Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Orlando and Orange County Fl cost of Living

Orlando and Orange County Cost of Living
The cost of living index is based on the composite price of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, clothing and entertainment.

Cost of living indexes will generally be higher in areas that offer access to beaches, culture, arts and recreation. In addition areas, that offer a wider variety of services such as health and education will run higher due to higher wages, and increased quality of living.

Cost of living indexing explanation
• A figure of 100 points is used as an average both for the USA and Florida. For example:
• Boise Idaho is ranked at a 99
• Boston Mass is rated at 240
• San Francisco at 217
• Orlando Fl is 100.8 and Miami is 115.4
• Statewide, Florida cities come in from a low of 90 and up.


• One way to compare Florida areas to salary requirements
For example-If you were relocating from Portland Oregon (whose rate 1s 120) to Orlando, and you currently make $50,000 per year, the formula is as follows
• Take the destination index, in this case Orlando-99.8 and divide by Portland’s index-120, then multiply by a salary of $50,000. This will give you a figure of $41,583, which would be required to make in Orlando and have the same quality of life. *
Re cost of living--in some areas Real Estate has went up dramatically however costs that factor in such as food, transportation, rents etc have not increased at the same rate-so in some areas, even though housing is expensive, the overall rating may still be low.

• Orange County comes in at a Cost of Living index of 99.08 (2004)


A lower cost of living means you keep more of what you make. That mixed in with a great quality of life makes Orange County very appealing.

There is one thing you need to be aware of and that is the housing market has risen here significantly-so the housing cost will skew the CGI index.. Prices have gone up 30 to 40 percent in just the last year—there is some sign that things are slowing down but in comparison to other parts of the country (see below) and given the lifestyle here, is why the areas real Estate market is hot.
You can still find homes ranging from 200,00-300,000 (condos to single family)
• Information from Accra-Third qtr 2005

• Daytona 101.0
• Ft Lauderdale 117.4
• Jacksonville 92.7
• Miami/Dade 115.4
• Orlando 100.8
• Pensacola 97.1
• Sarasota 107.0
• Tampa 97.2
• Ft Myers 103.0
• Clearwater 94.3
• St Pete 94.3
• Bradenton 95.8
• Gainesville 99.4
• Port Charlotte 95.4
• Fl Keys 112.43
• West Palm Beach 114.1
• Naples 122.9
• (Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

See national comparisons of cost of living:
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)
• New York, NY 364
• Long Beach, NY 340
• Palo Alto, CA 268
• Menlo Park, CA 265
• Los Altos, CA 261
• Saratoga, CA 261
• Boston, MA 240
• Malibu, CA 233
• San Francisco, CA 217
• Greenwich, CT 215
• Cambridge, MA 211
• Santa Monica, CA 197
• Keystone, CO 194
• San Rafael, CA 192
• Weston, CT 192
• Darien, CT 192
• Wellesley, MA 192
• Fort Lee, NJ 189
• Arlington, VA 184
• Honolulu, HI 184
• Washington, DC 181
• Princeton, NJ 180
• Vail, CO 178
• Chicago, IL 166
• Sunnyvale, CA 164
• San Mateo, CA 163
• Marathon, FL 161
• Ridgewood, NJ 159
• Mystic, CT 159

For a complete list go to http://verticals.yahoo.com/cities/categories/costofliving.html

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Jacksonville outdoor recreation

Jacksonville Outdoors and Recreational Opportunities
With over 55,000 acres of parks, including state and federal lands, Jacksonville ranks first among U.S. cities in gross acreage for parks

Jacksonville is a recreation playground where visitors enjoy championship golf, tennis, boating and beach combing on some of the finest beaches in the country. Jacksonville's sunny climate suits year-round sports and recreational opportunities. Mild winters, a pleasant spring and fall, and warm summers are ideal for outdoor activities. Water is everywhere, with the St. Johns River as the focal point downtown and the Atlantic Ocean spanning miles of coastline. Above from the Jacksonville Convention and Visitors bureau http://www.jaxcvb.com/visiting_jax/sports_rec.asp

In addition to recreation, have no doubt about it... Jacksonville is a sports town. The Jacksonville Jaguars set the tone for a community brimming with diverse spectator events that will keep you on the edge of your seat. .
Things to do outdoors in Jacksonville and Duval county.
• Fishing-saltwater and freshwater
• Boating-Ocean or River
• Diving-Ocean wrecks
• Surfing-We have some of the best surfing in the state.
• Hiking
• Horseback riding
• Bike riding
• Birding
• Photography
• Windsurfing
• Kayaking—there are good rental locations and lots of places to launch.

