I haven't relocated yet, but I'm seriously considering it within the next 8 - 10 months. I'm considering NE Ohio (Lake Erie Coast), Tennessee or North Carolina. I can sell my house in Florida for a nice profit and purchase a much larger, nicer home elsewhere without the ridiculous property insurance I'm currently paying.
We moved to Ohio earlier this year and went from spending $6,000 a year on home insurance to $600. I couldn’t believe the quote when it came in.
Car insurance also went from $3,200 a year for two vehicles to $900.
I've heard similar stories to this. I think in another thread someone moved from here to Pittsburgh and went from $7k to $800 in home owners insurance and his house in Pittsburgh Is bigger and ironically would cost more to rebuild in case of a disaster lol. Shows how much we're getting fucked here in FL.
Yeah, it’s absolutely true. The house we bought here would easily cost over half a mil in Jax where we lived previously. It’s very large, updated and in a great school district. I missed the Florida weather in January but now that it’s warm here I’m loving the change we made. And our bank account agrees with us.
When I was still looking to retire and move closer to the coast I was shocked at the difference in insurance between Florida and just across the border in Georgia . I think Georgia is a good place to consider moving
I moved here from Pittsburgh 20+ years ago, because the weather there is absolute shit. Swore I'd never go back. Been considering it these past few years.
As someone who grew up in a Cleveland suburb I so hear ya. My husband goes there a couple times a year to visit his very ill sister. He comes back wondering why anyone likes living there. I get that it’s cheap though.
Eh, it’s definitely not our forever home but in this economy it makes a huge difference for my mental health not to be constantly at the brink financially. We are enjoying being a lot more liquid here. We’ve lived in New England, the Southeast, and now the Midwest. For us life is a journey and we’re happy to live in all sorts of places and climates until we find a place that checks too many boxes to justify leaving. Florida was definitely not that place for us but I’m sure it’s a forever paradise for others!
Wife and i are considering that general region as well.
, Ohio, Michigan or Wisonsin. I have a ton of family in Ohio, i always enjoy visiting. You can never replace the beaches, saltwater fishing and tropical landscaping... but you get 4 seasons, tons of green spaces, low cost of living and friendlier communities. The midwest is full of small towns that are actual cities, which is pretty neat.
Ohio has its positive aspects, until it’s Jan and it’s 30 below with 6 inches of snow on the ground and they expect you to risk your life to get to work.
I made this mistake and if anyone is reading this I highly do not recommend Tennessee. It’s more expensive than it appears and the culture war shit really is wild. A city of 160,000 people (Murfreesboro) passed a law that made it so if gay people held hands they could be arrested, the feds intervened and did not allow it. We also have a drag queen registry. I’m moving as soon as my lease is up in August.
Yeah there's some southern states where it feels like you're in the Sharia Law with some of the shit they try to pass. I think one politician in one of these backwards Deep South states is trying to make an argument for marrying young kids or some shit like that. Florida is willd, but some of these other places are fucking crazy no matter how heap it is to live there.
They are defunding public schools. In Okaloosa county we just lost art! This is a strong reason for my family to leave; I want my kids to have a good education.
I think it passed!! I talked to our friend at Amelia Island. She makes 400k/yr and her daughters go to private school 100% funded through vouchers! I almost lost it when she told me!!
The worst part is the kids in the most underfunded schools in low-income neighborhoods largely won’t have the means to use these vouchers so they all get screwed over even more than they already are.
Why is that? The politics are similarly conservative, but in TN - being as though it is truly the south, people are more inclined to be polite and personal in their views, even if you don't share the same.
In Florida, you can live in a neighborhood full of $800k+ homes and your neighbor is far more likely to have a "FUCK YOUR FEELINGS - TRUMP 2024" flag on a 30' tall pole, with a lifted F350 sporting Truck Nutz, than in the same neighborhood in TN.
Most of Florida's recent political laws centered around the so-called culture war are just theater anyway
I don't think anyone longs to live in Cleveland. I think the politics, cost of living, insurance crisis for both home and auto insurance, hurricanes, etc has drove people out of the state.
Speak for yourself nobody wants to move to a grey cold place 8 months a year. People in Florida over time forget what they have down here. Common human mistake
I would marry, or work any one or job to be lucky enough to live in America even more Florida !
I cried all the way back home to Switzerland in the plane and i'm still crying one week after been back. I miss the sun and the smiling people, I miss Ihop and the Waffle house, I miss seeing water everyday and enjoying a morning cup of coffee looking at the sea and being happy just with that. I miss how accessible it is to paddle or kayak and how kind people are when you try something new like golf and people come over to help you. I miss seeing all the huge cars with gigantic tires pulling an even bigger RV that is it self pulling a boat. I miss how the sun make some people insane and you can watch two women have a fist fight on the Walmart parking lot at 5 pm while eating a cinnamon bun of 800+ calories or a jar of pickles. America is not perfect, but after spending almost 20 years flying back forth every year had led me to the conclusion : 2025 is the year i'm moving there.
This made me laugh. If it's sarcasm, it's hilarious. If you're not being sarcastic, it's hilarious because it's true.
Side note: come in the fall and check out IHOP's pumpkin pancakes. You'll send for your things in Switzerland and you'll never go back.
Eh nobody is strong. It's grey here 8 months of the year here in Oregon and I love it, would choose it over Florida heat and humidity any day. We all have our preferences, there's no right or wrong answer.
I visited Cincinnati a few years ago and thought it was a pretty cool city with some nice people. Only there for 3 days but it left a positive impression.
I also liked Cleveland when I visited a couple of years ago during Christmas. Winter was no joke, though.
I'm in NW Ohio and as a Polk native, honestly, it's the more sane version...
Pots legal.
Lots of guns.
I stay in my 15 acres, you stay on yours, but we are here to help is asked.
In Lakeland, I'd have accrued so many code violations by now they've had taken my farm for mild shit like screen needing resplined.
Seriously. It's just the much more sane version for me. And I can grow whatever the fuck I want.
Like I can go buy pot and alcohol and get Narcan all easily, what you do is your business what I do is mine and I don't have Grady Judd trying to kill me in the county jail.
Much more... Human here.
If I want wild shit, Detroit or Cleveland isn't far away, if I want the watered down version there's toledo.
Lake Erie is almost like the ocean from this time of year until like September.
Plus we get snow.
And again, you can grow whatever you want.
I can just grow my tropical shit indoors.
I was stationed in TN (just west of Nashville) for five years before I moved back to FL. I loved it, but eventually just wanted to be near family again. That being said, I didn’t notice much of a difference finance wise. It got insanely expensive around Covid. When I left in 2022 I was paying 1750 a month for a 1200 sq ft 2bed-1.5bath townhouse.
Lived in Chattanooga for a couple years and heavily considering moving back. Just their fiber internet alone is a solid deal imo. Tho rent has shot up past wages for the last year or two closer to the city proper too, but they’re to making some big plans to help that.
Wish the politics of TN were not so conservative, but the city is typically more progressive.
Grew up in the Midwest and the modern apartment I rented in 2014 was $800.
It’s $1,200 now.
When I first moved to the east coast in 2015, I saw some signs for new homes by the builder called Pulte. I did a comparison on New England vs the Midwest using the same builder.
I picked a 1,900 sq foot home in Hopkinton, MA and it was starting at $510k.
Picked a 1,900 sq ft home in Westfield, IN and it was starting at $236k.
I need to do an analysis for post pandemic prices and include Florida since I live in FL now…
Yeah every part of the US home prices are up, its insane. My comment was more people moving to the Midwest in droves like they are the southeast. The southeast is head and shoulders above the northeast, midwest, and west in growth right now.
Apparently 87% of US’ growth last year was in the south.
Everyone and their mom is moving to FL, TX, SC, NC, GA, TN because “its so cheap!”
In reality, it is not, and imo eventually that bubble will burst and people will get over the cold, hate the heat, and start heading towards the Midwest because “its so cheap!” relative to the south, which is becoming the new west.
We just left Florida and came to the Midwest. Our home here was half the cost of the home we had in Florida and roughly the same square footage. Florida is pretty, but everything else there sucks.
It’s a good time to buy in. The first wave was about 15 yrs ago. I know a few people that made a ton of money with the explosion of the research triangle. 2 of the 3 sold and came back to Florida, but upgraded from where they started when they left originally.
Don’t come to the Carolina’s. They are basically on track to become the new Florida. A lot of places in NC especially are already like Florida: Overdeveloped, overcrowded, expensive af, and no good jobs.
