New post, old topic... trying to move to Florida... ;)

[Dsnygirl]

So, this topic seems to come up quite often around here, but I haven't seen a post about it in awhile, so thought I'd be the first to bring it up this year! :blush:

Short version - we are considering a move to Florida. Again. ;) We've considered moving south for years, but mostly we considered NC... over the past few years, it's become more clear that Florida is where we'd like to be long-term.

We have had many reasons for staying where we are, but they're changing, and we're considering making the jump earlier than planned because of it.

Anyone else in this place right now?

My husband is the one who has to find work first, as I'm a nurse and I've already found numerous positions I could probably jump right into. He's an engineer, and while there are NUMEROUS engineering firms, there are so many specialties and sub-specialties to his work/ what's out there that it gets crazy, esp as he just starts looking/figuring it all out.

As well, we have quite a few things we need to do to our house to have it ready to sell - things we knew we could take our time with before, as we've been on a "after the girls graduate" plan, which is 6 yrs from now. Accelerating the process and trying to keep it good for them means trying to pull this off before school starts in August... so that's quite a rush on the house front.

If it's the right thing for us and meant to be, I know everything will fall into place... and am content with that. But just thought it'd be nice to start a thread for any of us in the same boat!! :D

[BrerGnat]

I'm not in the same boat, but I wish you luck if you decide to do it.

[TinkerbellT421]

Not in the same boat, yet. We've toyed with the idea, but that's eons from now. Just wanted to wish you luck in the quest though! :mickey:

[Christine]

One word: c'mon!!!!! :mickey:

[Ed]

One word: c'mon!!!!! :mickey:


:ditto:

This seems to be a good time to consider a relocation. Florida (Central Florida in particular) has an abundance of housing inventory at very reasonable prices. Homes prices are roughly half of what they were about ten years ago. Employment is slowly improving, and residential and commercial construction is really picking up. The new "Medical City" at Lake Nona (http://learnlakenona.com/medical-city/), near the airport, is almost complete. Nemours Hospital for Children is open, a new VA hospital is near completion, and medical research and education facilities are bringing hundreds of new jobs to the area.

IMHO, you're wise to be making the move before your girls are older and more firmly tied to your present area. Although we had talked about it for years, we didn't move south until our kids were married, had kids of their own, and were established in homes and jobs "up north".

We, too, had to do a fair amount of work to our old home before putting it on the market. Resist the urge to make any major improvements. We generally gave the home a thorough cleaning, a little painting and a few needed hardware changes, such as a new kitchen faucet. We ended up getting about $10K over our original asking price.

Oh, one more thing about this area. In case you weren't aware, there are a few little theme parks and resorts nearby. :mickey:

Hang in there, and keep your eye on the prize. We'll be looking forward to welcoming you to your new home.

[Ian]

We continue to toy with the idea as well, but aren't quite there yet. DW has older parents that live in our area so she's (understandably) hesitant to leave them.

At some point, though, I'm certain we'll move down that way.

[disney obsessed]

If I could I would. I would have to go without my dh though. He is not licensed to practice there are does NOT want to sit for the bar so many years after school.

Do it. Have fun.

[AgentC]

If Florida is really where you want to be, do it.

We will be here for 11 years this July. Of course it was easier for us in some ways because we didn't own a house and didn't have kids yet. In some was a little harder because we were crazy enough to build a house in FL while still living in MA. :)

I agree with Ed that real estate is at great prices right now. I don't see them soaring anytime soon but they are still to level out.

I think there are benefits to moving while the kids are younger. My parents moved to FL when I was a senior in college. To me FL was never "home" and it took me quite some time to move down. I probably never would have done it if my husband hadn't convinced me. My brother was younger and moved with my parents. I think he feels my parent's home here is as much "home" and I thought our house in MA was.

Good luck with your plans!

[beksy]

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your decision...I know you will end up where is best for your family.

[VWL Mom]

My family knows I'm moving to Florida with or without them! I'm so done with NJ and next year DS21 graduates college and DS17 graduates HS so there is no need for the big house anymore. Just can't figure out what to do with DH :confused:

My parents always said tomorrow, tomorrow. tomorrow. My dad died at 52 and never saw tomorrow and my mom died less than 2 years after building her dream retirement home in Boca.

