Employment Growth

[beachmouse]

I laughed at the deep fat fryer remark because it really is the truth in these parts. White collar pay is absolute shyte unless you're in sales and can bring in a decent commission. And competition for those jobs can be pretty tough unless you know the right people. When we moved here, I remember getting an interview for a $22K/year bank job, and being told that I should be happy I got that far in the application process because they got 116 applicants for the posting.

Oddly enough, there are service sector jobs that pay good wages. If you're a good waiter in these parts, and have that pesky health insurance question solved, you can make more money than a schoolteacher with five years experience. The people who have gone into business for themselves as housecleaners can do very, very well.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I interviewed for and was offered a staff physician job with Sacred Heart in Destin. Now, granted I am 'just' a primary care doc and not swimming in the dough like some of my colleauges; I look at the affordability of housing in the area and really am not sure I am willing to make a run at it. Maybe I am missing the housing where middle class folks live in SoWal. While I understand I could move further north and things get cheaper, I hate driving. Now, if I can't afford to live close to Sacred Heart on Hwy 98 on six figures, how in the heck does somebody making 35k or less do it? I am not being negative. I hope to heck somebody can turn me on to a nice place to live that will not sentence me to a long commute :shock:

 

[katie blue]

Paula, you're a brilliant writer. You paint pictures with words and I always look forward to your posts.

 

[Paula]

Katie blue, that feels great to hear that from you because you're actually a real artist!

As for affordable housing, I agree that it's a BIG problem in the area. Wish I had something useful to offer on that discussion, but I feel it's largely true that finding answers to that question is best left to people who are closer to the area, urban planners, economists, and others. Certainly some clever individuals who really want to figure out how to live in SoWal without large salaries will do so (and have been doing so). But, the issue is undoubtedly a bigger planning problem that needs to be solved beyond expecting individuals to figure it out on their own. The only thing I've tried to add to this discussion is a wish that people would be respectful and open-minded in these discussions, especially because we're talking about people's lives here.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

There are plenty of people interested in building affordable housing in Walton County because there is a huge demand for it. However, it is impossible to find affordable land that will make such a project viable. The hoops the county makes you jump through to get projects approved is also a detriment. When profit margins are tight to begin with, 2 years of mortgage interest and taxes while trying to get project approval is a turn off to developers. The County complains about the lack of affordable housing, but they do nothing to help solve the problem.

 

[SHELLY]

I interviewed for and was offered a staff physician job with Sacred Heart in Destin. Now, granted I am 'just' a primary care doc and not swimming in the dough like some of my colleauges; I look at the affordability of housing in the area and really am not sure I am willing to make a run at it. Maybe I am missing the housing where middle class folks live in SoWal. While I understand I could move further north and things get cheaper, I hate driving. Now, if I can't afford to live close to Sacred Heart on Hwy 98 on six figures, how in the heck does somebody making 35k or less do it? I am not being negative. I hope to heck somebody can turn me on to a nice place to live that will not sentence me to a long commute :shock:

I am so sorry to hear about your situation--I wish you luck in finding a place. It grieves me that our hardworking folks are taking a beating.

It really cuts me to the quick when I see "glowing" reports (like the article at the top of this thread) of the loads of jobs available in Florida and unemployment figures that are the "envy of the nation."

What if those folks who've been given the boot from the auto industry decide to flock to the Panhandle to scoop up all these "JOBS." They will find the majority of the "JOBS" pay $8-12 per hour. If a 6-figure doctor can't find something "affordable" what chance does the gal working at the Silversands Factory Outlet have?

While it is true that some of the waiters and bartenders make some pretty decent money during the season--what happens during the other 8 months of the year? Or when a hurricane blows through and closes down the place of business for the season?

I'm spending hours a day researching and reading about the state's and country's economic issues and the picture isn't so rosy--I don't see any answers...first the state and country has to admit there is a problem--and that isn't happening.