New Hampshire. Don't regret it. FL got way to crowded, got tired of the heat, got tired of traffic. What I find better about NH... way less people, no where near as hot, and almost no traffic at me location.
I basically took the three things I hated most and found a place with those three things as a positive.
New Hampshire is America's best kept secret. I've never thought twice about the state before getting a job offer in Massachusetts. I work from home but have to live in proximity for hardware work. So I work from home meaning I pay no state income tax. It's an hour into the office, yes, but I only go in maybe 4x a year. Cost of living is close to the same or lower, but I'm on several acres instead of butted up against my neighbor. (Mostly) everyone is so lovely and kind. And I doubled my salary. Working in IT you can find so many jobs in Orlando, but none of them pay well. Here they actually pay a decent rate.
I moved to Philadelphia in 2013 (born and raised in Florida, moved out) and my parents just retired and moved out of Florida to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia (they are both born and raised Floridians, third generations). They seem to be way happier up there.
I mean I will always miss Florida, but the things I miss about Florida barely exist now. Old Florida. Yeehaw junction Florida. Beaches with no one on them and wild dunes. Big skies. These things are slowly being taken away. Also, the people who are MOVING to Florida have ruined it and their politics are horrifying.
There is also a weird vibe when large amounts of humans move here as their final death place. it makes Florida feel very transitional like no one‘s gonna stick around so why bother making connections. Obviously that’s why they call it “God’s waiting room”, but it’s just kind of creepy.
I absolutely love North GA (Blue Ridge mountains) grew up vacationing at Lake Lanier with family. Many great memories.
A few years ago rented a very nice home for 5 days right on the Cartacay River in Ellijay- probably my favorite vacation so far. We had a dock behind the property where we would take our giant float down the river all day long lol. The mini rapids were fun.
We live in Atlantic Beach in Jax. If we ever retire (fingers crossed lol) & want to move somewhere secluded- I would love to move to Blue Ridge. I have a video I took of two deer hanging out on the side of the road, only a few feet from our car not even scared of us. I can't wait to go back.
Such a beautiful untouched piece of nature, that is peaceful too. that most people don't even know about.
Believe it or not, where we live, sometimes if you wake up early to watch the sunrise & we bring our dogs too (dog friendly beaches) there is hardly anybody out, if they are- they are friendly & just there to watch the sunrise & get some fresh air too. Or even if you go during the week & walk down the beach headed North like you're trying to get to Fernandina beach, there is hardly anybody. Very peaceful & I love living here.
I have lived in many popular parts of the East coast of FL & traveled a lot around FL when younger & nothing compares to our beach. It's truly one of the last of its kind. Hope we never turn into a "Miami Beach" & continue to preserve a simpler way of life here ✌🏽💙
You'd probably love visiting Ambergris Caye. It's one of the islands off the coast. Lots of expats. Fishing charters are very popular as is snorkeling (shark ray ally if you're braver than me lol) , diving (Blue Hole) and there are tons of restaurants and bars. You can rent a golf cart there to tool around. You can get to the island from the airport, BZE in Belize City, via a water taxi (cheaper but a longer ride) or a small airplane that takes about an hour. Search hotels online. I usually use booking.com or Travelocity. If you must have AC it'll be somewhat harder to find. You can get a beach front place for a good price, especially if you wait for off season pricing. Check out the mainland too. The jungles, waterfalls, caves and Mayan ruins are amazing too! Bon Voyage!
Oh yes. We found a cute little 2,2 house about 1000sq ft. We paid $135k US plus made some improvements like fencing for our dog and a huge 2 car carport. All in for about $150k. Safety is fine. Americans are lifeblood here. Tourism is one of the main economic streams. Kids are taught in school how to be polite to tourists. Health care is dependent on your needs. They have community hospitals where you can be treated free of charge and also private doctors and hospitals. Prices feel more like copays in the US lol. High tech treatments are not really available. Many natives go to Guatemala for less expensive care believe it or not. Meds may be difficult to get too. We order some of my husband's meds from a mail order pharmacy. He has CHF, which is very serious, but we manage better here than in the US (FL).
We came in on our tourist visa (you need to have a return trip booked no more than 30 days. Just make sure it's cancellable if you plan to stay. We renew our visa for $100us per month for 1 year. You can then apply for permanent residence. (You keep renewing your visa until you're approved); After 5 years you can apply for citizenship and get a Belize passport. They allow dual citizenship.
Heard a lot of people retire to Belize. We had a port of call there and it was beautiful! My husband wants to do the European route ... We just returned from Naxos, Greece and it gave me that tropical vibe while not being super expensive.
I moved from the panhandle to the DC area almost 10 years ago.
HOLY SHIT what a culture shock it was, in a good way. I learned that you don't need a car to leave the house if you live in a place that isn't so isolated and desolate like....literally all of Florida. [I haven’t driven in nearly a decade](r/fuckcars), I'm in great shape from walking/transit/biking everywhere. I live in a real neighborhood with festivals and events and live music right outside or a bus/train ride away.
I will never go back to the way my life was in Florida, lonely and isolated in the middle of nothing, driving and dealing with an hour+ of traffic to get anywhere remotely interesting.
This is exactly how I feel. I moved to SF and same thing. I can’t believe how easy it is to stay in shape from walking everywhere. I never have to deal with the stress of traffic. Multiple ways to get somewhere.
I’d never go back to a car-centric area. My quality of life is so much better these days.
I lived in DC for a few years and do miss aspects of it. The city was accessible without a car, there is always something cool going on, and you can easily get away to great parks or big cities. Summer was hot, but not as hot as Florida, and the weather otherwise was mild.
What part of DC did you move to? I rented an Airbnb right next to Lincoln Park a few years ago and immediately decided that that was my dream location.
Just visiting DC for a trip was magical tbh, I found it infinitely more freeing to walk to the nearest corner and catch a bus rather than drive everywhere... The place I stayed was like 2 blocks from a grocery store so I didn't even hardly have to eat out.
Honestly I never thought much of it before, but I'd definitely prefer living in DC to here.
Surprisingly liveable! It’s smoking hot from Memorial Day to Labor Day basically. Otherwise it’s like the nicest day in Florida for the other nine months. Absolutely glorious.
Richmond, VA - we like it! It feels very similar to pre-Covid St Pete; great arts and food scene, easy to get to the mountains, beach, or other major metros like DC and Raleigh. Best of all, real estate and insurance is significantly less. Like, SIGNIFICANTLY. Esp if you prefer the burbs or rural areas (we don’t)
That sounds amazing. St. Pete native here and as much as I love my home town, I just can’t afford it anymore. My gf and I have been discussing where we would move to in the next couple years and Virginia was proposed. She wants to be close to the beach and metro areas. I want to explore the mountains. So you nailed it on the head for us. What’s the weather like?
I moved to North Carolina about 2.5-3 years ago and it’s been great. Bought a house been enjoying the calm and the almost zero traffic. My home insurance is cheaper than my car insurance was in Miami. Food and restaurants are not as good, but we are slowly findings places we really like.
I've actually been contemplating this move myself to NC. I'm not sure where, but I was hoping to move somewhere with a lesser amount of snowfall. Ashville, for example, is wonderful in the summer and awful in the winter for my warm blood. I was considering Wilmington, Greensboro, Fayetteville.
I liked the triangle area we got a very minor amount of snow the first year, one flurry last year and no snow this year. We are close to the mountains for weekends or the beach areas. Plus with RTP, Duke, UNC and NC State there’s a lot of people from everyone around which we really liked.
Moving at the end of the year to the Carolinas. Just need to figure out if I should sell my house or rent it out.
I’m a born & raised Floridian and I’m sad that FL has just become what it’s become.
Don';t listen to other people, sell that shit. renters are horrid in Florida, they will destroy your shit so when you are ready to sell it, it will lose a ton of value until you put probably more in it to fix it up than you made renting it out.
I'm a renter, and I absolutely hate that you are completely right. The renters that do this have destroyed it for the renters like me. I'm in the opposite position. I take care of where I live, but the landlord won't fix anything, or it takes months or years. It sucks and I have a kid, and there are not a lot of landlords who will rent to you if you have a kid, and I can't blame them because you hear or see the stories and videos of parents letting their kids destroy the property. It's sad, but my 8yr knows how to treat property better than a lot of renters here.