If you can do it now, I say go for it! Best of luck to you. :pixie::pixie::pixie:

[Melanie]

As much as I hate the weather, one day within the next 10 years or so, we will end up back in Tampa. It's the one place we've lived that both my husband and I have felt 'home', and you certainly can't argue with cost of living. I've just made him promise that he take me somewhere cold every year (preferably around Christmas), and to Georgia/SC/NC to see the leaves in the fall.

Good luck with making your decision and getting things ready for the move. Like Cindy, thankfully that won't be a factor for us. Kids will likely be gone and we'll likely be first time home buyers (wowsa, at 50!).

I do recommend moving sooner rather than later with your girls. Mine have moved all their life, but this last one (at ages 12 and 14) was particularly brutal. They too had come to finally think of somewhere (Tampa), as home, and their ages made the move hard. They are finally adjusted now and are both doing really well in awesome schools, but we won't move them again. Even if hubby has to go somewhere without us for awhile, our boys are graduating high school here.

Again, good luck!!!

[BriarRose0708]

:sadwave: I'm happy/sad for you. Even though we don't see each other up here often, I really love living close to you. It's so nice to have some Intercot friends close by. As sad as I'd be if you moved, I am so happy for you if it means you and the family would be able to meet your goals of relocating there!

[MNNHFLTX]

I lived in Florida twice, for a total of 18 years, I think? I loved our time there, although I was ready to move here to Houston when the opportunity came up eight years ago. The one piece of advice I'd give anyone moving down there to live and work (as opposed to retiring there) is to make sure that you truly like Florida as a place to live, and not just for the Disney/beaches/sunshine factor. Because once you are there, it's business as usual--work, school, grocery-shopping, paying bills, doing housework, dealing with hurricanes, etc. I've seen people who loved to come to Florida on vacation and then were disillusioned about it when they moved down, that it didn't feel the same.

I do think that the folks in Florida are some of the friendliest in the country. And yes, Blythe, you could absolutely get a job as a nurse almost anywhere you want to. Good luck to your husband on his job hunt. :thumbsup:

[Melanie]

Because once you are there, it's business as usual--work, school, grocery-shopping, paying bills, doing housework, dealing with hurricanes, etc. I've seen people who loved to come to Florida on vacation and then were disillusioned about it when they moved down, that it didn't feel the same.

Oh, absolutely Beth. I totally agree with this, and have seen it happen. Don't forget the heat. ;) But seriously, didn't we have someone here on the boards in this situation? My age is catching up with me....

[Dsnygirl]

You guys are all so great!! Thanks for all the advice, wisdom, tips, comments and general well-wishes!! You've given me/us some really good things to consider, and that's exactly what I posted the topic for. Figured we could definitely use the input, and if we can, I bet others can, too!

I found the "move down before they're too old" comments interesting... never quite thought of it that way. Our girls are 11 and 14, finishing 6th and 9th grade, respectively. Our 11yr old would obviously have an easier time from the schooling point of view... I feel bad at the idea of uprooting our 14yr old as she heads into 10th grade. But... I did bring it up to her awhile ago, just to get a feel for where she was at, and she's an "adventurer" like me, enjoys change, and said it'd be okay... she knows she'll stay friends with her closest friends, esp since the younger generations now have FB and the like... they take staying in touch SO for granted!! ;)

And the comment re: not just moving for the "fun aspects" but being ready for real life down there... very good reminder... I admit I am soooooo looking forward to having a tropical feel and beaches close by... I am just SO done with snow and cold. And of course, Disney being around the corner doesn't hurt... but honestly, it's being able to live a "real life" down there and not just vacationing that appeals. Weird??

So thank you again for all the input, etc... keep in coming! We're starting to work on our resumes and trying to figure out who my DH will send his to... I've got a few contacts of my own, but we'll need to get him sorted first. Keeping our fingers crossed!! :fingers: :D :fingers:

[Melanie]

And the comment re: not just moving for the "fun aspects" but being ready for real life down there... very good reminder... I admit I am soooooo looking forward to having a tropical feel and beaches close by... I am just SO done with snow and cold. And of course, Disney being around the corner doesn't hurt... but honestly, it's being able to live a "real life" down there and not just vacationing that appeals. Weird??

