tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

Hello all,

My wife might be taking a new job down in Boca Raton Florida.

We are both born and raised Texans and have always lived in Texas.

Can you tell me a little about the area.
Where should we live?
How is the Job market (for me)?
How is the car scene?
How about Autocross or track racing events?
What else do I need to know about southern Florida?

I already know its 30% more expensive then Texas, so thats not going to be fun.

THank you

Count of Monte Crlo

iTrader: (2)

Where should we live?
- This I don't know.

How is the Job market (for me)?
- Depends a little on what you do and your profile does not elaborate. Generally, the job market in Florida is not that good and the pay scale is much less when compared to most states.

How is the car scene?
- In Boca, probably a lot of domestic car shows because it is primarily a retiree area.

How about Autocross or track racing events?
- Sebring raceway is about 2 hours and 30 minutes from Boca. Not sure if there is anything closer. Here is a link http://www.sebringraceway.com/ Unrelated, there is something inside the daytona speedway called the turkey rod run and it is quite frankly, badass. Worth the drive from Boca as long as you go on a friday or saturday. http://www.turkeyrun.com/Turkey_Run_Home.html

What else do I need to know about southern Florida?
- People are mostly insane in south florida. Driving is a disaster. I prefer to stay as far away from Miami as possible. Miami is very close to Boca. I actually like Boca (and I am in my 20s) because it is a laid back retiree location, and I do not prefer bustling city life. However, if you are into that sort of thing you will love taking weekend trips down to Miami.

Sorry for the short answers, I am short on time.

2000 TAWS6

iTrader: (1)

Contact a realtor in the area who can educate you about what's what and where. If you don't like what you hear, go to another realtor. A good realtor is an excellent resource when you are going into a new area. They want you to buy and will go out of their way to help.

Florida job market is amongst the worst in the country. Foreclosures are way up the list too.

tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

Thank you guys. That's kinda what I thought about the job market.
We plan to fly in one week this summer and have a realtor take us around.

badformulaLS1

iTrader: (1)

I went to college there for a semester at FAU. Gas is expensive as ***** there. Driving isn't much better than Miami, at least in the part of Boca I lived in. It's a very nice area. Seems like a wealthy area, a lot of retirees like mentioned above. Palm Beach raceway is closer than Sebring and they do a lot of drag strip and road course events but Sebring is great as well of course. I know of one regular car hangout that is in Davie about 30 minutes from FAU in Boca. Besides that there didn't seem to be much of a car scene at all there during the time I lived there.

tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

Thank you for the info.
My wife is going to be a professor at FAU

badformulaLS1

iTrader: (1)

It's a great school. Very nice campus imo. Best of luck to her.

Mike@Diablosport

iTrader: (2)

There are retiree areas in Boca, but the crowd out east is much younger. Im sure you can imagine any campus area is a young crowd.

As to Miami being close to Boca, not so much. Good 45 minute drive down I-95. Boca and Miami are different worlds.

tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

45min is nothing. I'm from Texas, I drive 45min to and from work. I drive an Hour just to got dinner lol.

3 hours to daytona, now that's long.

Mike@Diablosport

iTrader: (2)

I live in Ft. Lauderdale, right between WPB and Miami. Miami is not Ft. Lauderdale. Ft. Lauderdale is not WPB. Just saying, they may as well be different states, they are that different in general, to me

IMO, Boca is much more laid back than anything related to Miami. I don't go south of the Broward/Dade border unless I absolutely have to. Will go to Boca at the drop of a hat

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

3 hr drive to Daytona is nothing,I do the 17 hr drive from Ohio for the Daytona Turkey Rod Run and try to do it yearly. To me,it's the best event,Thursday thru Sunday. At the track,HUGE car corral,Huge swap meet,Huge car show. Cruising the boulevards,Bellaire Plaza gatherings, After hours happenings.

tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

that sounds awesome. I want to go to that lol

BudRacing

iTrader: (3)

I can vouch for and echo the sentiments of this thread. You may end up commuting to Ft. Laudy for work. It seems to be where a majority of the Gringo jobs are in South Florida. I lived in Miami for a year and it was a real trip. The job market there is TERRIBLE, yet everyone seems to have money. I never really got it.

