orlando or fl peeps

[nun69]

So I am going through alot of personal difficulties and there is a possible chance myself and the kids could be moving. I am just wondering what the rental cost is around orlando (or outlying areas) and what the job market might be like. My family is in va, but I would really like to go somewhere where there is lots and lots of sunshine because I believe it would be good for us. Just looking for some advice :-)

[eve11ne]

i have no advice since I left FL many years ago but ((hugs)) and good luck!

[kim517]

I'm in Florida, but not specifically Orlando. If they don't see this thread, be sure to ask Juli Fish, Stacia Hall and catgoddess (Jenn). They might be able to help

[kim517]

And for what it's worth, I'm not native to Florida, but we've had the chance to be here for the last year and and half and it's been a great place for us

[nesser1981]

I haven't lived in Florida in forever, so no advice, other than you might want to consider Jacksonville or Tampa to be closer to base to use your retirement benefits. Not sure there is one in Orlando.

If I were ever going to live in Florida again, I'd pick somewhere in between Tampa and Ocala. Of course that doesn't help with the things you asked about.

[KristinCB]

hmmm probably good to also research where the best places for help for peyton would be too

[staciahall]

I have a little current information about apartment costs in West Orlando as I have a friend looking. 2 bedrooms can run between $1,000 and $1,500 per month at this point. She's not looked at rental houses so I have no information there.

We have the lots of sunshine part here but we are an hour to almost two hours away from the beach if visiting there a lot was your thought. Not sure about the job market depending on your occupation. We have a huge tourist crowd with theme parks, hotels and those types of businesses catering to tourists usually hiring.

I've lived here all my life so I obviously think it's a great place to live and raise kids

[nun69]

Originally Posted by KristinCB

hmmm probably good to also research where the best places for help for peyton would be too

oh yes this will most definetely be on the list

[KristinCB]

hopefully you end up somewhere with an awesome support system! <3

[catgoddess]

Rentals in the Tampa area are a bit more expensive than Orlando, but we're right on the water. There is a nice Air Force Base (MacDill) in South Tampa with several rental options in that immediate area. Almost everything in Hillsborough County is hit or miss, so if you need help specifically, Juli or I should be able to tell you if it's a safe area or not.

I live in Pinellas County which is on the Gulf-side of Tampa Bay. Rentals here are plentiful and will cost you a little bit more than Hillsborough since we're closer to the beaches and it's not as urban (but it's still very populated).

Both counties will run you at least $1100+ for a 2-bedroom in a decent area. That doesn't include much besides rent. Utilities including electric, water, trash, pest control, etc. will likely run you at least $300 during the summer and about $200 during the cooler months.

As far as job market, Tampa isn't as robust as most urban cities, but there are jobs depending on your occupation. Tampa, as a whole, also doesn't pay as much as they should given the cost of living down here.

If you choose to live in the Tampa area, I highly advise some research on where jobs in your occupation exist. This is a large metro area in both population and surface area and traffic is a major factor. Do not rely on Google maps or anything like that for drive times. Add at least 20-30 mins to almost any estimate.

If you choose to live in Pinellas, you will have to cross one of three bridges to get around outside of the county. These bridges offer numerous accidents and many lovely delays to any commute outside of Pinellas, any time of day.

Regardless of where you may move, I hope it's a positive step for you! If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to PM me here or on FB.
xoxo