Possibly moving to FL, which city is best?
 

Hey everyone, I work for an airline in the north east, and have just gotten the ok to commute weekly from wherever I want (as long as i can get to work on time).

I will have a crash pad in NYC next to our office for the weeknights, but on the weekends i would like to have a home base in FL. My reasons are I don't like winter, I can only drive my FD half of the year and i don't use it during the week anyways, i work a ton during the week, so it doesnt matter if i'm away from my real house during the weekdays, even when i do drive my fd i have to drive 45 minutes just to get to a decent road with minimal traffic.

I have a great job so i don't want to just leave and find a new one, so this is the compromise that would get me close to living in an area i like while still keeping a good job.

My question is, where in Florida is the best place for a single, mid 20's guy like myself. I need to be within a half hour of an airport, close to some nice roads for driving the FD, and cheap real estate/cost of living.

I'm thinking Tampa area, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm.

I've heard West Palm is somewhat expensive though. I like the beach, but Orlando isn't all that far and has the easiest airport (for my commute).

I'd really appreciate any opinions on the pros and cons of the cities i listed above. I'll probably be making the move in the fall.


Also, I know the idea of commuting like this may sound stupid to some people, but i already drive 2 hours a day for work or 10 hours a week, and there is no way i am willing to move closer to work (no garage for my car and even more traffic), so commuting from FL would actually cut down on my weekly commute (5 hours of flying, and 3 hours for the rest of the week's commute). I'm just looking for opinions on the different cities of FL.

Thanks.

Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater is a great area. I live in St Pete Bch and can get to TIA in about 30 min. TIA is always in the top 3 for easiest airports to get through.

All the cities you mentioned are good places, I live in Kissimmee at 13mins from MCO, depending on who you work for, may be Orlando would be better b/c you have MCO and Sanford Int. and then TPA at 2 hrs, PIE its really closed to TPA but I don't think there is hardly any choices to commute.
Don't worry, I might have to commute myself if I still have a job with the CO and UA merge talks :-(
If you come over to Orlando we have a nice group that meet at Old Town, Dynos, car shows, road trips and more. So Keep in touch.

Good luck,
Jimmy
89 TII

sandford is really nice but the airport is about 45 minutes away MCO

Broward is nice too. Plantation and lauderdale

Miami is ok. and u could find some decent foreclosed homes in nice areas just stay in the SW area. Kendall/Cutler its not wise to move in the NW area of miami until u scope it out for at least 6 months.

Miami
everywhere else is snooooooze........

What do you mean about scoping it out?

Thanks for the info, MCO is definitely an easy airport for me, which is why orlando seems like a good choice. And it does have a pretty good car scene as you mentioned. The only problem I see with it though, is if I'm going to move to FL, why not move close to the beach. How do Tampa and West Palm compare to Orlando (night life, cost of living, car scene, stuff to do).

I'll probably be looking to rent a small house with a garage at first. So I won't really be tied down until i start looking to buy (but I'll wait until i know the commute is sustainable before doing that).

Thanks again for all the input, i know this is a car forum, but I figured it'd be a good place to get some info.

Tampa has a better nightlife than MCO
everything closes at 2am in Orlando
West Palm Beach has a decent nightlife
Miami is too much and too much $$$$.
$20 for a effen drink and the girls are too busy looking for sugar daddys and trying to get on the Jersey Shore.

haha, miami sounds like where i live now then.

I'm looking for someplace kind of in the middle, decent night life, laid back, not too expensive. Does it even exist? I've only been to tampa a few times, but when i was there that was the impression I got.

I've heard west palm is more expensive than orlando and tampa, is this true?

Yes anywhere down in the tri county (WPB, Broward, or Dade) area will be A LOT more than Orlando or Tampa
Like i said earlier Orlando's nightlife gets killed after 1am
I guarantee you will move out of Orlando within three years, its a very transient area.
Seems like Tampa is your logical choice.
Just for comparison
A decent 1 Bedroom Apt in Miami will run you average 900 a month
A decent 1 Bedroom Apt in Orlando will run you average 650 a month
The tradeoff being jobs pay less in Orlando
I would imagine Tampa would be the same
But it sounds like your company may pay to house you whereever you go so this might be irrelevant.
I can tell you will like the fact there wont be emissions down here.

Based on your thoughts I'd like to suggest Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa.

I conduct business frequently in Orlando and Jax and I grew up in Clearwater near Tampa. If you like beaches, I'd take the Tampa area over Orlando or Jax. Jax has a superior airport over Orlando and Tampa in regards to being clean and not crazy. Orlando is a very entertainment oriented area as you can imagine.