No, it's not weird at all, but just remember it's not going to be that 'butterflies in your stomach, so stinkin' excited you can't even stand it, I'm going to Florida feeling' all the time and you'll be fine. In fact, for me personally, that even wore off going to the parks after a year or so. But that said, I still loved going to the parks.

But for me, it was so much more than the theme parks. We love baseball and couldn't get enough of spring training and the Rays. Hopefully by the time we move back, Tampa will have a new stadium. And living in the Orlando area doesn't appeal to us. We liked being out a bit, between the beaches and theme parks, and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the heavy tourist areas.

Seasons and such are very important to me. I never could, after six years in a tropical climate, get used to 75-80 degree Christmases. That's why I say we hope to travel during the holidays. ;)

[dnickels]

Good advice already. As mentioned, some move down and find it's the best decision of their lives, some move down and it ends up being a very poor decision but you'll never know unless you take the plunge. With your job as a nurse that's definitely a plus.

One thing I always recommend (but people rarely follow) is to rent for the first 6 months or a year. Primarily because it's simply impossible to see all the different areas and neighborhoods of Orlando in a few weekends of house-hunting or to know what they're really like from looking at properties online. There's everything from new subdivisions in the exurbs to 100 year old downtowns and it takes time to really see what the area has to offer. :twocents:

[Christine]

It is SO true! The real world definitely exists here. It isn't all theme parks and beaches.

I live literally 5 miles from the WDW gates and there are times that I just cannot find time to get over there. Working fulltime M-F, grocery shopping, cleaning, errands, kids and their activities,etc.

I've been here 4 years now. These are pros and cons as I see them:

Cons:
1-you become jealous of everyone who is on vacation..when I have to leave the parks at 7pm on a Sunday becauase we have work and school the next day, while the rest of the park stays til midnight and has their fun...stinks. :)

2- you have to abstain from "too much fun". When I vacationed here, I would spend the week as a glutton on all my favorite greasy foods, desserts, cocktails, etc. It's very hard to walk by Casey's or the Confectionery and say "no! it's just a random Tuesday!"

3- $$ We would easily blow hundreds of dollars a day on merchandise, food, entertainment on our vacas here. There's a LOT to do around here, and it all adds up. You have to be very self disciplined. And that' s not always fun

4- Tourists. Don't flame me, it's not what you think...well not ALL what you think :)
It is tough when you pull up to Target and a tour bus is unloading a hundred people in neon shirts with flags and walkie talkies to go shopping. Things get crowded! People are overwhelmed here..It shows in traffic! They make uTurns out of NOWHERE, I've even seen ppl drive backwards off an exit ramp on I-4. You also never see the same face twice like in small towns, so it's a very transient type of place to live

Pros:
1- There's ALWAYS something to do! Theater, art, parks, beaches, great entertainment and dining options. You don't have to plan and save to get to Florida that one time a year, etc. You're here! Go for it! Vacations are also cheaper and allow more flexibility: No airfare needed for cruises...drive to the port! No vacation left? Take a long weekend to the beach and go back to work Monday. Don't have enough DVC points or cash on hand for a week at the resort? Stay 2 days and go back home.

2- Depending on where in Florida you are, it's a very laid back way to enjoy Disney and the other parks. I always felt so "threatened" that time was ticking...get that picture! experience that favorite ride! get that ADR! will I be able to get a flight and vaca time off during MNSSHP time? When you're here, you can spend 4 hours and be done, knowing it's all going to be right there the next time. You can cover more details. We've spent HOURS in one country in world showcase. And it's ok if that's ALL we do that day.

3-Pop ins! When you DO have all that real world stuff...stressful day at work, bad day at school etc, it's nice to say, "you know what? let's get a dole whip, ride pirates, and then get back to the laundry and homework after that." It's a nice feeling to have a close escape.

4-The beauty of it all. The little town in Texas where I used to live is nice and all. But it's a lot of red clay and a lot of metal buildings and such. When you can just go have a walk around the Boardwalk area and take in the twinkle lights and water and gorgeous landscaping, that's a real blessing.