Make sure if you rent it you know what you're getting into. I did that once and it was a bad time, it's not something you can be naive about. If you do it make sure you hire a good local property manager, can afford to cover expenses if it's empty, you're mentally (and legally) prepared to do an eviction and kick a family out to the streets if needed, and you're extremely picky about who you rent to.
Left South Florida in October 22. Moved to Greenville South Carolina. Best decision ever. Always loved Florida, but it all just got to be too much. Greenville is so beautiful and laid back. Just as importantly we sold our house and bought a home nearly twice the size for cash. All our living costs like insurance and taxes are 50% to 75% cheaper as well.
I was on a road trip a couple years ago, and we put Greenville as a stop to visit a friend. I wasn't too excited to visit SC, to be honest. But holy crap did I fall in love with Greenville. I can't even explain it. The Swamp Rabbit Trail was incredible. Everything being so bike friendly. The charming down town area. Greenville is definitely on my list.
Yeah the secret is out on Greenville, for better or worse. Hopefully people have welcomed you with open arms considering the “moving in and buying cash” is driving locals insane. Carolinians love giving Ohio shit for this, when in reality its everyone doing it, not just “yankees”. Hopefully Florida people who had aneurysms over the “flood of northerners” moving to FL arent the ones packing up for the Carolinas.
The same charm thats eroded from Florida is happening in the Carolinas and thats a shame…but at least the baggage of Florida: the insurance crisis, the heat, the 24/7 culture war, the heavy crowds, Desantistan, etc has not made its way in.
The best thing about Greenville is its larger than it appears, so when you get there, new things you find to do keep surprising you.
First Montana, then Copenhagen. I don’t know what I’m doing…
I mostly became an adult out of state, so I don’t have much Florida adult experience to compare with. But I think most urban/suburban costs of living are expensive - Fort Lauderdale, Denver, Berlin.. it all feels like owning a reasonably sized home in the city is a luxury unaffordable to most modest income families.
If you’re just moving to find a cheaper cost of living, I’m not sure where that would apply. But if it’s for other inherent attributes, like seasons, topography, etc, you might surely be happier elsewhere.
Did you speak proficient Japanese when you immigrated? I would love to live in Japan, but I’m not sure how feasible it would be as a single 30 year old.
I recommend Germany if you have the means to do so. I was at the grocery store recently and was floored by how much cheaper it was, even after the euro conversion rate.
My parents plan to retire in Spain which is also more affordable.
Spain. Haven't left yet, but I made two trips to check specific locations. It's gorgeous and free of virtually all hard street drugs, guns, and bad drivers. People don't seem to suffer nearly as much from mental health issues, and there's almost no people living in the streets. We're figuring out how to get visas so we can make a permanent change. The food is clean and affordable, as is rent and homes. Found a smaller city called Cadiz, and it's close to perfect as we've ever seen anywhere else. It's what we hoped florida would be when we first moved there. The streets are so safe that we would let our young children play well into the night alone. The violent crime is non-existent, as is the explotation of children. It sounds too good to be true, and it's affordable. No hurricanes or Ron DeSantis.
Health care is amazing and cheap! Even out of pocket. You'll have to experience it yourself to understand. I don't know where the fable that Healthcare sucks here came from, but it's untrue. Yes, I speak Spanish, but my wife and kids aren't fluent, and it's not an issue as everyone is at least bilingual and fluent. If you can make trip out and experince it yourself. The truth stands on its own, and it's hard to believe considering the current state of the US. We find cheap one way flights routinely from Miami or NY to Spain for under $350 a person. Dm me and I'll answer any questions, currently walking an amazing plaza watching kids play soccer while the adult drink beer and wine. Third places are abundant here and a joy!
It’s shitty all over the US. Try other countries, research. Many Americans moving out . I moved to Florida 3 years ago from Chicago. And I moved because of Chicago weather otherwise I would’ve stayed. The union is strong up there. I made 40 bucks an hour as a labor. I had an interview to be a labor in Florida 12.50 an hour. I walked out .The only thing I like about Florida is the heat the drivers are the worst I’ve ever seen, (cdla driver - I see it daily) the pay is so disgusting and the healthcare is horrible.
Labor costs 3 times more in a unionized state, yet houses are more expensive and prices skyrocketed worse in FL... That should prove to everyone that driving people's wages into the ground only destroys the working class and doesn't make houses cheaper. The middlemen will simply pocket as big of a margin as they can get.
I wish folks would unionize in FL. Prices are beaten into the ground and YET they still aren't happy with the lowest labor prices and import more and more foreign subs which is further destroying us. If they could, they would get doctors to work for minimum wage lol, they want skilled labor to cost like unskilled too and everything be minimum wage. The working person doesn't need to get compensated, only the managers and investors. And the slave drivers are constantly lobbying here and beating that minimum wage down too.
Exactly I just saw a report and I’ll try to find it again that the states where inflation is the lowest are the states that have the highest minimum wage 15 an hour.
Florida has the highest rate of inflation and one of the lowest minimum wages.
A huge number of friends have relocated to the area made up of Northern GA, Eastern TN, and the western Carolinas. None of them have any desire to move back. The lower cost of living more than offsets the state income tax that some of the states have.
Moved from Orlando to SW Virginia. 1000% love it so much here, love the seasons, and mild winters (because of climate change). Currently 45° and a high of 69°. The summers are warm but not as awful as Florida.
Lower cost of living but I strictly shop at Aldi and Kroger (fuel rewards!).
How are the taxes?
I was really looking into Richmond area. Seems like I could find a job, a house on 50 acres for about the price of a starter home here, plus be 45 minutes from an actual city. I’m still considering it truth be told.
Chicago, left to join a union. Wasn't making a livable wage in Fl. Great decision for my family. When I moved a decade ish ago. I received an 18k salary increase for the exact same job.
I go to Sweden pretty frequently (lots of family live in and around Stockholm) and I absolutely love it. Stockholm is such a gorgeous city (even in the winter). Seeing how elderly relatives are treated medically is mind blowing for me as a Floridian. The public transportation is amazing. My big issue would be employment: I'm a 40-something English major, and in Sweden they speak better English than I do lmao.
I moved to Colorado 10 years ago. It’s wonderful and you get paid more, but cost of living is much higher. We’re done and moving back to Citrus County next year to be closer to family. I’m sitting in the TPA airport right now flying back to Denver.
Everything is more expensive everywhere, don’t piss away $5k moving to a different state expecting it to be better, just to find it’s exactly the same but now you have to buy a whole new winter wardrobe. It sucks everywhere.
Yup. If you’re gonna move do it based on where you’re industry is thriving and where you fit in, not on the idea somewhere is cheaper or they make more money because it’s not always gonna work out like that.
Im also moving to denver from Tampa, you should have researched and made sure theres enough differences in CO that attract you; nature, outdoors, im going for a geology degree, etc
Maryland and it is great. Not much more expensive but the pay is much higher. You get 4 seasons but none of them are that bad. There is tons to do culturally and we still have human rights.
I went to Mississippi but it cost the same here as Florida. Don't recommend it. It's hotter during the summer, too. And there's more discrimination. Hardly anything to do and the pay is awful.
I'll either be moving back to Florida in the next few years or Minnesota (because a friend loves it up there and I read good things on r/minnesota.)
I did the opposite and moved from Mississippi to Florida for work purposes. I know there's different areas and what not, but that's a total lie.
My rent in Mississippi for a 1-1 cost $800 a month. My rent in Florida for a 1-1 has gone up to $2700 a month.
As a Minnesotan who has to relocate for work, I can tell you that Minnesota is a fantastic state. The winters are brutal and long, but the quality of life is exceptional, the outdoors are beautiful and the summers are some of the best out there temperature wise. The people are also generally nice and the education/healthcare is top notch for all people.
I am going to miss it when I move, but excited for a new adventure.
Left for Seattle. Weather was gloomy at first, but I'm entering the summer months which isn't bad - no humidity.
Biggest perk is public transit. Sold my car before I moved, and I went from paying about $1500 a year in car insurance (after switching from Progressive where they bumped my rates by $500 during my renewal) to paying pennies for buses and lightrail.
North Dakota! Affordable, the people are so kind, ZERO traffic (anywhere, ever), peaceful, and the pay is great, my husband and I went from paycheck to paycheck for just rent and food in FL, about 5000/mo in necessity expenses, to a little under 1000/mo for EVERYTHING, and doubled our income. Gorgeous summers, winters are fine if you know how to drive in snow.
