Yeah, I get the virtual part of this. I lived in a great neighborhood in Palm Beach County. At the boom peak in 2005, lots sold for 900k. These were 85 x 100' lots, deep water access, 10 minutes by boat to a divable reef. Right off the ICW. Unfortunately, it was not a gated community.
So, we had the occasional shooting, knife point holdup (right next door to me); old couple tied up in their DR chairs, I'm working in my boat 50 yards away, DEA raid (same house, different owner); 5 black SUV's show up one day, car jacking bailout/lockdown situation, and one firebombing. This was a small neighborhood of 3 dead end streets of about 20 homes each. I did love it there. So, I find myself selling the house, and I'm in my office in NY. I get a call from the realtor. There is a bullet hole in my roof. Huh?? Yes, it was a "celebration" bullet, most likely from July 4, one city over. Bullet goes up, comes down on my daughters bedroom roof. Makes a roof leak. One nite I had a drunk stranger show up in my driveway, horn blaring, looking for his GF. Cop shows up 30 minutes later, guy long gone. I lived there so long, I thought this stuff was normal.
I've seen stop sticks deployed, and lots of police chases. I've been held at gunpoint by the cops at my place of business (long story). I tell these tales at my current workplace and I'm not sure they comprehend this. My wife's last day in SF, and she meets her sister in downtown Delray. The good area. East Atlantic Ave. They had to walk around a body in the street outside of the cafe. A MVA victim. It goes on and on. My very last Miami business trip and I see 3 boys/men in the median of a busy E-W street handcuffed. I travel a lot. I don't see this in Toronto, NYC, Austin, etc.
When I started my job up here, I asked people where all the cops were, really! It was a full month before I saw a traffic stop.
Just know what you are getting into. It all has its price. And, guess what; I'm headed back. Not quite so far south though. So, I'm definately not anti-FL.