I've had enough
-
8/16/2008
I've lived in Broward County for 25 years, and it's time to move on. The changes have been drastic, and not many have been for the better.
Weather: I can't take the summers any more. If you live on the west side you don't get the breezes and the mosquitoes are awful. We worked very hard to buy a home and fix it up, and we can't afford to have Mother Nature pick our pockets every couple of years. We've spent $40k in the last 5 years hurricane-proofing the house. The fences, sprinkler system, trees, and outbuilding that were damaged in the last several years aren't covered by your insurance policy. You get to pay to fix all that yourself. Try to save for college or retirement now!
Culture: I'm ready for a different cultural influence. Anyone with money in Venezuela is getting out and coming here. West Broward will be "little Caracas" in a few more years. I don't like what has happened to Dade and I see it coming here. You start to feel unwelcome in your own hometown if you don't listen to the "right" music, dress the "right" way, speak the "right" language. Remember, we have the rudest drivers in the country. Courtesy is non-existent. I travel and go to places where people are actually nice to each other, and I hate coming home. This is the number one reason I'm ready to go.
Money: Ignore people who complain about taxes here. Folks down here don't know what real taxation is. Nobody wants to pay for anything, and the greater good is rarely considered. The schools are horrid (just try to hire people to work for you.) I think the problem is that everyone's driving flashy cars, spending too much money on clothes, hair, tans, etc. Being shallow can be very expensive. The housing market is giving a big spanking right now to speculators and folks that decided to live beyond their means. This is part of what's driving the current wave of immigration. Home prices are falling rapidly right now. Because we live out here at the end of the earth, everything costs more. It's still a tourism-based economy, and you know what pay is like in those kinds of places. Saving can be difficult, even when you budget.
If your retirement allows for the price of living here, or you're beautiful on the outside and want to spend beach time with other "pretty people," then by all means come on down. I don't recommend South Florida (not just Fort Lauderdale) for people, especially with children, who want other parts to their life- family, community, education, financial stability. It's a shame, because there are beautiful places here. The fishing is still very good, and it's heaven for birdwatchers like myself. Like anywhere else, people come in and mess everything up.
Rhonda | Davie, FL