Don't give up hope 30A SK...the air is coming out of the real estate whoopee cushion and you may be able to snag yourself something on the downside. Good Luck!

 

[Cork On the Ocean]

I come from a family that worked the grill/deep fryer for at least two generations. Many people don't attach their own self-worth or the worth of others to their jobs and they don't need other people to feel sorry for them. :shock: When my father died (and he worked the grill/deep fryer right up until the day he died), the church was full (so full that not everyone could sit down) because of the respect he earned from the townspeople, customers, and others after serving people for 30 years. I wish they were still around so that after years of working the grill they could sit on the beach with a nice cold drink so that I could say, can I carry your beach chair? Get you another drink? Fold down the sheets for your nap? Get you your pills? When I live well at the beach, or elsewhere, it is in their honor.

Thank you for you heartfelt words Paula. I feel exactly the same. I'm truly sorry about your parents. There's never enough time! I'm so lucky to have mine still. My dad was an upholsterer and worked very hard his whole life. I was the first kid in my family to go to college and I had to work myself through it as a single mom on welfare. My parents only had love to give me but that was plenty. I too am half Italian At that time I was perfectly happy with my 2BR/1B home.

Sometimes people can't see beyong the definition of success that society teaches us. Clearly the streetsweeper may be a more enlightened person than a successful medical professional. It's all in how one measures success and like you, I don't define success by what one's accumulated and have great respect for those who perform humble tasks.

Regarding SoWal wages. When I first came to Sowal, I was a practicing pharmacist. I accepted a position making 50K per year more than I was making in Tampa Bay, presumably because of a greater need for such professionals in this area. I believe that landscapers, cleaning people and other professionals also earn higher wages that in some other parts of the state.

Skunk, not sure what type of housing you need but I'm assuming a single family home with your family. The Mack Bayou area has some nice family homes, very close to sacred heart for less than $400K in nice communities. We are in the process of placing a health trainer and his family in the area whose top price was $350 and there are many nice homes for him to choose from. You just need to know where to look.

Shelly, the employment article was't written by me and just posted for in
formational reasons not to get into a debate or invoke anger or negative passion . I believe that higher employment is a good think.

 

[Paula]

Looks like the discussion is getting back on track! CCK and Cork both have first-hand knowledge of the area and the issues.

As for the affordable housing market/job situation, one way that people solve problems is to look at what strategists call "white space" -- areas that provide opportunities that fall outside the traditional ways of thinking and aren't easily captured by existing data or theories or best practices. Here's a link that loosely describes white white space strategizing in the business world, but it could also be useful in community planning.
http://www.innovation-point.com/marketentry.htm

I like these three questions they posed (again they're business related but may be useful for community planning as well):

1. Where are the most exciting areas for growth, and how should we participate? How can we radically change the rules of competition?

2. How should we leverage our existing core competencies to create new growth opportunities?

3. What kind of technological innovations will enable us to create new markets to drive growth?

These kinds of questions could be adapted for SoWal's (or any community's) situation, even though the goal being pursued would be different.

Many individuals find opportunities (including in housing and jobs) by finding the white space and seeing opportunity where others don't. Fewer communities and businesses do so because it can be harder to do as a group. The situation (opportunities and problems) are even more complex at a group/societal level and human dynamics (such as those we see on this message board) -- even with smart people -- can make it harder to find solutions.

Having listened to these discussions on this board, I have developed even more appreciation for people who do study/work in urban/town/city planning. Tough job. (Isn't this Donna's background?)

PS: Cork, being Italian is fun, isn't it! Everyone has a sweet story or two to tell regardless of their background (thanks for your kind words, by the way) and we'll have to share some of these stories while at the beach and have a few toasts to the people who helped to make our good lives possible! Life is indeed too short to be cranky and cynical. Hope you can help Skunk out!

 

[Cork On the Ocean]

Looks like the discussion is getting back on track! CCK and Cork both have first-hand knowledge of the area and the issues.