Recreational Opportunities:
• #130 tennis courts
• # 17 Youth athletic associations
• # 12 Biking and hiking trails
• # 50 plus Golf Courses
• # 21 Boat Ramps
• # 10 Ball fields
• # 50 miles of beaches
• #6 Ocean beach parks
• #7 Adult Athletic associations
• #4 state parks with camping Full service campgrounds

To see a complete list fo to the site below
http://www.floridaparks.com/cmpgrds/northeast.htm

Other places to visit.
The Jacksonville Zoo.

70 acres along the St. Johns River, With more than 1,000 rare and exotic creatures. Be sure to check out the walking safari.

Alltel Stadium Home of the NFL Jacksonville.
The stadium is located on the eastern edge of Jacksonville's Downtown, on the western banks of the St. Johns River near the Hart and Mathews bridges.

Downtown Jacksonville
From Cafes and boutiques to museums and Art Galleries and Performing Arts..

JACKSONVILLE LANDING
A great place to dine and shop downtown on the St. Johns River A wide variety of shops, restaurants and eateries and hundreds of annual entertainment events make this one of the most popular visitor attractions in the city.

Whatever your recreational needs, Jacksonville and it’s surrounding beaches and parks have it.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Melbourne Weather

Melbourne and Brevard County Weather
You can lay in the sun on 33 miles of beaches at least 300 days a year.
True, it rains at least a little 115 days of the year, but most of the county's average annual rainfall of 50.2 inches falls on sultry, mostly sunny summer afternoons--just in time to cool the air and freshen the spirits. A balmy 73 degrees Fahrenheit is the average year-round temperature. In January, the temperature averages 62 degrees, in August 81.5 degrees.

For more specific information regarding weather, wind, rain as it applies to each month go to the following site.
http://www.city-data.com/city/Melbourne-Florida.html

Another nice thing about the climate here is that it does cool off at night as compared to the more Southern parts of Florida. In Melbourne for example, we see a 20 degree drop day to night whereas in the Keys it averages 10 degrees.
All in all the weather here is great.

To see average January temperatures across the United States go to http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/thematic-maps/usa-temprature-january.html
Compare these to Melbourne.

Remember we spend the majority of our life indoors…sleeping and working. So when we are off, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to spend it outside in nice weather!

More about Hurricanes:

I moved to Melbourne Florida (central east coast) partly because the area NEVER got hurricanes (and in fact the whole northeast and central Florida coast is in a geographical bight that in fact does not get hit, but Melbourne is on the cusp, a bit south).

In fact, Lots of people have moved here from other parts of Florida in part because there aren’t many weather dangers here. True, we DID have a couple of hurricanes in 2004, but it had been decades before that.
Moreover, if you lived inland just a few miles that summer of 2004, because of the buffer of the long barrier island and the wide ICW/Indian River Lagoon, the net effects of the hurricanes were pretty mild.

In any case, the likelihood per the historical record of that happening again remains very low. The reality is that the weather on both Florida’s east and west coast is great, and you really don’t have to worry yourself through hurricane season, like folks perhaps do in some other parts of Florida (the Keys, the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico).
Bottom line? I would be remiss if I did not tell you that hurricanes are a potential fact of life. But what I’ve outlined above underscores the reality that the very occasional occurrence is the exception, absolutely not the summertime rule.

More Info and observations:
• Despite four devastating hurricanes in 2004, the number of Florida visitors rose 7% to an all-time high of 79.8 million last year and is on target to hit 80 million this year. Florida tourism generates about $57 billion annually and employs 912,700.
• If you live on the coast you stand the greatest chance of having one affect you. Some areas of Florida have gone fifty years plus without one but you never know.
• As a resident having lived in the Keys and now in central Florida I’ve been through them.
• In my opinion, the best thing you can do is buy a home that was built after Andrew-August 92 that was built to stricter building codes. Have window protection and a backup generator and make sure your insurance is up to date. If they ask you to leave, do it!
• Realize-If you live in an older home that was not built up to the stricter building codes (After Hurricane Andrew-August 1992) or you live in a mobile home you stand the best chance of having major structural damage.
• Living on the beach in a mobile home is asking for it. Although, you may never have a problem, you’re still definitely taking your chances. Barrier islands and open-water beaches are the most prone to damage.
• Having lived in California, I prefer the threat of a hurricane however as opposed to an earthquake. At least you have a warning.
• For current information about hurricanes go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
• For 2005 climate info by areas go to http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/LCD/2005LCD.html
• For current weather forecasts by cities go to http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/fl.html
• *Living in a waterfront home typically means that you will pay a higher Insurance premium. The insurance is higher due to flood and wind concerns.
• Part of this is also because the pricing on these homes is higher so there is more value to insure against.

