Cibolo, TX was also on the list. It's two towns over from our TX home, and no more than a blip on a radar screen. There is no town to speak of, but one of those tiny TX spots you drive through and were the town name not written on the water tower, you'd never know where you were. How do towns make that list anyway?

Cape Coral not only had a huge number of foreclosures this round, there were still abandoned properties and unbuilt lots from the last real estate crisis in the early 1990's.

But what must it cost for a man with a van to move one's goods from the UK to Florida?

Oh, this is an advert!

And this is posted on the US board why?????

Guys, in 2015, bots do this, not actual humans.

And as I said, bots don't read English either. Nor do they follow rules, so it's just as understandable that it's posted here.

One thing to keep in mind: because of state regulations, health insurance in Florida is a convoluted, bureaucratic NIGHTMARE no matter which provider you use. Moving here from PA, I was not prepared for the impossibility of getting affordable health coverage here.

Other than health insurance, I agree with the poster who recommended Fort Lauderdale. Something about the air here and the presence of the ocean and waterways brings a lightness and happiness to everything. Even the supermarket and government office employees are pleasant!

KeyGal, This question is from February, brought back up by an advertiser.

February 2012! I have a feeling Rachie205 has long been out of the building.

JollyPhilip, are you seriously suggesting someone in the US should hire a moving company from the UK to move them within the United States? Are you completely deranged?

Tiresome isn't it.

His webcrawler posts automatically when messages use words like "move" , "moving" and the like. No work for him.

My wife & myself are flying into st. Petersburg next week to check out the area. We want to relocate with our 2 daughters in the very near future. We're both in our middle 40's and have lived in Illinois our whole life. This is very scary for us so any advice would be great. She wants to be close to the water as possible if we can afford it. Of course we would both be looking for work so that's my biggest concern. I belong to the teamsters union here but that doesn't do me a lot of good there because I can't transfer my stuff out of state. Thanks.

chrisfull, Welcome to Fodors! Since this is such an old post, I would recommend that you start a new thread.

Good evening, I moved from Connecticut to Gainesville, Fl., five months ago. The climate is glorious, if a little dry in the Winter. Culture abounds, the museums are smaller, but truly excellent. The food is affordable, anything can be found,restaurants are excellent, and affordable. The people are wonderfully varied and essentially very good. The one problem, here, is a very major one, however: I have never, in my life, seen such wariness of everyone towards everyone else, nor such determinate and complete detachment of people towards one another, never! Indeed I have moved by myself, but I am amazed at how extraordinarily difficult it is to make friends here. It is unbelievable! There is a staunch and stubborn will to not exchange meals, coffe, ideas. People go to work, then go home and close themselves in. They do not call or come and see you. If gently asked why, they say they are "busy", the typical excuse of our times for people who are completely closed to others. So far as I can see, this is a well known fact of life in Gainesville. Beautiful city and people, unbelievably closed mentality. Please, do not relocate in Gainesville by yourself, however otherwise wonderful it is

JeffreyG: Welcome to Fodors. It is best to look at the dates before posting . . . this thread is q four years old there that has been topped several time by spammers.

Hi Jeffrey. I'm sorry you are having this seeming resistance but I would offer that 5 months is not very long to feel your way into a community. That said, there are ways to work into things. How about volunteering at the food pantry? If you are a church goer, churches are prime places to be welcomed--be sure to find the one that fits your way of life/faith. Not all "fill in the denomination" are created equal in their welcomes.
You mentioned the museums--volunteer at one of them?
Join a gym!!!
You have also used the term "closed" a number of times. Seek out the areas of life that are "open" in your estimations.
I don't think you can count on people calling you or coming by to see you.

I agree, five months is a mere blip on the radar, and if you spent most of your life in one place before moving, perhaps your bar is just set a bit high.

When you lived in CT, did you reach out to newcomers to the area? My point is that people mean well but often don;t put themselves in other people's shoes.

I agree that volunteering, forcing yourself to get out and look for like-minded people, can help open doors for you.

Hey, in case you hadn't noticed, it's an election year! Volunteer for the candidate of your choice. I have met lifelong friends working in campaign field offices.

Good luck! And keep enjoying that weather!

I am glad you are happy with the weather so far - but you have not yet lived there for a summer. I would do all of the outdoor things you can do now - since when the worst of the heat rolls in many people stick to indoor activities. (Have had 2 sets of aunts/uncles retire to FL. One couldn't stand it and left after 2 summers - moving to VA. The others came back to NY every summer to visit their kids - but said basically in the summer you don;t go outdoors except from house to car to mall or movie or restaurant etc.)

Now perhaps you will love the heat and do lots outdoors - but just be aware of the need to stay hydrated.

And I think welcoming neighbors is not really a thing - as it may be in some rural areas. Many people have moved from other places and develop a cricle of friends based on their activities.