Seriously considering moving out of Florida

[chri'stina 190]

I wouldn't consider moving there at all if I thought it was so horrible. I don't think it's horrible, but just not what I am used to. It's not like I've never been around southerners. You drive 15 minutes east from here and it's a very southern little town. I don't have to like everything about somewhere to move there for a better life.

No, you don't; but after reading what you wrote, I'm not sure you'll fit in. You're willing to take advantage of the opportunities in the south (though Alabama would be one of the last places I'd think of moving to) and the low cost of living but are still blasting it as inferior as you look down your nose at southern accents and the history of the civil rights movement.

If you raise your kids in Alabama, there is a better-than-decent chance they will end up sounding local. If it bothers you so much to have blood relations with southern accents, please don't move to the deep south. We get enough attitude when we travel from people who think we're stupid, backwards, and racist; we don't need to be looked down upon in our own homes.

Nothing personal.

Well I have friends there who are not southern and have liked living there for 4 years now.

I honestly wrote my pros/cons. I think you are a bit defensive, but that's fine.

The force is strong within this one.

perhaps a week or two vacation in the area you have in mind will be best, stina.

Of course we'd visit there several times before moving....I've already been there twice.

I think we'd end up somewhere in themountains - NC, VA or WVa

Hubby and I finally decided to move to Va.! The houses are pretty expensive but we are looking for a fixer upper that isn't gonna put us in debt. We think it's a nice place to settle down and raise the little on that is on the way...

I hear Virginia's gorgeous but expensive. Good luck!

Oh yes it is pretty and what you hear about it being expensive is true too. Hopefully when can find something not so lavish and affordable. We're not looking for anything big.

Stina: As long as you and Sujeet have come to a mutual decision then I think things will work out fine. I know it took us a while to figure out what we wanted and this is the only decision where we both agreed. I think that's what matters because then you'll have eachothers support to get you through. The houses sound soooo cheap, it made me wanna call hubby and tell him that Virginia isn't where I wanna go after all! See what you did!?! lol Good luck with whatever you do!

Good luck to you too! Yes Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

Why did he want to move? Sorry if you've already answered that but I don't feel like reading.

[chri'stina 190]

Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

Why did he want to move? Sorry if you've already answered that but I don't feel like reading.

Because it's getting more and more expensive to live in Florida, while the pay is hardly increasing. In the past year and a half(more or less) all of the homes doubled in price. And pay stayed basically the same. It benefited all who have owned houses prior to 2005 before the boom and was a major disadvantage for new home buyers. And the insurance rates have gone higher and higher because, well it's Florida and hurricanes come around sometimes.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

Why did he want to move? Sorry if you've already answered that but I don't feel like reading.

Because it's getting more and more expensive to live in Florida, while the pay is hardly increasing. In the past year and a half(more or less) all of the homes doubled in price. And pay stayed basically the same. It benefited all who have owned houses prior to 2005 before the boom and was a major disadvantage for new home buyers. And the insurance rates have gone higher and higher because, well it's Florida and hurricanes come around sometimes.

Ok.

One thing to bear in mind... check the number of IT jobs in the area you want to move to, there is usually an inverse correlation between that number and the length of time it may take for an IT worker to find another IT job after a layoff.

[homesick_american 1]

I wouldn't consider moving there at all if I thought it was so horrible. I don't think it's horrible, but just not what I am used to. It's not like I've never been around southerners. You drive 15 minutes east from here and it's a very southern little town. I don't have to like everything about somewhere to move there for a better life.

No, you don't; but after reading what you wrote, I'm not sure you'll fit in. You're willing to take advantage of the opportunities in the south (though Alabama would be one of the last places I'd think of moving to) and the low cost of living but are still blasting it as inferior as you look down your nose at southern accents and the history of the civil rights movement.

If you raise your kids in Alabama, there is a better-than-decent chance they will end up sounding local. If it bothers you so much to have blood relations with southern accents, please don't move to the deep south. We get enough attitude when we travel from people who think we're stupid, backwards, and racist; we don't need to be looked down upon in our own homes.

Nothing personal.

Well I have friends there who are not southern and have liked living there for 4 years now.

I honestly wrote my pros/cons. I think you are a bit defensive, but that's fine.

