Big move. I assume your job is all worked out. Usually the best advice on a move is to rent somewhere to see how it "feels".
Do some research on the schools of the areas--test scores, etc. Visit some schools where you are looking.

Thanks for the prompt reply Gretchen. No actually our jobs aren't all worked out. We are still very muh in the research part of this journey. My wife is a teacher and will be looking for the same in FL and I will be looking for a law enforcement position which is something I have always wanted to do but am "to old" by NY standards but not the case in FL. We have family in Port Charlotte so will be flying down and visiting while checking areas out. It was very different in that we found one block could be really nice and well kept yet the next block over was a disaster. I am not sure if this is typical of Florida or just to that location.

See if this is any help:


http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/florida-condo-seeking-general-advice.cfm

I would start by looking for areas with good schools - which can be a real issue if FL - esp if you are used to quality schools in New York. And since districts are much larger, rather than tied to specific small areas, it can be hard to define what you will get.

There are several websites that just rate schools - sorry don;t have specifics since I'm not moving but a neighbor used them about a year ago. I would try google - and then work from there. where they started was looking at % of seniors going to 4 year colleges and also the number of students going to high quality/prestigious colleges. they ended up in private schools since they weren't satisfied with public in the area they needed to live in based on job requirements

futurenow, did you choose that area because you have already determined that the public schools are good? Florida has some great public schools, but not across the board. So I agree that that is your logical starting point.

As for the state of the neighborhood, well, that depends. There was a lot of overbuilding in Florida and lots of foreclosures, as I'm sure you've heard, which creates the situation you describe. To avoid it, I'd look for older, established neighborhoods; you will pay more, but they will hold their value better, too.

I can tell you that Hillsborough County, and Tampa, where I live, has excellent schools, but I don't know if you've ruled this area out already.

Thanks for all the replies. Really, we haven't ruled anything out. However, the limited research we have done has lead us to focus on the west coast Sarasota down. I have family in West Palm Beach and Port Charlotte. It seems like we bounce back and forth with pros and cons but the thing that has been a constant is that for the most part people advise us that FL schools are no good. We understand this can be, and is most likely be based on personal accounts. None the less, frustrating!!! We are looking into planned communities and have recently researched Lakewood Ranch in Manatee. Any thoughts here?

It's categorically untrue that Florida schools are no good. The school district I live in has one of the top high schools in the country--H.B. Plant. But quality does vary widely, unfortunately. Have you found any good websites or other sources for information about school districts?

I'm sorry, I don't know much about Manatee County!

I believe the difference in FL is that the school districts tend to be large and can have schools that are better and worse. In NY, except for a few large cities, there tends to be a school district for each town/neighborhood - so there are greater differences between the best and the worse - and it's easier to identify the former.

For instance, the county my mother lives in has 58 separate school districts ranging from the best in the state to a couple of the worst. But it's easy to determine which is which - and what house prices and school taxes you would have to pay to live in the districts with the best schools. (In NY homeowners pay a property tax - the same rate for everyone in the county - and a separate school tax - which varies widely by district and may be more than the county property tax.)

I cannot answer from first hand info, but we are looking at areas of our city for DD and "gentrification" is happening-and it might explain "one block is fine but the next is iffy". Moving with a family with no "interim time--rental" is foolish in my opinion, any time anywhere any place.
"Upscale" in the first post with the vocations mentioned may be overreaching (I mean NO disrespect), but good schools does not need to be.

I underscore the need to realize that NY schools are highly rated and the need to be very careful when choosing a school system for your sons' education.

All right New Yorkers, you have made the point that NY schools are good, but the OP wants to leave NY for FL, which does have excellent schools that can be identified by objective measures. He's not moving to Here Be Dragons!

More important than schools are (a)jobs (b)not buying into a dying community and (3) estate planning.

I have a history in Florida going back to 1953 and have written extensively on the first two topics. You can click on my name to find my posts, though I can't resist pointing out that there is a contradiction between wanting to live in a low crime area and wanting a career in law enforcement.

You are probably too young for this issue, but others exploring a move to Florida also tend to read these posts. The brief version is that if you die in Florida while maintaining any presence at all in NY, NY will come after your estate for taxes.

There are (were) no estate taxes in Florida, so it is a great place to die, but NY, where taxes are high, will do everything they can to tax your assets. This is really easy for them if you maintain, as many older people do, an apartment or house in NY.

Anyone moving to a new state should revise their estate plan with a qualified estate lawyer, but it is especially critical for people moving from the northeast and most critical for New Yorkers.

Look, if you move to Florida then prepare to become Florida residents and all that that requires. If nothing else and you put your kids in school down here then you are going to need to license your car here, etc.

Be aware of the property tax rates down here also.