Talk to me about FL

Re: Talk to me about FL

• Melanie2003

  March 2011

  i'd ask on the FL board - i think we're more knowledgeable about the hudson valley
  

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• mrsredmoose

  March 2011

  I have no useful input, except your LO would never need to go too far or too long for a Disney fix.

  

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• rblucy member

  

  March 2011

  Yep all I know is Disney World.  At least you could qualify for special Florida rates for annual passes :-)

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• cutekate

  March 2011

  I can tell you what I know. I lived there when I did an internship for disney in 2002-2003. The weather is pretty hot and sticky most of the year-like walking from your front door to your car and you need to change your shirt from pitstains. Everyone will tell you that the cost of living is much less there. Taxes and home prices yes, but food is the same and so is gas, but for the most part the pay in FL is lower than in NY. They do sell wine at the grocery store andtheir grocery stores are much much nicer than ours. The coldest it gets there in the winter is about 45 degrees-but you will see people with winter coats on. There are palmetto bugs which a like giant cockroaches and they come when its soggy and muggy out and for left over food. Orlando is about an hour from daytona beach, cocoa beach and tampa which makes for fun weekend trips. There are a TON of tourists in your neighborhood because of disney. Orlando tends to have some good urgent care places-is that where your job will be? You usually don't have to pay for parking in most places. There isn't a lot of traffic for the most part unless your around the disney/attractions. You will most likey have a pool-everyone does and its the only way to stay cool in the dead of summer. As someone else mentioned you will qualify for reduced instate disney passes. There are outlet centers and stripmalls everywhere. Wintermere I don't know as much about but they have a really nice mall, a college and its more "laidback" then orlando. Bit its also about 20mins from downtown orlando. HTH. If you have more questions pm me or page me

  

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• ali26

  March 2011

  You should look up Celebration, FL if you're not familiar with it already.  It is a large planned community near Orlando.  I think it looks cool but I bet it's more expensive to live there than in surrounding areas. 

  Most of my dad's family has relocated to FL in the last 20 or so years. They all love it and will never return. 

  Besides weather, the biggest drawback I can think of is for the most part the school systems aren't so great.  Some of my cousins down there went to private schools bc of this.  I do have younger cousins in the public schools (in Vero Beach) and they seem ok but not great from what my aunt says. The state of FL does have an awesome program for it's colleges though.  Basically, if you are at least an average or better student, you get a large amount of your tuition covered by scholarship money for the state schools.  One of my cousins had 95% of his tuition covered for Florida State U just for getting decent grades in HS. 

  

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• Augustbride

  March 2011

  My parents own a house in Oveido. This is right by UCF. The schools in this area are really good.  I disagree about the overall cost being the same. My aunt lives in FL and yes the average salary is lower but the overall cost of living is less. Gas is always about 40 cents a gallon less then what we pay. The job market is still fairly poor in FL I would think this would effect salary offerings.  As a FL resident you most likely will stay away from the tourist area's. Traffic in those area's can be nasty. FL also has toll highways so you will want to think about that as you look at where to live vs work. That's about all I can think of right now. IF you want to own a business FL is a great state they have the homestead act. No matter what you do in business they can't take your house. Good Luck
  

  

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