Community Chat

[deb5555]

The red tide tracker has a daily update, it is the reason my mil left florida.  It is a condition of blooms that gives you eye irritations and it affects your lungs from the water.  NOAA gives daily updates. Research before you chose your destination. 

[pieman]

What the OP should be asking or worried about is Medical Care. My husband, myself and my mom moved down to the West Coast of FL. Biggest mistake ever!

They treat you terrible, their answer to everything is Tylenol. My husband needed a scope done and they only had 1 doctor who could do this.. My mom was left to die with these people, it was just horrible.. We sold our beautiful home just to  get back North. They are so behind in the medical field down there its very sad. I don't know if the OP is young and not fearful of getting sick but keep in mind, things will come up and you will be ****** out of luck on the West Coast. Now the East, you have some good medical hospitals and doctors. They know where the money is and will be quick to tell you so... Florida isn't what it use to be, we use to call it Paradise, now we just call it Gods waiting room, if you know what I mean... Its okay to visit but not to live....... I'd stay in the Carolinas or Virginia.Sure its cheap to live in FL but ask yourself why....... Good luck to you.......

[qualitygal]

Do a lot of checking, and even go visit.

[Drlinda]

If you want Massachusetts, please stay in Massachusetts.  Florida will never be Massachusetts no matter how hard you look. 

[River Song]

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@River Song wrote:

You might like Mt. Dora for a small town feel but it's in central Florida, north of Orlando, in the center of the state, not near the beach.  But there are lakes if being near water is important.  

There really isn't anything comparable to Mass here in Florida, sorry.  Most of the coast is becoming one big urban sprawl.  Personally, I would avoid the panhandle, always getting hammered with hurricanes.

I live in Naples, in the poor part, meaning not on the beach and not in the City of Naples proper.   The beaches are beautiful, it's green in the winter, hotter then the hinges on the gates of Hell in the summer, the humidity will suffocate you.  Housing is expensive, wages are low.  Hurricane Irma in 2017 was a direct hit and I was without power for two weeks.  Hurricane season, June 1 - Nov. 30, makes me anxious.  The only decent weather is between New Year's and Easter.  Gee, what's not to love.  My goal is to move out of Florida in a few years, I just have to figure out where to move that doesn't have hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, mudslides, earthquakes or volcanos.

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@River Song   Here in the mid-atlantic (SE PA) and the northeast you won't find any of those weather related issues mentioned (hurricanes can happen but they are rare).  However it does get cold and some winters are snowy but the summers are much more bearable.  We have periods of heat & humidity but then it will suddenly cool off and be very pleasant for a while before it goes back to hot & humid.

The best of both worlds is to have a place up north for the summers & become a snow bird and go south for the winter.

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@haddon9 ,

I grew up in Ohio and moved to Florida over 40 years ago after college (Go Bucks!).  I was young, it was an adventure, but, I'm over it.  

Yep, it would be ideal to be a snow bird but I can't afford it nor do I have the energy or interest to maintain two residences by myself.  

I want to find one of those idyllic small towns featured in the Hallmark movies but that would require moving to Canada, lol.

[qualitygal]

We've lived in Jacksonville, Fla and in Ariz.  Personally,  I'd vote for Ariz.  Love it out west.  

In Fla, sink holes a lot of people, great fish restaurants, the beaches the sun. Big bugs.

In Ariz., the mountains are close, some areas get snow, (Flagstaff), and the dry air, beautiful sunsets, near NM, also beautiful, and near NV., and CA if you like that state.  I'd still like to see Oregon.  Anyway, I loved it out west more. Watch for Scorpions and such.

Take the good with the bad no matter where you go.  They both have Disney playgrounds.  

[patbz]

Another vote for Arizona.  We live in N.E.Arizona where we have 4 seasons and small towns.  Compared to other places in U.S. where I've lived, the cost of living is moderate; my Federal retirement is tax advantaged. Except for snow and ever present possibility of forest fires, every risk is moderate.  We've been here fourteen years and only gotten two snow storms that exceeded 30 " ( usually main roads plowedd within two hours).  Our town was evacuated due to major forest fire(250,000 acres) two years before we moved here but if you follow warnings, there is plenty of time to evacuate.  There is 50% of our population that own a second home in southern Arizona because they are terrified of snow ( even in the1960s, Silver Spring MD was much, much worse).  My only two problems are very conservative politics and Open Carry ( but I can live with those).

[ROMARY]

A couple of weeks ago, DH ran into someone from Fort Meyers.........I don't know where (in Florida) it is located, but he seemed to like it.  

Comments welcome.

[lovesrecess]

The best weather of any place I have lived is Albuquerque NM. Wonderful mild weather, no extreme heat like in Arizona. A few snows each winter,  but not heavy and the deeper stuff stays mainly up towards the Sandia mts.  Gorgeous sunsets if you look one way, and beautiful mountains if you look the other. Low humidity so the heat never feels unbearable, but it is not bone dry like Phoenix. If weather is your main concern, consider ABQ, but if you want four different seasons, consider going farther north.,

[lovesrecess]

My DS and her husband live in Lakeland, Fla. They really like it there. No guarantees anywhere in Florida that you will never be effected by a hurricane. Just part of living there.