I want to move to Florida, help me plan!

I agree the weather in GA is similar to Florida, at least in the summer.  Winter, not so much.  It obviously depends on where in each state you are.  Here in suburban Atlanta we can get many days where it never gets out of the 40s, sometimes even the 30s.  That's just too cold for me, I have physical issues with it.  Central Florida rarely gets that cold, coast to coast.

Yes, I'm sure Florida is a political dumpster fire.  I don't pay much attention to it, but what state isn't right now? Homeowners insurance is expensive, especially along the coast, but duh.  You build a property in an area highly prone to hurricanes and what would you expect??  

I'm sure there are any number of things to complain about in Florida.  Same for GA or my beloved home state of PA.  Personally I'm a huge fan of FL and can't wait to make it my home 9 months per year. I'm currently at 3 months. 

Mndsm said:

bobzilla said:

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

Lets just say you and I, well we likely won't ever agree on pretty much anything. It was here or Arizona for us, and this was a better political climate for us. 

Wait, so you're actually in FL or in the process thereof? 

Closed on property the 19th of March, hoping to start construction in another 18 months. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Aren't you a ginger? Do you own stock in sunscreen? 

(I mean this in the nicest possible way. Welcome to Florida. It's not that bad. It's better than Cleveland.) 

I'm also a native Georgian, and I love it here just north of Atlanta. Sorry, but I could never imagine moving to Florida. Ignoring "sides" - at least our gov't actually functions and isn't run by literal cartoon characters. Cost of living is quite sane, there is still a reasonable market for insurance, we have actual seasons with moderate extremes, the best craigslist/FBMP market in the country, two awesome racetracks, mountains, lakes, awesome driving roads accessible by a morning drive, nature that isn't just a flat swamp (we have those too), and a major city with amazing culture and history. Also Florida tap water smells like low tide.

Sorry, there had to be a dissenting opinion.

Mndsm said:

In reply to bobzilla :

Aren't you a ginger? Do you own stock in sunscreen? 

(I mean this in the nicest possible way. Welcome to Florida. It's not that bad. It's better than Cleveland.) 

That's the genius of it, we invested in P&G years ago. We've made enough to cover my sunscreen needs for decades! I'm making my own fortune* grow! 

* Fortune in the tens of dollars range. 

In reply to maschinenbau :

from the property the FIRM is 2.5 hours, daytona is 3. Sebring is 2.5 hours. And no more E36 M3ty grey for 90 days winters and 40* temp swings overnight. 

In reply to bobzilla :

I hear you on the winters. I lived in the lower Midwest for a few years, just south of Indy, and even that was too much winter and gray skies for me. Glad I came back. 

Road Atlanta and AMP are both 1 hour away. Barber is 2.5, Carolina 4.

If I were to move anywhere from Georgia, it would be east Tennessee. Less crowded, less hot, cheaper, more nature, similarly sane gov't (relatively), but unfortunately less city stuff and fewer job prospects.

In reply to maschinenbau :

NW Indy, now surrounded by massive warehouses. Lived here 48 years. That's enough. Wife and I both grew up visiting family down there, me twice a year, her once. We know it's not perfect, but it ain't bad either. We're close enough to the coast to get some of the breeze, we're protected from the worst of the storms by extremely shallow gulf that goes out a ways. High enough to not need flood insurance, 4.5 acres of wooded coolness to hide a house from view and close enough to everything we need. 

maschinenbau said:

I'm also a native Georgian, and I love it here just north of Atlanta. Sorry, but I could never imagine moving to Florida. Ignoring "sides" - at least our gov't actually functions and isn't run by literal cartoon characters. Cost of living is quite sane, there is still a reasonable market for insurance, we have actual seasons with moderate extremes, the best craigslist/FBMP market in the country, two awesome racetracks, mountains, lakes, awesome driving roads accessible by a morning drive, nature that isn't just a flat swamp (we have those too), and a major city with amazing culture and history. Also Florida tap water smells like low tide.

Sorry, there had to be a dissenting opinion.

I've spent lots of time in Alpharetta for work as well as play, and I have to admit- it's really a tough area to beat...  The wife and I have seriously talked of moving into that area (Or Knoxville) for quite some time... 

Can I ask real nice that we curb the government talk? Like real, real nice? We're trying to talk about the efficacy of OP moving to Florida. EVERYONE is well aware of how certain figures in and around certain areas like to behave. It's a well known thing. We don't need to repeat it. I could go on an extended gonna get me thrown in time out forever level rant on my thoughts of the whole thing, but I'm not gonna. We're talking about everything BUT that. 

Thanks for coming to my TED talk. 

P3PPY said:

Scotty Con Queso said:

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Id pack my E36 M3 tonight and move to Ocean Springs, MS if it were just me. But I am supporting 4 addition humans, one of which has the final say in this game of life.

The MS coast is a true hidden gem. Florida without the Florida. 

I will have to visit sometime. And sorry to threadjack, OP

Please let me know when you do!

maschinenbau said:

I'm also a native Georgian, and I love it here just north of Atlanta. , and a major city with amazing culture and history. 

 

I'd agree Atlanta culture is amazing, but probably not for the same reasons you're thinking.  As for history?  Meh...go to Philly, Boston, etc... that's history. 

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

Psssh... ST AUGUSTINE has history. Not like those other east coast posers. 
 

it's a joke people. Sorta, it is quite old. 

In reply to maschinenbau :

Oof, I completely forgot I HATE the taste of Florida water. 

Also, second the request for less political talk...don't want to get this thread closed haha.

I have read and appreciate the comments so far, you're really pulling me in two directions! I want to leave the city I'm in, but maybe that doesn't mean leave the state.

