No matter how much we try to explain the "why?", about our plans to move, possibly back to Colorado, a lot of folks here just simply can't understand. They feel that Jacksonville, as well as Florida in itself, is as close to being "Utopia" as can be. Don't tell them that there are places in the U.S. that the weather is much better in the summer.......IOW, less-to-no-humidity. The biggest thing they can think of, and wonder about, is "why?" would anyone move out of any part of Florida and go back to an "Old Man Winter" area. They just don't understand that some folks just can't be "Floridians". To come to Florida for a visit, is one thing, but to live here, that's another. Kind of funny, but when I told my Director/Supervisor in Colorado (Denver) I was moving to a small town just above Charlotte, NC, he said "why would you want to go there?" I told him "the winters are much milder and less likely to fall in ice/snow, like I did here." He said "ok", but shook his head in the "no" position as he walked away. After a year in NC, and wife getting laid off her job, we decided to drive down and check out Jacksonville, FL, where we are now. Wife just really didn't like NC that much. When we told our neighbors that we were moving, and where to, they said "you do know there are gators and hurricanes there?" They were truly shocked that we were moving to Florida. Now, on the other side of this coin, people in Colorado that I've talked to on a relocation forum, completely understand why we'd want to leave Florida. Not necessarily to move to Colorado, but leave Florida in general. There are lots and lots of folks that love Jacksonville, let alone Florida itself. 99% didn't move here from Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, the Dakota's, Kansas or Nebraska. A lot here from the southern states and northeastern coastal states.
Everybody is different in what appeals to them...if Florida was so terrible people wouldn't live there or vacation there but they do. Why worry about what others think about Florida? If you don't like it, move. You can't expect everyone to feel as you do. I love snow and winter but when I think of the reality of it at my age, living without snow and ice is better.
Vacationing here is one thing, but many here do complain about the high humidity wether they are on vacation or live here. There are a lot of people here, but the moved here due to winters where they lived before. Wouldn't you rather live on the coast than inland, where you currently live? You wouldn't complain about the heat then, right? We just happen to bring our plans up during a conversation. Our plan is to move, but just can't do it that quick. Don't expect others to feel about Florida, like we do. It's just interesting how they do feel. Thought there were possible plans of you moving?
I will eventually but decided to wait til they downsize to a home that has a separate little home on the property for me. Every place has its problems though...the coast is chillier all year round so swimming isn't as nice as in Fresno plus you have foggy mornings. The joke here in Monterey is that you can tell who the tourists are ....they're the ones in shorts.
One nice thing, @Cody Fousnaugh , is that on this forum, we all support your moving to anywhere that you like, and most of us live in pretty diverse parts of the world. Whether we would want to live where someone else lives or not, it does not matter, and we are all just glad foryou that you CAN move and live where you want to live at. Some of us are just stuck where we are at, even if we wanted to move, and others love being where they live right now; so it is a mixed bag of thoughts as far as being happy where we live at. Personally, I miss north Idaho, but not the snow and cold, and I seriously dislike all of the humidity here in Alabama. All winter long it is wet and dreary, and nothing to do outside because of the cold and rain. In spring, it is beautiful, but then that is followed by the hot and humid days of summer, when you still can't go outside because of the heat and the mosquitoes. At least in Idaho, I could enjoy most of the year, and just try to keep warm in the winter. If i could live anywhere; I would move to the west coast of Oregon or Washington, and live by the Pacific Ocean. It is cooler there; but not snowy, and the weather is mostly mild year around. There are lots of lakes and rivers for fishing and swimming, and it is a short enough drive to the ocean that a day or even overnight trip to the ocean is entirely doable. I think that it is great that you and your wife are planning this move back to somewhere that you will enjoy life more again..... Go for it !
Actually, when I worked for a Senior Healthcare company in Denver, there were a number of Seniorr, that I met, that would love to move to any part of Florida. They couldn't due to finances and/or health problems or they got care from family members living there. We are planning on taking a short trip next summer to the part of Colorado we would like to move to so we can really check some things out. Two years from now, we want to be living in that part of Colorado. There is definitely more for us to do there than here!
Boating on freshwater lakes, like in Colorado, is MUCH nicer, for us anyway, than here. And, much better on a boat engine. Boating is ok here, but, much prefer freshwater compared to saltwater and probabilities of gaters in the water anywhere here. Rodeo action, what there is of it in Florida, can't be done in the summer months due to high humidity. Although, rodeo isn't a big thing here. Surfing, deep sea fishing and cruising around in a big/nice yacht is the big thing here. Oh yes, Can't forget Disney World.......for those that have the money.