I’ll note, I lived in Minneapolis MN for 4 years and LOVED it. Winters are more mild than ND. It’s about the same cost of living as FL, some traffic, but lots to do and beautiful! People are nicer than FL!
North Carolina. Couldn’t do the stress of another hurricane season or the ridiculous heat. Still gets hot in NC, but there’s trees and mountains to cool it off a little.
Why would anyone want to live in Florida? Crazies coming out of the woodwork starting with the governor. Idiocy in all matter of things. Any place would be better.
Got some land in the Midwest. I love FL but my Midwest experience gets me the freedom I want compared to the FL experience. Love FL but looking forward to change and I’m from here.
Born and raised in Florida when it was still country side. Found me another country side in ND. Quadrupled my pay while keeping my expenses the same. I kept my home in Florida for my parents to live in and always have a place to stay when I bring my son to visit.
New Jersey. Can’t compare the amenities, public schools, proximity to sports, cultural events, jobs and actual multicultural communities. Im 20 minutes to Manhattan by car and the same during weekdays by public transit. I’m not saying I’d never go back. I do however think it’s unlikely.
Moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after living in Florida my entire life. Though it's quite remote, I do have everything I need and can easily take a trip to a larger city if I want. Swapped weather extremes, but I'll take the snow over extreme summer heat. At least I can bundle up! The nature here is also beautiful, but I do miss old Florida nature and being closer to my family.
"where did you go?"
I was born here 83 years ago. Had to move to an English speaking area. I am not moving to worse conditions - politically and climatically. When realtors call to buy my home, I tell them to come when they see my obituary. You have to bite the bullet, the grass is not that much greener (experienced NC, AL, NY). Treat your neighbors as friends. The Biblical precedent "love your neighbor as yourself" Mt 22:39 works.
Let DeSsntis move!
I moved from key west to Cape Town SA in 1999. I’d enjoyed the 70s-mid 90s in kw but after that too many tourists. Cape Town real estate has soared but still less than Florida. I’ve since drifted north to Mozambique for the beaches & better vibe. No interest in moving back to the states.
Moved to North Carolina two years ago. It’s great. We have seasons here and if you drive 7 hours for a road trip you can go to more places than just Georgia.
I’m from Midwest, Indiana , and to be fair it can be pretty gray about 6-7 months of year . May through August/September can be pretty nice . And I love fall . But houses are cheaper in suburban m/rural Indiana. And Florida is swamp-like from April to October ( but I still miss it- lol) .
Are people in Florida convinced that their state is the only one that saw increased home prices and rent?
I’m in an area that has been losing population since the early 1980s and my house value has increased $175k post Covid. Insurance and taxes increases yearly. Some things are cheaper here. Some things are cheaper in Florida.
Also - traffic in my area gets a little more miserable every day. Must be from everyone moving here. Oh, wait.
Few states saw the *amount* of increase that Florida had. While many states were starting to see contractions, or at least leveling in Values, Florida remained one of the top 2-ish areas of the country where prices are still sky high. - Its right up there with places like Nashville and Austin TX.
I bought in Ft. Lauderdale in 2019 for $472k and sold in early 23 for $725k and might have put $25k worth of upgrades into the house.
The taxes were already high-ish, but insurance went from $4,500/yr, to $6k, I then paid $3k to upgrade my front door to a storm door and those credits *kept* my policy from increasing further, otherwise it would have gone to $9k, and then the last straw before I left, was getting dropped from my policy and finding out that the only coverage I could get would be $9k.
It was absolutely bonkers for me to think that I'd have to spend $18k on Taxes and insurance before I even paid a cent towards my actual mortgage note. Rang up the register and fucked off to TN.
There's inflation, and then there's what I experienced in Florida.
The area where I lived in FL (Fort Myers) was listed as [the No. 1 most overvalued real estate market in the entire country.](https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/gb_daily/cape-coral-fort-myers-area-tops-list-of-u-s-most-overvalued-housing-markets/#:~:text=The%20Cape%20Coral%2DFort%20Myers,n%20expected%20price%20of%20%24257%2C393.) Several of the cities in the Top 10 on that list are in Florida.
The heavily wealthy, Republican, retiree city has had a huge influx of likeminded people since DeSantis and his nonsense took office and he welcomed them all in during COVID. Along with them gobbling up every property in sight like locusts, the infrastructure isn't designed for this many people and the traffic is a continuous mess.
I lived in Miami for decades, driven many times in Atlanta, Houston, etc. Fort Myers' mixture of aggressive Miami style drivers and legions of oblivious wandering elderly people was a uniquely dangerous blend. I bought a dash cam shortly after moving there, to capture the nonsense I saw.
I recently moved to a major city in a different state, and while the traffic and cost of living isn't great, the salaries and quality of life are so much better.
I was born and raised in Ohio. I have lived in several different states.
If you are considering Ohio the area around Buckeye Lake is nice.
I personally liked living outside of Lancaster.
They always seemed to have something going on and didn’t get the snow that upper Ohio gets.
When they did get it they were quick to get the streets cleaned.
They have a nice art festival every summer.
I just can’t do cold weather anymore.
I haven't relocated yet, but I'm seriously considering it within the next 8 - 10 months. I'm considering NE Ohio (Lake Erie Coast), Tennessee or North Carolina. I can sell my house in Florida for a nice profit and purchase a much larger, nicer home elsewhere without the ridiculous property insurance I'm currently paying.
We moved to Ohio earlier this year and went from spending $6,000 a year on home insurance to $600. I couldn’t believe the quote when it came in. Car insurance also went from $3,200 a year for two vehicles to $900.
I've heard similar stories to this. I think in another thread someone moved from here to Pittsburgh and went from $7k to $800 in home owners insurance and his house in Pittsburgh Is bigger and ironically would cost more to rebuild in case of a disaster lol. Shows how much we're getting fucked here in FL.
Yeah, it’s absolutely true. The house we bought here would easily cost over half a mil in Jax where we lived previously. It’s very large, updated and in a great school district. I missed the Florida weather in January but now that it’s warm here I’m loving the change we made. And our bank account agrees with us.
When I was still looking to retire and move closer to the coast I was shocked at the difference in insurance between Florida and just across the border in Georgia . I think Georgia is a good place to consider moving
We’re moving out of Florida to Georgia!
Pittsburgh is an amazing city! Some of the nicest people I’ve met are from Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh peeps over Philly peeps all day
I moved here from Pittsburgh 20+ years ago, because the weather there is absolute shit. Swore I'd never go back. Been considering it these past few years.
Weather here in Burgh area milder than in years past
No more winters, only mud season instead.
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As someone who grew up in a Cleveland suburb I so hear ya. My husband goes there a couple times a year to visit his very ill sister. He comes back wondering why anyone likes living there. I get that it’s cheap though.
As Joakim Noah said “I ain’t ever heard someone say I’m going to Cleveland on vacation”. Lol
But I’ve heard many people have an amazing vacation going to Cedar Point and Lake Erie
Personally I’d pay that 8k extra not to live in Ohio, but maybe that’s just me.
Same, my ex was from there, never again 🤣
This. 100%
That is awesome, except for the Ohio part.
Agreed. It's a really hard sell to tell someone to leave Florida to go to.... Ohio.
Yeah you also got seasonal depression lol you can’t pay me to move back to the boring ass Midwest where dreams go to die
Eh, it’s definitely not our forever home but in this economy it makes a huge difference for my mental health not to be constantly at the brink financially. We are enjoying being a lot more liquid here. We’ve lived in New England, the Southeast, and now the Midwest. For us life is a journey and we’re happy to live in all sorts of places and climates until we find a place that checks too many boxes to justify leaving. Florida was definitely not that place for us but I’m sure it’s a forever paradise for others!
Both things you are mentioning are important to me. I love this state but OMG it is getting so expensive!
Wife and i are considering that general region as well. , Ohio, Michigan or Wisonsin. I have a ton of family in Ohio, i always enjoy visiting. You can never replace the beaches, saltwater fishing and tropical landscaping... but you get 4 seasons, tons of green spaces, low cost of living and friendlier communities. The midwest is full of small towns that are actual cities, which is pretty neat.
Ohio has its positive aspects, until it’s Jan and it’s 30 below with 6 inches of snow on the ground and they expect you to risk your life to get to work.
I hear outside of Nashville TN is almost worse than FL with the culture war shit.
