Where is everyone..?

[Kriz1]

Does everyone or is everyone on this forum living or planning to live just in FL...?

Has anyone given a thought to moving somewhere else...I've heard its harder to find info about other States like what businesses are for sale the cost of living etc........do you think that could be a big reason why people are not looking into the rest of the US so much...?

It can't just be the weather drawing people to FL...most of the US have much better summers than FL...even if the winters are harder...

[Bobby]

It can't just be the weather drawing people to FL...most of the US have much better summers than FL...even if the winters are harder...

I think that it is just THAT! The winters are tougher elsewhere.

Going any further North than the Carolinas means being back in a 4 season climate, which is basically what the British people left behind. Albeit the summers are warmer in the States, the winters are a little bit harsher than those of the UK, the further north you go.

So, I presume that people look at it that if they can get as many days of sunshine in a one year period then that's better than what they had before. Hence Florida, the Sunshine State!

Bobby

[Kriz1]

The only bad thing I find about living up North is the cost of living....we have 7 months of sun most years...little if any rain all through the summer....it can be more humid than FL...and hotter mid summer....wind storms can be a pain...but you don't get those inland....we live 20 or so miles out to sea...Snows start in late Dec...great for the kids if not the grown ups....I like the more English summer temps that we get more than the 7 months of 95 degree heat that can hit us ..its a nice sunny 73 outside now...that way you can still have an outdoor life.....have your windows open and smell the sea....
If you make enough money to keep your home warm...which is the biggest cost...most people don't have A/C here....you have the best of everything....long summers....fun winters....green everywhere....for the most part tons better schools....I like FL too....mostly because I like my home there and my friends....and you get a bit of nightlife....small town USA can get a bit quiet at times....but the more times I leave here and go to FL and then come back....the more New England feels like coming home....this will be the hardest place I've ever had to leave....in Oct this will be the longest I've ever lived in one place....weather wise for the people living by the sea here....wind storms which can last for days on end in the fall are the biggest problem...

[paulbweb]

I live in Las Vegas, 320 days of sunshine a year. The summers can be pretty brutal when the mercury goes up past 110F. Last year it got up to 119F. Its funny though, you do get used to it and there is very little to no humidity. Winter lasts about a month and it does snow here, because Vegas is a few thousand feet above sea level. Mt Charleston is only 45 minutes away and has average ski runs, but the best skiing is about 3hrs away in Bryant Head in Utah. Lots of business growth still going on despite the real estate slowdown, but house prices have remained steady. Great time to buy a new house as the builders have alot of inventory with some offering upwards of $30,000 in incentives and upgrades. Good business climate, no state tax, no corporate tax and if you croak here no death tax. Away from the strip Vegas is like any other American city, but its wonderful to have access to great entertainment when you want. The only downside to the growth is the infrastructure is slow in keeping up. That means traffic, (not as bad as California though), long lines at DMV, but it is slowly starting to catch up. Vegas also has the worst, most suicidal drivers I have ever seen, plus the highest DUI's. There are bad parts, like North and North East Las Vegas which seems to have a gang shooting a couple of times a week. Also The State is desperate for teachers, doctors and nurses.
I like Phoenix, Arizona and have lived in SF and San Diego, and if I could afford it I would live in San Diego with its perfect all year round climate.

[chris]

I think for Florida it's the Disney factor. Folks come on vacation to see the Mouse, like it, come back some more, explore and then make the move. Vegas must be the kerchink factor.
You are right though. Florida is notr Disney, Disney is not Florida and Florida is not the rest of the USA.

[JulieC]

Living in Orlando is mad, its an unreal place, tacky souvenir shops, upside down houses, hotels on I drive in the shape of castles. I have been to Las Vegas and it is worse, its a mad mad place, And even hotter. We had had enough in three days. All power to you, Paul.

[Kriz1]

I always feel like I'm going to American when I go to FL...its very much like a lot of the USA ...living in New England is like still being in England...but with different weather....

[Bobby]

I'm off to Vegas on the 24th, .... and I hope they're ready! lol

Anyone had any bad experiences at the Luxor that I should look out for??

Thanks,

Bobby

[fllion]

only the hooker in the 5th Floor mens room ,looked very nice ,and very helpful ,But cost a forture ,in doctors bills LOL

I stayed there in 2004 ,had a right laugh ,the noise of the slots drove me mad .dont lose to much money

Paul

[chris]

Julie
Orlando is not the be all and end all of central florida, neither is Disney. I-Drive and Disney is the tourist ghetto area - simple as that. If you decide to come again, try out in Clermont where Lakeridge winery and the grape growing area is. Visit Winter Park and see real Florida coupled with homes in the 10 million mark, Try getting into the real Florida instead of the veneer of the tourist area. Vegas is just the same. I'm 20 minutes from Disney, yet I can visit the wilderness preserve in my community and canoe and explore to my hearts content and feel a million miles from Disney. You live in Florida so you know what I mean. There are 2 sides to every place

[Kriz1]

I love seeing people on holiday...both my homes are in tourist traps...I moan all summer about the traffic...not getting a seat in Friendlys for breakfast...no parking spaces at the Mall...would I change it..no way...I've lived near or in tourist areas to long now to remember anything different....and I just love a good moan...LOL!