Miami is fun to visit and I've got some great friends there...but you couldn't pay me to live there...it's like a warmer NYC with less clothes but more Cubans. Hahaha! Please note that isn't being disrespectful to Cubans...Miami happens to 70% Cuban culture though...mmmm...the food though...so good. Small note...if you are white, don't try Cuban coffee...you will be up for like six days. <3

The reason why I say to scoop out North west Miami for 6 months are so because thats about how long it might take to pick up on things you might not pick up on the first month are two. You can easily move into an area that appears nice and slowly you'll pick up things that you wish you never moved there.

To live safe in miami you are going to have to pay at the least 1000 a month to be in a nice area and thats some what safe.

North West Miamiis pretty much the largest boiling pot in Miami and is pretty much seperated like new york.

You have little Haiti. That should be easy to figure out.

Little Havana

Both these areas are pretty low income area

Stay away from areas that have metrorails, metromovers, or bus system the runs actively this is were most your crimes happen.

Doral is good it has its nice area and crappy area as you move closer to the airport. Most of the central Americans live there.

Flager is pretty close to the airport as well it is 5 of a 10 scale. Highly spanish populated area and low income

Miami Gardens is a nice area but you will pay and is a highly Cuban populated area. You might not fit in depending on if you look like a white southerner or northerner.

Miami beach...dont brother think about living here if you have the cash. I saw a condo for 10,000 a month. Jesus. 10,000 a month. Every thing is x2 here including the women. It gets boring really quick..and you see the same thing on a typical night.

Coral gables is close to the airport as well it has its ups and downs and has its nice areas. This area is pretty much were all the people who sell drugs/mafia use to live in the 80's and still do but on the hush hush. Its

The grove is the same but a little father away. Nice to play their but have to be rich to stay there.

Kendall is nice area its were a lot of the drug owners left and/or own business now. The area has been cleaned up pretty nice but everything shuts down at 10pm or 11pm. Its a very young area lots of kids with hooked up cars and you'll fine a lot of the tuning shops in this area. Has a nice mall and some nice condos have gone up near us1. This area has the highest population of asian lol. Which is less the 1% of the population of dade-county.

Once you start going south your about an 1hr away from the airport.
Crime is less.
Renting a decent house/apt sets u between 950-1800
Malls suck
No clubs
Everything shuts down at 9pm and on sundays 6pm. No seriously. The bus system can take you to the heart of downtown in a decent amount of time.

A lot of farm land...everglades and ATV riding if you keep you'll find some bad areas. Meaning you can cross the street and your in a pretty safe and expensive area and cross another and your in a unsafe area with bums or "bike riders" at night.

Hope that somewhat helped lol

Miami all the way...if you dont want the rush of the night life, chill at the house, if u do want it, its there

most things open late which is nice

and of course...its miami lol

I'd vote for Atlanta. Great rotary community and the weather is much better. Major airline hub too.

Thanks for all the info, this is just what i was looking for.

By the way, i'm a very white looking guy haha, but for some reason spanish girls love me haha.

The detailed info about Miami was perfect, is there anyone that can do the same for Orlando or Tampa? I'm leaning a little more towards those two places as they seem a little cheaper, if a decent place in Miami costs as much as a decent place in NYC then its not really an option because I'll still have a pricey place in NYC to cover (although it will be a crash pad so not as expensive as a normal appartment).

I'd love to rent a house with a garage, and i've seen some nice ranch style houses in the Tampa area for about $700 a month, which would be perfect. Do you think that is realistic or did I just happen to come across a few really cheap places?

I can give you the rundown on the St Pete/Clearwater side of Tampa Bay and a little bit of Tamp itself.

Beaches first, you can find any kind of beach you want within about 20 miles. Clearwater beach is packed in the middle of the county. Great party area during spring break. Moving south there are a bunch of little towns that each have their own feel on the beach. A lot of little beach bars with cheap drink specials. Flip flops and shorts are the norm. All the way down to the mouth of Tampa Bay is Fort Desoto. Just about the nicest unspoiled stretch of beach left on this coast. It's been on the top 10 list of beaches in the country.

St Petersburg, pretty cool downtown and waterfront. Awesome museums. Albert Whitted Airport (SPG) on the water downtown.

Clearwater, great beach walk way. Downtown is full of Scientologists plenty of stuff to do out on the beach.

The county has about a million people so you can find anything you would ever need or want. If you can't find it in all the little towns that fill in the county, Tampa is just across the bay. You can make it from just about anywhere in the county to Tampa airport in less than 40 minutes, from most places in less the 25. St Pete/Clw airport is easy to get to as well, probably 25 minutes from anywhere.