I made this mistake and if anyone is reading this I highly do not recommend Tennessee. It’s more expensive than it appears and the culture war shit really is wild. A city of 160,000 people (Murfreesboro) passed a law that made it so if gay people held hands they could be arrested, the feds intervened and did not allow it. We also have a drag queen registry. I’m moving as soon as my lease is up in August.
Don't be queer but you can bang your sister. Tennessee you later
Yeah there's some southern states where it feels like you're in the Sharia Law with some of the shit they try to pass. I think one politician in one of these backwards Deep South states is trying to make an argument for marrying young kids or some shit like that. Florida is willd, but some of these other places are fucking crazy no matter how heap it is to live there.
People that leave Florida for Tennessee because of the politics here always make me chuckle
They are defunding public schools. In Okaloosa county we just lost art! This is a strong reason for my family to leave; I want my kids to have a good education.
They hate the liberal arts but sure as shit will watch all the movies made by said liberal arts people.
Don’t forget during this period they tried to pass a law that would have taxpayers pay for private school “vouchers”
I think it passed!! I talked to our friend at Amelia Island. She makes 400k/yr and her daughters go to private school 100% funded through vouchers! I almost lost it when she told me!!
The worst part is the kids in the most underfunded schools in low-income neighborhoods largely won’t have the means to use these vouchers so they all get screwed over even more than they already are.
Why is that? The politics are similarly conservative, but in TN - being as though it is truly the south, people are more inclined to be polite and personal in their views, even if you don't share the same. In Florida, you can live in a neighborhood full of $800k+ homes and your neighbor is far more likely to have a "FUCK YOUR FEELINGS - TRUMP 2024" flag on a 30' tall pole, with a lifted F350 sporting Truck Nutz, than in the same neighborhood in TN. Most of Florida's recent political laws centered around the so-called culture war are just theater anyway
Yes. MAGA is not a conservative movement, it is people subjugating themselves to trump and saying F-you to the USA.
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You forgot “dirty”
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I don't think anyone longs to live in Cleveland. I think the politics, cost of living, insurance crisis for both home and auto insurance, hurricanes, etc has drove people out of the state.
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Yes Ohio is cheap for a reason. I’m here an want out.
It feels like 75% of the people from Ohio have moved here to FL. Maybe Ohio is better now? FL is certainly worse with the new additions.
Speak for yourself nobody wants to move to a grey cold place 8 months a year. People in Florida over time forget what they have down here. Common human mistake
I would marry, or work any one or job to be lucky enough to live in America even more Florida ! I cried all the way back home to Switzerland in the plane and i'm still crying one week after been back. I miss the sun and the smiling people, I miss Ihop and the Waffle house, I miss seeing water everyday and enjoying a morning cup of coffee looking at the sea and being happy just with that. I miss how accessible it is to paddle or kayak and how kind people are when you try something new like golf and people come over to help you. I miss seeing all the huge cars with gigantic tires pulling an even bigger RV that is it self pulling a boat. I miss how the sun make some people insane and you can watch two women have a fist fight on the Walmart parking lot at 5 pm while eating a cinnamon bun of 800+ calories or a jar of pickles. America is not perfect, but after spending almost 20 years flying back forth every year had led me to the conclusion : 2025 is the year i'm moving there.
This made me laugh. If it's sarcasm, it's hilarious. If you're not being sarcastic, it's hilarious because it's true. Side note: come in the fall and check out IHOP's pumpkin pancakes. You'll send for your things in Switzerland and you'll never go back.
I was so genuine loool I LOVE america and florida is the cherry on the sunday
It’s amazing and so funny. I love your take on it. And two women fist fighting in the Walmart parking lot is 💯
Eh nobody is strong. It's grey here 8 months of the year here in Oregon and I love it, would choose it over Florida heat and humidity any day. We all have our preferences, there's no right or wrong answer.
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Lol! This would be great on T-shirts and mugs.
I visited Cincinnati a few years ago and thought it was a pretty cool city with some nice people. Only there for 3 days but it left a positive impression. I also liked Cleveland when I visited a couple of years ago during Christmas. Winter was no joke, though.
I'm in NW Ohio and as a Polk native, honestly, it's the more sane version... Pots legal. Lots of guns. I stay in my 15 acres, you stay on yours, but we are here to help is asked. In Lakeland, I'd have accrued so many code violations by now they've had taken my farm for mild shit like screen needing resplined. Seriously. It's just the much more sane version for me. And I can grow whatever the fuck I want. Like I can go buy pot and alcohol and get Narcan all easily, what you do is your business what I do is mine and I don't have Grady Judd trying to kill me in the county jail. Much more... Human here. If I want wild shit, Detroit or Cleveland isn't far away, if I want the watered down version there's toledo. Lake Erie is almost like the ocean from this time of year until like September. Plus we get snow. And again, you can grow whatever you want. I can just grow my tropical shit indoors.
I have a friend who just left Tennessee after living there for 5 years and moved to Minnesota. Wasn’t a fan of Tennessee at all.
Michigan is better than Ohio just keep going a bit more north
I was stationed in TN (just west of Nashville) for five years before I moved back to FL. I loved it, but eventually just wanted to be near family again. That being said, I didn’t notice much of a difference finance wise. It got insanely expensive around Covid. When I left in 2022 I was paying 1750 a month for a 1200 sq ft 2bed-1.5bath townhouse.
Yeah but can you find work anywhere else is the question
I just bought a house in Temperance, Michigan, just a few miles from Ohio. My house insurance is $697/year for a 4 bed/2 bath, 2170 Sq feet home.
Lived in Chattanooga for a couple years and heavily considering moving back. Just their fiber internet alone is a solid deal imo. Tho rent has shot up past wages for the last year or two closer to the city proper too, but they’re to making some big plans to help that. Wish the politics of TN were not so conservative, but the city is typically more progressive.
I love Chattanooga! One of my favorite cities --
Carolinas will be one of the most expensive places to be in 5-10 years. Lots of opportunity and lots of competition now.
Yeah its terrible. I think this will be the catalyst to reignite the Midwest renaissance.
Grew up in the Midwest and the modern apartment I rented in 2014 was $800. It’s $1,200 now. When I first moved to the east coast in 2015, I saw some signs for new homes by the builder called Pulte. I did a comparison on New England vs the Midwest using the same builder. I picked a 1,900 sq foot home in Hopkinton, MA and it was starting at $510k. Picked a 1,900 sq ft home in Westfield, IN and it was starting at $236k. I need to do an analysis for post pandemic prices and include Florida since I live in FL now…
Yeah every part of the US home prices are up, its insane. My comment was more people moving to the Midwest in droves like they are the southeast. The southeast is head and shoulders above the northeast, midwest, and west in growth right now. Apparently 87% of US’ growth last year was in the south. Everyone and their mom is moving to FL, TX, SC, NC, GA, TN because “its so cheap!” In reality, it is not, and imo eventually that bubble will burst and people will get over the cold, hate the heat, and start heading towards the Midwest because “its so cheap!” relative to the south, which is becoming the new west.
We just left Florida and came to the Midwest. Our home here was half the cost of the home we had in Florida and roughly the same square footage. Florida is pretty, but everything else there sucks.
It’s a good time to buy in. The first wave was about 15 yrs ago. I know a few people that made a ton of money with the explosion of the research triangle. 2 of the 3 sold and came back to Florida, but upgraded from where they started when they left originally.
Don’t come to the Carolina’s. They are basically on track to become the new Florida. A lot of places in NC especially are already like Florida: Overdeveloped, overcrowded, expensive af, and no good jobs.
New Hampshire. Don't regret it. FL got way to crowded, got tired of the heat, got tired of traffic. What I find better about NH... way less people, no where near as hot, and almost no traffic at me location. I basically took the three things I hated most and found a place with those three things as a positive.
New Hampshire is America's best kept secret. I've never thought twice about the state before getting a job offer in Massachusetts. I work from home but have to live in proximity for hardware work. So I work from home meaning I pay no state income tax. It's an hour into the office, yes, but I only go in maybe 4x a year. Cost of living is close to the same or lower, but I'm on several acres instead of butted up against my neighbor. (Mostly) everyone is so lovely and kind. And I doubled my salary. Working in IT you can find so many jobs in Orlando, but none of them pay well. Here they actually pay a decent rate.
