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Old 03-05-2023, 11:40 AM
 
7 posts, read 18,200 times
Reputation: 19

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Hello,
I would appreciate any advice as this is a huge move for us. I am a single mom of two looking to relocate to Florida this summer.
The following are important:
- not more than 30 min from the beach, we are nature lovers so parks are imprtant too
- good schools
- we are vegetarian so it would be awesome to be able to live near farms and buy fresh organic veggies
- with easy access to kids activities (my daughter swims, my sons plays the piano)
- most importantly, we'd like to live in a safe place with friendly, educated people as our neighbors.

Which areas do you think I should consider?

Many thanks for your input.
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Old 03-05-2023, 11:44 AM
 
Location: Tampa Bay
140 posts, read 111,008 times
Reputation: 420
We'll need an idea of budget.
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Old 03-05-2023, 11:54 AM
 
7 posts, read 18,200 times
Reputation: 19
I would rent for the first year to make sure I like the place and then we would buy. I am a minimalist so a very small ranch for up to $500,000. I make a good salary working from home.
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Old 03-05-2023, 12:22 PM
 
30,395 posts, read 21,215,773 times
Reputation: 11957
Quote:
Originally Posted by annakt View Post
I would rent for the first year to make sure I like the place and then we would buy. I am a minimalist so a very small ranch for up to $500,000. I make a good salary working from home.
500k is a rich mans house like a silly mouse. You can buy a home for half that in Pasco county.
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Old 03-05-2023, 03:15 PM
 
Location: Gainesville, FL; formerly Weston, FL
3,233 posts, read 3,186,050 times
Reputation: 6446
Quote:
Originally Posted by annakt View Post
Hello,
I would appreciate any advice as this is a huge move for us. I am a single mom of two looking to relocate to Florida this summer.
The following are important:
- not more than 30 min from the beach, we are nature lovers so parks are imprtant too
- good schools
- we are vegetarian so it would be awesome to be able to live near farms and buy fresh organic veggies
- with easy access to kids activities (my daughter swims, my sons plays the piano)
- most importantly, we'd like to live in a safe place with friendly, educated people as our neighbors.

Which areas do you think I should consider?

Many thanks for your input.
I saw you listed your budget as $500k. I just did a quick search in Jupiter, FL and although there isn’t much inventory, there are a few small ranch-style homes that are listed right at or below $500k. Gorgeous beaches, highly-rated public schools, very family-friendly, farmers markets, and still a bit of a sleepy town reputation for South Florida, although that is changing. Also big retiree area (like most of the state) so a mix of young and old.

I saw in your prior thread someone mentioned Weston. It checks off all your boxes except small ranch style home. For your budget, you’d have to settle for a villa or condo. Weston is among one of the safest, wealthiest suburbs in South Florida, with a highly diverse, educated population, and more than half are from Latin America. The public school system is also highly rated. Very very family-friendly.

In Alachua County (Gainesville, Newberry, High Springs) all your boxes are checked except the beaches are 90 minutes, not 30 minutes away. You get more for your money house-wise (more land, more house) than in South Florida and cost of living is lower too. More farms in Florida are located near the center of the state, so lots of opportunities to buy fresh foods—even with local delivery. Very educated population—the large University of Florida is the economic hub. Very family oriented area, and not as much emphasis on retirees than South Florida.

Good luck. Hopefully others will chime in with more ideas.
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Old 03-05-2023, 09:03 PM
 
27,164 posts, read 43,857,618 times
Reputation: 32199
Check out Jensen Beach which ticks off all of your boxes and is in a beautiful area of SE Florida. The Jensen Beach HS Girls' swim team is one of the top 2A programs in the state and the school itself is A-rated.

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...0-500000/sby-1
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Old 03-06-2023, 02:07 AM
 
7 posts, read 18,200 times
Reputation: 19
Hello,
thank you for all your replies. Much appreciated!
So, I am going to look closely at Jupiter, Boca, Jensen Beach, Weston, Hillsborough County (keeps coming up) and Sarasota. Those are all the places you mentioned close enough to the beach.

Should I add/remove any from my list? Would the cost of living be roughly the same in those places? If I need to get a new job in the future, would I have similar job opportunities in those places?

Anna.
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Old 03-06-2023, 04:16 AM
 
Location: Free State of Florida
25,693 posts, read 12,772,161 times
Reputation: 19261
Quote:
Originally Posted by annakt View Post
Hello,
thank you for all your replies. Much appreciated!
So, I am going to look closely at Jupiter, Boca, Jensen Beach, Weston, Hillsborough County (keeps coming up) and Sarasota. Those are all the places you mentioned close enough to the beach.

Should I add/remove any from my list? Would the cost of living be roughly the same in those places? If I need to get a new job in the future, would I have similar job opportunities in those places?

Anna.
The best job markets are Miami, Orlando, Tampa/St. Pete, & Jacksonville. Orlando is nowhere near the beach, so scratch that. Miami's workplaces have a lot of Spanish speakers, so that leaves Jacksonville or Tampa/St. Pete (Tampa isnt 30 mins to beach, but St. Pete/Pinellas County is.

I like Northern Pinellas County for you, North of Clearwater. Look at the towns of Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, & Dunedin.

In Jacksonville, look South of Jax near Ponte Vedra Beach, down to Nocatee.
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Old 03-06-2023, 06:58 AM
 
27,164 posts, read 43,857,618 times
Reputation: 32199
For another option I too recommend St Petersburg. As a progressive family who are vegetarians I'd recommend the area around Allendale-Five Points, Woodlawn, Euclid-St Paul and Disston Heights not far from downtown. The area is also part of the St Petersburg HS district which has a top 3A swimming program.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhoP3OYaGoQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-d_x0sV7xY
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...odlawn+st+pete

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HHo40V4WOg

Woodlawn (preview wouldn't open)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7lz1FaKZV4
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Old 03-06-2023, 07:12 AM
 
Location: Florida
2,327 posts, read 2,276,900 times
Reputation: 3592
Quote:
Originally Posted by beach43ofus View Post
The best job markets are Miami, Orlando, Tampa/St. Pete, & Jacksonville. Orlando is nowhere near the beach, so scratch that. Miami's workplaces have a lot of Spanish speakers, so that leaves Jacksonville or Tampa/St. Pete (Tampa isnt 30 mins to beach, but St. Pete/Pinellas County is.

I like Northern Pinellas County for you, North of Clearwater. Look at the towns of Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, & Dunedin.

In Jacksonville, look South of Jax near Ponte Vedra Beach, down to Nocatee.
The western edge of Tampa can be under 30 minutes from the beach. That said, there’s a big difference between driving 30 minutes in Tampa and being there in 5 minutes like you could from Sarasota for example. It’s the difference of being able to go on the weekends or every day basically.

I agree northern Pinellas is great. I was just in Safety Harbor a few days ago and it’s just such a unique and charming community. There aren’t many places like it any more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kyle19125 View Post
For another option I too recommend St Petersburg. As a progressive family who are vegetarians I'd recommend the area around Allendale-Five Points, Woodlawn, Euclid-St Paul and Disston Heights not far from downtown. The area is also part of the St Petersburg HS district which has a top 3A swimming program.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhoP3OYaGoQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-d_x0sV7xY
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...odlawn+st+pete

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HHo40V4WOg

Woodlawn (preview wouldn't open)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7lz1FaKZV4
St. Petersburg doesn’t have good schools though…
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