5- BEACHES! I could see a time where our park time becomes less and our beach time becomes more. I think when DD graduates in 5 years we may look at a place by the ocean. Still just an hour or so from WDW and Universal, but at a beach. Florida beaches are lovely. The sunsets are phenomenal. I am finding I'm a REAL beach bum!

6-Finding new magic. It's true the "OMG I'm walking down Main Street USA" feeling fades. But you find new magic. Meeting CMs and seeing them every visit. Finding nooks and crannies where you like to sit and people watch and see THEM oooo and ahhhh at it all. It's a different kind of magic. But it's still good. My family STILL steps back here and now and says "I can't believe we can see this (Illuminations, fantasmic, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the OCEAN etc) on just a random day?"
And while the OMG feeling fades, and I am jealous of those experiencing that, I can say I am so grateful to not look like the folks I see when they're getting ready to board that Magical Express Bus. I used to cry every time :blush:

7-Health. I truly believe that living in a place with so much to do , where there are places to bike, swim, and golf, etc in the sunshine ALL YEAR round, impacts your health positively. Imagine how much you walk in a Disney Day...now imagine doing that every weekend! I have never been so active as I have since living here. I started running here. I've lost 20 pounds since my move to florida and feel 20 years younger. It's either too pretty outside or there's so much to do that I don't sit around sedentary anymore. It's nice. It's an active lifestyle.

8- You're never lonely! ;) When you move to Florida, you'll become VERY popular! Especially when you have a guest room :) But seriously it's great! I've I had moved to Joe Blow USA, no one would come see me. No one came to see me in my little neck of the woods in Texas. But You move next door to Mickey, and you WILL see your friends and family regularly :) It's great...I'm not homesick for my Texas friends bc they all come here at some point! :)

9---Weather! Yes it gets hot, but it's really just June-September that I find horrid. And we acclamated eventually. Or you stay inside or by the pool. But when you're out in the sun in January wearing shorts and sitting under a palm tree...that's HEAVEN!

10- Nature. While I'm no fan of the gators, snakes, etc (and boy do we have them here in Celebration as it is built on a preserve!) you really do learn to appreciate the majestic beauty of it all. For example, tonight I was out running and what a sight... (see below)

Living in Florida (Celebration in particular, I can't speak for the rest) is definitely not "living on vacation." But if you have to work anyway, why not work and play in the same place? :D Moving here was everything my family hoped it would be, and there aren't many things in life that you can say that about.

I hope you find this is for you and you can "Let the Memories Begin!"

[Ed]

I'll just say :ditto: to everything in Christine's post.

Expanding on one of her "bullet points" regarding entertainment ~~

Before we moved here, I had attended exactly one professional theater show and one music concert.

Shortly after we moved here, I bought us tickets to see the road show of Lion King as a Christmas present, thinking it would be a one-time shot. I never expected to become a theater junkie. I was wrong.

We have been season ticket holders for all the shows at the Bob Carr PAC in Orlando for several years. (Lion King twice, Wicked twice.) We have gone to several shows and concerts at the King Center in Melbourne and the Peabody in Daytona Beach. We visited the museum in Fort Lauderdale when they had the King Tut exhibit a few years ago. We've attended concerts in Orlando and Melbourne, including Elton John, Jimmy Buffet, Chicago, Michael Buble, Il Divo, Mannheim Steamroller, and several others. We attended a comedy show by Howie Mandel. We've been to a Renaissance Festival. We're frequent visitors to a local winery that holds events year-round in Clermont. We've lost count of how many times we've taken out-of-town visitors to see La Nouba.

A new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center is being built in downtown Orlando; it is due to open next year, and will basically be a replacement for the Bob Carr, which was built in the 1920's and is showing its age. This will enable them to attract even more of the highest quality Broadway road shows and music concerts.

And all this while both of us are holding full-time jobs and doing a fair amount of traveling.

The bottom line is that if you can't find high-quality entertainment to fit your taste in Central Florida, you just ain't looking!

Oh, and there's a great authentic Irish Pub in Downtown Disney. You might have heard of it - Raglan Road. Who knows; perhaps they'll have an opening for an experienced fiddler! ;)

[Melanie]

Blythe, are you guys thinking of moving to Orlando, or somewhere else in Florida?

