[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by sunnyhelena

where you are cil- you are on the NW gulf? I am being honest in that while December was beautiful I found March through September intolerable for me. We could only visit the beach in the fall. Summer was impossible.

sunny

Yes, I am in the northwest. Don't get me wrong, it got plenty hot.
It could just be that I am a skinny 50-something and got kind of shriveled after all those years in Colorado. I think the humidity sort of plumps me up.

[kswen]

Hi! I grew up in chicago (in Sauganash). My husband and I lived downtown then moved to Glenview. At the time, my husband was working for Morgan Stanley and was offered a job proprietary trading in Boca Raton. This was in 2000, and our children were 2 and 4. Well, all of our friends and family could not believe that we were going to leave chicago(in sauganash and glenview no one ever moves, etc...) anyhow, we sold our house and moved to South florida. At the time, realestate was CHEAP! We got a great house in Parkland Florida. Anyhow, my first year was a huge adjustment. There are million $$$ homes and the next block can look like Cabrini Green..the great news is that my children had friends from all over the world! it just took some getting used to. However, once we settled in and made friends, etc...we loved it.
Now...goto summer 2005. Our house had literally tripled in value, and my husbands entire family was in Devner. So we sold our house at the top of the market and moved to Denver....and we did not like it. We had always vacationed there and skiied but living there was not great...it is a VERY dry climate and we missed the ocean and the sun. So, we moved back to Florida this fall and LOVE it!!!! I have my house with a pool, just 3 blocks from the ocean and we live in a great town, Satellite Beach...you should look it up. We picked it b/c the schools are some of the best in florida...my children are in 3rd and 5th grade and each have 17 kids in their class. Just wonderful. My mom was the dean of a private high school, in Chicago, so education is very important to us. When we lived in South Florida the public schools were terrible and my children went to private school. However, in Central florida the schools are much better, depending on where you live. The Jupiter Area is beautiful, very affluent. However, in West Palm, I think you may find a similar situation to south floirda in that the public schools will be very crowded and not very good. However you would have to look into that.
Anyhow, the summers here are hot, but no hotter than the very hot and humid days that chicago gets. You just swim in your pool, goto the beach etc....
Honestly, I love chicago. We visit all the time, etc...but I dont think I could ever live there again. I just love Florida. Our children play outside everyday, In the winter the earliest it gets dark is 6:00pm...not 4:30 like Chicago.
Anyhow, good luck in your decicion. Feel free to email me.

[shedav]

i sent you a private message!!!!

[jeannievb]

PSlOldTimer: I truly appreciate your positive story and vote of confidence. Thanks for the advice!

[kcov2005]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

"What I'm trying to say is that you get used to an area. You learn to live with the environment instead of fighting it. Once you break that threshold, your home." j - I think you just summed up life for everyone.

I read all around the threads form state to state, and I get so tired of people 'warning' others about this and that - when it really comes down to personal preference.
Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some like the snow - some want the surf, some don't mind bugs and humidity, and others love the thought of a dry heat and 115 degrees.

If I had only one wish to make for all of those visiting the forum - keep in mind that others are looking for sincere opinions, good and bad - but your bad experiences may be rare. Your taste may not be theirs.

My parents have lived in Sebring since April 2004. They made it through that rough hurricane season, they have lived 'inland' on the sweltering hot days - and they wouldn't trade it for the world. My grandparents lived in Venice when I was a baby (they moved back because of me), I have family in Orlando and Sarasota. Somewhere on the Gulf was a motel ran by my grandfather's family, just a hole in the wall, but quaint, and the old Florida way of life. It's in my blood.

I am in Kentucky. Born and raised here and I love the people, places, everyday life. It is home. But the cold and up and down weather, as I have gotten older, is just something 'I' cannot tolerate.
My son loves it!

As we awoke to snow this morning, I am grumbling and trying to pretend I am looking at sand, while he is having a ball running for the car to do doughnuts in the church parking lot (yes, around here you can still do that).

I think all of us need to realize 'home' is different for everybody, likes and dislikes are different, too. By all means - if taxes are high, a certain bug is out during a certain time of day - whatever - tell them - but choice is something we all have to make on our own, and telling someone how rotten a place is and how fast you want to leave it - doesn't sound very encouraging and makes them wonder if everybody in the state is like that. Sometimes it may even cause them to miss out on something really great.

Don't exaggerate, don't sugarcoat, just be honest with what information you know for fact.

We all have to find our own paradise. Florida - is mine, Kentucky is where I am. That - is life.

The West coast of Florida is a completely different animal than SE Florida. I don't think that you can really compare the two. As for your comments, we are being honest! We are telling of our experiences in Florida. I am from upstate NY and used to visit SE Florida on vacation and fell in love with it--until I moved here! I didn't realize that the lack of seasons would bother as much as it does. I miss hard wood floors and crown molding and fireplaces! I miss quaint neighborhoods and tree lined streets. I miss the North East. The school systems are not great here and SE Florida was built for retirees not families! So maybe it is a great place to retire--I don't know that experience, I am only 30 yrs old. I can describe the experience of a 30 year old single mom with a college education and is an accountant. And my experience hasn't been great! People are not very friendly down here(from my experience) cost of living sucks, heat is horrible,traffic stinks and the hurricanes are awful! I lost power for 2 1/2 weeks in 2005 in a 2nd floor apartment. So for me Florida is beautiful to come for a vacation but that is it. Maybe people agree with me or not but I am just answering a question as I honestly as I can.

[Callie_D]

I love it where I live, I have great neighbors, my kids are happy, a lot of my family followed me down here, so it's all good! Yes, the summers are hot, but that's what we have swimming pools for. I would not go back up North (where I'm from) if you paid me to. I can't stand the cold weather, so I'm staying right where I am.

[CURT]

Originally Posted by kcov2005

The West coast of Florida is a completely different animal than SE Florida. I don't think that you can really compare the two. As for your comments, we are being honest! We are telling of our experiences in Florida. I am from upstate NY and used to visit SE Florida on vacation and fell in love with it--until I moved here! I didn't realize that the lack of seasons would bother as much as it does. I miss hard wood floors and crown molding and fireplaces! I miss quaint neighborhoods and tree lined streets. I miss the North East. The school systems are not great here and SE Florida was built for retirees not families! So maybe it is a great place to retire--I don't know that experience, I am only 30 yrs old. I can describe the experience of a 30 year old single mom with a college education and is an accountant. And my experience hasn't been great! People are not very friendly down here(from my experience) cost of living sucks, heat is horrible,traffic stinks and the hurricanes are awful! I lost power for 2 1/2 weeks in 2005 in a 2nd floor apartment. So for me Florida is beautiful to come for a vacation but that is it. Maybe people agree with me or not but I am just answering a question as I honestly as I can.

I live in central florida and I have wood floors, fire place and tree lined streets. Sorry your experience was bad. I enjoy the heat, sometimes a little much for me but trees help. I have been through a few hurricanes and my first experience with one was while i was living in the north east.

[LHBR702]

It's interesting how no matter how you phrase a question to get positive responses, you will still get countless posts that are negative.

[watsont3]

Originally Posted by LHBR702

It's interesting how no matter how you phrase a question to get positive responses, you will still get countless posts that are negative.

I think that it is because the people who are content and happy don't have time to post on message boards like this. They're too busy being content and happy.

[backtofla]

i have seen wood floors and lots of trees too! how 'bout that. ever been to winter park???

to the person in tn (sunnyhelena i think)... i have been to tn many times, and we went to ..... pigeon forge and that touristy area there, in the summer, and it felt just as hot as fla. i think the temp was like 92 or something and the humidity felt pretty high too.