Embassy Lakes (Cooper City) vs Parkland? (Miami, Hollywood: credit, relocate, real estate)

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

........and an interesting-for-10-minutes (sorry! I still like it here though) town center that kind of brings in a sense of community.

LOL about Town Center. I thought I was the only one who didn't like it. I do like the Halloween and Hanukah events that are held there. It does bring a sense of community.

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

About the price declines, I wouldn't dare buy a home right now. Renting is the way to go, or you lose. It's that simple..

I agree. If I didn't have 3 kids I would have sold my house already......I had a conversation with my husband about what should people do who are moving here now. How do you buy a house in this market? OTOH-people have to live somewhere.

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Well, I dunno, I just came from from the North and it all feels kind of "bubbly" here. I can't describe it. It's not really a bad feeling per se, but the "classic" sense of community just doesn't exist here. I don't even know if "bubbly" is the right word to describe it...

When I drive into Weston after a stressful day the distinctive look of Weston (all the greenery) helps to destress me. I just feel like I am "home" as soon as I get off the highway. I can't imagine CC making me feel that way as it is just a collection of housing developments with shopping centers to break it all up. After all, you really can't be sure when you are in Davie, or CC. Nothing really defines the city limits, except some signs in certain spots. The layout of Weston just has more of a community feel to it.

There's nothing bad about CC. It's nice enough, and certainly more affordable than either Weston or Parkland, but Weston and Parkland both have a very distinctive feel to them, while CC feels like the rest of Broward.

[cloozoe]

All helpful and interesting - thanks.

My wife has friends who recently moved from Weston because their particular neighborhood was so heavily spanish-speaking that they felt somewhat excluded. Not that their neighbors weren't nice, or that they have any dislike for hispanics, but simply that when the neighbors were together, Spanish was the language spoken most often.

Perhaps I've been in the NY metro-area too long, where my friends (but not I, thank god) routinely endure commutes of 90 minutes each way into Manhattan, but - according to mapquest, at least - it's 21 miles and 27 minutes to my office in Hollywood from Weston and 26 miles and 35 minutes from Parkland. I don't find either prospect daunting and certainly the extra eight minutes doesn't strike me as much of an issue - again assuming we were to prefer Parkland.

I'll be getting down there the weekend of 1/19, and will certainly check out CC, Weston and Parkland first hand, and see what strikes my fancy.

BTW, a real estate agent I've been speaking to - specifically about Parkland - also advises renting and thinks prices will almost certainly be lower at the end of our lease. As this advice would seem counter to her self-interest, it carries all the more weight.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by cloozoe

All helpful and interesting - thanks.

My wife has friends who recently moved from Weston because their particular neighborhood was so heavily spanish-speaking that they felt somewhat excluded. Not that their neighbors weren't nice, or that they have any dislike for hispanics, but simply that when the neighbors were together, Spanish was the language spoken most often.

Perhaps I've been in the NY metro-area too long, where my friends (but not I, thank god) routinely endure commutes of 90 minutes each way into Manhattan, but - according to mapquest, at least - it's 21 miles and 27 minutes to my office in Hollywood from Weston and 26 miles and 35 minutes from Parkland. I don't find either prospect daunting and certainly the extra eight minutes doesn't strike me as much of an issue - again assuming we were to prefer Parkland.

I'll be getting down there the weekend of 1/19, and will certainly check out CC, Weston and Parkland first hand, and see what strikes my fancy.

BTW, a real estate agent I've been speaking to - specifically about Parkland - also advises renting and thinks prices will almost certainly be lower at the end of our lease. As this advice would seem counter to her self-interest, it carries all the more weight.

There is only one community in Weston that is majority Hispanic and that is Savannah , which is the last community built by ( Arvida ) and was marketed heavily to wealthy Hispanics in Colombia , Venezuela and Mexico . The Isles of Weston also has many Hispanics but less then in Savanna and these are educated , upscale Hispanics who are nice people for the most part . The older communities such as Country Isles , The Islands , The Falls , The Meadows ( my sis lives there ) are still majority white . My personal experiences in Weston have been more positive with Hispanics ... yes that is correct ... many of the white people I have met have been very unfriendly ... especially the transplants from New York who seemed pissed all the time . That is my personal observation take it or leave it . Parkland is a very nice place also .... but if you have any issues with Hispanics there are quite a few in Parkland as well and growing .

[compelled to reply]

84 South in Sunrise (which gets bunched in with Weston) is majority White too. Musclehead you know more about who lives where than I do hahahah. I agree about *some* of the New York transplants. Except for me, I'm ok. Everyone else is pissed .

