Take the Time
For both moves to Florida, the husband and I rented online, sight unseen. Sure we saw pictures of the places and square footage, but we didn’t have the “real” stuff we needed. With both moves we had the very strong attitude of “Let’s just get something that we can afford and live in for a year, then go from there.” I don’t know about any of you, but I just wanted to get “over” that feeling of being stuck in one place and catching up with my heart in another. We were the lucky ones, both homes turned out to be fine starters. The only real issue we had with our current is that it had a listing of 3 bathrooms, and it only had 2. Thankfully we are all good at sharing. Let’s get back to the “real” stuff I mentioned.
If you are moving here to Florida, I HIGHLY recommend that you take 4-5 days and come and LIVE here. Not vacation, just rent a vacation home (I know, irony) and LIVE here. That means drive Interstate 4 at 6:30 a.m. with the rest of the commuting State on a week day, and at noon on a Saturday past the Outlet Malls, then again anytime between 2 and 6 p.m. It means go to the grocery stores, the restaurants, gas stations, a church you may like and SEE how life is lived here. Do you mind waiting for a table at your favorite chain because the tourists have filled it up? Visit a local watering hole and talk to the locals about the area, hear the real scoop. Does the local Hospital take your insurance or does the one that will, makes you drive 45 minutes out of the way do? Things you THINK you can “put up” with will tear down your sanity after awhile. Tour neighborhoods, make notes, go to an open house and talk to the Realtor about the area you like. Is it to busy, is it to quiet…it is SO CRUCIAL that you see it through the eyes of a resident. If you like a certain area, time how long it takes to get to your new job, the bank, the schools and if you can handle that 5 days a week. It’s not a Disney vacation and I can’t stress that enough if you are moving here.
I realize that most can’t just “fly out” and walk through places, but I know for some that it has been a nightmare for what they thought was their “Welcome to Florida” home. Take the time to truly research, pay attention to everything during peak hours in places your interested in, and you will feel better knowing that you did your homework on your FL dream.

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Going from “What If? to “Why Not” is my life motto and I work hard at living that every day. I share everything from moving to Florida to live near Disney World to road trips across the States. I love the cool, quirky, and crazy stuff that I can find on my Adventures, and every dollar you donate helps support my efforts and hard work. Thank you to ALL who support me!
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