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Old 05-05-2014, 10:27 AM
 
1 posts, read 2,217 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi,

I am 24 years old and live right outside of Philly - I have been to South Beach several times and of course, I loved it. Unfortunately, as a teacher, I do not have the budget / lifestyle to live in South Beach.

Ideally, I would love to be near South Beach (30-45 minute) drive - but some place that is more of a beach community with shops, restaurants, bars etc...I don't mind a simple suburban-y type area. I would love to be near the craziness of South Beach but able to go home to somewhere a tad more quiet and calm...hopefully somewhere that also has young professionals as well

As a school teacher, I realize I have to do my own research on school districts etc. I have looked at Surfside, which looks great but I just have to double-check the area schools.

Any other suggestions of laid-back beach community type areas that are within driving distance to South Beach? I am a single 24 year old female so safe areas are also pretty important to me.

Thanks!!
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Old 05-05-2014, 11:39 AM
 
Location: Weston, FL
32 posts, read 52,184 times
Reputation: 35
Aventura is by far the best in terms of schools and safety (but plenty expensive) Sunny Isles Beach wouldn't be a bad alternative as long as you stay along A1A. Surfside is good as is Normandy/Bay Harbor Village as long as you don't mind living in a small condo/apartment
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Old 05-05-2014, 07:52 PM
 
3,910 posts, read 9,448,086 times
Reputation: 1954
The areas mentioned are going to be nearly as expensive as South Beach. Anywhere on the water is pricey. What is your budget?
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Old 05-05-2014, 08:30 PM
 
Location: Miami Springs, Florida
227 posts, read 436,391 times
Reputation: 141
Try North Beach in Miami Beach.
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Old 05-06-2014, 02:29 PM
 
Location: Sebastian, Florida
677 posts, read 872,467 times
Reputation: 2469
My dear Beaches20,

There are no "simple, suburban-y type" areas near the beach. Beach real estate is expensive in general, not just South Beach. And if you don't actually live in South Beach, driving there to party is a nightmare. You could spend 45 minutes just trying to get across the causeway on a Saturday night. South Beach is an island. You're a schoolteacher. If you want to escape the awful Pennsylvania winters, look at Clearwater Beach, near Tampa. You will still be able to party, but it will be much cheaper and safer. You can't live in Fort Lauderdale (which I assume you're thinking of since you posted in the Fort Lauderdale forum) and party in South Beach regularly unless you're Paris Hilton.

It's doubtful you'll be able to get a job teaching anyway. We're laying off teachers right and left. But in the wild chance you actually landed a job here, if you were my daughter, I would do everything in my power to persuade you from moving to Dade County (Miami).

Written by someone who left a small town in Pennsylvania at 22 to move to San Francisco.

Last edited by Tulippsy; 05-06-2014 at 02:50 PM..
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Old 05-06-2014, 03:08 PM
 
3,910 posts, read 9,448,086 times
Reputation: 1954
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulippsy View Post
My dear Beaches20,

There are no "simple, suburban-y type" areas near the beach. Beach real estate is expensive in general, not just South Beach. And if you don't actually live in South Beach, driving there to party is a nightmare. You could spend 45 minutes just trying to get across the causeway on a Saturday night. South Beach is an island. You're a schoolteacher. If you want to escape the awful Pennsylvania winters, look at Clearwater Beach, near Tampa. You will still be able to party, but it will be much cheaper and safer. You can't live in Fort Lauderdale (which I assume you're thinking of since you posted in the Fort Lauderdale forum) and party in South Beach regularly unless you're Paris Hilton.

It's doubtful you'll be able to get a job teaching anyway. We're laying off teachers right and left. But in the wild chance you actually landed a job here, if you were my daughter, I would do everything in my power to persuade you from moving to Dade County (Miami).

Written by someone who left a small town in Pennsylvania at 22 to move to San Francisco.
Thats a way over-exaggeration. While I agree that South beach is tough to drive to from Fort Lauderdale, it doesn't mean the original poster should rule out living in South FL entirely. There are plenty of areas on the mainland that are close enough to the water that are decent places to live.

Tampa is boring compared to South FL and has just as much crime. Where do you get the idea that Tampa is safe? Clearwater beach is a dump. I have been there several times. There are many places in Florida I would chose over Clearwater Beach. Fort Lauderdale's beaches are much nicer than Clearwater.
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Old 05-06-2014, 08:00 PM
 
1,488 posts, read 1,958,480 times
Reputation: 3249
As the Nolefan said, giving us your housing budget is the best way for us to give you really accurate advice to suit your needs.
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Old 05-06-2014, 08:43 PM
 
5,390 posts, read 9,657,898 times
Reputation: 9988
I just turned 30 like 2 months ago and am originally from Pennsylvania myself, so I know how u feel.

However, I've lived in south FL (starting in Boca) for 12 years now and it has taken some getting used to.. .

It's nice and I like it, but it's not all sun, fun, and parties.

Teaching salaries are extremely low and the cost of living in south FL is high. An ideal situation for you is a rommate situation, then on a teacher salary u could possibly swing it.

FL has more ghetto areas and is more crowded than Pennsylvania. Plain and simple. So in order to NOT live in the ghetto and to live somewhere relatively safe one must pay.... hence needing a roommate, as a teacher's salary alone will not afford u a safe and decent place to live. Miami-Dade and Broward public schools are quite a bit differentt then PA's. Like anywhere we have some great schools and some truly awful schools. I know right now that landing a teaching job in south FL is difficult.

Do u have a specialization? special ed? are u a dual certified teacher? what about ESL? we have a lot of bi-lingual kids here in FL, and in fact, the majority of kids are ESL. .

Yes, south beach can be fun, trust me I know. However, the gloss eventually washes away after a few years and u will no longer care or value what's going on in the south beach party scene after a few years. And as a teacher how will u pay for the partying? drinks are freaking EXPENSIVE in South Beach. And how will u ever afford that expensive cocaine habit? Certainly not on a teacher's salary...
Quite frankly, it's borderline price-gouging and to be quite honest....it's getting tackier by the day down there, like seriously. It's not as glam and cool as it used to be, rather it's becoming more "gangsta" and "ghetto" IMO. but whatever u may like that. .

Bottom line is it can be done, but will require u to be realistic.

Anyway, best of luck.
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