The force is strong within this one.

No, I'm just a Texan who grew up in Dallas surrounded by carpetbaggers from New York City who had fabulously plush lives but who bitched about how 'backwards' Texas was. Ingrates.

The part I found particularly offensive was your desire for your children to not have southern accents, as if having a southern accent is the worst thing in the world and would ruin any chances of future success. I found that VERY offensive.

[chri'stina 190]

Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

Why did he want to move? Sorry if you've already answered that but I don't feel like reading.

Because it's getting more and more expensive to live in Florida, while the pay is hardly increasing. In the past year and a half(more or less) all of the homes doubled in price. And pay stayed basically the same. It benefited all who have owned houses prior to 2005 before the boom and was a major disadvantage for new home buyers. And the insurance rates have gone higher and higher because, well it's Florida and hurricanes come around sometimes.

Ok.

One thing to bear in mind... check the number of IT jobs in the area you want to move to, there is usually an inverse correlation between that number and the length of time it may take for an IT worker to find another IT job after a layoff.

inverse correlation? I think you mean if after he got a job there, and was layed off later, how long it would take him to find a new job? That is a good thing to know, true!

[homesick_american 1]

Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

Why did he want to move? Sorry if you've already answered that but I don't feel like reading.

Because it's getting more and more expensive to live in Florida, while the pay is hardly increasing. In the past year and a half(more or less) all of the homes doubled in price. And pay stayed basically the same. It benefited all who have owned houses prior to 2005 before the boom and was a major disadvantage for new home buyers. And the insurance rates have gone higher and higher because, well it's Florida and hurricanes come around sometimes.

Ok.

One thing to bear in mind... check the number of IT jobs in the area you want to move to, there is usually an inverse correlation between that number and the length of time it may take for an IT worker to find another IT job after a layoff.

I know where the IT jobs are in the south; 'Alabama' doesn't immediately leap to mind as being the place to go. I won't say where the good places are either, since people might have southern accents there and I wouldn't want OP's ears to bleed.

[chri'stina 190]

Well I have friends there who are not southern and have liked living there for 4 years now.

I honestly wrote my pros/cons. I think you are a bit defensive, but that's fine.

The force is strong within this one.

No, I'm just a Texan who grew up in Dallas surrounded by carpetbaggers from New York City who had fabulously plush lives but who bitched about how 'backwards' Texas was. Ingrates.

The part I found particularly offensive was your desire for your children to not have southern accents, as if having a southern accent is the worst thing in the world and would ruin any chances of future success. I found that VERY offensive.

I am sorry I offended you. However I said nothing about a southern accent ruining future chances of success.

Sujeet has been talking about moving for the past few months and I only recently accepted the idea, and that it will be helpful for the future.

Why did he want to move? Sorry if you've already answered that but I don't feel like reading.

Because it's getting more and more expensive to live in Florida, while the pay is hardly increasing. In the past year and a half(more or less) all of the homes doubled in price. And pay stayed basically the same. It benefited all who have owned houses prior to 2005 before the boom and was a major disadvantage for new home buyers. And the insurance rates have gone higher and higher because, well it's Florida and hurricanes come around sometimes.

Ok.

One thing to bear in mind... check the number of IT jobs in the area you want to move to, there is usually an inverse correlation between that number and the length of time it may take for an IT worker to find another IT job after a layoff.

I know where the IT jobs are in the south; 'Alabama' doesn't immediately leap to mind as being the place to go. I won't say where the good places are either, since people might have southern accents there and I wouldn't want OP's ears to bleed.

[homesick_american 1]

Well I have friends there who are not southern and have liked living there for 4 years now.

I honestly wrote my pros/cons. I think you are a bit defensive, but that's fine.

The force is strong within this one.

No, I'm just a Texan who grew up in Dallas surrounded by carpetbaggers from New York City who had fabulously plush lives but who bitched about how 'backwards' Texas was. Ingrates.

The part I found particularly offensive was your desire for your children to not have southern accents, as if having a southern accent is the worst thing in the world and would ruin any chances of future success. I found that VERY offensive.

I am sorry I offended you. However I said nothing about a southern accent ruining future chances of success.

You didn't have to.