Having said all this, I can’t imagine living elsewhere. It is really great to wake up and it’s sunny out.

We spend over half our lives indoors…so when you do go outside, wouldn’t it be nice if it was warm and sunny?

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Port St Lucie overview

Port St Lucie
Port St Lucie is approximately 120 miles southeast of Orlando and 120 miles north of Miami, along the Atlantic coast. A convenient highway network--including Interstate 95, the Florida Turnpike and State Road 70--makes it easy to travel throughout Florida.
To the east of the city lies the attractive Atlantic Ocean barrier island and beaches known as Hutchinson Island (bridges at Jensen Beach and Stuart, both a few miles east and south). To the west lies the Lake Okeechobee area, and its recreational options. The area offers plenty of golf and other outdoor recreation, as well as significant arts and cultural resources.

The area shares advantages of both the small scale of some of its Old Florida smaller surrounding towns and its own larger scale as a rapidly growing mid-sized city. Add to this its ready access to the metropolitan areas – the Palm Beaches, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami – of the rest of Southeast Florida, and you have a recipe for an attractive relocation possibility.
Some quick facts
The Port St. Lucie (and by extension Ft. Pierce and Stuart) area has recently become a significant growth area in Florida, for both new permanent and snowbird residents, and for business owners and investors.

There are many reasons for people to relocate to Port St. Lucie, including climate, modern amenities, affordable prices, transportation convenience and accessibility to South Florida’s urban centers, and attractive business incentives.
For example:

* The year-round climate makes for great living and working conditions. The average annual temperature is 73.2 degrees, with a drop of only 16.7 degrees between the extremes of winter and summer temperatures.
* Port St. Lucie is a young city, incorporated in 1961; and it’s a young city in terms of its residents too, having a median age of just 42 years old.
* Port St. Lucie, Fla., had the nation’s fastest growth rate among large cities (100,000 or more population) between July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004, according to new U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.
* More than 125,000 residents make up Port St. Lucie, ranking it as the 15th largest city in the Sunshine State. Projections for the county’s population, currently 214,000 are 314,000 by 2010

Transportation

* As noted above, major highways criss-cross this area, making north-south and east-west travel convenient for both personal and business distribution purposes
* Airport travel, considering the advantages of Port St. Lucie’s location outside South Florida’s metroplex, is relatively convenient. St. Lucie County International Airport’s commercial commuter service is rapidly expanding. Other nearby airports include: Vero Beach Municipal Airport, some 20 miles north of St. Lucie County, with round-trip daily flights to Miami; Palm Beach International Airport, 60 miles south, with 80 scheduled departures daily; and, Melbourne International Airport, 55 miles north, serviced by Delta with connecting flights through Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and New York.

Education

* Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm)

Business Incentives

* In its continuing efforts to provide an atmosphere that supports business, the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners assists companies with expansion or relocation expenses through its Job Growth Incentive Grant Program.
* The Commissioners may issue grants ranging from a minimum of $1,000 to $2,000 per new job created in St. Lucie County. A minimum of five or more new jobs must be created in order to be eligible, with a minimum average county wage of $10.88.
* Bonuses are also offered for companies that exceed the minimum requirements. For example, if: 75% of the new employees hired live in St. Lucie County; the company is a St. Lucie County "Targeted" industry; the company's average salary is 115%, 125% or 150% of the St. Lucie County average.
* A grant to an individual company may not exceed $500,000.00 For more detailed information, go to http://www.stluciecd.org/BusIncentives.asp

Employment

The local economy is heavily services oriented, and the top 10 employers in St. Lucie County are:

* St. Lucie County School District
* St. Lucie County
* Liberty Medical Supply
* Indian River Community College
* Wal-Mart Stores (includes Sam's Club)
* State Government
* Lawnwood Regional Medical Center
* City of Port St. Lucie
* QVC 975
* Publix Super Markets

For more information, please see:
http://www.edcstlucie.org/relocation.html
In conclusion
If you like a modern way of life without all the crowding but at the same time don’t want too small of a town, Port St Lucie could be the place. It has some of the benefits of its smaller surrounding towns and yet has the advantages, for many people, of a place of somewhat larger scale.