Housing is a lot cheaper here. I could rent you a 620 sq ft 1/1 for $600 in St Pete Bch, a long walk or short bike ride to the beach. Anything on the beach would be double that. You can find houses you would want to live in for the a little more in the middle of the county.

Whatever you do dont move to Miami.

Bumper to bumper traffic
Crime
Expensive
Crime
People are shallow
Crime
Majority of the area look like a 3rd world country
Crime

If you do move there sell your car before it gets stolen, or keep it and spend a few hours in traffic to get out of Miami to actually "drive" it.

I live in Fortluaderdale, the night life is decent, traffics not bad, 45 minutes will get you out to 27 or alligator alley where you can stretch your cars legs. It can get expensive here and there are some shady parts you need to stay away from.

I know I bash Miami alot, its just not my type of place, if you like New York city then youll love Miami, very cramped, very expensive and very trendy. A place to party when you are in your 20s, not a place to raise a family.

Don't forget us in the panhandle :). I live up here in Pensacola, been here since '85 and love it. The town is big enough that it has everything you could want, but VERY little traffic problems, very safe, and you get great beaches and lots of water around.

Cost of living is VERY reasonable. It's also a pretty car-friendly area, cops aren't hassling guys with loud exhausts or any of that business.

And, I'd be available to help with your car :).

There's a fair amount of FD guys here in town too.

Dale

not to offend any of you guys in Miami but I would say you have a higher chance of getting your car in some sort of accident in Miami than in Tampa, I've seen more crazy drivers down there than in Tampa.

what ever you do stay away from jacksonville. trust me...

What moosejaw said. If you don't mind the loud people, traffic, and crazy night life, then MIA is the place to be. I am noticing that the rotary community here is big, just needs to get out of their lazy bums and meet once a month. I am currently moving for the 5th time inside of MIA, now to ol south by Cutler Bay area and let me say, it is a very nice area.

What he said. Traffic sucks, the roads are terrible, and the car scene is pretty dead. The cops shut down car meets quick. There are always big things going on in orlando, I would go for there.

I have lived in S. Orlando/N.Kissimmee for over twenty years, I have own RX-7s for about 14-15 yrs and my cars have never been touch, yes, crime is everywhere. I believe its about who you hang out with and who your friends are.
I'm in the aviation industry and I pray that I can stay here working at MCO for a long time. Some people have mention that the night life sucks here, well, "night life" gets old, then you are stock with what really matters, traffic, crime, people attitude, wheather, rent, utilities and job opportunities among other things.
Miami its great for fun, I used to go often to visit friends but the traffic.......no way.....if you like to be in a better area, show them the money.
JAX I can't say much, I have friends there and they love it but personally never been there long enough.
Tampa / Clearwater / ST. Pete I would move there in no time, specially St. pete, Largo and Clearwater. Tampa its a little too busy for me. You have everything there or driving distance just like Orlando but the beaches are way closer.
Orlando has the entertaiment, if you like the parks, I'm not into the parks but there is plenty to do, from cars to ATV riding, to clubs.

Hope it helps in any way,
Jimmy
89 TII
PS
Take a some and spend some WEEKDAYs not weekends in Orlando area and some other days in Tampa and the Miami.

Miami Traffic isnt bad
Its Atlanta thats out of hand.

For reference I showed up for a construction job site meeeting in downtown MIA this morning at 9am and it was next door to a warehouse. There was a club still partying. I saw a bouncer and a bunch of metrosexuals leaving the club at 9am on a thursday morning.
Thats Miami for you!

Miami Traffic isnt bad
Its Atlanta thats out of hand.

I guess you are right, I drove through ATL on my way back from TN, man!!! it was bad, then my father in law told that was not the worst. No thanks!!

Thanks man, Fort Lauderdale is also a potential city, I've always just grouped it in with Miami though. The reason I am thinking about the move is because I don't want to live closer to NYC (Stamford is where I live now, its about 50 minutes to our building in the city which is where I work half the time). but we will be moving to a new building farther into the city over the next couple of years and i will work there all the time, and I do not want to move closer, and the 1 1/2 hour commute twice a day will just not do. So I think Miami may be out. Plus I'm not sure if i could afford a nice place with a garage there as well as a crash pad in NYC.

Haha, thanks Dale, the only problem with that though is that it'd be hard for me to commute to NYC for work, as we don't have any large destinations in the panhandle. But your welcome to come down to my future place in florida and lend a hand any time you want haha.