Contemplating a move to Mandarin or Julington Creek, locals insight please (with jobs/income as well)!! (Jacksonville: rent, HOA)

[Candikane]

My boyfriend and I are contemplating a move to Mandarin/Julington Creek area within the next year or so, along with my now 6.5 yr old daughter. I researched FL in terms of hurricanes, sink holes, crime, jobs, schools, etc and came upon these areas as our best choices.

My boyfriend is in the landscaping profession. He works with his family business, so although he's only in his low-mid 30's, he does have 20+ years experience with landscaping (although this IS in Wisconsin, so totally different plants and trees than FL).

I'm enrolled to start college in a Network Security Specialist program and would either finish here before the move, or better yet, hopefully transfer to Florida Community College at Jacksonville to finish the degree. At this time, I'm recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (suffer from body pain, fatigue, migraines, tension headaches, and LIGHT SENSITIVITY to fluorescent lights) so I'm not working at this time and we're dealing with a single income!!

We're looking for an area that's very family friendly, low on crime, and good schools. However, we're also looking for something with decent housing prices!! We also need an area with a good demand for our careers, and with decent pay within those careers as well.

It looks like this area is big on landscaping, but from researching online, it looks like the pay is low. My boyfriend is obviously well experienced in both the laborer side as well as superviser side of the job, but again, it's wisconsin plants/trees that he's knowledgable with.

Any idea what kind of a pay we could expect with a landscaping position? Am I correct that landscaping is a big thing in these areas? What kind of rent is expected in both areas for a basic 2bdrm home? How are the areas about dogs (especially ours, he's branded as a staffordshire terrier.... more like a poodle though really LOL). Any locals info on anything would be appreciated!


**Edit: We are planning to take a trip down within the next 3-4 months to see the areas as well**

[Robyn55]

Sounds like you don't have enough information. First off - you won't qualify for in-state tuition at FCCJ (now FSCJ) until you establish Florida residence. You have to live here for at least a year to do that (and the time you spend in school here doesn't count):

State University System of Florida | Board of Governors : For Students

Second - there is a lot of landscaping work done here. And a fair number of successful small owner/operators. But it takes years to establish a business like that (not to mention the initial capital investment in tools/equipment). If you work for someone else - the pay is lousy. The benefits aren't that good either. And the work is back-breaking (especially in the summer - when the temp is usually about 90 degrees).

IOW - considering your current situation (with you not working) - I don't think this move would make sense at all. Robyn

[daisies76]

There are a few landscape companies here that pretty much dominate the market. They work the bigger jobs, like upkeep of an entire community, etc... If they hire, I wouldnt think it would be enough to keep up a household of 3. Unless one spouse is making great money, it pretty much takes 2 incomes to survive. The real money is owning your own landscape company and like Robyn said, that will take years to establish a business. Temps are 90+ in the summer, but when you add in that humidity and heat index, it feels incredibly hotter. I couldnt imagine working labor outside in this heat. Its just different than other areas unless you are used to it.

What do you consider decent housing prices? Really that will dictate a lot of where you move to area-wise.

[madcapmagishion]

There are literally hundreds, if not a thousand local landscape/lawn service contractors on the First Coast. They range from father-son family business concerns all the way up to Professional multi 4-6 man crews. I have a friend Kevin who started out 30 years ago as a single owner/operator/worker and now manages about 6 or 7 crews of 4 workers each in his own business. It's a very hard business to make inroads in when your unfamiliar with the geographic area. And if your just moving here you will be very unfamiliar with it.

[LilMikey]

I know the company we use, when paid yearly, comes out to about $30 every time they come out; about once a month in the winter, once every week or so in the summer (supposedly, haven't been here long enough yet). For that $30 they mow, trim, prune, and treat for weeds and bugs. Back in STL I mowed most of the time but when we hired the neighborhood kids it was $20 just to mow. I was planning on still doing our own mowing and trimming until it go too warm and still have someone come out for bug treatments and maintain the landscaping but the savings of doing just that was extremely small.

I can see how the company we used makes money. They have most of the subdivision and what appears to be an army of cheap labor. I don't see how that business could be profitable without both of those factors. Maybe if you got into a new subdivision and got both the HoA and homeowner's maintenance or something. Sounds like a rough road though.

[CoreLysium]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

You have to live here for at least a year to do that (and the time you spend in school here doesn't count)

Is there still the "differential" thing? I think I know what I'm talking about. The out of state tuition wasn't double like normal, it was a state legislature thing. That said, and I don't know this either, did the state legislature suceed in taking over the ability to set the tuition of the universities?

