Best lifestyle: S.FL or S. CA? (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: incomes, zoning)

[urbandeco]

I live in So. Fl and have traveled to So Cal many times. It really depends on your likes. Both places can really great or suck. Florida does have nice swimmable-clean beaches. If you don't go in the ocean then that really is meaningless. California coastal scenery is very beautiful. How about weather? Do you like hot-sticky summers? Florida winters are gorgeous. I personally do not like Miami-Dade county but there are many nice areas. Boca Raton in southern Palm Beach County (50 mins north from Miami) is a nice, safe, upscale community. The downtown area is booming and it is a cosmopolitan place. East Boca is where you want to live if you wanted the 30-40 something, yuppyish crowd. West Boca is nice but more family oriented. Southern Calif is probably a more young region than South Florida, although that is changing.

[leavingvegas]

Originally Posted by urbandeco

I live in So. Fl and have traveled to So Cal many times. It really depends on your likes. Both places can really great or suck. Florida does have nice swimmable-clean beaches. If you don't go in the ocean then that really is meaningless. California coastal scenery is very beautiful. How about weather? Do you like hot-sticky summers? Florida winters are gorgeous. I personally do not like Miami-Dade county but there are many nice areas. Boca Raton in southern Palm Beach County (50 mins north from Miami) is a nice, safe, upscale community. The downtown area is booming and it is a cosmopolitan place. East Boca is where you want to live if you wanted the 30-40 something, yuppyish crowd. West Boca is nice but more family oriented. Southern Calif is probably a more young region than South Florida, although that is changing.

I have been told that area is nice. Also, I was told Weston and Parkland are nice areas..

[stevelb]

[quote=leavingvegas;1029116]

Originally Posted by stevelb

I've been reading where people are spending 50% of their income just on mortgage payments in Orange County. Even though, for awhile, I'm going to rent until I get acquainted with the area. Where does Orange County start and end?

Orange County lies between LA County to the north and San Diego County to the south. Yes, it's an understatement to say that there are some affordability problems throughout the State of California with respect to housing. But a lot of it is media hype. The population of California is of course greater than many foreign countries and the vast majority of the people are already settled and not really affected by this problem.

California is an expensive place to live - period. Far more than Florida. Which one is more within your means?

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

I have been told that area is nice. Also, I was told Weston and Parkland are nice areas..

Personally, I would say go for Parkland. It's close to booming Boca Raton, but it is sort of the setup you mentioned in previous posts, is surrounded by nothing but upscale areas, has leave-your-doors-unlocked type of safety, and is green and peaceful with tons of pine trees. Weston is nice/ upscale, but its a little too yawn and probably too far west for you. Oh, and Parkland is not too far from the beach . Plus, you can be within 40 minutes to Miami and 20 to Fort Lauderdale when you want to advance even more in your cultural options. Heck, even Coral Springs has a center for the performing arts and nice dining.

Orange County could be considered more advanced( and perhaps, picturesque, you do have the moutains there), but you are going to get much more bang for your buck here, and (at least in my limited experience there) Far less superficial people.

[leavingvegas]

[quote=stevelb;1029218]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

Orange County lies between LA County to the north and San Diego County to the south. Yes, it's an understatement to say that there are some affordability problems throughout the State of California with respect to housing. But a lot of it is media hype. The population of California is of course greater than many foreign countries and the vast majority of the people are already settled and not really affected by this problem.

California is an expensive place to live - period. Far more than Florida. Which one is more within your means?

If I'm not mistaken OC is from Seal Beach to San Clemente??

[leavingvegas]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

Personally, I would say go for Parkland. It's close to booming Boca Raton, but it is sort of the setup you mentioned in previous posts, is surrounded by nothing but upscale areas, has leave-your-doors-unlocked type of safety, and is green and peaceful with tons of pine trees. Weston is nice/ upscale, but its a little too yawn and probably too far west for you. Oh, and Parkland is not too far from the beach . Plus, you can be within 40 minutes to Miami and 20 to Fort Lauderdale when you want to advance even more in your cultural options. Heck, even Coral Springs has a center for the performing arts and nice dining.

Orange County could be considered more advanced( and perhaps, picturesque, you do have the moutains there), but you are going to get much more bang for your buck here, and (at least in my limited experience there) Far less superficial people.

Excellent, it looks like it's either La Jolla, CA or Parkland, FL!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

Excellent, it looks like it's either La Jolla, CA or Parkland, FL!

La Jolla is ON the ocean, and Parkland is an upscale community that is a few miles from the shore. Worth factoring in to your decision..

La Jolla is in San Diego, if I am not mistaken, correct?

[leavingvegas]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

La Jolla is ON the ocean, and Parkland is an upscale community that is a few miles from the shore. Worth factoring in to your decision..

La Jolla is in San Diego, if I am not mistaken, correct?

That is correct, Lajolla is on the water but I may have to live more inland due to cost of housing but it's absolutely beautiful. Plus, it's about 15/20 mins to San Diego.

I'm o.k with Parkland being inland, as long as it doesn't get alot hotter, and easy access to the beach.

[stevelb]

La Jolla is in San Diego, if I am not mistaken, correct?[/quote]

You are indeed correct. Very very expensive. Way above Parkland. If Leaving Las Vegas can afford La Jolla, then he can probably afford Palm Beach.

Actually, he said that he was going to rent first, so I really don't think that either La Jolla or Parkland are going to fulfill his needs.

He has got to make up his mind in general about South Florida or Southern California and then rent and explore the area. Since he now lives in Vegas, California is closer and most likely the more feasible place for him to begin. Enough said!!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by stevelb

La Jolla is in San Diego, if I am not mistaken, correct?

You are indeed correct. Very very expensive. Way above Parkland. If Leaving Las Vegas can afford La Jolla, then he can probably afford Palm Beach.

Actually, he said that he was going to rent first, so I really don't think that either La Jolla or Parkland are going to fulfill his needs.

He has got to make up his mind in general about South Florida or Southern California and then rent and explore the area. Since he now lives in Vegas, California is closer and most likely the more feasible place for him to begin. Enough said!!

Very true.It would not be good if he drags his stuff all the way out here and he doesn't like it!Attainable rent for a nice place is possible in Coral Springs (Too family-ish for him) or Boca Raton (he could fall in love with it), but not Parkland itself. It's mostly single family homes, unless he wanted to rent a home.

The median home price in Parkland was 590k, though. Not exactly low. Pretty close to Cali. prices, actually. But then again, Parkland is made up almost exclusively of upscale homes and median incomes are in the six figures.