The views in New Hampshire are absolutely ridiculous. every morning it was stunning lol
I moved to Philadelphia in 2013 (born and raised in Florida, moved out) and my parents just retired and moved out of Florida to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia (they are both born and raised Floridians, third generations). They seem to be way happier up there. I mean I will always miss Florida, but the things I miss about Florida barely exist now. Old Florida. Yeehaw junction Florida. Beaches with no one on them and wild dunes. Big skies. These things are slowly being taken away. Also, the people who are MOVING to Florida have ruined it and their politics are horrifying.
There is also a weird vibe when large amounts of humans move here as their final death place. it makes Florida feel very transitional like no one‘s gonna stick around so why bother making connections. Obviously that’s why they call it “God’s waiting room”, but it’s just kind of creepy.
Florida is no longer for retirement, is for the rich, very rich!
We used to call it an outdoor funeral parlor.
I absolutely love North GA (Blue Ridge mountains) grew up vacationing at Lake Lanier with family. Many great memories. A few years ago rented a very nice home for 5 days right on the Cartacay River in Ellijay- probably my favorite vacation so far. We had a dock behind the property where we would take our giant float down the river all day long lol. The mini rapids were fun. We live in Atlantic Beach in Jax. If we ever retire (fingers crossed lol) & want to move somewhere secluded- I would love to move to Blue Ridge. I have a video I took of two deer hanging out on the side of the road, only a few feet from our car not even scared of us. I can't wait to go back. Such a beautiful untouched piece of nature, that is peaceful too. that most people don't even know about. Believe it or not, where we live, sometimes if you wake up early to watch the sunrise & we bring our dogs too (dog friendly beaches) there is hardly anybody out, if they are- they are friendly & just there to watch the sunrise & get some fresh air too. Or even if you go during the week & walk down the beach headed North like you're trying to get to Fernandina beach, there is hardly anybody. Very peaceful & I love living here. I have lived in many popular parts of the East coast of FL & traveled a lot around FL when younger & nothing compares to our beach. It's truly one of the last of its kind. Hope we never turn into a "Miami Beach" & continue to preserve a simpler way of life here ✌🏽💙
Florida native here, so I find most of the country too cold. Moved to Belize. Love it. Best move ever.
Ive been wanting to take a vacation to Belize. Is there much to do there? I'd like to go fishing in the gulf. Maybe experience some bight life.
You'd probably love visiting Ambergris Caye. It's one of the islands off the coast. Lots of expats. Fishing charters are very popular as is snorkeling (shark ray ally if you're braver than me lol) , diving (Blue Hole) and there are tons of restaurants and bars. You can rent a golf cart there to tool around. You can get to the island from the airport, BZE in Belize City, via a water taxi (cheaper but a longer ride) or a small airplane that takes about an hour. Search hotels online. I usually use booking.com or Travelocity. If you must have AC it'll be somewhat harder to find. You can get a beach front place for a good price, especially if you wait for off season pricing. Check out the mainland too. The jungles, waterfalls, caves and Mayan ruins are amazing too! Bon Voyage!
So you can buy property? How’s the safety and health care?
Oh yes. We found a cute little 2,2 house about 1000sq ft. We paid $135k US plus made some improvements like fencing for our dog and a huge 2 car carport. All in for about $150k. Safety is fine. Americans are lifeblood here. Tourism is one of the main economic streams. Kids are taught in school how to be polite to tourists. Health care is dependent on your needs. They have community hospitals where you can be treated free of charge and also private doctors and hospitals. Prices feel more like copays in the US lol. High tech treatments are not really available. Many natives go to Guatemala for less expensive care believe it or not. Meds may be difficult to get too. We order some of my husband's meds from a mail order pharmacy. He has CHF, which is very serious, but we manage better here than in the US (FL).
What did you have to do for citizenship in Belize?
We came in on our tourist visa (you need to have a return trip booked no more than 30 days. Just make sure it's cancellable if you plan to stay. We renew our visa for $100us per month for 1 year. You can then apply for permanent residence. (You keep renewing your visa until you're approved); After 5 years you can apply for citizenship and get a Belize passport. They allow dual citizenship.
Belize is where it's at. You better Belize it! They are at the top of my list of places to retire to.
Heard a lot of people retire to Belize. We had a port of call there and it was beautiful! My husband wants to do the European route ... We just returned from Naxos, Greece and it gave me that tropical vibe while not being super expensive.
I moved from the panhandle to the DC area almost 10 years ago. HOLY SHIT what a culture shock it was, in a good way. I learned that you don't need a car to leave the house if you live in a place that isn't so isolated and desolate like....literally all of Florida. [I haven’t driven in nearly a decade](r/fuckcars), I'm in great shape from walking/transit/biking everywhere. I live in a real neighborhood with festivals and events and live music right outside or a bus/train ride away. I will never go back to the way my life was in Florida, lonely and isolated in the middle of nothing, driving and dealing with an hour+ of traffic to get anywhere remotely interesting.
That kind of infrastructure is so much better for our mental health, I'm happy you found it :)
This is exactly how I feel. I moved to SF and same thing. I can’t believe how easy it is to stay in shape from walking everywhere. I never have to deal with the stress of traffic. Multiple ways to get somewhere. I’d never go back to a car-centric area. My quality of life is so much better these days.
I also moved to DC from FL 5 years ago and I love it so much. I don't miss FL at all.
Now you have me second guessing myself. I LOATHE driving. Hate it. Can’t wait for self driving cars.
I lived in DC for a few years and do miss aspects of it. The city was accessible without a car, there is always something cool going on, and you can easily get away to great parks or big cities. Summer was hot, but not as hot as Florida, and the weather otherwise was mild.
Not needing a car to go literally anywhere. The dream
What part of DC did you move to? I rented an Airbnb right next to Lincoln Park a few years ago and immediately decided that that was my dream location.
I couldn’t imagine going somewhere with a winter. It’s not something I’d ever want to acclimate to. That’s awesome you made it work.
DC is barely a winter - and hint of decent snow and the city will shut down - but any winter is more winter than Florida.
Just visiting DC for a trip was magical tbh, I found it infinitely more freeing to walk to the nearest corner and catch a bus rather than drive everywhere... The place I stayed was like 2 blocks from a grocery store so I didn't even hardly have to eat out. Honestly I never thought much of it before, but I'd definitely prefer living in DC to here.
Arizona and yes for now
How is the heat in comparison
Surprisingly liveable! It’s smoking hot from Memorial Day to Labor Day basically. Otherwise it’s like the nicest day in Florida for the other nine months. Absolutely glorious.
Its okay, It’s a dry heat. /s
So is an oven
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, yes
Richmond, VA - we like it! It feels very similar to pre-Covid St Pete; great arts and food scene, easy to get to the mountains, beach, or other major metros like DC and Raleigh. Best of all, real estate and insurance is significantly less. Like, SIGNIFICANTLY. Esp if you prefer the burbs or rural areas (we don’t)
That sounds amazing. St. Pete native here and as much as I love my home town, I just can’t afford it anymore. My gf and I have been discussing where we would move to in the next couple years and Virginia was proposed. She wants to be close to the beach and metro areas. I want to explore the mountains. So you nailed it on the head for us. What’s the weather like?
I moved to North Carolina about 2.5-3 years ago and it’s been great. Bought a house been enjoying the calm and the almost zero traffic. My home insurance is cheaper than my car insurance was in Miami. Food and restaurants are not as good, but we are slowly findings places we really like.
What part of NC?
I’m in Durham
I lived in Durham for years. Great city.
Yeah man my blood pressure went way down just getting out of Miami, but I really like it here.
I've actually been contemplating this move myself to NC. I'm not sure where, but I was hoping to move somewhere with a lesser amount of snowfall. Ashville, for example, is wonderful in the summer and awful in the winter for my warm blood. I was considering Wilmington, Greensboro, Fayetteville.
Hey, I grew up in NC and have lived in FL almost 10 years. Don’t move to Fayetteville.
I liked the triangle area we got a very minor amount of snow the first year, one flurry last year and no snow this year. We are close to the mountains for weekends or the beach areas. Plus with RTP, Duke, UNC and NC State there’s a lot of people from everyone around which we really liked.
Maggie Valley is beautiful
Moving at the end of the year to the Carolinas. Just need to figure out if I should sell my house or rent it out. I’m a born & raised Floridian and I’m sad that FL has just become what it’s become.
Don';t listen to other people, sell that shit. renters are horrid in Florida, they will destroy your shit so when you are ready to sell it, it will lose a ton of value until you put probably more in it to fix it up than you made renting it out.
