You Florida people got it made...

[RPanick]

It's not about the hike, hon, it's about the drive time. I can drive to the beach in five minutes from my house. My boyfriend is six miles inland and it's more like 20-30 minutes. I live six miles from work and my commute is 20 miles on a good day, 45 minutes to an hour on a bad one.

Don't think it gets cheaper as you go inland, either. In fact, the furthest west neighborhoods are the priciest. I truly don't believe you will find a single family home anywhere in my county for $200K at this time. You can find a nice small older 2/2 condo though in your price range and might even have enough left over to renovate the kitchen and baths.

I'm not trying to turn you off to the area, just being realistic. I couldn't live anywhere else. I was in my early 40s when I bought my retirement home and moved into it. I love it here!!!

Do we have any local realtors here on ScubaBoard?

Thanks, that's useful info. Assuming I even get the job, I'll probably spend a while looking over the area. If it costs more, well I'll have to deal with it, cut back somewhere else.

Of course only 30 to 45 minutes to get to diving sounds pretty good from where I'm at now, its 80-100 miles to dive in a quary. Of course I suppose I could get pretty well spoiled.

 

[deepstops]

Don't think it gets cheaper as you go inland, either. In fact, the furthest west neighborhoods are the priciest.

You got that right, I paid big money to live in this recovered swamp
Cities like SW Ranches, Parkland, Weston, and Wellington, they aren't the cheap seats in this ballpark.

 

[DebbyDiver]

I was definitely thinking of you when I wrote that, Brian!

Bob, it isn't 45 minutes of nice driving, it's 45 minutes in stop and go traffic with angry people. If i had to pick ONE thing I hate about Broward...well except for the flying cockroaches with FAA numbers on them...it's the traffic and the drivers.

On the other hand, if you work full-time, and only dive weekends, it isn't quite as bad...but I find that trying to get to a LBTS night dive after work is near impossible unless I bring the dive gear to work and leave it in the car ::shudder:: For instance when I take my kayak up to Sunrise/A-1-A on a Saturday morning, the 7:30 traffic isn't so bad, but getting back home around noon is a PITA.

I mentioned Dania Beach where I live only because the prices are pretty comparable to everywhere else in the county, but we are close to the beach and lots of other convenient things. I find it very convenient to be 80 miles from Key Largo for instance. VERY.

Come on down, it's paradise, you won't have to buy winter clothes or snow tires and you can spend your vacation dollars right here at home by diving without paying for a motel. I find ways to cut corners to afford my lifestyle and as they say, it is PRICELESS.

 

[RPanick]

I was definitely thinking of you when I wrote that, Brian!

Bob, it isn't 45 minutes of nice driving, it's 45 minutes in stop and go traffic with angry people. If i had to pick ONE thing I hate about Broward...well except for the flying cockroaches with FAA numbers on them...it's the traffic and the drivers.

On the other hand, if you work full-time, and only dive weekends, it isn't quite as bad...but I find that trying to get to a LBTS night dive after work is near impossible unless I bring the dive gear to work and leave it in the car ::shudder:: For instance when I take my kayak up to Sunrise/A-1-A on a Saturday morning, the 7:30 traffic isn't so bad, but getting back home around noon is a PITA.

I mentioned Dania Beach where I live only because the prices are pretty comparable to everywhere else in the county, but we are close to the beach and lots of other convenient things. I find it very convenient to be 80 miles from Key Largo for instance. VERY.

Come on down, it's paradise, you won't have to buy winter clothes or snow tires and you can spend your vacation dollars right here at home by diving without paying for a motel. I find ways to cut corners to afford my lifestyle and as they say, it is PRICELESS.

Actually I paid attention to that. I just might wander around that way tomorrow afternoon when I get off the plane. Nice part about having a GPS is I can just wander around and not worry about finding my way back.

I've been around the area quite a few times, generally around West Palm Beach and Boca, and I remember the traffic. Hopefully it won't be as bad as Orlando was during the xmas break. We were passed by an old couple, who were walking, if they hadn't sat down at the bus stop, we would never have caught up to them. One of the waitresses we talked to refered to it as "Hell Week". I think she was right.

 

[DebbyDiver]

My advice is that if you don't have to buy right away, rent in your potential area for a year and see how you like it. I believe the prices will continue to come down during that time as well.

And diff'rent strokes and all that...my boyfriend works in Miami because he makes too much money down there to get a job up here...he loves where he lives in Fort Lauderdale, and he'd rather commute real far in horrid horrid traffic than move closer to work. He just cranks up his Sirius and chats with all his friends on his cell to fill the time. If I had to drive that far in that traffic I'd go nuts.

Bottom line is that you'll love it here, bugs and all, this is divers' heaven.

 

[BKP]

Ahhhh... I feel so welcome in Florida, now...
(Not that we don't feel the same about the NY and California invasion of Ga.)

 

[fisheyeview]

My advice is that if you don't have to buy right away, rent in your potential area for a year and see how you like it. I believe the prices will continue to come down during that time as well.

And diff'rent strokes and all that...my boyfriend works in Miami because he makes too much money down there to get a job up here...he loves where he lives in Fort Lauderdale, and he'd rather commute real far in horrid horrid traffic than move closer to work. He just cranks up his Sirius and chats with all his friends on his cell to fill the time. If I had to drive that far in that traffic I'd go nuts.

Bottom line is that you'll love it here, bugs and all, this is divers' heaven.

I'm 5 miles from my office. On a bad day it takes me 10 minutes. (No highways to get there.) It has not always been the case for me. I used to drive from Weston to downtown Miami every day (36 miles each way) for 7 1/2 years. I had to leave my house before 7:00 to make sure I made it to work by 8:00.

When I started working for the company I am with now I had to drive from Weston to Cutler Ridge. (48 miles each way!) That lasted 4 months before I relocated offices. SInce then my office has been moving closer and closer to home. (5 office moves in 6 years.)

My wife could never understand how I could deal with the traffic. When she had to do the long drive for a year (Weston to Coral Gables) right after we were married she used to be a basket case by the time she got home.

I used to listen to books on tape in the car. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours each day.

 

[deepstops]

When I started working for the company I am with now I had to drive from Weston to Cutler Ridge. (48 miles each way!) That lasted 4 months before I relocated offices. SInce then my office has been moving closer and closer to home. (5 office moves in 6 years.)

My wife could never understand how I could deal with the traffic. When she had to do the long drive for a year (Weston to Coral Gables) right after we were married she used to be a basket case by the time she got home.

I used to listen to books on tape in the car. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours each day.

I work from home a few days a week and commute from the western edge of Weston to my office next to Tamiami Airport on the other days. It's 42 miles each way, I drive it in 40-45 minutes. I take US27 and Krome Ave. If I took the Turnpike everyday, I'd lose another 40 minutes of my day along with $3.....

I like to make phone calls to take up the ride time.

 

[snokat]

SoFla is awesome, and the diving is probably as consistantly good as any place I've ever dove. Not a lifer myself, but my brother was born here and lives in Orlando, but even that is a short spin to the Palm Beaches.
Wrecks, lobsters, spearfishing, reefs, thongs and Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Actually....SHHHHHH!....Truth be known.... I got a pretty girl, Lauderdale By The Sea, and my Visa. Who needs a passport?!!!