To see additional information about the area go to (on this Website) the Stuart info links, and to the general information on Ft. Pierce, whose cultural life, parks, and ease of access to outdoor recreational choices Port St. Lucie shares. For a good general site on St Lucie county on line, go to http://www.stlucieco.gov

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Pensacola weather

Pensacola and Escambia County Weather
Pensacola’s climate offers year-round sports and recreational opportunities. Winter, spring and fall are filled with lots of sunshine. As compared to Miami, Northeastern Florida does have seasons of sorts.

The hottest month is July, with an average high of 82° F and an average low of 74° F. In January the average high temperature is 52° F and the average low is 42° F.

Normal annual precipitation is 62 plus inches, with the largest monthly totals accumulating from July through September.
• Pensacola Temperature Annual
Month Air r
January 54
• February 56
• March 61
• April 68
• May 76
• June 81
• July 82
• August 82
• September 78
• October 70
• November 60
• December 54

Other Pensacola Weather Indicators ---Annual
• Average Wind Speed 8.4
• Clear Days 106
• Partly Cloudy Days 123
• Cloudy Days 137
• Percent of Possible Sunshine 60.0
• Avg. Relative Humidity 73.5. To see stats by the month, go to http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/florida/pensacola/

Hurricanes.

Hurricanes
Pensacola and its wider area have tended over the past 30 years to be hit more frequently than the rest of Florida by major hurricanes, but in the 30-40 years prior to that the situation was exactly reversed: Pensacola was less frequently hit than peninsular Florida. Or to put it a different way, the area has been “hit” by just 6 storms Category 3 or higher since 1940, and peninsular Florida suffered 10 such storms during that same period
• Furthr information:
Despite four devastating hurricanes in 2004, the number of Florida visitors rose 7% to an all-time high of 79.8 million last year and is on target to hit 80 million this year. Florida tourism generates about $57 billion annually and employs 912,700.
• If you live on the coast you stand the greatest chance of having one affect you. Some areas of Florida have gone fifty years plus without one but you never know.
• As a resident having lived in the Keys and now in central Florida I’ve been through them.
• In my opinion, the best thing you can do is buy a home that was built after Andrew-August 92 that was built to stricter building codes. Have window protection and a backup generator and make sure your insurance is up to date. If they ask you to leave, do it
• Realize-If you live in an older home that was not built up to the stricter building codes (After Hurricane Andrew-August 1992) or you live in a mobile home you stand the best chance of having major structural damage
• Living on the beach in a mobile home is asking for it. Although, you may never have a problem, you’re still definitely taking your chances. Barrier islands and open-water beaches are the most prone to damage.
• Having lived in California, I prefer the threat of a hurricane however as opposed to an earthquake. At least you have a warning.
• For current information about hurricanes go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
• For 2005 climate info by areas go to http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/LCD/2005LCD.html
• For current weather forecasts by cities go to http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/fl.html
• *Living in a waterfront home typically means that you will pay a higher Insurance premium. The insurance is higher due to flood and wind concerns.
• Part of this is also because the pricing on these homes is higher so there is more value to insure against.
• Having said all this, I can’t imagine living elsewhere. It is really great to wake up and it’s sunny out.

We spend over half our lives indoors…so when you do go outside, wouldn’t it be nice if it was warm and sunny?

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

The Arts in Jacksonville

The Arts in Jacksonville
The arts are alive and doing well in Jacksonville. From fine arts, performing arts and other activities, the seven-county region is a model of diversity. If you're an actor, musician, photographer, writer, painter or all around arts and culture enthusiast, Jacksonville has a place for you.

