Moving to Florida?

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 5:41 pm

So today my husband said he was offered a promotion at work (which of course he wants and is great for his career) BUT it requires moving to Florida. We live in New York, close by to both our parents which is very convenient because we also have two young children who love to spend time with their grandparents and aunt, uncles, and cousins.

Can any of my fellow forumites offer pros and cons of Delray Beach, Florida?

I am not familiar with the area, except a quick Google search. But, I know many of you are experts on more than just the Virgin Islands, and some may have knowledge on the area. I have been to West Palm Beach often as a child, so I am familiar with weather in Florida as well as flora/fauna (including nightmares of alligators in the back yard).

Is it a kid friendly area? Good schools? Nice beaches? Good housing market? Hurricanes?

Thanks to anyone who can offer advice.

TouristTrapCheryl · Post by **TouristTrapCheryl** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:52 am

I was born and raised in Florida, but on the west coast.
I know Delray is really nice. Flights from Miami-Ft Lauderdale, close to Del Ray, are quick to NYC for easy visiting with your parents.

Definitely a hurricane zone, but hurricanes give you plenty of warning so you can be prepared.
I've lived with hurricanes my entire life, been through some bad ones, but all in all they are something you learn to live with.

No state income tax in Florida thanks to the tourism revenue!
Also pretty reasonable sales tax. You only have to live in Florida 6 months out of the year to qualify as a resident and be able to file without a state income tax.
That's why so many mega-rich athletes and celebrities own homes there.

Downtown Del Ray was revamped about 12 years ago and it's really quaint.
I just met someone who lives there and they told me it's still very nice.

Good luck. -c

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 5:11 pm

Wow! Think about how close you will be to STJ. You could go there on the weekend!

JIM

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:15 pm

jimg20 wrote:Wow! Think about how close you will be to STJ. You could go there on the weekend!

JIM

I've already thought the same thing!

Thanks Cheryl for all the information- definitely something to think about. We decided to go spend a week there next month and see what it's like before we decide anything.

Thanks for the input.

Knolmom · Post by **Knolmom** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:07 pm

I spend winters in Florida now, but for the last 30 years I have been traveling to the Delray area. If you are a couple with young children, the City of Coral Springs, which is a little inland from Delray, is a wonderful area for young families. If this goes through, you definitely look at tis area.

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:22 pm

Thanks Knolmom. We were offered a free stay at a friend's condo in Ocean Ridge. We'll be taking him up on that next month, but we will definitely check out Coral Springs while there.
We're still up in the air on the subject.

SS in NC · Post by **SS in NC** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:41 pm

Hi, I used to live in Delray for 7 years...2 in an Apartment and 5 in a house. I left in 2006. I can't say much about the schools as I have no children...a lot of my friends opted for private schools for their kids. Delray was a great place to live, Atlantic Avenue was fun to go to at night and on weekends; great food in all price ranges - small shops...lots to do and see and all walking distance from each other and also to the beach. The town is small(ish), definitely not a city like Ft Lauderdale or West Palm Beach. The beach itself is beautiful, clean and has lifeguards and parking (sometimes tough to find spots), there is also a sidewalk running the entire beach with foot wash shower heads. I'd say it was kid friendly...parks and such. Housing...I do not think the housing market can go down much more than it is now (my old house was selling for 2001 levels recently) and if you like boating, I would suggest a canal lot...they are "affordable" now (in the 300's: 3/2/1CG with a dock) The area I'm speaking of is Tropic Palms. It has 70 miles of navigable waterways, a few lakes...etc. You may experience hurricanes - be sure the windows, doors and garage door are covered with hurricane shutters. If there are 3 tab shingles on the roof - they may blow away during the next storm. Leave the area if they predict a CAT3 or higher...I stayed for Wilma and that one scared me...no others from 2002 - 2005 did. Like any town in the country, there are less desirable areas and Delray has it's area where I would not be comfortable alone, at night...if you use common sense and observe your surroundings, you will not have an issue. I left for a work opportunity and hated leaving, the people were nice and there's a lot to do. The weather is nice during the winter and hot/humid in the summer...even the ocean does not provide relief during the dog days. 3 major airports close by so good deals are easy to find - especially to NY...the one surprise for me was the insurance cost. Homeowners was cheap...BUT...you need to carry a separate wind policy and also flood insurance policy...the deductible on the wind policy is prohibitive (6% of assessed value I think) and it will not cover re shingling a roof...that happened to me...the cost of the wind policy will be in the area of 1% of the house value (retail)...just a well educated guess. I preferred living east of I-95, as close to the beach as I could afford at the time. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Good Luck! Scott

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