Young and single! Should I move here?

U.S.A. Florida

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Hi everyone! I don't graduate until 2007 but why not start searching for a new place to live now? I'll be 21 when I graduate and have no kids. Where's the best place for me to live in Florida?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

Well, if it's just you, no pets, no dependents--get a beach condo and enjoy! :)

Otherwise, find a nice place and look up the evacuation level before you put money down, because hurricanes are as much a part of Florida as sunshine in the summer.

You can check a lot of these places out on the Internet based on where you decide to live. I recommend choosing a place to live based on proximity to your job.

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i live in west palm beach (south east florida) and go to school in boca raton. its really nice here and all.. but the costs of living are insane. i graduate in may 07.. and am actually likely to move to georgia (by the way..any advice on where to move?) there are some great hospitals in this area but i cant afford to live here especially being single. for a half decent one bedroom apartment in this area youre looking at at least 900/month and other stuff is expensive too.. if anything i would look into the west coast.. like ft myers or naples or bradenton is nice. the beaches are nice over there and the cost of living isnt so bad. but watch out for the hurricanes! orlando is kind of pricey also but i know a lot of people who love it up there.

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Specializes in Peds - playing with the kids.

I live in Hollywood (between Miami and Fort Lauderdale). I am a native and like it here, but housing is very expensive. There are lots of hospitals down here and you would get some great experience, but it is very large, large Spanish speaking population (if you are bilingual that is a plus) and if you are alone - it could be intimidating. Did I mention how expensive housing is :uhoh3: !!

Jill

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I just moved back to louisiana after living in ft walton beach for 2 years....we all know the destin area is beautiful, but the cost of property (including renting) is astronomical. Not to mention, there are very few nursing jobs in the panhandle (they just think they are having a shortage...they have no idea), and nursing salaries are quite low. I enjoyed my time there, but would never have been able to own a home there. I think you will probably run into this problem anywhere near a beach.... I have heard south fla does pay better than north fla.

Kathryn

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Hello Everyone, this post intrest me so much because you're talking about my home state. I was born and raised in South Miami,Fl. Yes the cost of living is high, however nurses and allied health are well paid. There are so many things to do in Fl. Disney world, the club scene, if you're into it,busch gardens and the beaches. Hospitals are everywhere in south florida. Just pick an area in fl, preferably the south and I'm sure you'll enjoy working,playing and living there.

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Thanks this is really helpful. I'm especially happy to see encouragement to go to south florida because too many people told me to stay clear of it, especially miami. bsm03d i'll be hlad to tell you about georgia. I live outside the city in gwinnett county near snellville but grew up in stone mountain. Atlanta's great you'd love it it's so much to do. But I would recommend working in the city and living in the suburbs and that depends on how long you wouldn't mind driving. Thanks again for the replies!

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I just moved back to louisiana after living in ft walton beach for 2 years....we all know the destin area is beautiful, but the cost of property (including renting) is astronomical. Not to mention, there are very few nursing jobs in the panhandle (they just think they are having a shortage...they have no idea), and nursing salaries are quite low. I enjoyed my time there, but would never have been able to own a home there. I think you will probably run into this problem anywhere near a beach.... I have heard south fla does pay better than north fla.

Kathryn

Wait a minute. Please tell me there is more to this story than I am reading. I've lived in LOUSY-ANA for many years, and to move from Fort Walton back to the bayou is not comprehensible. You have to tell me more, because there is no way I would want to live in Cancer alley (Petro-chemical capital of the south).

Now, maybe you live somewhere in Louisiana where you have lots of family and friends, but there is no way I'd give up the beautiful beaches & environment of Destin-Fort Walton. Heck, pitching a tent on the beach would beat mud from the bayou any day.

I hope you don't take offense, but please tell me there were more factors in your decision.

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Wait a minute. Please tell me there is more to this story than I am reading. I've lived in LOUSY-ANA for many years, and to move from Fort Walton back to the bayou is not comprehensible. You have to tell me more, because there is no way I would want to live in Cancer alley (Petro-chemical capital of the south).

Now, maybe you live somewhere in Louisiana where you have lots of family and friends, but there is no way I'd give up the beautiful beaches & environment of Destin-Fort Walton. Heck, pitching a tent on the beach would beat mud from the bayou any day.

I hope you don't take offense, but please tell me there were more factors in your decision.

No offense taken.... :chuckle ....I get that reaction from most....fact of the matter is I'm born and bread Souteast Louisiana...and this is home. Yes, my family is here. To tell you the truth, nothing about being in florida ever felt like home. It's funny to read your post, but I spent my whole life planning to get out of here and have never been so glad to come back. Yes, the beach were beautiful, but the cost of living was crazy...I mean, I live in this crappy apt...and the houses in my not so great neighborhood...houses that were 1950's block homes about 1050 sf were selling for about $180K....so getting a decent house was out of the question....and destin was definitely out of the question. The other issue was nursing jobs...there were none...there is only one hospital per town...and b/c of certificate of need...there was only 2 home health agencies and 2 hospices...and a handful of nursing homes. The RN in the hospital just recently had gotten an increase to $18/hr!!! Now, there were people who were retired military, yet still young enough to work so they had like 4 incomes coming in....retirement checks for retiree and spouse, and then usually retiree and spouse still working...they could afford it, but they still weren't living the life of luxury. And then there was all the stuff I just missed about the culture....I mean, I come from the land of drive through daquiri shops, king cake, mardi gras, jazz bands, spicy food....and I LOVE ALL OF THAT. Incidently, I recently looked up cancer incidences on the internet and we actually now have a lower incidence of cancer than the panhandle....which seems hard to believe, but I worked hospice in florida...and people (younge people) were croaking left and right from cancer.

