{"id":12428,"date":"2024-01-31T14:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T21:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog2.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/?p=12428"},"modified":"2024-06-17T21:18:38","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T04:18:38","slug":"how-to-move-to-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Move to Florida: The Complete Guide (With Checklist)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Craving sandy beaches and endless sunshine? If so, what better place than the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedstatesnow.org\/why-is-florida-called-the-sunshine-state.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Sunshine State<\/a>? When you move to Florida, you&rsquo;ll get all of those things (and more).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&rsquo;ve heard there&rsquo;s no state income tax. You know about the picturesque <a href=\"https:\/\/www.55places.com\/florida\" target=\"_blank\">retirement communities<\/a>. <em>But what else should you know about moving to Florida?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this checklist, we&rsquo;ll run through everything you need to know for moving to Florida, including suggestions on cities, neighborhoods, and things to do.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"things-to-consider-before-moving-to-florida\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Things to Consider Before Moving to Florida<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you pack up your bags for your move to Florida, it&rsquo;s important to have a complete view of the state, including things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Taxes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cost of Living<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Median Home Value<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Population and Crime Rate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Climate and Weather<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"taxes-in-florida\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Taxes in Florida<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Florida is one of nine states in the US that do not levy a state income tax. This makes it an appealing choice for people seeking to minimize their tax burden. <em>Yes, you read that right, no state income tax!&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This translates to significant savings for residents&ndash;especially for those with retirement benefits, <em>like social security and part-time work income<\/em>, which aren&rsquo;t taxed in Florida, either.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"cost-of-living\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cost of Living<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite their lax tax laws, <strong>Florida&rsquo;s overall cost of living is approximately 3% higher than the national average.<\/strong> This includes costs like housing, groceries, utilities, and other amenities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And don&rsquo;t forget, Florida has a state sales tax rate of 6%, with the average local tax making it around 7.02%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<html><body><div id=\"in_post\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/search\" onclick=\"rudderanalytics.track('press editorial cta button', {location: 'first in post', version: '2.0'}, () =&gt; { console.log('track call'); });\">\r\n  <div class=\"first-in-post-cta\">\r\n    <header>\r\n      <h2 id=\"how-neighbor-is-changing-storage\">How Neighbor is changing storage<\/h2>\r\n    <\/header>\r\n    <section>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.125 9.375C11.0539 9.375 9.375 11.0539 9.375 13.125V46.875C9.375 48.9461 11.0539 50.625 13.125 50.625H46.875C48.9461 50.625 50.625 48.9461 50.625 46.875V13.125C50.625 11.0539 48.9461 9.375 46.875 9.375H13.125ZM28.125 16.875C28.125 15.8395 28.9645 15 30 15C31.0355 15 31.875 15.8395 31.875 16.875V20.625H35.625C36.6605 20.625 37.5 21.4645 37.5 22.5C37.5 23.5355 36.6605 24.375 35.625 24.375H26.25C25.2145 24.375 24.375 25.2145 24.375 26.25C24.375 27.2855 25.2145 28.125 26.25 28.125H33.75C36.8566 28.125 39.375 30.6434 39.375 33.75C39.375 36.8566 36.8566 39.375 33.75 39.375H31.875V43.125C31.875 44.1605 31.0355 45 30 45C28.9645 45 28.125 44.1605 28.125 43.125V39.375H22.5C21.4645 39.375 20.625 38.5355 20.625 37.5C20.625 36.4645 21.4645 35.625 22.5 35.625H33.75C34.7855 35.625 35.625 34.7855 35.625 33.75C35.625 32.7145 34.7855 31.875 33.75 31.875H26.25C23.1434 31.875 20.625 29.3566 20.625 26.25C20.625 23.1434 23.1434 20.625 26.25 20.625H28.125V16.875Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"transparent-monthly-savings\">Transparent monthly savings<\/h3>\r\n        <p>Renters save 30-50% on self storage, on average. No rate hikes.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"61\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 61\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M31.2776 52.4974L31.7666 52.0417C32.0789 51.7503 32.527 51.3317 33.0706 50.8224C34.1576 49.8041 35.6276 48.4224 37.158 46.9698C40.1682 44.1127 43.5576 40.8461 44.596 39.6282C46.7163 37.1414 48.1719 34.1468 48.8127 30.9251C49.5529 27.204 49.173 23.347 47.7211 19.8418C46.2692 16.3366 43.8105 13.3407 40.6559 11.2329C37.5015 9.12514 33.7942 8 30.0001 8C26.2061 8 22.4973 9.12504 19.3428 11.2329C16.1882 13.3407 13.7295 16.3366 12.2776 19.8418C10.8257 23.347 10.4458 27.204 11.186 30.9251C11.8268 34.1468 13.2824 37.1414 15.4027 39.6282C16.4411 40.8462 19.831 44.1128 22.8415 46.9698C24.3721 48.4224 25.8422 49.8042 26.9294 50.8225C27.4731 51.3318 27.9212 51.7504 28.2336 52.0418L28.723 52.4979C29.4428 53.1672 30.5579 53.1668 31.2776 52.4974ZM28.723 52.4979C28.723 52.4979 28.7232 52.498 30.0001 51.125L28.723 52.4979ZM30.0001 51.125L31.2776 52.4974C31.2776 52.4974 31.2771 52.4979 30.0001 51.125ZM30 33.3125C33.6243 33.3125 36.5625 30.3744 36.5625 26.75C36.5625 23.1256 33.6243 20.1875 30 20.1875C26.3756 20.1875 23.4375 23.1256 23.4375 26.75C23.4375 30.3744 26.3756 33.3125 30 33.3125Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"keep-your-items-nearby\">Keep your items nearby<\/h3>\r\n        <p>Hosts in your neighborhood means that your things are always close by.