We are considering moving to Florida, Myrtle Beach, SC or Norfolk, Virginia with our school age children. We have thought about Tampa and surrounding areas, as well as Ft.Meyers. Still looking for employment, but would like for advice on areas to look. We want good schools- elementary to college levels, would like a lower cost of living, but low crime.Need a 5 bedroom house, but can't pay $400,000. No more than 1 hour from beach. Would like to not have to pay crazy property taxes or insurance( while we are aware they will be more than other places in states!). Worried about sinkhole areas a bit also. Please, any and all advice is welcomed. This will hopefully be our last move. Retired army pilot, and have moved too much! If their are any other suggestions for places to move, please post! We want to be by water,warmth and sunshine, low cost of living, great schools, good employment options for hubbie, ......you know, the dream!! But cheap!

Beach communities aren't usually cheap if they are in an area near employment and good schools, just don't think this is going to happen. What kind of employement would a retired pilot do, anyway? What are his skills other than flying planes, what kind of job does he think he will be looking for?

I live in DC metro area and don't know why you are considering Norfolk. Unless you just want to be around a bunch of Navy people, of course, and there is a beach. It has a big crime problem, a lot of crummy neighborhoods and bad schools.

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/09/norf...rst-performing

You seem to be looking for an awful lot - usually a huge house in a neighborhood with good schools and lots of job opportunities will not be budget friendly.

I would start with areas that have lots of job opportunities - for whatever types of jobs the two of you will be looking for, then look at local schools. Size of house and budget will have to follow that.

I have some fami.ly in VA - but near Richmond - and in good neighborhoods with great schools very large houses tend to be pricey

We moved to the Central Florida area in 1986 for a number of reasons. Truth to tell, one was that we could be at the beach in an hour or less, and there was a much better job market than we found along the coast.

Honestly, you do need to realign your search parameter a bit, starting with matching your job marketable skills with areas - keep in mind that if one job ends, you will probably want to have other local options to avoid yet another move.

The Orlando area could do it for you, although of course you would not be beachside. I think you might also consider Tampa area, near MacDill. But as for sinkholes - well, just write off Florida if that's a no-starter; conditions change and you don't know that what might seem to be a safe bet won't erupt in the next sinkhole.

a retired army pilot is worried about sink holes? holy crap! for cheap you will be inland.

You should not have two posts on the same topic at the same time.

Are you aware that the State of Virginia levies an annual personal property tax on automobiles?

And as to the sinkholes in Florida, a lot depends on what part of Florida you live in.

I think your real estate cost expectations are somewhat unrealistic also.

Also be aware that Virginia will fully tax any of your income to include military retirement pay as well as any Social Security income you may have.

Auto insurance rates are not as high as they are in some parts of Florida but they are not cheap. Auto registration fees are relatively reasonable.

You will be required to register your vehicles and be liable for state income taxes if you are domiciled in the state for longer than 30 days.

Beaches are never cheap. You will have extra insurance costs because of hurricanes. Myrtle is primarily a tourist place. Traffic in summer months is heavy.

Jobs first, everything else follows.

Check out Cape Coral Florida... just across from Ft Meyers and it seems to offer a lot of what you are seeking...

You asked for other ideas....Areas surrounding Austin will fit your needs except a beach. Closest would be about 3 hours away. We have excellent schools and a 5 bedroom

As others have suggested, I would start with where you can find work. I think your stated price and requirement to be near a beach are going to be tough to pair up.

I think that Tampa fits a lot of your requirements: less than an hour from the beach; great public schools in most of Hillsborough County; job possibilities, presumably, at MacDill AFB; single family homes available in your price range across the county.

Cons are high property taxes (but not state income tax, so there's the tradeoff); sinkholes, although it's not like they sprout up everywhere every day; property insurance gets pricier the nearer you are to any body of water; and hurricanes, although, like sinkholes, these are not even annual events in most areas.

A lot of people here seem to be thinking about beachfront property when they say your budget is unrealistic. There are many parts of the Tampa Bay area where your budget would work just fine. Good luck!

What kind of work do you want to do?

I have a good friend who moved to Tampa a few years ago and loves it. He is single, so no idea on the schools.

I would not move to Norfolk if someone gave me a house there.

As far as cost of living and good schools, I'd recommend Chesterfield County, VA, which is a suburb of Richmond.

Me, neither. We lived in the Hampton Roads area for 2 years.