Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 2136596)

Originally Posted by Ken D. (Post 2136844)

Morse has nothing to do with those jobs.

Originally Posted by TrapX (Post 2136836)

Be sure to include all the costs of living here. No state income tax helps, but there is... Monthly amenity fee ($192). A bond payment ($1000-$2000 /yr). Maintenance fee added to tax bill ($600/yr). Monthly costs for things like water and sewer ($125-$200), trash ($30), electricity ($150-$300), natural gas ($40 if available). Homeowner insurance ($1000-$2500), car insurance ($??), and property taxes. Plus health, dental, life, and disability insurance.
Transfer car, license and title ($525). Get estimates from moving companies ($3000-$15000) and decide how much you want to move.
Small houses are less monthly, designer houses are more. But that is a ball park for you.

Originally Posted by GRACEALLEMAN (Post 2136808)

You mentioned that you work for government job...if you are willing to sacrifice your pay and benefits over your health and well-being- there are jobs here in the Villages. The cancer of a GOLDEN HANDCUFFS GOVERNMENT job can be procrastination and lifelong health problems.

Originally Posted by Villagesgal (Post 2136789)

You have to go outside the Villages to local cities and counties, they pay a liveable wage for Florida, $20.00 and considerably more per hour to start depending on the position with many starting at $30.00 , most also offer pensions after 10 years of employment. Go on their websites and look up their openings. We came down in our mid 40s, worked for 16 years outside the Villages in local govt, then retired with 2 more pensions all while enjoying all the Villages has to offer evenings and weekends. Make the move, you won't regret it.
You don't need anywhere near what you are making up north to live well here. Cost of living is much lower and almost everything to do in the Villages is already included in your low monthly amenity fee.

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive (Post 2136829)

Ditto on that.

My wife is Asian (Thai immigrant) and she laughs every time she hears the song-and-dance about discrimination. She has two degrees and during our work lives (we're both retired for some time now) she made substantially more money than I did (funny thing, my "male pride" didn't suffer at all because of that!). She has lived in several countries and visited probably dozens more. In all her time in America she has NEVER voiced the opinion that racism or sexism has been a barrier to her. Quite the contrary: she has seen and experienced real discrimination in action and to this day she marvels at the freedom that Americans (all colors, both genders) enjoy.

Her take on it is simple. If you put out the effort, you gain the reward. Nothing complicated about it.

Originally Posted by TrapX (Post 2136836)

Be sure to include all the costs of living here. No state income tax helps, but there is... Monthly amenity fee ($192). A bond payment ($1000-$2000 /yr). Maintenance fee added to tax bill ($600/yr). Monthly costs for things like water and sewer ($125-$200), trash ($30), electricity ($150-$300), natural gas ($40 if available). Homeowner insurance ($1000-$2500), car insurance ($??), and property taxes. Plus health, dental, life, and disability insurance.
Transfer car, license and title ($525). Get estimates from moving companies ($3000-$15000) and decide how much you want to move.
Small houses are less monthly, designer houses are more. But that is a ball park for you.

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki (Post 2136992)

Compared to the DC Metro area, most of those costs are a bargain.
I would guess, FLA property tax plus these (Monthly amenity fee ($192). A bond payment ($1000-$2000 /yr). Maintenance fee added to tax bill ($600/yr)) are still more than half his current property taxes.d
When we sold our home in PA, those costs plus property taxes were 1/3 of our property taxes and 1/4 of our old house in NJ.

He has all those utility costs in DC.

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages (Post 2137222)

Some of the responses seem to think that the only jobs around here are the ones they interact with - restaurants, rec department, retail, medical.

Wildwood and the neighboring towns also have factories and professional services. For example, in Wildwood there is a pipe manufacturer and a foundry. I think I heard of a boat manufacturer. There is a new industrial park at I-75. You may not want to be on the factory floor, but surely these places also have offices, accountants, HR, risk managers, etc.

You will need to do your own research. And yes, the pay scale here is less than in DC.
Costs are also less.