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M30 7.5C25.5499 7.5 21.1998 8.8196 17.4997 11.2919C13.7996 13.7643 10.9157 17.2783 9.21272 21.3896C7.50975 25.501 7.06417 30.025 7.93234 34.3895C8.80051 38.7541 10.9434 42.7632 14.0901 45.9099C17.2368 49.0566 21.2459 51.1995 25.6105 52.0677C29.975 52.9358 34.4991 52.4903 38.6104 50.7873C42.7217 49.0843 46.2357 46.2004 48.7081 42.5003C51.1804 38.8002 52.5 34.4501 52.5 30C52.5 24.0326 50.1295 18.3097 45.9099 14.0901C41.6903 9.87053 35.9674 7.5 30 7.5ZM41.5295 26.7545C42.7193 25.5646 42.7193 23.6354 41.5295 22.4455C40.3396 21.2556 38.4104 21.2556 37.2205 22.4455L26.7061 32.96L22.7795 29.0334C21.5896 27.8435 19.6604 27.8435 18.4705 29.0334C17.2807 30.2232 17.2807 32.1524 18.4705 33.3423L24.5516 39.4234C25.123 39.9948 25.898 40.3158 26.7061 40.3158C27.5142 40.3158 28.2891 39.9948 28.8605 39.4234L41.5295 26.7545Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"storage-made-simple\">Storage made simple<\/h3>\r\n        <p>Don't settle for stone age tech and long contracts. Neighbor makes it easy.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/section>\r\n    <footer>\r\n      <button>Search nearby options <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"25\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 25 24\" fill=\"none\">\r\n          <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11 2.90625C9.4981 2.90625 8.02993 3.35162 6.78114 4.18603C5.53236 5.02044 4.55905 6.20642 3.98429 7.594C3.40954 8.98157 3.25916 10.5084 3.55217 11.9815C3.84517 13.4545 4.56841 14.8076 5.63041 15.8696C6.69242 16.9316 8.04549 17.6548 9.51854 17.9478C10.9916 18.2408 12.5184 18.0905 13.906 17.5157C14.4508 17.29 14.9646 17.0029 15.4382 16.6618L19.5132 20.7368C19.9892 21.2127 20.7608 21.2127 21.2368 20.7368C21.7127 20.2608 21.7127 19.4892 21.2368 19.0132L17.1618 14.9382C17.2137 14.8661 17.2645 14.793 17.314 14.7189C18.1484 13.4701 18.5938 12.0019 18.5938 10.5C18.5938 8.48601 17.7937 6.55451 16.3696 5.13041C14.9455 3.7063 13.014 2.90625 11 2.90625ZM14.7493 14.0398C14.9463 13.8311 15.1264 13.6054 15.2873 13.3647C15.8538 12.5167 16.1562 11.5198 16.1562 10.5C16.1562 9.13248 15.613 7.82096 14.646 6.85398C13.679 5.887 12.3675 5.34375 11 5.34375C9.98019 5.34375 8.98328 5.64616 8.13534 6.21273C7.2874 6.77931 6.62651 7.58461 6.23625 8.52679C5.84599 9.46897 5.74387 10.5057 5.94283 11.5059C6.14178 12.5061 6.63287 13.4249 7.35398 14.146C8.0751 14.8671 8.99385 15.3582 9.99407 15.5572C10.9943 15.7561 12.031 15.654 12.9732 15.2638C13.5557 15.0225 14.086 14.6777 14.5398 14.2493C14.5699 14.2108 14.6028 14.1737 14.6382 14.1382C14.6737 14.1028 14.7108 14.0699 14.7493 14.0398Z\" fill=\"#EFF5F8\"><\/path>\r\n        <\/svg>\r\n      <\/button>\r\n    <\/footer>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\n  <\/div><\/body><\/html><h3 id=\"median-home-value\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Median Home Value<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The average home value in Florida is around $402,000, which is still less than the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/mortgages\/real-estate\/median-home-prices-by-state\/\" target=\"_blank\">average home price<\/a> in the United States.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a few other benefits for Florida homeowners, though:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Property tax exemptions up to $50,000<\/strong>, adding to the savings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hauseit.com\/florida-save-our-homes-property-tax-exemption\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Florida Save Our Homes Act<\/a> caps the annual increase in assessed value of homesteaded property, limiting property tax growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inherited properties are NOT subject to state inheritance tax<\/strong> in Florida<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Renters in Florida will be displeased to know that Florida is ranked 15th for the highest rent in the US, with a two-bedroom apartment averaging <a href=\"https:\/\/rentalrealestate.com\/data\/rent\/florida\/\" target=\"_blank\">about $1,500 per month<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"population-and-crime-rate\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Population and Crime Rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of 2023, Florida had a population of about 21.7 million people, making it the third most populated state only after California and Texas. Florida&rsquo;s population is almost evenly split between male and female, with a bit more women occupying the state. The average age is around 42 while the <a href=\"https:\/\/datausa.io\/profile\/geo\/florida#diversity\" target=\"_blank\">ethnic group<\/a> breakdown looks a little something like this:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>52.6% White non-Hispanic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>15.1% White Hispanic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>15.1% Black or African American non-Hispanic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>10% Multiracial or Hispanic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2.7% Asian<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3% Other<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for crime rate, there