When I lived in Austin, people were flocking there from all over the country. Native Austinites were more accepting of fellow Texans than they were of out-of-staters because the xenophobia was justified. We had a lot of people from California and the north moving to Austin and they all complained constantly about the things you just complained about...the accents, the weather, the 'racism.' They wanted things to be just like they were back home, but with Austin's strong job growth and cheap housing.

We got really tired of them and their griping!

(If people are sick of me griping about the UK, be patient...hopefully we'll be leaving in a few months. ONE CAN HOPE.)

Hehehe, think I'm being passive/aggressive? Just wait till you move to 'Bama.

[chri'stina 190]

Well I have friends there who are not southern and have liked living there for 4 years now.

I honestly wrote my pros/cons. I think you are a bit defensive, but that's fine.

The force is strong within this one.

No, I'm just a Texan who grew up in Dallas surrounded by carpetbaggers from New York City who had fabulously plush lives but who bitched about how 'backwards' Texas was. Ingrates.

The part I found particularly offensive was your desire for your children to not have southern accents, as if having a southern accent is the worst thing in the world and would ruin any chances of future success. I found that VERY offensive.

I am sorry I offended you. However I said nothing about a southern accent ruining future chances of success.

You didn't have to.

When I lived in Austin, people were flocking there from all over the country. Native Austinites were more accepting of fellow Texans than they were of out-of-staters because the xenophobia was justified. We had a lot of people from California and the north moving to Austin and they all complained constantly about the things you just complained about...the accents, the weather, the 'racism.' They wanted things to be just like they were back home, but with Austin's strong job growth and cheap housing.

We got really tired of them and their griping!

(If people are sick of me griping about the UK, be patient...hopefully we'll be leaving in a few months. ONE CAN HOPE.)

Hehehe, think I'm being passive/aggressive? Just wait till you move to 'Bama.

I was just listing my honest feelings on the matter of moving there. Honestly if you gripe about the UK then how can you be mad at anyone else griping about a new place?

To be honest I am not the kind of person who will go around pointing out things I don't like when I am actually there. I won't go around talking to people saying "oh what a funny accent" like an idiot. When I visited there I liked it. I liked the scenery, I liked the nice people I met, and the houses are charming and cheap. I didn't say I don't like southern people. I said I didn't want the accent. I know that irritates you but I'm being honest. What I don't like is rednecks, but I have seen plenty already in Florida. I DO like southern hospitality. I know that rednecks and southerners are not the same thing.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

...moving to Austin and they all complained constantly about the things you just complained about...the accents, the weather, the 'racism.' They wanted things to be just like they were back home...

Question: Why the quotes around the word 'racism'?

[JoelAndAnalyn 0]

trim your posts for gosh sake!! Why make everyone scroll for half a page to see a one sentence answer?

[Welshcookie 17]

We got really tired of them and their griping!

(If people are sick of me griping about the UK, be patient...hopefully we'll be leaving in a few months. ONE CAN HOPE.)

Hehehe, think I'm being passive/aggressive? Just wait till you move to 'Bama.

I was just listing my honest feelings on the matter of moving there. Honestly if you gripe about the UK then how can you be mad at anyone else griping about a new place?

Well some people don't like being offended but have no thought about offending others....

[chri'stina 190]

Good question Gupt...(racism in quotes)

To show why we think it's a good idea to move to this area...

In 2-3 years we could probably make at least $30K profit on our house because our area still is growing. It has slowed dramatically from last summer, but it's still slowly moving up.

If we put all $30K down on this house, our mortgage would be only $49,900!! Which would be $300-something/ month. And there are jobs in the Birmingham area that pay almost as much as in Tampa, where Sujeet works, and our monthly mortgage payment(which includes tax+insurance) here is $1120/month. Now if the jobs in Birmingham or Huntsville payed half the Tampa pay, we wouldn't think of going there. But that does not seem to be the case. Imagine what we can do with all the extra money and how much we can save for things.

And I think this house is ADORABLE!!! (3 bedroom/2 bath)

Florida houses are so blehhh to me. But I guess it's because I grew up here. I want a cozy country looking house.

Edited September 26, 2006 by stina&suj

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A 300/month mortgage? Damn. New Jersey sucks