[InnVic]

I would say that another reason for Florida being the popular destination is the glut of "dream home" "Place in the SUn" Living the dream" TV programmes in the UK over the past 10 years. Its THE USA holiday destination for many Brits and I guess thats the reason for the popularity. Buy a holiday villa for the price of a luxury car in the UK...come out a few times and decide to live the dream. People will go where they know. I would imagine the reality is not quite the same as the dream of perpetual vacation though. We live in Vermont. Four very beautiful seasons - and each distinct - not a grey blur like in the UK. Hot sunny summers from JUne to Septmber. Striking autumn color and crisp bright mornings and warm days. Great snow from Thankgiving to march - the place is transformed to the quintissential winter wonderland. And then spring when the snow melts the rivers are torrents and the fresh green buds appear everywhere. Where we live we have no malls, no billboardsor neon, no water or amusement parks...but we never run out of fun stuff to do and most of it is free!

[Kriz1]

I'm glad we never moved to FL straight from England...I would of expected to much...I would of wanted it to be like one long holiday...I like living on the Cape...we have for the most part very mild weather...but I have itchy feet...moving to FL would give me a chance to buy a mountain home...something I've always wanted....sometimes you have to give up one thing to try something else....I would miss the Cape...but I don't want to retire here....

[pegasus]

Kriz1
Mountains in Florida ????
We lived in New Hampshire for 9 years and I agree the very brief summer and Autumn are good, but the winters are brutal and long.
We live in Waterford lakes Orlando away from the tourist spot and dont regret a minute of it, Best of all is when the temp plummets in winter to 40->60 (not minus F but plus F) I dont have to shovel anything to get out of my drive....
As you get older you really appreciate why people are still retiring to this place in droves..

B rgds

Neil

[InnVic]

Kriz1

As you get older you really appreciate why people are still retiring to this place in droves..

B rgds

Neil

...ah but the point of this forum is that most of us aren't allowed to retire there :-)

[Kriz1]

No..LOL.. selling one home will free up money to buy something else with mountains.....FL will nolonger be my holiday home...so I'll need something to replace it....I'll not really need a place by the sea...because the sea is not that far away from Orlando anyway...

We are lucky on Cape with the weather...Feb/March being the only really bad months...but its still the odd cold snow filled winters I would not like to do when I grow older...but then again...I hope we have snow this winter now my grandson is old enough to play out in it...you see everything different with young kids about...:)

[Susie]

I'm off to Vegas on the 24th, .... and I hope they're ready! lol

Anyone had any bad experiences at the Luxor that I should look out for??

Thanks,

Bobby


Hi Boddy

Can you let us know what you think of Vegas and if you win or not?

[Wendy]

I love Vagas but once your off the strip it's millions of people living in the desert with no natural water supply and no beach for miles. But want to start a business it will explode, plus visa processing time is much less than florida

[InnVic]

<<<<plus visa processing time is much less than florida>>>??????

I can understand that visa application may be more sympathetically reviewed for different states (i.e Florida may be viewed as your looking for the vacation lifestyle with a business "tagged on" - before anyone takes offence I'm just saying how immigration may view it!)
But as our applications all land on the same pile I cannot see that different states get any faster processing. We're in vermont and went in the line and took our turn like everyone else.

..of course if they wanted to schedule processing times based on the desirability of location then from a purely selfish point of view I'm all for that :-)

[JulieC]

I do think they look at applications from particularly Central Florida more closely than those from other areas, particularly those from the vacation industry, there are just too many scam merchants around and now everyone in the industry is tarred with the same brush. Florida isnt the only place, we just had a few days in the Carolinas and it was just beautiful up there.

[Bobby]

Two of my real estate investor friends have jumped ship (seperately), and left Florida to the Carolinas. One of them was born and bred right here in town and said he just had to get out of here, because of the way the place was going.
Yes, it IS getting worse, but that's for another forum. I suppose it could be discussed here as half of them don't speak or read Englsih anyway!
Don't get me on the "welcome to America, now speak English" soap box!!

Here's a funny one that I'm sure we can all relate to:

http://media.americancomedynetwork.com/FILES/MexTourism.swf (http://media.americancomedynetwork.com/FILES/MexTourism.swf)

Regards,

Bobby

[mandybenn]

Hi Neil

Spotted that you live in Waterford Lakes. Is this in Clermont? We have looked at Residential area's around Clermont and spotted some lovely places, one being Waterford Landing. We liked all around Lake Minneola and Lake Minnehaha.

Mandy

[JulieC]

No its in Orange County, Mandy, not too far from downtown Orlando. Whats it like, Neil? Sometimes think I will move up there, we looked at Baldwin Park briefly.

[floridarulz]

We had the choice of moving to Cali but chose Florida cause of Cheaper house prices. But Florida is also something of a safe haven cause evryone has been here on Holiday and its not quite as much of a culture shock as if you went to Minnesota or something

[j0emV]

well i'm not from Britian but I am from a former colony, the Bahamas. I moved to Atlanta for school and then after I graduated I moved to Chicago. I love it here, its been the most amazing experience. I've met great people and found a great job I love. Yeah Chicago's winters can be brutal but this is what I came for.

Oh yeah, we may get some snow tonight :p

[Emmalee25]

I love Florida because of the weather,
i did love the wetlands, open space and orange groves, but KB homes have started to concrete over that aspect im afraid,
We avoid I drive and disney like the plague, dont mid disney really apart form the expense, but Idrive drives me mad....like a hot Blackpool!.
I used to live in Charlotte NC (on a visa no less!) and that was a beautiful place, would defo move back there in an instant.
As for Vegas, we went in january, it was very cool, but i dont think i could live there, we stayed in the stratosphere hotel. It was all larger than life and quite surreal on the strip....have fun Bobby
Em x