Are You Moving From or To Florida?
Are you moving to Florida? If you’re a fan of warm weather, sandy beaches, and plenty of sunny days, Florida is a great place to live. The Sunshine State attracts thousands of newcomers to its sandy shores – and it’s not hard to see why. From the lack of state income tax to the sunny weather, there are plenty of reasons to love calling Florida home.
Florida offers residents a relatively low cost of living and access to good jobs, low taxes, and a burgeoning public-school system that’s drawing young families to the state. The state has major industries like tourism, construction, banking, healthcare, aerospace, and defense. For anyone looking to move to Florida, there are plenty of great places to stay.
If you are thinking about relocating to the Florida area, here are some facts that may help you in planning such a move, it’s not a secret that Florida has countless beautiful beachside towns to choose from. Most people who move to Florida have something for everyone, if you are really interested in moving to Florida I am going to give you some things you need to know before you move. and it is crucial to know what are the pros and cons of living in Florida. Because Florida can be a paradise, but there are also negatives about living here too.
If you’re moving to Florida, there are a lot of things you’re going to need to know. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place.
Moving to Florida
Moving to Florida Pros and Cons
Here are a few pros and cons to consider as you make your move to the Sunshine State:
Pros.
- It is hot and sunny most days. As well as just being more pleasant, this means that you can plan an outdoor event knowing that the weather is likely to be good.
- There is no state income tax. You’ll just have federal taxes to worry about.
- There are lots of world-class beaches and state parks to enjoy. Even if you live inland, the beach is never far away—you can venture out to the coast and be back home the same day.
- There are lots of theme parks—Disney, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens—and leisure/recreational venues for the whole family. There’s never any reason to get bored in Florida.
Cons.
- Florida is completely flat, and it can make driving around tedious. If you like mountains, hills. and valleys, this state is not for you.
- Some areas of Florida can be very touristy and over-commercial, especially in the Orlando area.
- There is very little public transport—you have to drive everywhere. The only land travel alternatives to the car are buses, which offer only a very minimal service in most places.
- South Florida suffers from high crime rates and a very high cost of living in some places.
- The drivers are terrible. The roads are generally good, but there is a lot of low quality, unsafe, and crazy driving that takes place.
Tax Rates
The statewide sales tax rate in Florida is 6%. Additionally, some counties also collect their own sales taxes, ranging from 0.5% to 2.5%, which means that actual rates paid in Florida may be as high as 8.5%. According to the Tax Foundation, the average sales tax rate in Florida is 7.05%, 22nd highest in the country.
Housing Market
Florida home values have gone up 3.6% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will fall -1.5% within the next year. The median list price per square foot in Florida is $170. The median price of homes currently listed in Florida is $299,000 while the median price of homes that sold is $247,600.
The median home value in Florida is $252,309. Florida home values have gone up 3.6% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will fall -1.5% within the next year. The median list price per square foot in Florida is $170. The median price of homes currently listed in Florida is $299,000 while the median price of homes that sold is $247,600. The median rent price in Florida is $1,780.
The high season in Florida usually begins in January and can go to May. Most of the US northerners leave sometime in April/May unless winter is prolonged.
What Should I Know In 2020?
Economy Outlook
The job market in Florida experienced an unprecedented contraction in the second quarter of 2020 when a large part of the Florida economy shut down and sent workers home to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. Employment dropped by 1.2 million jobs from February 2020 to April 2020, a decline of -13 percent over the same period. Protected by federal stimulus programs and a recovery in consumer demand, some of these jobs have returned. Others may not be restored until the leisure and hospitality industry returns to some semblance of normalcy, and still others may not return at all due to the sped-up restructuring towards a more digitized economy. After a -1.0 decline in FY 2019-20, the Conference expects total non-farm employment to decline by -3.9 percent in FY 2020-21 and rebound by +4.0 percent in FY 2021-22. Thereafter, Florida employment is not expected to reach its prior FY 2018-19 peak until FY 2022-23, with moderating rates of growth across the subsequent years. Given the unusual circumstances wrought by the pandemic, jobs in leisure and hospitality are not expected to reach pre-COVID-19 levels within the ten-year forecast horizon.
In the last test for Florida 1.6% predicts year-over-year job growth creation has strengthened Florida’s job market. The sectors expected to experience the strongest job growth are Construction 6.6%, Professional Business Service 4.6%, Financial 2.1%, Leisure & Hospitality 1.4%, Education & Health Service 1.3%, Transportation & Utilities 1.1%, Changes in the economic policy driven by the federal government should continue to benefit Florida´s economy over the next years.
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Traffic & Transportation
Florida’s public transportation options vary by city, as each has its own infrastructure and transportation businesses, Uber and Lyft are great, but if you’re in Orlando, FL and looking for the best downtown transportation, you have to try to one of these!
but here are some general suggestions:
- Public transportation: For short trips within the town, try the bus or trolley. Google Transit can help you map out a route.
- Bicycle: A handful of cities, including Punta Gorda and Miami Beach, offer bike-sharing programs.
- Shuttle service: Florida Shuttle Transportation offers service between most major cities.
- Amtrak: It’s convenient and affordable, without the security hassles of flying.
- CVBs: Call the local convention and visitors bureau for advice from the folks who know the city best.
Cost of living
Florida is not the cheapest state to live in, but it’s not the most expensive either. The cost of living varies considerably depending on the part of Florida, from the super expensive to the very reasonable. Your experience will also be influenced by the place that you come from because that’s what you’ll compare it to.
Because Florida is a popular destination for celebrities, retirees, and families chasing warmth and sunshine, housing in high demand. Though the price of groceries, utilities, and general expenses are comparable to the United States average, what makes Florida more expensive is the cost of housing—the average home costs $230,000, whereas the median price for a U.S. home is $200,000 dollars. Do keep in mind, however, that these prices may vary widely depending on which country you’re looking to live in.
Considering its popularity amongst retirees and rich people with vacation homes, it’s not so bad. Keep into consideration, however, that the minimum wage in Florida is $8.25—far below $11.75, which is considered to be a livable wage.
Moving to Florida
Things to Know When Moving to Florida
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Moving is one of the most exciting and overwhelming events in our lives. While there are many moving companies and various different resources to choose from, there is only one Real Movers. If you are in the process of planning a long-distance move, and you are looking for a moving company you can trust, Real Movers is your perfect choice.
