Advice and tips on Floriduh?

Wayne

Wayne

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@redrumloa

Would you have any tips on life in florida? I have a tentative job offer down at bay pines near Tampa but I’ve never been there. Can you offer any idea and tips about moving and finding a rental house or apartment?

Wayne
 
Wayne said:
@redrumloa

Would you have any tips on life in florida? I have a tentative job offer down at bay pines near Tampa but I’ve never been there. Can you offer any idea and tips about moving and finding a rental house or apartment?

Wayne
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I've never been to Tampa myself. I have been to Naples though which is a little bit south of Tampa, and Chrystal Rover which is about an hour north of it That said, it is my understanding that Tampa has some real ghetto areas. I'd research places to live before signing anything. I'd probably suggest living a little bit out of town and commuting in for work. There are some really new areas just to the north of Tampa. Real estate prices would be much lower outside of Tampa to the north.
 
Thanks. Can’t go north of Tampa. Job is southwest of Tampa, but northwest of st Pete’s. Want to stick somewhere in 30 minute commute, which leaves places like Clearwater, largo or st Pete’s.
 
Wayne said:
Thanks. Can’t go north of Tampa. Job is southwest of Tampa, but northwest of st Pete’s. Want to stick somewhere in 30 minute commute, which leaves places like Clearwater, largo or st Pete’s.
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I'd suggest visiting those 3 towns, but any of those 3 would likely be much nicer and better value than Tampa itself. When looking for a rental, I'd focus on a few things. See what elevation is from sea level. The southern half of the state is completely flat at at best maybe 12 feet above sea level, some areas below sea level and are flood zones. Also see if the rental has any sort of hurricane protection in place like shutters. I'd also say make sure the rental is CBS construction and not wood frame. If it is a short term rental maybe you can be a little more relaxed on this, but long term rental or buying you should really be cautious.
 
Thanks Jim.

Lots to think about. Lots to research in a very short time. Hope I don't screw up and end up in the wrong place...

Wayne
 
Welp, it's official. In a little over 3 weeks, Lisa and I will be sweltering residents of the Great State of Floriduh...

Still absolutely no idea where we'll end up apartment/house wise.
 
A little ironic that in 2006 I attempted the great escape FROM Florida, and here in 2018 Wayne is making his great escape TO Florida! Never thought I'd see the day Wayne would move to "Miami" ;)

All joking aside, Florida has it's strong points. The biggest shithole (deep blue) cities in Florida are mostly in the Tri-County area of South-East Florida. You will probably find the suburbs outside of Tampa pretty nice. We have no state income tax. Property tax is higher than Alabama, but not horrendous if you get a lower to middle class house due to exemptions. You will probably never run out of things to do, if you want to try new things. About an hour or so north is Crystal River, the only place in the world where you can legally swim with manatees.

On the downside, one thing I guess I should warn about right off the bat are our drivers. Florida drivers must be among the worst in the nation, if not the worst. It will probably be quite jarring at first until you adjust to it.
 
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It looks like we'll probably end up in either St. Pete, or Clearwater, either of which are equidistant from work (at the VA Medical Center/Bay Pines). Need a better commute than what I have now, which is 1 hour+, 51.3 miles, and $20/day in tolls... All the rest is gravy...

Wayne
 
I've felt Alabama summers, so I know the Florida heat won't phase you. The only difference is the South Florida summer lasts about 11 months and there is usually no winter to speak of. Tampa won't be as extreme as the south east, but still unlikely to see much of a real winter. A few days or so in the 40s will likely be it. Last time it snowed light flurries in that area was ~2011, and that was probably the first time since the 70s.
 
Rant, so please feel free to ignore...

It feels like Florida is rejecting me...

- Lisa and I can’t get an apartment for reasons I can’t get into here.

- My dad is offering to buy us a mobile home, but anyone who knows Florida knows that they’re all in 55-plus communities, and neither of us are 55.

- Even if my dad is listed as the owner and park spot renter, our names have to be listed, which means we can’t rent.

- then there is the matter of Lisa’s dog. We have an offer on a place but it’s not in “The pet section” of the park, meaning she can’t keep it. She’ll leave me before getting rid of the dog, I’m sure...

- even if we get the dog certified as a support animal, he’s above the weight accepted for most parks.

- even if we get the dog certified, he has to be certified to her, meaning she has to go on the lease, meaning we can’t rent for the same reasons eluded to above...

I feel like Florida is {bleep} me and my life and I honestly don’t know what to do at this point...

I’m a mixture of both sad and angry at this point...
 
Get a houseboat and wait a few years. Then you can moor it on any street you want.
 
Wayne,
Try picking up a local newspaper and check the classifieds. You will find rentals not likely listed in the online services.I'd bet you can find rentals without the same strict requirements.
 
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