Seriously considering moving out of Florida

[chri'stina 190]

Yep. Well, there are a few good reasons. Home owner's insurance rates are going up too fast. Good friends of mine bought a little house in 2002 for $62,000, a great deal! Now, only 4 years later they could sell their house for $140,000. They had a low monthly payment for a long time. Their home owner's insurance was maybe $1000/year back then. This year it jumped up to $3000 a year. My house which is bigger than theirs, home owners insurance policy is only about $1500/year, but I am sure next year it'll jump. And then the taxes too...

I know compared to NY/NJ, etc this all must sound cheap. But in the beginning of 2005, it seems the housing boom began here in FL, as in other places too. The house we bought for $134,000, we could have gotten for probably $70,000 two years earlier. Yet the income has hardly risen for this area....which=much more expensive to live here than it was 2 years ago. And Sujeet makes pretty good money compared to most people we know. And if it's going to get hard for us, imagine how hard for everyone else we know who makes half Sujeet's income. Actually lots of people in Florida are thinking of moving out of state for the reasons we are thinking of it too.

There are certain things about Florida I like, but I am tired of hot weather almost all year long. I'm tired of being somewhere where there are no mountains near by. I hardly go to the beach so I doubt I'd miss it much.

We are looking into Northeast Alabama, and also thought about southeastern Tennessee. Also some of my family and friends are considering doing the same. I have friends in Gadsden, Alabama, and I have visited there a couples times. (about an hour northeast of Birmingham)

The houses are adorable, the scenery is beautiful with rolling hills and foothills of the smoky mountains. The houses are cheap, property tax is cheap, and so is homeowner's insurance. The pay in Birmingham for IT stuff, if Sujeet had to get a job there and commute, from what I've seen is comparable to Tampa. Yet the expense of living in that area is way less than in Tampa and in our area.

The things that scare me:

~Moving to the real south by moving to Alabama---Florida is not very southern, I am mostly around Northerners who moved here from NY. And I like that. I'm not sure how I'll feel there.

~Getting a southern accent---yes it's silly but I do not want a southern accent! And my future kids...my future cute mixed babies may get southern accents.

~There is more of a chance of tornadoes in that area than in Florida (I know, it's silly)

~What if we hate it?

~Alabama is associated with lots of things that make me feel creeped out, like how it handled the civil rights movement and the racism. But I know that was a long time ago and in my friend's town, it's very artsy fartsy, which I like, and is getting more cultural these days.

Things that make me happy:

~Near mountains

~They actually have seasons compared to Florida, yet do not have very cold winters like up north

~I know people that live there that are awesome

~It's close to several cities. It's within 2 hours drive to Atlanta, about an hour to an hour and a half to Birmingham or Chattanooga

~Living in a cute house instead of an ugly Florida house and how cheap they are---I guess growing up in FL I am just sick of these style houses.

~Lower cost of living

But just thinking of moving is scary to me. I've been in Florida since I was 4. I'm sure those who moved from another country to be with their SO will not feel sympathy after having to leave your life behind. I know I shouldn't be a baby about moving.

Anyone on here living in Alabama and liking it? Hating it? Ahhh I can't believe I am actually talking about this leaving Florida business....

[CarolineM 0]

What does Suj think? I also think that there MIGHT be more racism and what not in those "southern" places.. I mean Jacksonville is more so like that than Tampa I think.

I agree wtih you and I OFTEN think about leaving FL. I moved for college and stuff, but I NEVER left for good...and we think about it a lot. He wants to apply to some pharm schools out of state so we may be right behind you

[LaL 418]

um, no... you can't leave. you are supposed to stay here with me!

[chri'stina 190]

What does Suj think? I also think that there MIGHT be more racism and what not in those "southern" places.. I mean Jacksonville is more so like that than Tampa I think.

I agree wtih you and I OFTEN think about leaving FL. I moved for college and stuff, but I NEVER left for good...and we think about it a lot. He wants to apply to some pharm schools out of state so we may be right behind you

Sujeet is pretty much all for it. We want to wait a couple years to make sure we make some kind of profit on our house to use as a nice downpayment. They have really really cute 3 bedroom houses up there for under $70K. I am the one who is still not really sure. Sujeet likes the idea of the lower cost of living and being able to use the extra money for things we want to do, which I do agree about.

My friend who moved there 4 years ago did so to get married to her fiance. He lived there, and she lived here in my town. She now likes living there, and she is a northern type of girl too. Now her parents, good friends of my family, bought a 2 bedroom house in her town for $55k, and also like the area. And these are strong Brooklyn accent people.

Yes, there may be a bit more racism...and that makes me a tad nervous. These are all things I want to discuss in depth with my friend who has lived there for 4 years now. We also are going to visit there in November to see her new baby, but also to drive around the area again. We can see if anything scares us out of the idea, or if it reiterates our idea of moving there.

um, no... you can't leave. you are supposed to stay here with me!

come with us!

Seriously I have been rallying friends and family...so far I have a lot of people saying "that sounds like a good idea!", mwahaha!!!! We are going to move there as a group and people will think we are weirdos. We will take over the town.

[cmartyn 0]

We are both white and I still wouldnt move to Alabama. Where the Men are well, whatever and the girls are well.. I dunno. Just something about hearing "Yall" that makes my skin crawl. Im having enough trouble getting used to "Hun?".. And Oh My Gawd!

[chri'stina 190]

We are both white and I still wouldnt move to Alabama. Where the Men are well, whatever and the girls are well.. I dunno. Just something about hearing "Yall" that makes my skin crawl. Im having enough trouble getting used to "Hun?".. And Oh My Gawd!

Before visiting Alabama, I thought the same way. But after seeing my friend's town, I changed my mind.

My friend's hubby is like a "band guy", alternative music guy, and there are lots of others like that around there too. They aren't rednecks or the typical thing you'd think of when you hear "Alabama". And like I said, parts of Alabama are getting more cultural and into the arts and stuff.

But even still to say I would be moving to Alabama is scary sounding because of everything usually associated with it. So I am not saying it.... yet.

[chri'stina 190]

um, no... you can't leave. you are supposed to stay here with me!

Also...remember you told me Florida would be under water by 2050? Get out while you can!!

[Welshcookie 17]

We have a house in AL and will be moving there....and we are not Rednecks

[chri'stina 190]

We have a house in AL and will be moving there....and we are not Rednecks

Oh yea! I thought about that the other day because I remember you had said once that you have a house in AL.

What part of AL?

[Welshcookie 17]

It is in Mobile, but I have only had a 2 week visit

[chri'stina 190]

It is in Mobile, but I have only had a 2 week visit

ok

I've never been to Mobile. Never been to most of Alabama! Just to the northeastern bit.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Alabama is the gayest part of America.

Video - Bruno in Alabama

[Welshcookie 17]

Alabama is the gayest part of America.

Video - Bruno in Alabama

hahahaha......I remember that!!!

[MaryandMian 1]

I live in Alabama but I was born and raised here. I live in the Central part of state and I do have the southern accent too boot. so it does not help with my learning Urdu. We are happy here the area we are in is diversifed and we have not had any issues of racism since Mian arrived here.

Mary

[chri'stina 190]

Alabama is the gayest part of America.

Video - Bruno in Alabama

hmmm

I live in Alabama but I was born and raised here. I live in the Central part of state and I do have the southern accent too boot. so it does not help with my learning Urdu. We are happy here the area we are in is diversifed and we have not had any issues of racism since Mian arrived here.

Mary

Thanks for responding! Good to hear there haven't been any issues of racism for you both.