isn&rsquo;t accurate crime rate data available for Florida, since a lot of reporting is subjective. In 2022, Statista reported that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/301118\/us-crimes-committed-state\/\" target=\"_blank\">Florida&rsquo;s crime rate<\/a> was around 7.7%, but they note that it&rsquo;s probably not accurate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Realistically, large cities like Miami and Orlando have higher crime rates than smaller cities or villages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"climate-and-weather\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Climate and Weather<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Florida&rsquo;s climate is predominantly subtropical, with mild winters and hot, sunny summers. However, regions in the far south, like Miami, enjoy a tropical climate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Florida residents can enjoy high sun exposure throughout the year, temperature highs (coupled with high humidity levels) can border on the uncomfortable&ndash;especially during the summer months when temperatures can reach around 37\/38 &deg;C (99\/100 &deg;F).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hurrican season is another important aspect of the state&rsquo;s climate to consider before moving to Florida. Typically, hurricane season will persist from from <strong>June to November<\/strong>. With a little preparation, you can confidently face Florida&rsquo;s weather patterns and fully enjoy the sunny climate. You can even purchase a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/florida\/2023\/11\/05\/some-florida-houses-are-being-built-survive-hurricanes-cut-emissions\/\" target=\"_blank\">hurricane-proof home<\/a>, built to withstand the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stateofflorida.com\/articles\/hurricane-preparedness-guide\/#:~:text=Tropical%20Storms%20vary%20in%20wind,winds%2C%20storm%20surge%20and%20flooding.\" target=\"_blank\">74 mph+ winds<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"your-checklist-for-moving-to-florida\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Checklist for Moving to Florida<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&rsquo;ve made up your mind that the Sunshine State is for you, it&rsquo;s time to start putting into action all the plans you&rsquo;ve been thinking about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep this checklist handy, as it will guide you on your journey to Florida.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"choosing-the-right-city\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Choosing the Right City<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the <strong>North,<\/strong> Pensacola and Tallahassee are two major metropolitan areas. As for <strong>Central Florida<\/strong>, the most popular cities include Tampa and Orlando. In the <strong>South<\/strong>, you have Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and a plethora of other coastal cities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>population density in Florida varies drastically, depending on where you&rsquo;re located. <\/strong>Places like Miami have around 5,000 people per square mile, while areas in Northern Florida have anywhere from 10 to 100 people per square mile. Consider this if you&rsquo;re looking for a laid-back retirement location, or a bustling city.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choosing a city in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-a-new-state\/\">a new state<\/a> can be tough, so make sure to plan carefully. It would probably be helpful to take a trip to Florida and visit some of your top choices. And while you&rsquo;re there, talk to people! The residents are your greatest resources for information about climate, politics, work, or the overall energy of the city.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img  decoding=\"async\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"\"  class=\" pk-lazyload\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/worth-ave-palm-beach-royalty-free-image-848735476-1555165297.jpg\" ><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Image courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.townandcountrymag.com\/leisure\/travel-guide\/advice\/a9202\/palm-beach-florida-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">Town &amp; Country Magazine<\/a> <\/strong>(City Pictured Above: <strong>Palm Beach, Florida<\/strong>) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"choosing-the-right-neighborhood\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Choosing the Right Neighborhood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you narrow down potential cities, it&rsquo;s important to research different neighborhoods. Some areas adjacent to cities may offer more affordable and safer environments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&rsquo;re looking at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/best-neighborhoods-in-miami\/\">places near Miami Beach<\/a>, quiet neighborhoods like Coconut Grove and Coral Gables are good choices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If central Florida is more your speed, neighborhoods around Orlando, like <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitflorida.com\/places-to-go\/central\/altamonte-springs\/\" target=\"_blank\">Altamonte Springs<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.myheathrowflorida.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Heathrow<\/a>, are great places to raise a family <\/strong>and meet new people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And for artsy, city living, there are some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/best-neighborhoods-in-tampa\/\">nice places in Tampa<\/a>, like Seminole Heights or the Channel District.