As for the affordable housing market/job situation, one way that people solve problems is to look at what strategists call "white space" -- areas that provide opportunities that fall outside the traditional ways of thinking and aren't easily captured by existing data or theories or best practices. Here's a link that loosely describes white white space strategizing in the business world, but it could also be useful in community planning.
http://www.innovation-point.com/marketentry.htm

I like these three questions they posed (again they're business related but may be useful for community planning as well):

1. Where are the most exciting areas for growth, and how should we participate? How can we radically change the rules of competition?

2. How should we leverage our existing core competencies to create new growth opportunities?

3. What kind of technological innovations will enable us to create new markets to drive growth?

These kinds of questions could be adapted for SoWal's (or any community's) situation, even though the goal being pursued would be different.

PS: Cork, being Italian is fun, isn't it! Everyone has a sweet story or two to tell regardless of their background (thanks for your kind words, by the way) and we'll have to share some of these stories while at the beach and have a few toasts to the people who helped to make our good lives possible! Life is indeed too short to be cranky and cynical. Hope you can help Skunk out!

Good Morning,

The questions posed on innovation-point work for life in general. To reach into oneself, embrace creative solutions and then act on those notions will provide answers to most problems. Rigid thinking will never produce results. It's only when we can think from a new perspective that solutions come. Each of us will see different answers to the questions posed above. Some will see no answers.

There is affordable housing for workers in this area. We sold a home less than $250K (maybe in the high hundreds) to a young couple a few months back. Not sure how much exactly but it was very low end in price. It took a while but they were patient and they are so happy to now be in the ranks of owners rather than renters. The area will put appreciation in their pocket and they can now move up in the future. They didn't have that option renting. Your mom and dad of meager means apparently took that risk, saw that oportunity and made sacrifices to provide for you guys.

Many areas in Florida don't have anything under $800K south of the bay. We still do and I don't think it will be too long before that disappears and people will have to move significantly inland to find affordable housing. These are the areas for growth in the Panhandle. Many of them! Some people only see 30A or Destin and at this point have champagne taste with beer budget pocket books. So we can focus on complaining how it's become an area for "them that have" or we can focus our energy on ways to acheive our goals if being on 30A is one of them. If one loves this area, buy in an "undiscovered" area which will have higher appreciation rates over time than those which the masses flock to. With patience, the gap between the areas will lessen.

Regarding leveraging for new opportunities. That's a standard strategy of all successful investors. This point is the sticking point where many fail. It's the point of "action" where risk is required. There are many dreamers but few doers. Many are unwilling to risk anything to grow. (real estate, business, love interests, whatever) I think part of our ability to embrace risk depends on the value we place on what we are risking. As you so poignantly reminded us, I am much less willing to take risk when it comes to those I love because they can never be replaced but stuff can always be replaced so I risk a little more.

I'm certain that the grim reaper will come in to tell us that many risked and now they are in trouble. I believe many blindly went for the "easy buck". They heard the stories of "instant wealth". Their eyes got big and they bought sales pitches, hook, line and sinker. That is blind. Now rather than being flexible and focusing on solutions until the tides change, they are freaking out dumping prime property because they don't know the nature of the market in general and they are too busy focusing on negative predictions of doom and gloom. They should be focusing on ways to sustain but they see real estate investing as short term which it just isn't.

Our confidence in ourself will also affect our ability or willingness to take risk. No one has a bigger problem than a Libra taking action because they can never make up there mind . But I was raised to believe in myself and the power within. I have faith in my ability to create solutions and I don't place undue value on the material.

 

[Paula]

Psssst, Cork, I moved over to the lounge... I'm not supposed to be on this thread anymore. But let me just say "useful information, Cork, especially the part about finding the house for that couple..." (don't tell our friends in the lounge that I came back to this thread)


>>>>>>>>>>>>> lounge