Thinking of moving

[munkispank]

I would like to add that moving here has additional benefits- I am just about to moiove out of state (unfortunately) and It has really made me appreciate how good we have it in Florida. Apart from election scandals, there is no state income tax, no emissions, low tax on products, and of course, diving within driving distance. I would stick a vote in for Tampa- I persoanlly could not handle all the orlando tourists, you have to have a thick shell to cope- and WPB and Miami are expensive. In Tampa you get a great city with some good nightlife and amenities, but house prices are reasonable and it doesn't have a weired vacation town feel.

As scuba jenny pointed out, it does take soem getting used to- I came from Englad, and it took me a while too !!!!!

 

[simbrooks]

I would stick a vote in for Tampa- I persoanlly could not handle all the orlando tourists, you have to have a thick shell to cope

Just avoid the touristy areas (Disney and I-drive) and you are in the same kind of places you will find in almost any FL city. I too came from the UK, now in my third summer i am getting used to the heat and humidity, which i think we have more of in the centre than those on the coast where there is more shore breeze! Orlando is nice and central and nowhere is outside a day trip, the springs, SW/SE coasts, keys, NE boat diving, NW boat/springs - but if you are on one of those extremes it takes longer to get to the other areas, however expect to drive between 1-4 hours to go diving from Orlando!

 

[zuzanne]

Nurses are in high demand in South Florida. Look up North Broward Medical Center or Boca Raton Regional Medical Center. They have all of their job listings posted on their websites.

We love living in Florida, having moved here 6 years ago from the cold, wet Oregon Coast. We live in Deerfield Beach, puts us between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Housing depending on what area you want to be in can be reasonable or extremely expensive. Anything on the water is usually expensive. One thing to look at is going to insurance. Florida Insurance rates are high for both autos and homeowners policies.

Diving is awesome. Lots of beach and boat diving. 3 hours to the Florida Keys for more great diving and a short flite over to the Bahamas for even more fantastic diving. Good restaurants with any type of food you could want. Heat & humidity can be pretty brutal but you get used to that.

Great Scuba Board friends to meet, greet and dive with. Did I mention we love living here. LOL

Zuzanne

 

[MikeJacobs]

I am currently living in the northeast (Buffalo, NY area) .... Any thoughts on good locations to live. Ie., job growth, cost of living, good diving, safety.

Depending on your needs/resources, you can make a nice life here ON the beach. Lauderdale by the Sea is regarded as the shore dive capital of the US with abundant nursing jobs nearby and good proximity to all the urban conveniences and of course the Keys. Two nurses live on our street, which is right on the sand. Rentals are generally small and old, but the lifestyle is terrific (for adults) and you'll save a lot of money staying home. Our living room *is* the beach... something I wouldn't have ever understood until moving here. It's fairly safe and at least on our street the neighbors became all like family right away. Few mosquitos, cooler and breezier than "inland," and lots of fun.

 

[TrainerAW]

Hi Pam,

I have to endorse northern FL. I live between Jacksonville beach and St Augustine. Diving is excellent with good visibility most of the year. I am a wimp when the H2O temp is below 80, so don't dive in the winter. Plenty of hospitals, including a Mayo clinic here. Cost of housing is much lower than any of south FL. We also don't have the tons of tourists, high rises covering the beaches, or millions of retirees.

TrainerAW

 

[FrankF]

Pam,
I just finished this process and settled on SE Florida. I visited the Tampa area and the the WPB area and found the latter to be more to my liking. We found a place in between WPB and Fort Lauderdale, easy access to diving and both job markets. As everyone noted, though, it is a bit more expensive. Anyway you slice it, though, you will not have to shovel your car out ever again!!! Best of luck with your search.

Frank

 

[jkennedy]

The Panhandle and Panama City is not bad.........

 

[back40]

Stay away from Miami. It's crazy down here. I'm ready to head a little north.
back40