AboutDavid Somerfleck Expertise I can answer just about every question about West Palm Beach, FL and it`s surrounding areas, having lived here for several years now. I`m intimately familiar with its business climate, weather, housing, employment issues, and most else.
Experience I have experience as a journalist, editor, and teacher.
Expert: David Somerfleck Date: 8/2/2006 Subject: Planning to move to West Palm Beach
Question My daughter, my husband and i are planning to move to WPB, I personally have never been to Florida but my husband want to move over there. I wanted to know is it safe in West Palm Beach area? Is there work out there also? As in "safe" I mean would my house come tumbling down on me due to a hurricane if i move to that area?
Answer Since you asked for my opinion, I have to tell you what I think. My wife and I have just relocated from West Palm Beach, Florida to Denver, CO.
We moved for several reasons: One of those reasons is the fact that West Palm Beach, FL is a service-sector economy. This means that the vast majority of jobs are service-industry; such as electrician, plumber, and other related trades. Pay wages are also lower in West Palm Beach than in most other places in which myself or my wife have lived. This pay deficit is largely due to the influx of easily-accessable "cheap" labor stemming from the heavy population of immigrants and retirees many of whom will work for whatever they can get. Also, Florida is a "right to work" state, which means that unions are nonexistent there.
My wife and I are in our early 40s and left West Palm Beach seeking a better life and the possibility of a future. If you and your family are already financially stable and prepared for retirement, you'll probably enjoy yourself. If you need to continue to work in order to build your income, you'll notice a considerable drop in wages, again, unless it's a service-industry occupation.
The average home cost is around $300 grand, for a fairly decent home in a decent neighborhood. If you wound wish to live in a better neighborhood with many amenities, you'll pay more. A huge housing complex is presently under construction in Boynton Beach, FL, on Congress Avenue. This area is part of West Palm Beach, as is Lake Worth.
If you want to compare crime statistics, I'd check out this website:
As for hurricanes, whether you believe in global warming or not, there is no denial by experts that Florida is presently in a 20-30 year cycle of hurricanes at this time. Watch the news, as tropical storm Chris may be slamming FLorida any day now. We experiences several hurricanes while living in West Palm Beach and did not enjoy the feeling of powerlessness that comes with getting struck in one. Power was out for days and temperatures soared, along with very intense humidity and no running water or food or phone supplies for quite some time. Something to consider. You can literally lose everything you own in one hurricane.
If you are wealthy enough to afford a nice, new home in a nice area and afford the home insurance rates and not having to look for work (unless you seek service industry work) than you may enjoy it. Otherwise, I'd strongly advise reading palmbeachpost.com daily, reviewing their "housing crunch" blog and sections and visiting the different areas before committing to a lifestyle change.
