Hello Floridians and transplants! I'm just curious and doin a little research on the DL. How is the housing market and job market in the panhandle area of Florida? I'm specifically interested in Oil industry/Electronic Tech/Telecom job markets, and buying a house.

I'd love to move to the St. Petersburg area, but my wife is paranoid of hurricanes and not being able to make it out of there in time. So i figured the pan handle might be a good spot with access to white sandy beaches and easy inland travel/escape routes. lol.

Man, i miss the smell of the ocean. I'm a Texan transplanted in Tulsa. I grew up on the coastline near Houston. Took my wife to Tampa a few years back for 10th anniversary. I fell in love with it. Think my son did too.

Thanks in advance for any advice/feedback.

 

Hey Ron,
My wife and I moved to Florida 10 years ago from PA. We first lived in the Ocala area working with horses. Then moved to Orlando and worked for SeaWorld, but we where drawn to the coast and water as well. So we moved to the Sarasota/Bradenton area just a little south of tampa. And we really love it here. My wife was not to excited about hurricanes as well, but now she has settled in with it and does not worry to much about them.
Jobs are out there if you are not to picky and have a good work ethic. We have traveled through the panhandle and it is nice up there, but stays just a tad bit warmer down here.

Best of luck with your move.
Casey

 

Well the housing market...is pretty much a buyers paradise. Regarding Jobs... as above. Not sure what your looking to do...construction market slowed down a LOT. I have 15 contractors in my neighborhood...and they have reduced employees to pretty much family and owners...depending on the size of the company. There is work out there....the panhandle is nice...lot's of great areas in FL. Were in CLearwater...but it's "packed". I miss "country" and in the future...were outta here...in search of some property.