[Dsnygirl]

Wow... Christine and Ed, you guys rock.... I have to re-read everything just to make sure I got it all!! :thumbsup: :) :thumbsup:

One thing that caught my attention - getting to know the CM's at Disney and seeing them on return trips - not something we ever thought of. We have a couple of favorite places up here, and have enjoyed the feeling of "home" there, being known when we walk in, and recognizing the staff there. To find that at Disney would be tremendously cool.

And a BIG factor for us is the "health" factor... we are not a "fun in the snow" type of family, as much as I'd like to say we are. Sledding's fun, but as much as my kids and my DH enjoy skating, it's not something we do much. We're not skiers or snowshoe people, we honestly just really don't enjoy the cold and bundling up. And for me especially, I HATE going out in the cold, so I'm MUCH more sedentary in the winter, and I spend every spring trying to lose the weight I gain b/w Dec & March. :( Dan and I have said many times how much we'd enjoy having weather we can we out and about in year-round!! (although we are very aware that the hot summer months might be more about lounging in a beach chair and exercising in the wee early morning or late evening hours... or in an air conditioned gym.... ;) )

Mel, we're open to anywhere from Tampa area to Orlando... don't really want to be anywhere near Orlando proper, but it'll depend on where Dan finds something. We were told there are bigger companies in the Orlando area for him, but he also was told to check out Lakeland and Tampa... and those are areas we'd prefer. If he did find something close to Orlando, we'd probably look at the communities that are southwest of the city. My preference is to be closer to the coast, but not TOO close... and I have to keep reminding myself that just because these areas look close on a map, they're still an hour or more away from each other, depending on where you are. It's easy to forget when everything is book-ended by the coastline! Makes the world seem smaller down there.... ;)

[AgentC]

Christine and Ed have given some great advice. I have relatives who live in the Orlando area but it is not for me. It's just too busy for me.

I agree with Mel that the Tampa area is lovely. I live about 45 miles north of Tampa. If anything I wish I lived closer to Tampa. Orlando is very convenient to Tampa. You also have beaches, 3 major sports team, museums, a great aquarium, zoo and Busch Gardens.

Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties are all worth looking at if you decide on the Tampa area. I live in Hernando but due to toll and gas costs, I would not recommend it to anyone who will have a daily commute to Tampa. Take your time and look around. Each area really does have its own feel.

[Melanie]

My preference is to be closer to the coast, but not TOO close... and I have to keep reminding myself that just because these areas look close on a map, they're still an hour or more away from each other, depending on where you are. It's easy to forget when everything is book-ended by the coastline! Makes the world seem smaller down there.... ;)

HA! You know, for me the world is a bit smaller down there. ;) I was having this conversation on Twitter just the other day. We love to travel, and we've always been a get in the car, go, go, go kind of family. After living on an island for 3 years, then down into Florida for 3 years (can't imagine living even further south!), I sometimes felt 'trapped'. From the Tampa area, the state line around Jacksonville is around 4 hours and believe it or not, it takes 6+ hours to get to the Pensacola area. So that was always a struggle I had. There's a great big United States out there we love to explore. If that's not a big deal, then hey, no problems. :)

[Melanie]

Oh, and the Lakeland area is great. Perfect proximity to the beaches and out of the theme park hustle and bustle. :thumbsup:

[Hammer]

Blythe, I'm going to give you a different perspective. My parents retired to the Tampa Bay area (Clearwater) in 2004. They loved the relaxing, but active lifestyle. My father passed away in 2010, but my Mom still lives down there. My Mom's sister and some of my cousins live in Tampa (my Mom is originally from Tampa), so after my Dad died, Mom crossed the bridge and moved to Tampa (Dad liked having a bridge separating him from his wife's family :D ). My Mom has a pretty active social life, considering she does not drive and uses a wheelchair. Like Ed, my Mom and a couple of her girlfriends have season tickets for the Straz Performing Arts Center in downtown Tampa and get to see shows at least once a month. She goes out every Friday for tapas and wine, as well as dinner a few times a month. She did not do half of these things when she lived in NJ.