Edited to add: Wow, I'm useful. :/ At least I brought up some topics.

I don't think this move would make sense at all. Robyn

I agree, but that doesn't mean it's not possible. They're in Wisconsin after all.

And Mikey, man, that's a bargain.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by CoreLysium

Is there still the "differential" thing? I think I know what I'm talking about. The out of state tuition wasn't double like normal, it was a state legislature thing. That said, and I don't know this either, did the state legislature suceed in taking over the ability to set the tuition of the universities?

Edited to add: Wow, I'm useful. :/ At least I brought up some topics.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Tuition is different at different schools. At UF for example - it's about $5700 for in-state tuition and fees - about an extra $22,000 for out-of-state. Robyn

[CoreLysium]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Tuition is different at different schools. At UF for example - it's about $5700 for in-state tuition and fees - about an extra $22,000 for out-of-state. Robyn

Ah, I looked and looked to try to find what I was talking about and found out I didn't know what I was talking about. I thought there was a thing that was something like in-state tuition but with a differential added on for selected areas, like bordering states, etc.

But actually it is a thing that raises in-state tuition for undergrads.

From Wikipedia:

Tuition differential

During Florida's 2007 Legislative Session, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law SB-1710 which allowed the Florida Board of Governors to charge Tuition Differential of 40% above and beyond the regular in-state undergraduate tuition rates for the University of Florida and Florida State University. In addition the University of South Florida was allowed to raise its rates 30% above and beyond the regular in-state undergraduate tuition charges. This was allowed because these three institutions reached Research Flagship benchmarks that the other universities in the State University System could not achieve.[24]
In 2008, in lieu of receiving increased research funding in excess of $100 million, the Tuition Differential was allowed to now include the University of Central Florida and Florida International University. These two institutions were allowed to raise their in-state undergraduate tuition rate 30% above and beyond the regular tuition rates. This legislation ultimately created a multi-tier system for higher education in Florida's State University System of Florida.[25]
In 2009, Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Legislature passed an even broader tuition differential for all of the institutions within the State University System of Florida. The new provision allows for a 15 percent annually tuition increase for in-state undergraduate tuition until they reach the national average.[26][27] Governor Crist signed off on the legislation on June 1, 2009.[28]

I know that's a lot of text, but I thought I'd post it rather than have me throw out some lack-f-info others might wonder about.

[Robyn55]

Thanks for clarifying that. Robyn

[rwbil]

I will answer from my personal experience as someone who moved from MD to Jacksonville and who's wife went to FCCJ.

First on the college. Prices could have changed, but when we moved here, she did have to pay out of state tuition for a year. But frankly out of state tuition here was less expensive than in state tuition there. So check the cost and compare to what you are currently paying. Also for that 1st year she took several on-line classes that she transferred to FCCJ. We found some really in expensive on line colleges and she checked with FCCJ to make sure those credits would transfer.

On the landscape jobs. I do property management and both work with and get tenants in the business. Bottom line is salaries vary tremendously depending on what you do. A basic labor Min. Wage - $10 hours to a supervisor or manager, who can make a decent salary. So it is impossible to say, but would imagine higher paid jobs in Landscapping around here will have a lot of competition. So I would try and get the job first.

Regarding the Bit Bull (American Shafford Terrior is a Pit Bull), my insurance will drop me if I rent to someone with that breed. In fact the dangerous breed list is getting longer and longer. You might luck out and find a Landlord who does not know about insurance companies rules regarding dangerous breed animals. And yes I know your pet is the kindest dog ever and more like a human, but the insurance company does not care. Personally, I have no clue why the landlord if held responsible for the Tenants pets, unless the Landlord specifically did something that cause the pet to bite somebody. The fact is we live in a lawsuit world and people sue who ever has money or insurance. Any those insurance companies do not want to be fighting million dollar lawsuits from top lawyers. Robyn55 was a lawyer, so she might have a diffent perspective. Gosh I am a libertarian and starting to go on about lawsuits, so I will stop.

Finally Mandarin or Julington Creek pros and cons. First for the most part both areas are nice safe areas. I live in Mandarin. Real fast

1) Mandarin close to everything, Jullington somewhat more remote, but nothing like World Golf Village or Nocotee.

2) St John's County schools much better. In fact some of the best public schools (can not compare to Bolles) in the nations. I lived in St John's County when I first moved here in order for my daughter to go to Bartham Trails.

3) Even though there are some very rich areas of Mandarin, mostly on the River, I would say more profession college educated people in Jullington Creek.