Savannah IMO is a mess compared to some of the other communities. I hear about a lot of riff raff, vandalism, some burglary there. The Isles is nice.

[cloozoe]

You misread me, Musclehead. I have no issues with hispanics or anyone else. It's simply nice to be able to speak the languge that's spoken most widely in yoiur immediate vicinity. If I lived in a neighborhood where everyone sitting in the park were speaking Swedish, it would be precisely the same situation. If that's not the case in most of Weston, swell.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by cloozoe

You misread me, Musclehead. I have no issues with hispanics or anyone else. It's simply nice to be able to speak the languge that's spoken most widely in yoiur immediate vicinity. If I lived in a neighborhood where everyone sitting in the park were speaking Swedish, it would be precisely the same situation. If that's not the case in most of Weston, swell.

I do hear a lot of Spanish spoken. I hear more English, but I hear plenty of Spanish. I also hear plenty of English from the Hispanic population, they tend to speak both languages publicly, especially around families with children (bilingual learning experience?). In my neighborhood, they speak Spanish amongst themselves at home, and what the hell do I care, it's their home and it's not affecting me because they speak to me in fluent English, not to mention these people tend to be quite friendly, look out for their other neighbors, and even classy. It's a very different class of Hispanic people than I have seen anywhere else. Personally it doesn't bother me because the idea of living in a unilingual, homogenous environment kind of scares me and I also find that English is the main, predominant language of business and I never, ever, ever have any "no speaky inglez" issues. Ever. I can understand preferences, but anyone with a reasonably open mind can way beyond survive here and even make friends (with people from all backgrounds) speaking only English.

[FLtoNC]

I can't comment about Parkland, but I lived across the street from Embassy Lakes for 28 years! Well, Embassy Lakes hasn't been there that long, but I have been there since its inception. Embassy Lakes is a very nice community. I don't think you will be disappointed there. Your proximity to other things besides work (retail) will also be prime without dealing with traffic. It looks like property values haven't reached their bottom yet, so renting sounds like a good idea.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by cloozoe

You misread me, Musclehead. I have no issues with hispanics or anyone else. It's simply nice to be able to speak the languge that's spoken most widely in yoiur immediate vicinity. If I lived in a neighborhood where everyone sitting in the park were speaking Swedish, it would be precisely the same situation. If that's not the case in most of Weston, swell.

You are correct , my apologies . Cheers

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

I do hear a lot of Spanish spoken. I hear more English, but I hear plenty of Spanish. I also hear plenty of English from the Hispanic population, they tend to speak both languages publicly, especially around families with children (bilingual learning experience?). In my neighborhood, they speak Spanish amongst themselves at home, and what the hell do I care, it's their home and it's not affecting me because they speak to me in fluent English, not to mention these people tend to be quite friendly, look out for their other neighbors, and even classy. It's a very different class of Hispanic people than I have seen anywhere else. Personally it doesn't bother me because the idea of living in a unilingual, homogenous environment kind of scares me and I also find that English is the main, predominant language of business and I never, ever, ever have any "no speaky inglez" issues. Ever. I can understand preferences, but anyone with a reasonably open mind can way beyond survive here and even make friends (with people from all backgrounds) speaking only English.

Wow , you think just like I do , that is scary !!

I am not as hung up on the issue of people speaking Spanish or any other language among themselves or in public as long as they are not yelling . And I actually think it is both cool and highly important to learn a second language be it Spanish or any other language in todays globalized world . Many of our fellow Americans are either ignorant to that fact or simply do not care and still think the world revolves around them . I am taking Spanish lessons and it is going ok so far , then I would like to take Italian of which I hear in Weston from time to time as well . That said though it is important for new comers to our country to learn how to speak , read and write proper English and many especially the ones in the lower economic and educational stratus do not seem to make an effort . That is why I like Weston , Davie , Aventura and other areas with more upscale Hispanics as they seem to make a greater effort to learn our language and seem to obey our laws and follow our customs better than Hispanics in Dade for example .

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

84 South in Sunrise (which gets bunched in with Weston) is majority White too. Musclehead you know more about who lives where than I do hahahah. I agree about *some* of the New York transplants. Except for me, I'm ok. Everyone else is pissed .

Savannah IMO is a mess compared to some of the other communities. I hear about a lot of riff raff, vandalism, some burglary there. The Isles is nice.

Savanna is actually pretty nice , I was in there recently . It just has way too many people , I believe over 3,000.00 houses !!

Also too many teenagers both Hispanic and White with to much time on their hands !!!