Both my sister and I have contemplated moving, but at least for me, Florida is not a good fit for me. There are some industries where the salaries are decidedly lower, such as tech jobs. I've looked at software development openings at Bright House networks and the pay is over $30,000 less than what I make here for the same position in the Philadelphia area. Some things do cost less in Tampa, but not enough to make up that big of a paycut. As my relatives all live in South Tampa, I would be expected to live there, not to mention I would want to be there and I would need to make my salary here to live in that area. I've discussed this with my Mom and she agrees with me and thinks both of us would be happier living up North.

As you are a nurse, you won't have the same issue as me. Salaries for nurses seem to be comparable down there. I'm not sure what kind of nurse you are, but All Childrens' Hospital is in St Petersburg and it is a very good hospital with a highly regarded NICU and Tampa General Hospital has been ranked in certain publications as the #1 hospital in Florida.

One thing I and my parents found to be more expensive in Florida is groceries. Selection is also not as good and if you are used to double coupons, they don't have that down there. That was a shock for Mom when they moved down there. Mom loves going to Wegman's and Shoprite when she visits and misses Shoprite's Can Can sale :) !

Oh, regarding needing to see a change of seasons, my parents (and now Mom) said they will always spend Thanksgiving in NJ. That's as much cold as my Mom wants!

[Patricia]

I want to live in Florida..

[princessgirls]

Blythe,

Praying for you and Dan as you make this hard decision.
I am no winter person either.... another storm is looming as I type this. I see us retiring to Florida later on in life...for now, my whole family is here, and we do get together and are involved in each other's life. My kids need their grandmother!
However, this might appeal to you...don't Florida State schools give great discounts to in-state students?? That could be worth the move right there!!!
My husband's co-worker just moved to the Palm Coast. LOVES it!!! Got a job at a local hospital. You will have no problem in nursing, and Dan will find something. For what you can sell your home for in the Northeast, you might end up with little or no mortgage in Florida.
Keep us posted Blythe.
My prayers are with you.
Julie:mickey:

[Melanie]

However, this might appeal to you...don't Florida State schools give great discounts to in-state students?? That could be worth the move right there!!!

Legit question, don't all states do this? In state and out of state tuition? :confused:

[princessgirls]

Legit question, don't all states do this? In state and out of state tuition? :confused:

Not NJ. Please...we pay outrageous taxes too!!! There are no big discounts that I am aware of. I just keep hearing the cost is going up and up and up.

My husband's family lives in South Carolina and his nephew went to University of South Carolina (Gamecocks) for $7,000 a year as a SC resident. That's NOT happening in NJ!!!

Julie:mickey:

[BriarRose0708]

Legit question, don't all states do this? In state and out of state tuition? :confused:

Short answer is no, but it's much more complicated than that. In-state tuition is lower than out-of-state tuition most of the time. What is different is how much the in-state tuition is discounted for different students who qualify. It's not set in stone for anyone who graduates high school in state. In Florida, the last time I researched this students in the top 10% of their graduating class were guaranteed admission to a Florida state school they met the admission requirements for. They are not, however, guaranteed admission to any school of their choice. But, this may have changed and there are lots of other options for college tuition discounts out there and it all varies state by state. I researched access and affordability a couple years ago for one of my grad classes and chose Florida as my focus. Other states with similar programs are Georgia and California.

[Melanie]

My husband's family lives in South Carolina and his nephew went to University of South Carolina (Gamecocks) for $7,000 a year as a SC resident. That's NOT happening in NJ!!!

Julie:mickey:

That's about what I'm used to being from NC. What is average in state tuition for NJ?

Nikki, what you describe sounds familiar to what I had heard while living in Florida, and also similar to what I know about Texas, for instance. I'm just asking in general, qualified/special programs or not, don't all states have an in-state tuition and a higher out of state tuition?

Glad when I went to school it was simple. Geez. I guess I need to start learning about all this though. We're 3 years away. :eek:

[AgentC]

I have both of my children enrolled in the Florida Prepaid Plan for college.

Will it pay off? Hard to say. I enrolled both of mine as infants which is probably the most cost effective way to do it. You either plan a lump sum or make payment for 5 years or until they are 18.