My sister in NJ bought a condo in Florida ...just as an investment and they use it occasionally. Since she has 3 kids with 2 still at home, they go to Disney world at least twice a year. She also lets other family members use the condo when it's available for free. Ive been there and have enjoyed it. Think she's had it about 10 years now and has no plans for selling it...her kids love it. It's only 2 bedrooms and cost $500,000 10 yrs ago but usually renters have paid most of the mortgage. A few years she didn't want to rent it out though.
A lady my wife went to high school with, her and her husband bought old military housing (one story small ranch type) in Ormond Beach (by Daytona) years ago. When winter approaches Michigan, they head for that property. Fortunately, he had an excellent salary working for Ford Motor Company for many years. They invested into the Florida property as well as a cottage property on a lake in lower Mich.. The Florida and Mich lake property, plus their house in Mich. They definitely had/have the money for all three. I'm So, So jealous!!
Everybody in my family has money but I'm not the tiniest bit jealous...I'm happy for them. They all did work hard to be in the positions theyre in, so it's well deserved. Only my son in law comes from a wealthy family...the rest all came from middle class homes.
@Cody Fousnaugh .... just do whatever makes you happy and fits your needs. I would not not even bother to explain. Personally, would rather take my chances here in Texas with heat, and tornadoes than the much news worthy sink holes going on in Florida. We would like to move to a much smaller town..not way out in BFE..but somewhere just less crowded . We do not need entertainment sources, as we do not even do that here. Long as hubby has a garage to build things, and well, I can pick up after him as usual - I guess we are good to go
We don't have to explain the "why?" about moving, but it's just polite to do so. Even though we pretty much know what they are going to say after we explain. There are a lot of folks here that refuse to watch local news due to all the crime and gun violence that is shown. But, due to salaries and weather, most people ignore the amount of crime that goes on here. "Doesn't happen in my neighborhood, so I don't care" is a favorite saying here. Chrissy, just think of the thing you could do, like travel, if you had the money. If we had the amount of money we'd like to have, wife could fully retire and we could do all the traveling we'd want to. We could be "snowbirds" and have a summer property in Colorado, or somewhere like that and have a winter home in warmer winter area. And, be able to afford the upkeep of both. Oh yes, back on the subject again about having nice financial retirement years.
I travel enough @Cody Fousnaugh ...probably wouldn't want to more than I do anyway. I'll probably be going to Colorado in a couple months...my niece who is having her baby in August just bought a condo in Parker and my sister lives in Monument, just outside of Colorado Springs...will Probably stay a few weeks. My sister in New Jersey has also invited me out and I'd like to do that in the winter this time, so I can enjoy the snow....the lake they live on also freezes over and I would love to maybe try ice skating..used to be pretty good. I'd probably wear all kinds of pads though, in case I fall, lol. I also visit my brother in Connecticut when in NJ and he lives a few blocks from Yale University and is a fun town to walk around. We always go in to NYC when I'm at my sister's also and I enjoy that too. And then I still have to visit my son but don't know when yet...last time I was there for Christmas so maybe Thanksgiving. I'm at my daughter's now and will be back here in a month to go with her to move grandson into college in San Luis Obispo... I go back to Fresno for my MRI and other wellness tests and will use august to get all that crap out of the way. All these trips don't cost me a cent.
Yep, that's traveling! But don't those folks either pay for your travel or help you with the expense? That is where having a nice retirement fund/savings comes into play. Being "well-off" financially, OR having enough, can sure make retirement years more fun, as long as good heath is there. Money is, and will always be "the name of the game" during and after employment years.
My husband lived in Jacksonville, FL @Cody Fousnaugh and I spent 5 years of our married life living there with him. There are some nice things about Jacksonville...but the violence, drugs, etc. over there got to the point where I hated living there and it was a good thing my husband felt that way too. He had lived there since he was 16 years old but a lot of things changed and not for the bettter since he was that age. I wouldn't even let my Family come visit me over there, instead I would take trips back to Louisiana. Almost eight years ago we made the choice to move to my home town here in Louisiana and that was a very good decision for us. The humidity is just as bad as in Florida but Family and less violence make up many times over for that. I wouldn't take a million dollars to move back to Jacksonville...but I would take that million to move to Fort Walton Beach or Pensacola (if my kids and grandkids would come with us). Colorado on the other hand, where my husband's brother lives and which I got to see parts of when we went to meet his side of the Family is a different story. I wouldn't mind trying to live there but the cold would probably have us back in Louisiana in no time I'm sure. It's your business where you live, and as long as you and your wife are happy with your choice...that's all that matters. I hope y'all will be very happy wherever y'all decide to call home in the near future.