Relocating from New York to Florida?

[CARMELHILL]

This is off topic from CA, but I couldn't find the chat room portion of the site. Maybe it was removed...

 

I am licensed in NY, NJ, CT, and now Florida but all my work is in NY, specifically Long Island. 90% residential and 10% commercial. It took 5 years to get going on my own and been going strong since 2001. The crash of 2009 was tough but I got through it. Every winter I get the itch to open an office in Florida. Long Island is mostly renovations with the odd new house on the eastern tip in the Hamptons. I despise the my busy season coincides with summer. Every May and June people suddenly realize they want a building permit in 3 weeks to start a project. Good luck with that.

 

Does anyone on the list have any advice about a move south? Am I dreaming? I have 2 six year olds, so I still want to be self employed so I can make my own hours and enjoy watching my family grow up. Working in a office tower in Tampa would NOT be an upgrade in my life. My wife might pick up a small part time job to help out.

 

Are wages extremely lower than New York? Is the cost of living proportionately lower? I know there is no state income tax but you still have fed tax and flood insurance.

 

I am also considering commuting back an forth between NY and a condo in Florida to get things rolling.

 

So fill me in. 

 

I'm centering my search on the Tampa, Lido Key, Bradenton area and wouldn't mind a mentor from a neighboring area (love the Jupiter Beach area), even if it means signing a non-compete advisory contract.

[Richard_Morrison]

Why don't you open a "satellite office" in Tampa, sharing space with someone you trust? They might well welcome some additional rent from someone who is hardly ever there, and you could sub out tasks like field measuring. With technology you don't need to be there physically, and you certainly don't need to be actually living there in a condo just to see how it goes. 

[johnny]

For what its worth i've done a fair bit of work in FL and I am in WA state.  All those clients sought me out via internet and one client even showed up at my door (personal home).  I'm not lic in Fl but work with a local PE who does all the structural.  I think Richard has a point where you can ease into the market.

[lbuttery]

I was just a designer and worked in the DC Metro area

 

my partner lived in NY south of Buffalo

 

via the internet we shared the projects and did projects world-wide

using GoToMeeting at first then Mikogo (preference is GTM)

 

welcome to the 21st century

 

Lew

[lbuttery]

BTW: chat room is still there but you have to be logged in

 

Lew

[CARMELHILL]

Thanks guys for the input. 

 

I do like that idea. I know when some people own a business, they fantasize about selling it some day so they can retire. But that's really for a bricks and mortar retail type business. As architects, the real value is in our relationships and our rolodex (dam, cell phone).

 

I was thinking of two avenues. Reaching out to a local retired architect that wouldn't mind doing some consulting, just to keep themselves preoccupied or find someone that was on cusp of retiring that wouldn't mind easing me into their area, again for a consulting fee.

 

I'm headed down on Wednesday so I'll feel things out.