeper]

@Texasguy , we seem to have the same mindset. I live in SC, but long to move to Florida. Still kinda torn on West or east coast, wife and I love the Venice-Sarasota area. Also love Pompano.

Almost ready to pull the trigger, but youngest is in 9th grade and by the time she graduates, we will be moving.
I'm already actively looking for property.
Soon

East coast diving is far better than the west coast. I'm up in Vero Beach area. Much more coastal small town feel than further south and great property values.

 

[J322Y]

I've been reading about the markets/economy since 2006. I don't own much but it's been a fascinating period. I influenced my significant other at that time (2006) to sell her Ft. Lauderdale home at a huge profit instead of renting it out. We all know what followed.

There is no way I would buy a house now. Rent is very high now, but we're seeing a lot of the same conditions in real estate that we're present in 2006. I would wait for a chance to buy low in the relatively near future.

That's just one man's opinion but it makes sense to check out the current market with that perspective in mind before you commit to a large investment.

I've lived in Florida since 1978 and in Miami for 20 years. I still go there occasionally for work but the idea of living in Miami again gives me hives.

 

[scubadada]

Does outside of the blue area in the right picture still get you far enough south?

Elevation of Southern Florida : Image of the Day

Edit: better map downloadable here:
USGS Scientific Investigations Map 3047: State of Florida 1:24,000- and 1:100,000-scale Quadrangle Index Map—Highlighting Low-Lying areas Derived from USGS Digital Elevation Models

Edit 2: and here you get to play with water level rise anywhere world wide (the feet scale seems to top out at 10, the meter scale goes higher...):
Surging Seas: Risk Zone Map

The Surging Seas: Risk Zone Map is particularly interesting. We own a townhouse in Hypoluxo, looks like it will be flooded with about a 6 foot rise. It is fascinating to run the simulation.

@Schwob thanks for posting

PS We bought the townhouse almost 6 years ago in December 2011, as stated previously, timing is everything

 

[Billy Northrup]

Hi all,

I've been taking notes (especially contacts) and listening closely. It's a big deal and a bit scary for sure! Everyone tells me the market is long in tooth and will correct itself shortly.... I travel lite so I could find a room for rent and learn what I need to learn. The important part is getting my dive on and meeting new people, the rest will work out.

 

[100days-a-year]

There are lot of oft unmentioned ways to make diving pay.Golf ball diving,selling fossils,spearfishing,zinc changing and bottom scraping etc....

I live in Jax and wouldn't move further South than Vero on a dare or if the house was given to me.I lived in Coral Springs,vacationed about 2 years cumulatively in S.Fl and the Keys.Nice to visit,lots of fun.Too many hassles.

I can reach from the Keys to NC to Pensacola within an 8 hour drive,can dive here within an hour combined drive and boat ride.Manatees,springs and caves are within 2 hours.

Cost of living is cheap,crime is low outside of downtown.
Wages are weird,my industries(wallpaper and spearfishing) pay epic,others pay poorly for various reasons.

 

[Billy Northrup]

Well, here I go.

Packing up my truck today and meander east from Cali visiting friends along the way. It's exciting but there is also some suck local to get by but time should take care of that. I'll be in the Keys for a couple months then find a place to settle for a bit as I figure it all out. Can't wait to tech/wreck dive with enough frequency to get decent at it and doodle along shallow reefs taking it all in. This is gonna be one helluva and adventure for sure, wish me luck!

 

[J322Y]

Welcome to Florida! It's a weird and beautiful place.