Roebling, AMP. Road Atlanta are 2-3 hrs from me, Barber and Carolina are 4-5. Daytona and the Firm are also 5hrs.

For me, I have 6 reasons to stay, and half a dozen to move. Keep the comments coming!

Hoppps said:

In reply to maschinenbau :

Oof, I completely forgot I HATE the taste of Florida water. 

Also, second the request for less political talk...don't want to get this thread closed haha.

I have read and appreciate the comments so far, you're really pulling me in two directions! I want to leave the city I'm in, but maybe that doesn't mean leave the state.

Roebling, AMP. Road Atlanta are 2-3 hrs from me, Barber and Carolina are 4-5. Daytona and the Firm are also 5hrs.

For me, I have 6 reasons to stay, and half a dozen to move. Keep the comments coming!

The water here is booty. There's no getting around that. My understanding is that it has a lot to do with the relative lack of filtration through substrate due to the fact that we ARE the water table. I remember back when I lived iin MN we had access to a well that was filtered through something like a 400 yr old limestone aquifer- best straight non filtered water i've ever had in my life. Theoretically NY has the same game. I used to drink a ton of bottled water, I've switched to a filtration pitcher and I'm looking at more stringent solutions. 

Mndsm said:

Hoppps said:

In reply to maschinenbau :

Oof, I completely forgot I HATE the taste of Florida water. 

Also, second the request for less political talk...don't want to get this thread closed haha.

I have read and appreciate the comments so far, you're really pulling me in two directions! I want to leave the city I'm in, but maybe that doesn't mean leave the state.

Roebling, AMP. Road Atlanta are 2-3 hrs from me, Barber and Carolina are 4-5. Daytona and the Firm are also 5hrs.

For me, I have 6 reasons to stay, and half a dozen to move. Keep the comments coming!

The water here is booty. There's no getting around that. My understanding is that it has a lot to do with the relative lack of filtration through substrate due to the fact that we ARE the water table. I remember back when I lived iin MN we had access to a well that was filtered through something like a 400 yr old limestone aquifer- best straight non filtered water i've ever had in my life. Theoretically NY has the same game. I used to drink a ton of bottled water, I've switched to a filtration pitcher and I'm looking at more stringent solutions. 

The folks used the old well on the property that partially collapsed during one of the new Madrid quakes in the 1800's. The bottom 60' of the well was sand/limestone mix and the water that came out of it was so clear and pure. My grand parents sunk their well directly into a spring. Always clear and cold. 
 

I put Florida well water about in par with Indianapolis city water. 

In reply to Mndsm :

Oh sheesh man I lived in Orange County NY and the well water there was awful. Just awful. I was working entry level at the time and a budgetable amount of my income was spent on drinking water. 
 

Annnnd back to you, OP!

In reply to P3PPY :

Just what I was told. I refuse to set foot in New York proper (upstate might be ok) so i'll never know for sure. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Yeah, some folks can drop political stuff while others, not so much. 

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:

maschinenbau said:

I'm also a native Georgian, and I love it here just north of Atlanta. , and a major city with amazing culture and history. 

 

I'd agree Atlanta culture is amazing, but probably not for the same reasons you're thinking.  As for history?  Meh...go to Philly, Boston, etc... that's history. 

Atlanta culture is amazing for a ton of reasons I am thinking of. It's an incredibly diverse and interesting place I'm proud to call home.

If we're gatekeeping history, I've met people in Europe whose houses are older than this nation. Plus, you know, a lot of Atlanta's history got lost in a fire...to put it mildly lol

Sounds like OP may be in middle or south GA. That is a very different place than metro Atlanta or north GA. 

Yeah, the water here is not good. My water in MI wasn't good either, and mine wasn't effected by the Flint water debacle. 
Hoping the next generation has better water. Currently the government is spending lots of money to restore the Everglades. Basically the 'glades filtered water running south of/from Okeechobee in the past. Much of that water was diverted to create farmland in the fertile 'glades. They're trying to reverse that now.
I seriously considered the gulf coast of mississippi, but I have kids that needs jobs and prospects. That also kept me out of west Texas and New Mexico. When the kids are gone, if we stay in the country, the gulf coast of Missippi is on our short list.

DrBoost said:

I seriously considered the gulf coast of mississippi, but I have kids that needs jobs and prospects.

Thank you. I knew there was something I couldn't put my finger on. 
We are very family oriented and would love to be somewhere we can stay planted and maybe the kids would want to stay and would find competitive work, too. Definitely +1 for Florida there. No matter what they want to get into, there's a pop center somewhere nearby to do it in.

Just gotta see these mythical tolerable summers for myself and then convince the family. 
Not relevant to OP, being from "sweat dripping off your kneecaps" Georgia, but I do recall that it was Tampa at 80 degrees in Feb where I saw a kid on a bike with jeans, a hoodie, and a hat on. And here we were all piled into our vans with the AC on and heading to the ice cream stand around the corner. It was then that I reasoned I would not want to see what summers are like. 

maschinenbau said:

 

 

 

Sounds like OP may be in middle or south GA. That is a very different place than metro Atlanta or north GA. 

That's putting it mildly 

bobzilla said:

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

Psssh... ST AUGUSTINE has history. Not like those other east coast posers. 
 

it's a joke people. Sorta, it is quite old. 

Didn't you live there when it was founded??

My son's girlfriend goes to Flagler College.  Beautiful area, love it! 

I really like the idea of throwing away and selling as much E36 M3 as possible. Working on that now. It was an eye opener at Christmas when I realized we have about 12 totes of decorations and we used 2 maybe 3 of them. We also have a lot of furniture that needs burned.