Should We Move???

How old are your kids? If you are in SoWal all the schools are good.

They are both in elementary school.

South Walton doesn't have school districts.

Hi, I have gone to the SoWal area so many times as a child and I want to live there with my husband and children. Where would you suggest we live that has a good school district, and living conditions. I have been looking online at the different school districts, I just really need some help with this! Moving to this area has always been my dream, and now my family is ready to start a new chapter! Thank you for whoever can help!

I say live your dream. This is not a dress rhearsal. Go for it! Make sure the road goes both ways on your way here and if it does not work out, take the road back.

I say live your dream. This is not a dress rhearsal. Go for it! Make sure the road goes both ways on your way here and if it does not work out, take the road back.

And make sure you have a legit job lined up BEFORE you take the plunge!

I moved to South Walton in 8th grade from a large city and went to school there for two years before leaving for boarding school. The schools have been continuously improving over the years and I would say they are fine. Realize though, that they are very small and if you are coming from a populated area, opportunities will be severely limited. There are definitely good things about having smaller schools, but the lack of opportunities was pretty evident.

I cannot relate to your particular situation since my wife and I are older and retired. We bought a condo down here in 1991, moved down permanently in 2003 and have never regretted it one single day. It is our idea of a retirement dream and it could just as well be yours.

Get jobs first and be aware that living here is very different from vacationing here.

But living here is pretty damn great!

Top SoWal problems:
seaweed
Tilapia masquerading as Grouper
Traffic jams in Seaside
limp Cilantro
$10 cheeseburgers
brown sand and geotubes
rust

Top SoWal problems:
seaweed
Tilapia masquerading as Grouper
Traffic jams in Seaside
limp Cilantro
$10 cheeseburgers
brown sand and geotubes
rust

Right on!!!! I'm sure there are other problems but these are the important ones.

Not to be a buzzkill, but there is a lack of year 'round jobs with benefits, there is a high cost of living/housing,
and I have been hearing some pretty bad things about the local schools lately.

Not to be a buzzkill, but there is a lack of year 'round jobs with benefits, there is a high cost of living/housing,
and I have been hearing some pretty bad things about the local schools lately.

True about jobs - we're such a tourism-based economy good jobs are in short supply. You have a few financial jobs, a few managerial jobs, a few marketing jobs and that's it. We do have quite a few people here that work for military contractors.

As for the public schools, they are quite good and get good grades from the state. Parents generally are happy with the schools. Some have problems at the high school but often it is said because it is too small a town and still a relatively new school.

Get jobs first and be aware that living here is very different from vacationing here.

But living here is pretty damn great!

I agree. Get jobs first.

Good luck achieving your dreams to live in South Walton!

Tilapia masquerading as grouper (perhaps these tilapia can go to the Alys Beach Halloween party dressed as grouper)?!?! More details - even in a pm please - if you have specific information! I love a good grouper sandwich. I have heard that this is happening quite a bit in restaurants nationally (misrepresenting the type of fish on restaurant menus).

Okaloosa schools and South Walton Public schools are really amazing! Best in the state. Okaloosa (Fort Walton/Shalimar) is less picturesque than SoWal, but has more jobs (because of military presence), lower housing prices and is still plenty close to the beach. With the Mid-Bay bridge, Niceville is a reasonable alternative, with great beach access and schools, and is close to Eglin. Freeport is a good South-end option if you're into the semi-rural life. I'd nix Mary Esther west of Hurlburt and Crestview, not because of the schools but because they might not give you the beach lifestyle you're looking for -- lots of traffic and parking-lot scenery.

Wow! Thank you so much for all the information. It really does help a lot. I am looking forward to moving, and embarking on this new chapter in our lives!

I think you should follow your ambition. It would be an amazing experience to move here with your family. If you plan on a larger family, be sure that your husband has a great job with a good salary. I am positive you and your husband will love it here. Even if it seems like 1029 days away. I Bible.

My husband and I moved here almost 8 years ago. We followed our dream earlier than we thought we would. We took a chance, financially, but we were very fortunate in that my husband found a good job doing exactly what he was doing in our previous city. Our children were grown, though, so it was easier to do. I agree with those posters who have said you need to find employment first. You also should have a strong savings in my opinion in the event the job situation doesn't work out permanently. good luck!!

It's been a dream of mine and my husband's for many years. I am convinced it is a wonderful way to raise your family. We opted to buy a smaller home and are getting ready to place it in the vacation rental market, and use it as much as possible. We have three kids, one in middle school, so we continue to hesitate. In my research (which is a lot of question asking, and some research on schools)is the following:

There are no district lines for the schools, you can choose your elementary school. The Seaside Neighborhood School is on a lottery system. The new facility for Emerald Coast Middle just opened, and supposedly has a state of the art science department. I get mixed reviews on SWHS, but understand it is improving all the time, with more AP classes being offered as well as extra-curricular. You can also choose to go to the High School just over in Bay County for more variety in course work and athletics. North West Florida University has a satellite campus adjacent to SWHS, eligible students can attend classes at the college for FREE!! while finishing their degree at the high school.

Eating out is EXPENSIVE... it's not vacation anymore so a $9.00 hot dog doesn't usually cut it. You learn to eat in more.

Things become dramatically different for your family in a good way. The kids don't really have all the extra-curricular things to take up their Saturday's. Instead, you spend them as a family attending local festivals, art shows, and outdoor concerts.

You get LOTS of company for the first few summers.

Can somebody please hand me flip-flops and sunglasses? I'm ready to head down NOW!!!