So, I guess the short version is this is home....never thought I would be happy about that until I was gone...was in the Quarter the other day....and never felt so glad to see those dingy buildings and smell piss on the streets...but by God...it is my city and I love it....I can FEEL it. Guess you have to really be here (and then be away from here) to feel all those things...I definitely plan to go back to the beach often...it's only a little over 3 hr drive there. Destin beaches (actually seaside) still my favorite beaches!!!

Hope that takes some of the mystery out of it....Sorry this is wayyyy off topic!!!

Kathryn

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No offense taken.... :chuckle ....I get that reaction from most....fact of the matter is I'm born and bread Souteast Louisiana...and this is home. Yes, my family is here. To tell you the truth, nothing about being in florida ever felt like home. It's funny to read your post, but I spent my whole life planning to get out of here and have never been so glad to come back. Yes, the beach were beautiful, but the cost of living was crazy...I mean, I live in this crappy apt...and the houses in my not so great neighborhood...houses that were 1950's block homes about 1050 sf were selling for about $180K....so getting a decent house was out of the question....and destin was definitely out of the question. The other issue was nursing jobs...there were none...there is only one hospital per town...and b/c of certificate of need...there was only 2 home health agencies and 2 hospices...and a handful of nursing homes. The RN in the hospital just recently had gotten an increase to $18/hr!!! Now, there were people who were retired military, yet still young enough to work so they had like 4 incomes coming in....retirement checks for retiree and spouse, and then usually retiree and spouse still working...they could afford it, but they still weren't living the life of luxury. And then there was all the stuff I just missed about the culture....I mean, I come from the land of drive through daquiri shops, king cake, mardi gras, jazz bands, spicy food....and I LOVE ALL OF THAT. Incidently, I recently looked up cancer incidences on the internet and we actually now have a lower incidence of cancer than the panhandle....which seems hard to believe, but I worked hospice in florida...and people (younge people) were croaking left and right from cancer.

So, I guess the short version is this is home....never thought I would be happy about that until I was gone...was in the Quarter the other day....and never felt so glad to see those dingy buildings and smell piss on the streets...but by God...it is my city and I love it....I can FEEL it. Guess you have to really be here (and then be away from here) to feel all those things...I definitely plan to go back to the beach often...it's only a little over 3 hr drive there. Destin beaches (actually seaside) still my favorite beaches!!!

Hope that takes some of the mystery out of it....Sorry this is wayyyy off topic!!!

Kathryn

Okay...you got me...I concede that military retirees, low wages, etc. put a major damper on things. But, I too born and crawfish breaded in Louisiana, and still would rather live in Florida than LA. Love the architecture of the French Quarter (all spanish you know... after the fire), food is great, smell of piss...not one of my favorites, mardi gras...anarchy at its best and worst (depending on your level of intoxication), but comparing pristine beaches to belching stacks of toxins...Sorry, but I'd rather take my chances with the Bull sharks and the sea shells any day.

As for owning a house...not interested. To each his/her own.

Please take this post in good humor, because I'm not trying to offend you, and I apologize if I do or have done so.

But seriously,...be honest...sunset in Destin or sunset in the Quarter...where would you rather be?

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Okay...you got me...I concede that military retirees, low wages, etc. put a major damper on things. But, I too born and crawfish breaded in Louisiana, and still would rather live in Florida than LA. Love the architecture of the French Quarter (all spanish you know... after the fire), food is great, smell of piss...not one of my favorites, mardi gras...anarchy at its best and worst (depending on your level of intoxication), but comparing pristine beaches to belching stacks of toxins...Sorry, but I'd rather take my chances with the Bull sharks and the sea shells any day.

As for owning a house...not interested. To each his/her own.

Please take this post in good humor, because I'm not trying to offend you, and I apologize if I do or have done so.

But seriously,...be honest...sunset in Destin or sunset in the Quarter...where would you rather be?

Trust me, no offense taken....I've gotten this a few times.....LOVE the sunsets in Destin, but spent the other day sitting at Pat O's...drinking a Rainbow, while the sun was setting, and that felt good!!!! I guess the issue was that the Beaches were the ONLY real reason to love Destin. Not much else to really write home about...and that wears off after a bit...once you live there, you hardly go to the beach anymore...not to mention, they are building so many high rise condos, you can't even see the beaches. OH....and I don't think I mentioned by best fried IVAN (yes, the hurricane). After last year's hurricane season, whole different taste left in my mouth for florida...not that louisana can't get hit...but God, florida seems to have a bullseye on it. I don't know...I was having this same conversation with my boyfriend...whom I followed over there....then he got a job back over here...which is why we are back....we both said the same thing....always wanted to leave on the florida beaches...but now that we are back...we realize something just never felt right about it....I personally think it was the military culture....I was just not used to that....We actually had a John Kerry rally last year...and I was one of 2 people there... :cool: I don't know...still the sight of that emeral water and white sand takes my breath away, but you just don't do that everyday when you live there.....think I will enjoy it much more to visit!!!

Kathryn

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Specializes in peds, peds ICU, OB, Cath Lab,home health.
Hi everyone! I don't graduate until 2007 but why not start searching for a new place to live now? I'll be 21 when I graduate and have no kids. Where's the best place for me to live in Florida?

Gainesville, without a doubt.

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