Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes fame had a sarcastic wit I loved. It wasn’t his sarcasm that captivated me as much as his introspective questioning of viewpoints we take as gospel. However, it wasn’t until CNN Money’s most recent article on “Best Places to Live” that I thought of Mr. Rooney’s profound insight that got me to thinking, “If Punta Gorda/ Port Charlotte Florida were voted before as one of the best places to live, how come we didn’t even make the list of top 100 this year?”
Florida always seemed to have a couple of areas in the top 10 but this year Weston, FL came in at #63 and Coral Springs came in at #94. More interestingly was that no city in Florida cracked the top 50. “Did Florida somehow not qualify this year; last I heard it was still part of the continental U.S.?”
Jobs, healthcare, low crime, education and quality of life were the criteria used in this year’s search, but in the Rooney style, I would have to say, “I didn’t realize jobs and quality of life were the major draws to such states as Minnesota and Michigan whose small cities garnered several of the top spots!” As a Realtor, I have been hearing for the better part of the past five years just the opposite that it was because of the tough job and housing market that many in these two states were leaving to seek a more attractive climate and “quality of lifestyle” that Florida had to offer.
It is hard to imagine the entire state of Florida had its 15 minutes of fame and now slips back to anonymity, or is the author of the CNN poll bias towards the northern states and trying to level the playing field?
I have always said, “If you move to Florida for employment, you may be best served going into business for yourself, unless you are being relocated with a large firm.” As for quality of life, somehow trudging through howling winds and freezing temperatures doesn’t appeal to me as much as year round sun filled skies, sandy beaches and a 10 minute relaxing drive to work…..I think Mr. Rooney would agree!
While most people would like to talk about themselves, Gary and Gail have always put their clients first, and their diverse backgrounds have provided their clients an unparalleled level of service and knowledge throughout the past years.