Bikini: check; lounge chair: check; pink pelican for the front yard: check. If only your moving checklist for moving to Florida was so simple! While the living may be easy in Florida, the process of moving to Florida may be a bit more complicated, especially if you’re moving from another region. Thankfully, there is a moving company that knows Florida like the back of its hand, and we’re sharing the inside scoop on what you need to know about moving to the Sunshine state.
Before we get started, we’d like to introduce ourselves. We’re the Squad, that’s Moving Squad to you, and we’re the most trusted South Florida Moving Company. That means you can trust us to tell you the real deal about moving to Florida. From the business to the pleasure, here’s what you need to know about moving to the state of relaxation.
Pros and Cons of Moving to Florida
Florida may be for the birds, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Here are some of the pros and cons to consider before heading down to the Sunshine State.
Pros of Moving to Florida
- Senior communities with all the amenities
- Admission discounts to Florida’s local attractions
- Warm weather (no snow).
- Gorgeous sprawling beaches
- Low cost of living
- No state income tax
Cons of Moving to Florida
- Hurricanes, heat, high humidity
- No mountains
- Tourists
- Insurance costs are higher than in all other states
- The increased chance of finding a snake in your bathtub or a cockroach the size of a small rodent in your kitchen
Moving to Florida: Finding the Best Region
Once you’ve decided that the pros heavily outweigh the cons, it’s time to get situated. Which of the three main regions of Florida will you choose? Here’s the breakdown of the Northern, Southern, and Central regions of Florida.
Moving to South Florida
Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and all that lies between, South Florida is the Florida of popular culture. It’s Crockett and Tubbs on the 1-90, Frankie and Annette playing beach blanket bingo, and Will Smith bringin’ the heat, uh. It’s also the Florida of the coveted retirement communities as depicted in Seinfeld. With so much to offer, it’s little wonder that Miami is one of the most populous regions in the Southern United States.
Moving to North Florida
While South Florida is known for its ‘wild life’ and thriving metro areas, North Florida is known for its ‘wildlife’ and thriving metro areas. Both the Northern Florida cities of Jacksonville and Tallahassee are among the most populous in Florida, with parks such as Wakulla Springs State Park and Manatee Spring State Park featuring alligators, manatees, and an abundance of birdlife.
Moving to Central Florida
And where does Disney Land come into all of this, you ask? Right here in good old Central Florida! Not only is Central Florida’s Orlando the home of Disneyland, but it is also the largest growing city in South Florida, growing by 600,000 residents in the past year. Tampa, the third-largest city in Florida, was one of the top moving destinations in 2018 and grew by over 51,000 residents in the past year.
Moving to Florida: Finding a Job
While typically known as a state for retirement, Florida is also proving to be a wonderful state for employment. If you’re in a market for a job, here are the most promising cities to live in:
Jacksonville: Hip, happening, and home to Fortune 500 headquarters, Jacksonville is growing twice as fast as San Franciso and Chicago for offices and developments and is ranked the 7th Best City for Jobseekers by Money Magazine.
Miami: Miami has quickly become a popular destination for motivated millennials seeking sand, sun, and fruitful employment. In the last decade, Miami’s office and apartment development have risen 66%, with a 104% increase in the millennial population.
Tampa Bay: With urban attractions, safe and affordable housing, and nearly ten Fortune 1000 company headquarters, Tampa Bay is a millennial destination for those who want to start their retirements early.
Moving to Florida: Finding the Best Retirement Communities
No matter how progressive Florida becomes, there will always be deluxe retirement communities for the aging and still raging. Some of the top retirement destinations in Florida include:
Clearwater: Are you looking for a place to retire? How does a barrier island in Florida’s Tampa Bay Area grab you? Known for its fabulous weather and gulf coast beaches, Clearwater’s real estate falls 15% below the median value of homes in the US. It also has a strong economy, great air quality, and a large number of doctors in the area (just in case someone forgets to eat his apples)!
Delray Beach: What better place to build your castle than on the Beach “of the king?” (Delray means “of the king” in Spanish). Just north of Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach is a charming town where real estate values fall 18% lower than the median home values in the US. It’s also got lots of doctors, a thriving economy, and healthy fresh air.
Palm Bay: If you’re looking for the good life, look no further than southeast of Orlando. With a median price of 178,000, 29% below the US median, and cost of living 3% lower than the national average, Palm Bay is the place where the weather is sunny, the nature trails are stunning, and the golf courses are always greener.
Moving to Florida: Establishing Residency
Once you’ve chosen to make your Florida your state of residence, the next step is to make it official. Here are some of the logistics involved in becoming a legal Florida resident.
Declaration of Domicile
Not mandatory, but recommended, this document states that you are planning on moving to Florida and intend to comply with the requirements of the residents of the state.
Driver’s License and Vehicle Registration
A visit to the DMV is a rite of passage for anyone moving to another state. Once you get to Florida, you must update your vehicle registration and driver’s license.
Setting Up A Bank Account
To roll like a celebrity in Florida, having access to your bank account is a must. If your current bank doesn’t have branches in the city you have chosen to move to, you may want to consider switching banks.
Finding A Moving Company
If Florida is in your future, then there’s no time like the present to get yourself there. That means finding yourself a moving company toot sweet. But not so toot and sweet that you’ll make a hasty decision about the company you choose.
At Moving Squad, we’ve seen a lot of bad moves happen to a lot of good people. Most of those moves can be avoided by hiring the right moving company. As South Florida’s most trusted moving company, we encourage our customers to plan for their moves carefully.
A Reliable Professional Moving Company
One of the things that you want to do to make sure your moving company is going to do right by you, is making sure that they’re licensed, insured, and that they know what they’re doing. At Moving Squad, our licensed, insured movers have over fifty years of experience smoothly moving clients in and around the South Florida area. Our customers can attest to our high quality of end to end service. (Check out our customer reviews here!)
Free Rate Quotes
A hastily planned move can mean a hastily signed contract. When companies add services that were never part of your original package, customers who don’t take the time to read the fine print can find themselves at a costly disadvantage.
At Moving Squad, we think there’s nothing fine about ‘the fine print.’ That’s why we go to great lengths to ensure our clients never have to worry about it showing up in their contracts. With our free rate quotes, you get a breakdown of your expenses and time to think your decision through. Here’s how they work:
- You tell us your budget.
- We’ll customize a plan based on your moving needs and estimated expenses.
- We give you a ballpark estimate and time to think it over. (For a more detailed estimate, download our moving app!)
We don’t hide service fees from our customers. You approve of our services before we move your belongings. Let us know your moving needs and budget and we’ll adjust accordingly.
Local Trusted Moving Company in South Florida
And while you’re thinking your decision through, keep in mind that Moving Squad offers end to end service, with a friendly reliable staff that is committed to your move from start to finish. From packing to transport to storage, our team of experts is dedicated to providing professional services throughout the state of Florida.
Check out our patented Express Pack System for moving into homes and condos safely and efficiently while decreasing customer cost!
So whether its retirement, employment, or overall enjoyment that you seek, Florida is well worth checking into! Contact Moving Squad today and request a free rate quote. We’ll get you moving to Florida with no stress for less than the other moving companies.