It's not a bad deal. If they go to a FL college, tuition is prepaid. If they don't go to a FL college but go to an eligible college, the funds can be transferred. If they don't go at all, I get what I paid in back.

[BriarRose0708]

I can't think of any state that doesn't offer some kind of state resident tuition discount or scholarship program. Some states are just better deals than others.

[Hammer]

That's about what I'm used to being from NC. What is average in state tuition for NJ?

Nikki, what you describe sounds familiar to what I had heard while living in Florida, and also similar to what I know about Texas, for instance. I'm just asking in general, qualified/special programs or not, don't all states have an in-state tuition and a higher out of state tuition?



Here is the undergraduate tuition costs for Rutgers (the big state university)-
In-State: $10,356
Out-of-State: $23,676
Room, board and fees are the same for in-state and out of state-
Fees-$ 2,717
Room and Board-$11,412


Now, NJ has other state colleges and universities which are slightly less, but not by much. I looked at Montclair State and Rowan and the difference is maybe $1,000 per year.

[MinnieMal]

I feel like I'm home! I too am among the "maybe move to Florida" club. The tipping point for me happened sometime last month, during the 30-inch snowstorm we had in the Northeast. The person who plows my driveway sent an "I'm sorry, my equipment broke" text. I came down with the flu and a fever, but still had to conquer (as single Mom with some help from DS) my 150 foot long, uphill, driveway. Can you say "Done?"!! Somewhere out there, with my snowpants falling down around my knees, I promised myself I would do some serious and realistic re-evaluations of my living arrangements.

My one DS is still in school, and just starting to think of "where" college may be. I am in my mid 50's, work full time, and will be working FT for several more years. My thoughts are to explore all the options, look locally, check out real estate (at least locations/prices) and if the destination truly feels like a fit, then I can charter a path professionally that gets me there. That may be to move with my current position, or current company, or see if can transition to - could it be - working for the Mouse? Maybe it's a move that happens, but not for several more years - when I can officially "retire". You never know what the future holds - but as Walt said (and this hangs on my wall) "it's kind of fun to do the imposible." Yes, it is.

All of your posts are very helpful, thank you. Much good information and so true that living in the area full time and vacationing are two different worlds. And excellent and real-world pro's and con's to consider. Tuition may be a factor (who knows?). At a minimum, it is fun to explore, and I think we all will feel a spark when we land on what's right, we'll feel it. And that spark will be what fuels us to explore each step of the process.

For now, I'm looking forward to a visit in just a few weeks, and I plan to spend a good deal of time reflecting on the area, driving around, grabbing some local papers and perusing. I do solemnly swear NOT to make illegal U-turns!

[Donald A]

In November 2011 I moved down to Florida for a job upgrade. I hate the snow and think it is great living near one of my favorite vacation spots. If you move inland, I am in Polk County between Tampa and Orlando, housing is pretty cheap. (I got a bank foreclosure built for $300,000 in 2006 at more than 50% off that price). However, things are starting to slowly turn around and those deals are going away.

I will admit that this time of the year it gets very crowded with snow birds everywhere and vacationers can be bad as well. I am in "work mode" and others are in "vacation mode." Sometimes it doesn't mix well.

All-in-all, I love it here though. I watch the TV and hear from my family on the bitter cold snowy days and I am it a short sleeved shirt. Sure it gets hot in the summer but it does up North too. You take the good with the bad.

[caryrae]

I have been wanting to move to Florida a lot the last several months. I am just hating winters here in MN more and more. I would not miss the snow and cold ever. Plus I have lived pretty much in the same 10 mile radius all my life and would love a change to a new place with new things to do.

Like others have said the only thing keeping us here right now is our Families live in the area too and would be hard to be far away from them.

It doesn't help that today is first day of Spring and it's only 9 degrees and still no signs of hitting 40's.

[RedSoxFan]

Blythe: Wish you all the best with your decision to move to Florida. My son moved to West Palm Beach to be a TV reporter after his Syracuse contract was up last June. He loves it there --- esp while we keep getting snow. However, he does say the summer months are tough and he doesn't like the heat/humidity. But it's a gorgeous area and I enjoyed my 2 weeks with him when he moved and looking forward to another two weeks when Kourtney gets out of school late June.