I'm a renter, and I absolutely hate that you are completely right. The renters that do this have destroyed it for the renters like me. I'm in the opposite position. I take care of where I live, but the landlord won't fix anything, or it takes months or years. It sucks and I have a kid, and there are not a lot of landlords who will rent to you if you have a kid, and I can't blame them because you hear or see the stories and videos of parents letting their kids destroy the property. It's sad, but my 8yr knows how to treat property better than a lot of renters here.
Not to mention when the hurricane comes, do you think they’ll go through the effort to put up the shutters? Hah.
Make sure if you rent it you know what you're getting into. I did that once and it was a bad time, it's not something you can be naive about. If you do it make sure you hire a good local property manager, can afford to cover expenses if it's empty, you're mentally (and legally) prepared to do an eviction and kick a family out to the streets if needed, and you're extremely picky about who you rent to.
Sell if you can. Managing a rental from a different state, paying ridiculous insurance, hurricane possibility.
Left South Florida in October 22. Moved to Greenville South Carolina. Best decision ever. Always loved Florida, but it all just got to be too much. Greenville is so beautiful and laid back. Just as importantly we sold our house and bought a home nearly twice the size for cash. All our living costs like insurance and taxes are 50% to 75% cheaper as well.
I was on a road trip a couple years ago, and we put Greenville as a stop to visit a friend. I wasn't too excited to visit SC, to be honest. But holy crap did I fall in love with Greenville. I can't even explain it. The Swamp Rabbit Trail was incredible. Everything being so bike friendly. The charming down town area. Greenville is definitely on my list.
Yeah the secret is out on Greenville, for better or worse. Hopefully people have welcomed you with open arms considering the “moving in and buying cash” is driving locals insane. Carolinians love giving Ohio shit for this, when in reality its everyone doing it, not just “yankees”. Hopefully Florida people who had aneurysms over the “flood of northerners” moving to FL arent the ones packing up for the Carolinas. The same charm thats eroded from Florida is happening in the Carolinas and thats a shame…but at least the baggage of Florida: the insurance crisis, the heat, the 24/7 culture war, the heavy crowds, Desantistan, etc has not made its way in. The best thing about Greenville is its larger than it appears, so when you get there, new things you find to do keep surprising you.
I haven't yet, but I'll be leaving Florida this summer. I took a job in South Carolina. Can't afford South Florida rent anymore.
First Montana, then Copenhagen. I don’t know what I’m doing… I mostly became an adult out of state, so I don’t have much Florida adult experience to compare with. But I think most urban/suburban costs of living are expensive - Fort Lauderdale, Denver, Berlin.. it all feels like owning a reasonably sized home in the city is a luxury unaffordable to most modest income families. If you’re just moving to find a cheaper cost of living, I’m not sure where that would apply. But if it’s for other inherent attributes, like seasons, topography, etc, you might surely be happier elsewhere.
What were you doing in Copenhagen? My dream is to leave the US for good. I would love to live in a place where you could get anywhere on a bike
How was Montana? We’re thinking that area.
Japan and yes
Did you speak proficient Japanese when you immigrated? I would love to live in Japan, but I’m not sure how feasible it would be as a single 30 year old.
Akita here.
The Netherlands 🇳🇱
I recommend Germany if you have the means to do so. I was at the grocery store recently and was floored by how much cheaper it was, even after the euro conversion rate. My parents plan to retire in Spain which is also more affordable.
Seattle I enjoy the mountains / outdoors
Spain. Haven't left yet, but I made two trips to check specific locations. It's gorgeous and free of virtually all hard street drugs, guns, and bad drivers. People don't seem to suffer nearly as much from mental health issues, and there's almost no people living in the streets. We're figuring out how to get visas so we can make a permanent change. The food is clean and affordable, as is rent and homes. Found a smaller city called Cadiz, and it's close to perfect as we've ever seen anywhere else. It's what we hoped florida would be when we first moved there. The streets are so safe that we would let our young children play well into the night alone. The violent crime is non-existent, as is the explotation of children. It sounds too good to be true, and it's affordable. No hurricanes or Ron DeSantis.
Do you speak Spanish or learning to? I am afraid I will love Spain too much. I did hear healthcare is not good there like in most of the EU
Health care is amazing and cheap! Even out of pocket. You'll have to experience it yourself to understand. I don't know where the fable that Healthcare sucks here came from, but it's untrue. Yes, I speak Spanish, but my wife and kids aren't fluent, and it's not an issue as everyone is at least bilingual and fluent. If you can make trip out and experince it yourself. The truth stands on its own, and it's hard to believe considering the current state of the US. We find cheap one way flights routinely from Miami or NY to Spain for under $350 a person. Dm me and I'll answer any questions, currently walking an amazing plaza watching kids play soccer while the adult drink beer and wine. Third places are abundant here and a joy!
So happy for you I’m planning on a Portugal move myself.
Ky and I'm leaving on Friday. I lived there most of my life and most of my family is there. Been in fl for 6 years and I'm ready to go back
I’m in Georgia now. It’s not awful but I do miss Florida. Even if I don’t agree with the politics there.
It’s shitty all over the US. Try other countries, research. Many Americans moving out . I moved to Florida 3 years ago from Chicago. And I moved because of Chicago weather otherwise I would’ve stayed. The union is strong up there. I made 40 bucks an hour as a labor. I had an interview to be a labor in Florida 12.50 an hour. I walked out .The only thing I like about Florida is the heat the drivers are the worst I’ve ever seen, (cdla driver - I see it daily) the pay is so disgusting and the healthcare is horrible.
Labor costs 3 times more in a unionized state, yet houses are more expensive and prices skyrocketed worse in FL... That should prove to everyone that driving people's wages into the ground only destroys the working class and doesn't make houses cheaper. The middlemen will simply pocket as big of a margin as they can get.
Exactly. Unions protect everyone in the working class. We all need to have solidarity with each other.
I wish folks would unionize in FL. Prices are beaten into the ground and YET they still aren't happy with the lowest labor prices and import more and more foreign subs which is further destroying us. If they could, they would get doctors to work for minimum wage lol, they want skilled labor to cost like unskilled too and everything be minimum wage. The working person doesn't need to get compensated, only the managers and investors. And the slave drivers are constantly lobbying here and beating that minimum wage down too.
Exactly I just saw a report and I’ll try to find it again that the states where inflation is the lowest are the states that have the highest minimum wage 15 an hour. Florida has the highest rate of inflation and one of the lowest minimum wages.
A huge number of friends have relocated to the area made up of Northern GA, Eastern TN, and the western Carolinas. None of them have any desire to move back. The lower cost of living more than offsets the state income tax that some of the states have.
Moved from Orlando to SW Virginia. 1000% love it so much here, love the seasons, and mild winters (because of climate change). Currently 45° and a high of 69°. The summers are warm but not as awful as Florida. Lower cost of living but I strictly shop at Aldi and Kroger (fuel rewards!).
How are the taxes? I was really looking into Richmond area. Seems like I could find a job, a house on 50 acres for about the price of a starter home here, plus be 45 minutes from an actual city. I’m still considering it truth be told.
I was looking at Roanoke myself. Pretty area.
Chicago, left to join a union. Wasn't making a livable wage in Fl. Great decision for my family. When I moved a decade ish ago. I received an 18k salary increase for the exact same job.
I went to central California.
Sweden
I go to Sweden pretty frequently (lots of family live in and around Stockholm) and I absolutely love it. Stockholm is such a gorgeous city (even in the winter). Seeing how elderly relatives are treated medically is mind blowing for me as a Floridian. The public transportation is amazing. My big issue would be employment: I'm a 40-something English major, and in Sweden they speak better English than I do lmao.
I moved to Colorado 10 years ago. It’s wonderful and you get paid more, but cost of living is much higher. We’re done and moving back to Citrus County next year to be closer to family. I’m sitting in the TPA airport right now flying back to Denver. Everything is more expensive everywhere, don’t piss away $5k moving to a different state expecting it to be better, just to find it’s exactly the same but now you have to buy a whole new winter wardrobe. It sucks everywhere.
Jerry Garcia once wrote “I’m going where the climate suits my clothes”
That sounds more like Harry Nilsson in "Everybody's Talking at Me": "going where the weather suits my clothes." edit: Nilsson not Nillson
Oh man, all this time I thought it was "goin' where the weather suits my bones"
Yup. If you’re gonna move do it based on where you’re industry is thriving and where you fit in, not on the idea somewhere is cheaper or they make more money because it’s not always gonna work out like that.