RJDio

I go to Boca once a month to visit a customer (lab equipment). Old people are everywhere, it really is God's waiting room. But hey, there is a Walgreens or CVS on every corner, lots and lots of sports bars and such, some very good restaurants and such. I see alot of very clean cars, from foreign to exotics. But nothing like seeing a 80 year old guy driving a '02 Z28 convertible bone stock and in mint condition lol. I'm in Houston but Honestly I love it there, the warmth, tropical feel, few scattered clouds with a nice little breeze - I'm talking almost year round. I'm not crazy how the way the streets are laid out, like everything is a grid and everything seems the same from block to block, gated community after the other, but I can see how it helps the old people navigate, do their shopping and go straight home. Watch the speeding on the freeways, their highway patrol must have big quotas.

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

Cool man, I think you might like it down here.

I also live in Ft.Lauderdale, and I commute to Boca. It is about a 15-20min ride in mornings with not much traffic....on the way home(depending on time of year) about 30-50 min.

miami, ft.;auderdale,boca, all very different.

Boca, east side, very much young. Delray, just barely north of Boca, also, somewhat young. East side that is. Expense will be higher if you live in Boca, vs living in Delray beach(2 minutes north). You could also go to Deerfeild, which is 3 minutes SOUTH of Boca. Depending on location in ANY of these places, you could either be in the HOOD, ...or paradise.

There is LOTS to do. Especially if you like drinking/bar type places. The beach, thats easy. Head east, stop when you feel water.

Their is very good nightlife, and very good restaurants.

Palm Beach International, is about 1 hour from my home in Ft.lauderdale,...I could probably make it from work(I do) in about 45min or so. Drag race/road race/karting.

Sebring, is about 2.5hours away, very cool track, straight west just about..slightly north. Just got back from their,.awesome.

Homestead speedway,...Is pretty close too...maybe 1.5 hours from boca..

Lots of car meets...lots to do. For the people that say Florida is old,...or lots of retirees, no ****. However,..there is A LOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT of young life here. A lot. If you don't see that, you should probably pull yourself away from the keyboards and out of the sheltered home,..and go out and explore.

Work? I dunno, I never had a problem getting a job but, I am a go getter. I would be surprised if someone with talent can't find a job. I have a lot of shops I deal with.... they're always asking if I know of anyone looking for work. Also, the shops I deal with, all seem pretty stacked with work.

Florida is awesome.

however, lots of bad drivers.

Always something to do,...always something open. Which is one of the things I appreciate about the location.

Anyways, happy moving. It's currently pretty gorgeous outside right now...minus the heat here in Boca.

tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

Thank you all for the great comments.

We are officially coming lol, my wife has accepted the position at FAU.
My work here in Houston is working with me to modify my position to be remote, work from home and travel in every month.

Places I've looked at living, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Coral Springs, and Deerfield.

I have successfully found Pam Beach International so I'm looking forward to heading out to the track there.

I'm not worried about the old people, I'm old at heart. I enjoy telling small children to "Get off my Lawn!" lol

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

Nice.


thought about this thread the other day...which was Saturday night. I ended up meeting my cousin for dinner after the Chevy show at PBIR. We met in Boca, since it was the middle point for him and I.

Point is, we went to dinner at a decently nice place.

BOCA WAS PACKED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE!!!!! PACKED from the corner of PALMETTO PARK ROAD to GLADES of US1 EAST.

Packed. Things changed over the weekend for me as well, looks like I am moving to Boca as well. based on the gorgeous women I saw walking around, I am looking forward to the move.....(not that lauderdale has any shortage lol).

Anyways. just wanted to ADD about what we saw in downtown boca THIS past weekend.

-peace out

BudRacing

iTrader: (3)

I visited Delray recently and liked it a lot. Very laid back beach town with a decent nightlife.

tikiman12

iTrader: (4)

lol sounds great.
I'll definitely hit you up as soon as we move out there in Early August.

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

Cool deal.

Publix recommendation(not for groceries)

US1 JUST north of Glades. College girls.

Everywhere. I know you mentioned you're married....so this is more for the dudes that say BOCA/FLORIDA is for old people.

lol. Anyways give me a shout when your in the area man. Bets wishes on your move.