A better life?

[tiger23]

Here's my story:

I'm 24 with a computer graphics degree, 3 years working experience in a Hollywood studio. I'm done with the madness and crazy/expensive California Lifestyle. I'm still relatively young but I know I will not have a chance to afford a home in Southern California close to work, and I don't want to spend my life in my car or at my desk. Everything is way over priced, over populated and over crowded. There is no parking, no short lines and no affordable housing in the city. It's amazing people are still moving here. Many of us out here work like dogs and are so involved in our professional lives we forget about what's really important. I don't want to end up a materialistic, shallow person, like most of my co-workers....That's just not me.

Am I crazy for moving to Jacksonville? I've been reading ALOT of posts on Florida and I picked Jax over Orlando, Tampa and Miami. (I'll be moving in less than 1 year - not sure where in Jax exactly) I have alot of money saved up and I live well below my means. I have a car (all paid for) No girlfriend, no wife, no kids, no debt. All I want to do is find a good job, play golf and enjoy a simple life. Which is why Jacksonville is at the top of my list.

What is the job market like in Jax?

Do I just move out there and look? or secure a job then move?

I have no idea where to begin looking...

What do you guys think.

[Jmac823200]

Come on out to Duval County (Jacksonville). I know you won't have a problem finding a job out here . The job market in Florida tops the list for most of the country and Jacksonville tops the list for most of the state. I believe you can go either way as far as moving is concered. The price of living is not very high here so the money you've saved will last a while. If it were me I think I'd have my ducks in a row before I moved (get a job first then move). I'm currently a student in Atlanta but I plan to move back in 5 years to start my own business.

[bobliocatt]

I was in a similar position about 18 months ago, when I chose to relocate from Lakeland, FL (midway between Tampa/Orlando) to Jacksonville. I'd suggest you start looking and lock down a job first, for several reasons. One being, your new employer will most likely help you with your relocating expenses (Apt. deposit, moving company, etc.).

[crazy cuban]

well, it seems that you can get on I-10 in Santa Monica and drive 4-5 days until it ends here in J-ville. yeah, find a job first and then come do an exploratory trip to find the area of town that you would like to live in, although i warn you>>> you going to be driving but as about as much as you would in LA. SUggestions: San Marco; Riverside: and Avondale. anyways, good luck and welcome to "where Florida Begins?"

[RiversideGator]

Cuban: While Jacksonville is a car oriented city (like other cities in FL and the South), it doesnt have nearly the traffic that LA has. I once drove across LA county, through traffic, in 5 hours (less time than it took me to fly back to Jacksonville). LA is the capital of traffic.

Tiger: If you get a job in downtown Jacksonville and live in the historic districts around downtown (like Riverside, Avondale, San Marco, Springfield, etc), you can be at work in 5 minutes. By the way, there are a lot of what I like to call "California refugees" in Jacksonville. We also just had Fidelity National Financial, a Fortune 500 company, move here from Santa Barbara not too long ago. Anyway, come on over. I think you'll like it here.

[crazy cuban]

Cuban:  While Jacksonville is a car oriented city (like other cities in FL and the South), it doesnt have nearly the traffic that LA has.  I once drove across LA county, through traffic, in 5 hours (less time than it took me to fly back to Jacksonville).  LA is the capital of traffic. 

Tiger:  If you get a job in downtown Jacksonville and live in the historic districts around downtown (like Riverside, Avondale, San Marco, Springfield, etc), you can be at work in 5 minutes.  By the way, there are a lot of what I like to call "California refugees" in Jacksonville.  We also just had Fidelity National Financial, a Fortune 500 company, move here from Santa Barbara not too long ago.  Anyway, come on over.  I think you'll like it here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, but i miss the days in NYC where i just had to catch the subway and didn't have to worry about parking, the other guy on the road and insurance. (then again there was the chance of getting mugged and riding the train at 5pm with about 50,000 nyc residents at the sametime) so maybe i am full of it??? thing is that Tiger23 mentioned spending his life in a car, which is many a j-villian's life as well....

[richjagr]

yeah, but i miss the days in NYC where i just had to catch the subway and didn't have to worry about parking, the other guy on the road and insurance.  (then again there was the chance of getting mugged and riding the train at 5pm with about 50,000 nyc residents at the sametime)  so maybe i am full of it???  thing is that Tiger23 mentioned spending his life in a car, which is many a j-villian's life as well....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may want to try Steel Beach Productions here as a prospective employer. they are near Phillips and Southside. There are other entertainment/graphics employers in places you would not expect. As an example I work for a large company out of Seattle here in their training department, but do eLearning with a heavy graphics and audio video component.

[120North]

Traffic is bad, but not nearly as bad as LA. On a good day I get to Northern St. Johns County (CR 210) from work in about 17 minutes. On a bad day it takes 25 minutes. Traffic is the least of your worries.

Like the others suggested, find a job first. Then look for a place to live that is reasonably close to where you are going to work. If you find a place to work downtown, then you can live just about anywhere and have a relatively reasonable commute.

If you really like playing golf, there is no way that you can beat Jacksonville. With the number of superb public, and semi private courses here you could play golf at a different course every day for about a month without playing the same course twice. You could go even longer if you include Palm Coast and Amelia and points northward.

As a life long resident (32 years at last count), you will have a hard time finiding a more friendly place to live. We're not much on 'culture' but we are getting there.

[Captain Obvious]

Sounds like Jacksonville is a good fit for you.

While I agree that Jax traffic is nothing compared to California, there are still areas of town with annoying traffic patterns. I would strongly encourage you to avoid Clay or St. Johns counties, as well as the "Atlantic/Beach/JTB" area of the Southside, if you want to avoid traffic. Even in these areas traffic won't dominate your life, but there will some traffic problems. If you can find a job downtown, you should look for a place in Riverside, San Marco, or Springfield. Housing prices can be steeper there, but nothing compared to California prices.

However, about the jobs. Jacksonville has plenty of jobs, and our employment rate is always higher than the national average. But jobs pay less here. Jax's per capita income is only $30k, compared to $36k nationally.