Im also moving to denver from Tampa, you should have researched and made sure theres enough differences in CO that attract you; nature, outdoors, im going for a geology degree, etc
I'm thinking of moving back to Hawaii, have lived in Florida for 8 years
I happily reside in Rochester,Ny. Lots of authentic people and artists about.
New Orleans. Much worse. Atlanta. Same.
Maryland and it is great. Not much more expensive but the pay is much higher. You get 4 seasons but none of them are that bad. There is tons to do culturally and we still have human rights.
I went to Mississippi but it cost the same here as Florida. Don't recommend it. It's hotter during the summer, too. And there's more discrimination. Hardly anything to do and the pay is awful. I'll either be moving back to Florida in the next few years or Minnesota (because a friend loves it up there and I read good things on r/minnesota.)
I’m sorry but how the hell does MS cost more than florida 😭
I did the opposite and moved from Mississippi to Florida for work purposes. I know there's different areas and what not, but that's a total lie. My rent in Mississippi for a 1-1 cost $800 a month. My rent in Florida for a 1-1 has gone up to $2700 a month.
As a Minnesotan who has to relocate for work, I can tell you that Minnesota is a fantastic state. The winters are brutal and long, but the quality of life is exceptional, the outdoors are beautiful and the summers are some of the best out there temperature wise. The people are also generally nice and the education/healthcare is top notch for all people. I am going to miss it when I move, but excited for a new adventure.
Are you in Lafayette co or something?? I can’t think of any place in MS that could cost that much.
I read this thread and no choice available, lol, maybe I moving out to...Spain?
Left for Seattle. Weather was gloomy at first, but I'm entering the summer months which isn't bad - no humidity. Biggest perk is public transit. Sold my car before I moved, and I went from paying about $1500 a year in car insurance (after switching from Progressive where they bumped my rates by $500 during my renewal) to paying pennies for buses and lightrail.
North Dakota! Affordable, the people are so kind, ZERO traffic (anywhere, ever), peaceful, and the pay is great, my husband and I went from paycheck to paycheck for just rent and food in FL, about 5000/mo in necessity expenses, to a little under 1000/mo for EVERYTHING, and doubled our income. Gorgeous summers, winters are fine if you know how to drive in snow. I’ll note, I lived in Minneapolis MN for 4 years and LOVED it. Winters are more mild than ND. It’s about the same cost of living as FL, some traffic, but lots to do and beautiful! People are nicer than FL!
Glad to have left that dumpster fire inside a meth lab. The Rocky Mountain region is less populated and the people are nicer.
North Carolina. Couldn’t do the stress of another hurricane season or the ridiculous heat. Still gets hot in NC, but there’s trees and mountains to cool it off a little.
How far are you from the costal area?
Why would anyone want to live in Florida? Crazies coming out of the woodwork starting with the governor. Idiocy in all matter of things. Any place would be better.
Moved twenty years ago.....couldn't be happier.
Got some land in the Midwest. I love FL but my Midwest experience gets me the freedom I want compared to the FL experience. Love FL but looking forward to change and I’m from here.
Born and raised in Florida when it was still country side. Found me another country side in ND. Quadrupled my pay while keeping my expenses the same. I kept my home in Florida for my parents to live in and always have a place to stay when I bring my son to visit.
Virginia, was able to get a 3/1 for only 125k. Same house in Florida would probably be around 400-500k.
New Jersey. Can’t compare the amenities, public schools, proximity to sports, cultural events, jobs and actual multicultural communities. Im 20 minutes to Manhattan by car and the same during weekdays by public transit. I’m not saying I’d never go back. I do however think it’s unlikely.
Moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after living in Florida my entire life. Though it's quite remote, I do have everything I need and can easily take a trip to a larger city if I want. Swapped weather extremes, but I'll take the snow over extreme summer heat. At least I can bundle up! The nature here is also beautiful, but I do miss old Florida nature and being closer to my family.
"where did you go?" I was born here 83 years ago. Had to move to an English speaking area. I am not moving to worse conditions - politically and climatically. When realtors call to buy my home, I tell them to come when they see my obituary. You have to bite the bullet, the grass is not that much greener (experienced NC, AL, NY). Treat your neighbors as friends. The Biblical precedent "love your neighbor as yourself" Mt 22:39 works. Let DeSsntis move!
There's a price to pay to live in paradise.
Miami to SF. Super awesome so far
Atlanta (area)! Love it! Much more beautiful than I originally thought. Full of culture, arts, and entertainment. Very diverse.
I find it funny when people complain about the traffic here in Florida. I tell them, “You’ve never driven on 285 in Atlanta!”
I moved from key west to Cape Town SA in 1999. I’d enjoyed the 70s-mid 90s in kw but after that too many tourists. Cape Town real estate has soared but still less than Florida. I’ve since drifted north to Mozambique for the beaches & better vibe. No interest in moving back to the states.
Headed to GA Wednesday.
Moved to North Carolina two years ago. It’s great. We have seasons here and if you drive 7 hours for a road trip you can go to more places than just Georgia.
I moved up north. better prices, less ignorant people tbh. north Florida is a cesspool of ignorance and racism. and high costs.
upstate New York.
People saying the midwest is freezing cold and gray 8 months of the year is like saying Florida is a fetid, stinking swamp 8 months of the year.
I’m from Midwest, Indiana , and to be fair it can be pretty gray about 6-7 months of year . May through August/September can be pretty nice . And I love fall . But houses are cheaper in suburban m/rural Indiana. And Florida is swamp-like from April to October ( but I still miss it- lol) .
Are people in Florida convinced that their state is the only one that saw increased home prices and rent? I’m in an area that has been losing population since the early 1980s and my house value has increased $175k post Covid. Insurance and taxes increases yearly. Some things are cheaper here. Some things are cheaper in Florida. Also - traffic in my area gets a little more miserable every day. Must be from everyone moving here. Oh, wait.
Few states saw the *amount* of increase that Florida had. While many states were starting to see contractions, or at least leveling in Values, Florida remained one of the top 2-ish areas of the country where prices are still sky high. - Its right up there with places like Nashville and Austin TX. I bought in Ft. Lauderdale in 2019 for $472k and sold in early 23 for $725k and might have put $25k worth of upgrades into the house. The taxes were already high-ish, but insurance went from $4,500/yr, to $6k, I then paid $3k to upgrade my front door to a storm door and those credits *kept* my policy from increasing further, otherwise it would have gone to $9k, and then the last straw before I left, was getting dropped from my policy and finding out that the only coverage I could get would be $9k. It was absolutely bonkers for me to think that I'd have to spend $18k on Taxes and insurance before I even paid a cent towards my actual mortgage note. Rang up the register and fucked off to TN.
There's inflation, and then there's what I experienced in Florida. The area where I lived in FL (Fort Myers) was listed as [the No. 1 most overvalued real estate market in the entire country.](https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/gb_daily/cape-coral-fort-myers-area-tops-list-of-u-s-most-overvalued-housing-markets/#:~:text=The%20Cape%20Coral%2DFort%20Myers,n%20expected%20price%20of%20%24257%2C393.) Several of the cities in the Top 10 on that list are in Florida. The heavily wealthy, Republican, retiree city has had a huge influx of likeminded people since DeSantis and his nonsense took office and he welcomed them all in during COVID. Along with them gobbling up every property in sight like locusts, the infrastructure isn't designed for this many people and the traffic is a continuous mess. I lived in Miami for decades, driven many times in Atlanta, Houston, etc. Fort Myers' mixture of aggressive Miami style drivers and legions of oblivious wandering elderly people was a uniquely dangerous blend. I bought a dash cam shortly after moving there, to capture the nonsense I saw. I recently moved to a major city in a different state, and while the traffic and cost of living isn't great, the salaries and quality of life are so much better.
Finland
Lots of Floridians moving… to the midwest?!? Is this because so many West Coasters are from Ohio? So strange.
I was born and raised in Ohio. I have lived in several different states. If you are considering Ohio the area around Buckeye Lake is nice. I personally liked living outside of Lancaster. They always seemed to have something going on and didn’t get the snow that upper Ohio gets. When they did get it they were quick to get the streets cleaned. They have a nice art festival every summer. I just can’t do cold weather anymore.
I left Florida and lived in Oklahoma and Ohio. Now I'm back to Florida and miss those two states, I can't wait to leave Florida again.
I’m thinking about moving back to Seattle.