Jacksonville has
• Its own Ballet Company,
• A Symphony orchestra
• 5 Theatre companies
• 5 museums
• 6 Theatre venues
• 12 entertainment venues (arenas-concert halls)

A few really stand out:
• Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art http://www.jmoma.org/
• The Jacksonville Museum of Science & History http://www.themosh.org/
• The Florida Theatre http://www.floridatheatre.com/
• The Jacksonville Symphony orchestra http://www.jaxsymphony.org/index.asp
• For upcoming Jacksonville events and concerts go to http://www.jaxevents.com/
• In addition there are
• 65 plus Art galleries
• 50 plus Antique shops throughout the area.
So, if you’re a creative type and are considering a lifestyle change, Jacksonville could be just the ticket.

For more information and specifics about art venues, museums etc, see this Web site
http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/content/?page_id=14
• A palm tree just could be in your future.

Downtown Jacksonville
With over 17 art galleries, museums, theatres and performing arts venues, it’s no wonder over 10 million people a year visit our city’s urban core.

Monday, January 02, 2006

Despite Four Hurricanes, Florida reiocation is up

Last years hurricanes haven’t stopped people from moving to Florida.
In fact, population grew by more than 400,000, which according to The University of Florida represented one of the largest increases in Florida’s history

”There are 5 major reasons for the increased migration here.
1. Florida is a unique state that a majority of people grew up dreaming about. As the population ages, they’re grabbing a piece of that dream

2. People are starting to take hurricanes as a fact of life. Much as Californian’s take earthquakes and fire as a fact of life, and Midwesterners live with the threat of blizzards and tornadoes.

3. The Baby boomer influx. With large incomes and equity growth, they’re buying 2nd home as investments here and making lifestyle changes.

4. In 2005, (per Florida’s Economic conference) Florida led the nation in the highest number of new jobs created at 252,600 plus we were the leading state in job creation (3.4%)

5. The high heating costs in the North. When the snow flies, people definitely watch the weather channel and dreams of beaches and palm trees come to mind.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Florida Keys outdoors recreation

Florida Keys Outdoors and Recreational Opportunities
Miles of oceanfront and Gulf front access await you in the Keys.
Recreational opportunities in the outdoors are the most important assets of the Keys.
The fishing and boating here is incredible-both in the Ocean and the back-country (the Gulf). There is something to catch year round and our weather lets you do it. If you like the water, this is the place
Recreational Opportunities:
• 47 Marinas
• 13 Parks,
• 3 Golf Courses
• 10 Campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks
• 13 public Tennis Courts
• 18 Boat Ramps

• To see a complete list of parks and recreational opportunities see
• the sites below
• http://www.floridastateparks.org/FndaParkRegion.cfm?Dist=Southeast
Things to do outdoors:
• Fishing-saltwater, freshwater-Ocean, lakes and the Everglades
• Boating-Ocean, Gulf or Bay
• Diving
• Hiking
• Tennis
• Bike riding
• Birding
• Photography and Wildlife watching
• Kayaking—canoes-there are good rental locations and lots of places to launch.
• Air boating into the Everglades
• Windsurfing the flats

Other places to visit.
• Audubon House- original Audubon engravings (not Audubon's residence)
• Conch Tour Train-
• Curry Mansion Inn - 305 294-5349 511 Caroline Street, Key West FL 33040
• Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum - 305 294-1136, 907 Whitehead St., Key West FL
• Flagler's Station Historeum®-901 Caroline St., 1-305-295-3562.
• Haitian Art Co. - 305 296-8932, 600 Francis St., Key West FL 33040
• Heritage House Museum - 305 296-3573, 410 Caroline Street, Key West FL 33040
• Historic Seaport at Key West Bight.
• Key West Aquarium - 1 Whitehead St., Mallory Market
• Key West East Martello Museum - 305 296-3913, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd.
• Key West Lighthouse Museum - 305 294-0012, 938 Whitehead Street
• Key West Museum of Art & History - 305 295-6616
• Custom House - 281 Front Street, Key West FL 33040
• Key West Shipwreck Historeum - 305 292-8990, 1 Whitehead Street
• Little White House Museum - 305 294-9911
• Wrecker's Museum - 322 Duval St., 294-9502. Built in 1829. This is Key West's oldest house.

Pro Sports
• A 2-3 hour drive to Miami:
• Florida Marlins
• 2269 Dan Marino Blvd, Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL 33056 · 305-626-7400
• Miami Dolphins
• 2269 Dan Marino Blvd, Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL 33056 · 305-620-2578
• Miami Heat
• 601 Biscayne Blvd, American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL 33132-1801 · 786-777-432