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"navigating-the-real-estate-market\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Navigating the Real Estate Market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Collaborating with a real estate agent can streamline your home-buying or renting process in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.noradarealestate.com\/blog\/florida-housing-market\" target=\"_blank\">Florida housing market.<\/a> A knowledgeable local agent can offer valuable insights and answers tailored to your preferences, ensuring you find the perfect spot to call home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond just providing information, real estate agents have access to an extensive variety of properties, including exclusive listings that may not be publicly advertised. Plus, they&rsquo;re skilled in the negotiation process, potentially saving you considerable amounts of money during the transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"when-to-buy-a-house-in-florida\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Buy a House in Florida<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fall and winter in Florida<\/strong> are generally the best times for buyers to find lower prices and face less competition. More specifically, the best months to make a home purchase in Florida are November, April, and August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"finding-employment-in-the-sunshine-state\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding Employment in the Sunshine State<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tourism and hospitality, real estate and development, and defense and homeland security are major contributors to Florida&rsquo;s economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those job hunting before the big move, online job boards such as LinkedIn and Indeed are valuable resources. With a median household income of $61,777, Florida offers a standard of living that competes with many other states. The unemployment rate is around 3%, but a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/moving-for-seniors-the-ultimate-guide-to-planning-a-move\/\">the population is retired<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the metropolitan areas, don&rsquo;t overlook Florida&rsquo;s agricultural industry. Producing over 80% of America&rsquo;s citrus fruits, this industry offers a wealth of employment opportunities for those interested in working in rural areas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"finding-schools\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding Schools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/moving-kids-15-tips-smooth-move\/\">Moving with kids<\/a> can be challenging, but thankfully, Florida offers several schooling options, including public, private, and charter schools. This diversity allows you to choose the best educational pathway for your child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To identify the best school districts in Florida, you can use online resources like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatschools.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">GreatSchools<\/a> for ratings and comparisons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have college-age children or are looking at higher education yourself, Florida is home to many great schools, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fsu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">Florida State University<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ufl.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">University of Florida,<\/a> the <a href=\"https:\/\/welcome.miami.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">University of Miami,<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usf.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">University of South Florida<\/a> in Tampa Bay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"transferring-legal-documents\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transferring Legal Documents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&rsquo;ve moved and the dust has settled, you&rsquo;ll have to go about transferring your legal and identification documents, such as your photo ID, driver&rsquo;s license, and vehicle registration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&rsquo;re considered a Florida resident for driver&rsquo;s licensing purposes if you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>are employed in Florida<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>are enrolling children in public schools<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>are registering to vote<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>are filing for homestead exemption<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>have resided in Florida for more than six consecutive months<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To exchange your out-of-state license for a Florida driver&rsquo;s license, you will need to pass a vision test and provide proof of identity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Vehicle registration in Florida must also be completed within 10 days of establishing residency. <\/strong>This process involves proving your identity, acquiring Florida motor insurance, providing the original title, and getting your vehicle inspected.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get more information about where and how to visit a DMV in Florida, check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmvflorida.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Florida Department of Motor Vehicles<\/a> website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"leisure-and-entertainment-in-the-sunshine-state\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Leisure and Entertainment in the Sunshine State<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Florida is more than just a place to live; it&rsquo;s a fun-filled playground boasting globally celebrated theme parks like Walt Disney World, Sea World, and Universal Studios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For beach lovers, North Florida is a paradise. You&rsquo;ll find tranquil atmospheres for romantic getaways and a variety of water sports like surfing, swimming, and boating. Plus, Florida is home to many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.top100golfcourses.com\/golf-courses\/north-america\/usa\/florida\" target=\"_blank\">prestigious golf courses<\/a>, like <a href=\"https:\/\/tpc.com\/sawgrass\/\" target=\"_blank\">TPC Sawgrass.<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a taste of adventure on the East Coast, cities like Miami serve as a gateway to the &lsquo;Cruise Capital of the World,&rsquo; with easy access to the Caribbean, Mexico&rsquo;s Yucatan peninsula, and the Florida Keys, including Key West. If you prefer to stay on land, Florida&rsquo;s ecotourism initiatives offer experiences like kayaking in mangroves and bird-watching tours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img  decoding=\"async\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"\"  class=\" pk-lazyload\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/images.floridagolfer.com\/courselarge\/TPCSawgrass-1.jpg\" ><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Image courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.floridagolfer.com\/golfcourses\/tpc-sawgrass\" target=\"_blank\">Florida Golf<\/a> <\/strong>(Course pictured above: <strong>TPC Sawgrass<\/strong>) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"moving-is-the-perfect-time-to-downsize\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Moving is the Perfect Time to Downsize<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many people&ndash;retirees, young professionals, or families&ndash; moving to Florida can involve a bit of downsizing. Due to the higher-than-average rent, finding a suitable home might require some additional storage space for your belongings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thankfully, you have a plethora of options for storing your keepsakes when you move. One of the best options is to find a safe, local storage partner on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/self-storage-near-me\">Neighbor.com platform<\/a>. Their peer-to-peer storage marketplace thoroughly vets Floridian hosts with extra space, so you can rest assured your belongings will stay safe at a budget-friendly storage unit. For example, if you&rsquo;re moving to the Fort Lauderdale area, check out these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/best-self-storage-in-fort-lauderdale-florida\/\">top-rated self-storage options.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Craving sandy beaches and endless sunshine? If so, what better place than the Sunshine State? When you move&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":12429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_appearance_grid":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-moving","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Move to Florida: The Complete Guide (With Checklist)\u00a0 - Neighbor Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Before you pack up your bags for your move to Florida, consider the climate, total population, taxes, cost of living, &amp; median home value.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Move to Florida: The Complete Guide (With Checklist)\u00a0 - Neighbor Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Before you pack up your bags for your move to Florida, consider the climate, total population, taxes, cost of living, &amp; median home value.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Neighbor Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-01-31T21:45:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-06-18T04:18:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Moving-to-florida-featured-image.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Isaac Payne\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Isaac Payne\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/\",\"name\":\"How to Move to Florida: The Complete Guide (With Checklist)\u00a0 - Neighbor Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-31T21:45:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-06-18T04:18:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8dae4a492280110e57eeae8f046116d2\"},\"description\":\"Before you pack up your bags for your move to Florida, consider the climate, total population, taxes, cost of living, & median home value.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-move-to-florida\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Move to Florida: The Complete Guide (With Checklist)\u00a0\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/\",\"name\":\"Neighbor Blog\",\"description\":\"Official Blog of Neighbor.com\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8dae4a492280110e57eeae8f046116d2\",\"name\":\"Isaac Payne\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/cropped-Freelance-Editor-Headshot-Isaac-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/cropped-Freelance-Editor-Headshot-Isaac-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Isaac Payne\"},\"description\":\"Isaac has four years of experience writing and editing content in a wide range of niches, including survival gear, gardening, gambling, winemaking, science fiction, and many more. 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