moving to fla.
 

I'm thinking of moving to Florida. I live in New Jersey now. I'm a blue collar guy. I have been an auto painter most of my life, now I'm a service adviser. My wife also works in a car dealer as a internet sales manager. We have 2 young children under 8 years old. I love boating and motocross. We like the burbs. With that said what would be a nice area to look at in Florida?

Thanks

Russ

Re: moving to fla.
 

check out Stuart Fl nice place to live

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The further north you go the cheaper the real estate and to some the better quality of life, less crime/ traffic.

Today it was in the 80's, not bad the week before Christmas.

http://www.evsjupiter.com/main.htm
Cool webcam of the Jupiter Inlet.

Hey Jack, where abouts in Jupiter are you?

Re: moving to fla.
 

Sarasota/North Port

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Destin would be my choice!

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I just moved down here from Jersey. I moved from Belmar to Jacksonville, and am still getting used to it. Hung my Christmas lights in my shorts though. Real estate runs the gamut. No state income taxes and lower property taxes than Jersey make it nice. It'll be really nice when i sell my place up north, and get a nice house where i can keep the Donzi. Anyone want to by a beachfront condo in NJ ?? :D :D :D

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Anywhere from Orlando north to Jacksonville... Great Areas, Great Boating.. Can't miss.

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I'm going down next week to look around from Palm Coast to Merritt Island.

Jersey sux and it's only getting worst - gotta get out while ya still can.

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I really enjoy the Tampa area. If I did not have to fly somewhere every week for my job I would either live just south of Tampa in the Bradenton area near the water or up near the Tarpon Springs/New Port Richey area.
I also really like the Ft. Myers and surrounding areas. Another good choice is the Jupiter area and surrounding coastal city's.

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i live in south fl (miami) but would love to live in destin :D

Mike

Re: moving to fla.
 

I hadn't been to Destin in years until The Worlds this year , holy cow. I couldn't believe the sand and water. The communnity was great too. We have homes in Ponce Inlet and the Ga Coast. I'd rather relocate to Destin anyday!

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Yep Destin is nice too...very nice! I also like the Orange Beach Al area.

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What he said.......

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I have a house in the Tampa area nice weather and good boating year round. Unfortunetly I still live in New Jersey and only make visits here and there. I am going down next week and leaving a boat and my motorcycle at the house down there so maybe that will get us down more often this winter. Anywhere in Flordia beats anywhere else in January and February though.

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have you looked into the cost of homeowners insurance...i was told by someone from Myco that homeowners is going through the roof down there...

kinda like here..

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Not that bad when you don't have to buy a 4X4, snow tires, winter clothes, snow blowers and that pay small fortune called a oil/gas bill :D
Oh yeah, and you can going boating all winter!

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Went down to Hudson/NewPort Ritchie area twice this past summer.A friend moved down there last year and hasn't looked back.He bought a house right on a channel and 5 minutes your in the gulf.Took the boat to Shepards in Clearwater had a great time.

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Clearwater through Sarasota. Gulf coast all the way!
:cool:

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My house is in Hudson my sister lives in Port Richie. Real nice boating there. Insurance sucks you need homeownerw, flood and wind to be properly protected. Taxes aren't too bad, though they have gone up recently but so has property values. Over all beats the hell out of Jersey. Just have to convince the wife of that.

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I'll be there in Nov. but just not sure what year.Wifes *itchen shes cold up here but won't move down there.Guess she can fly down to see me on the weekends then.

Re: moving to fla.
 

Bowtie he lives off rt.19 in a nice hood.He has a 388 hustler with american flag painted on it.He hangs out at Mikes on fridays.You should hook up with him.his screen name here is hudsonslingshot

Re: moving to fla.
 

Born & raised in FL, Tampa area, joined the military & left, My family still lives there. I retired 5 years ago, & have thought many times of moving back. I love the area, boating year round, oh, & did I mention the "HEAT"? :D ...Anywhere along the Gulf Coast is perfect, jobs are plentiful, & schools are good. Motocross is everywhere, just look at all the pro riders who live there, Stewart, Carmichael just to mention a few, Tim Ferry even lives behind my mom, & they ride year round. West coast is also a good place, my brother lives in the Orlando area & loves it. Pretty much anywhere you live, your less than an hour away from a boat slip, & isn't that why most folks live in FL? :D

Re: moving to fla.
 

Born & raised in FL, Tampa area, joined the military & left, My family still lives there. I retired 5 years ago, & have thought many times of moving back. I love the area, boating year round, oh, & did I mention the "HEAT"? :D ...Anywhere along the Gulf Coast is perfect, jobs are plentiful, & schools are good. Motocross is everywhere, just look at all the pro riders who live there, Stewart, Carmichael just to mention a few, Tim Ferry even lives behind my mom, & they ride year round. West coast is also a good place, my brother lives in the Orlando area & loves it. Pretty much anywhere you live, your less than an hour away from a boat slip, & isn't that why most folks live in FL? :D ....Oh, & did I mention the "HEAT"?....Good luck with your move

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Ft. Myers / Cape Coral area is a phenomenal location to live. Water is everywhere, inland and offshore - it is a boaters paradise. The Cape Coral area is the STUFF!!!

