planning to move to florida

[ccunurse123]

thinking of movng to florida. tampa, clearwater, or st pete's. can you recommend which one to go to. decided to go there for warmer weather. dont like cold and dark days half of the year.

can you tell me the cost of living in that area (state income tax, property tax, housing fees, utilities and average pay for a ccu nurse) . insurances (work, home, car)

we have plans of buying a property of our own within the first year of residing there. any sugestions on this matter.

how about crime rates, any place i should never consider moving in.

and weather, i know there are regional variations but prefer a temp of just min 50 to a max of 86. and rather not too humid. is it more humid if your close to the beach? just wondering

finally, would like to live where there is lots of job opportunities and within close reach to work and a good school. im currently in the uk

would appreciate any opinions you would impart.

many thanks

PS. oh and the hurricanes. any place less strucked by this

[augigi, CNS]

You should be able to get weather, tax rates, housing fees, insurance rates and utility rates with a google search.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Please review the numerous threads about Florida that available.

Pay rates and cost of living vary widely depending on where in Florida that you settle. As a general rule the pay rates are fairly low. You also get worked heavily during the winter and get low censused in the summer.

There are no state income taxes, but one gets nothing for free. Either the area will have higher sales taxes or poor infrastructure.

As far as humidity, it is high about EVERYWHERE - especially near bodies of water (ie the beach/lakes). Lake areas have mosquitoes in the summer. And there is always the seasonal influx of lovebugs to ruin your cars paint job.

Temperatures in Florida in the summer in most places are higher than 90, accompanied by humidity. Heck the temps in South GA are higher than 90 in the summer. But temps below 50 are relatively rare.

Hurricanes can hit anywhere in Florida. As a general rule, they are less severe in the central areas of the state ('Canes usually - not always-lose intensity over land).

The northern part of the State is cooler, with less humidity - but it is still very damp. The pay rates in those areas are rather poor though.

A suggestion - have you ever visited Florida in August - it might behoove you to do so.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

It's getting expensive here. The housing market is softening after a huge boom, and the most problemmatic issue here is with homeowner's insurance, which is driving up costs for everyone.

Most of the people I know commute to the areas you mentioned from places like Spring Hill, Holiday, and Newport Richey. Houses are cheaper there, but make sure you know the history of the home before you buy. Floods and sinkholes spring to mind as the most devastating of problems.

That's why I think you're doing the right thing by renting.

I think salaries have improved in the past few years, and when I talk to northerners in comparable areas, I think we're pretty close. Not outrageously high, like NYC or LA, but you'll make a decent living.

Oh, and about the weather. You adjust after a couple of years and suddenly 50 degrees is reason for driving gloves, and at 40 you have the heat on and are wearing a cozy jacket. These days, you go from a/c hospital to a/c car to a/c store to a/c home. Just like when you're up North and it's 30 below, you adjust.