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I really like the fort lauderdale area. Plantation, FL seems like a real nice place but that is just me of course.

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Sarasota

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Bonita to Bradenton is where I have zeroed in on. Just got to sell here and I will never come back!

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Wise move grasshopper!!!

Re: moving to fla.
 

Ok, here's my take on where to live.....

Anywhere along the Gulf Coast. The east Coast will be nice but you'd be better on the West Coast. Stay away from Orlando. If you've ever tried to get from Toms River to Seaside in the summer you know what the traffic is like. It's that way here all the time. Takes me forever to get anyplace. Took me two hours to get home one night last week and I only drive 12 miles. No accidents, just rain, trains, and traffic.
As soon as I can sell my house I'm moving to the Tampa/Saint Petersburg area. I have got to get away from these tourists. I have a few other resons but I reserve those comments for another time.

Re: moving to fla.
 

If you're in Kissimmee, I can guess what the other reasons are. :p :D :D I know what you mean with the traffic. We live in St. Cloud on the lake and I work in Altamonte. The drive sucks but it's worth it when I get home.

Central FL is great if you do smaller water boating or a combination of small & big. Plenty of lakes/rivers for sub 25' boats, but you're also 1-2 hours to either coast. Also, homeowners insurance is cheaper the further inland you go. ;) The Florida real estate boom has pretty much flattened out and it's slowly becoming a buyers market. After the 2004 hurricane season a lot of people bailed and moved into the mountains. :rolleyes:

As others have said the West Coast is beautiful, anywhere from Ft. Myers up through Tarpon Springs or so. :cool:

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Russ,

Looks like you got allot of good suggestions already, here my suggestion.

I lived in NJ (Point Pleasant, and then Forked River on Barnegat Bay) all of my life up until spring 2002. Since then I have lived in Port Charlotte, just south of Englewood and North Port, and just north of Punta Gorda, all nice places to live in. This area is about 1/2 way between Ft Myers and Sarasota. Beautiful gulf beaches, Charlotte Harbor (a huge bay), nice barrier islands, great boating, some protected from wind and surf, some wide open, great gulf access. If you want nightlife and party action, do not come here. If you want a nice community to raise your family in, to work in and to play in, this is it. Off water individual family homes, reasonable for paradise. Canal waterfront with salt water, and dock behind your house, not cheap, but not crazy. Check out local real estate sites to get a feel for house sizes and prices. Many pics of my river front place, and various local marine life, and boat trips at my racing web site. Just go to my video gallery or photo gallery.


Frank Fasulo

Office: 941-697-0200

www.ascinc.homestead.com (computer company)
www.dkorinc.homestead.com (racing company)

Re: moving to fla.
 

With all you guys visiting and moving and owning houses near the Tampa area why don't we get together on the water sometime?
CigDaze you can ride with me since you have Too Olditiss! :D

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Thanks, Mike.:D
Life Happens, you know.

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Visited same friends as Docmanrich37 mentioned in Hudson this summer.

Its REALLY nice over there. I could see myself in Hudson/Clearwater/Tampa someday.

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I'm in. Let me know. Dave

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Hey Bowtie,

Where is your house in Hudson? I live in Sea Pines. We'll have to hook up @ Mikes Dockside for some cocktails.

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Yep,Live here love it. House prices range from 135.00(For a 40 year old block) to 350.00 or more per sqft. I might be one sided we have the best boating around. From the worlds largest poker run and boat party during boat week in Aug. Billy bowlegs festival in June to world finals in Nov.We boat every weekend (not exaggerating)Never a dull moment. :drink:

Re: moving to fla.
 

Hudsonsligshot.
I have a great friend that lives on Yatchsman drive in Sea Pines.He has a Scarab 302 on a lift behind his house.I live in Atlanta,Ga but Trailer down around Fourth of July.I have a 30 Shadowcat with Twin 300 ProMax.It is tough getting it in at the Ramp there but we just wait for the high tide.His Name is Matt Goldschlager.Also Know a couple more People there,Tony Defranzo,Louie(the retired NY garbage Man)Vern(Machinist)Billy(fireman).I will be there this 4th.We haul to Shepards,Mikes and Anclote.
Mark

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hudsonslingshot, my house is in Pleasure Isles on Lisa Drive. About 5 houses off Saltwater. Will be there this week doing repairs on house had renters in for a few years and they tore things up. Also have to work on the dock. I'll pm you with my cell number.

Re: moving to fla.
 

I have a beautiful wooded lot in Bonita springs that is almost an acre that is just a mile from the beach and a mile and a half from a great ramp that is only five minutes to the Gulf .I was going to build my dream house on it but now it has to go.