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My husband and I are on the prowl again, and this time, we are looking at an opportunity in the Ft. Lauderdale/Davie area. However, my experiences have been solely as a tourist in the lovely state of Florida, and in my initial internet scanning for relo information, I'm still pretty much on the fence with my enthusiasm for a potential move.
We're conducting a reconnaissance visit in a few weeks, and I want to get some opinions from those who are willing to share.
About us: Currently live in north Chicagoland, southern-bred, early to late 50's with grown kids (early-mid 20's), a few of whom would like to relocate to be near us wherever we go.
1. If you LOVE the area, what areas specifically and why?
2. What do you do in your free time down there?
3. If you relocated from another state, are there any regrets I should consider?
4. Is the foreclosure situation as bad as it seems on Realtor.com? Many houses I've skimmed over look as though they are in an abandoned war zone.
5. I'm a nurse, so commutes to hospitals matter too. Please comment if you have an opinion about either hospitals or commutes.
Additional information is always welcome, and I have trusted the opinions of city-data pros for more than a decade of moves, so thanks in advance for your opinions.
1. Central West Broward: Weston, Davie, Plantation, Cooper City.
Weston is my first choice because it's extremely safe and meticulously maintained - the city is strategically positioned to quickly get to any point in South Florida within a reasonable time. Also, in your case, Weston is home of The Cleveland Clinic of Florida which is one the best hospital in the nation and an excellent place for you to get a job.
2. I personally enjoy Weston to train for triathlons because it has miles and miles of sidewalks and bike lanes, plus the Olympic swimming pool at the YMCA. I'm an outdoor person, so I love being able to do obstacle races and beach sports all-year-round. South Florida has everything you can imagine except mountains, snow and depressing winters. So, whatever you love to do, from golfing to dinner out in fancy restaurants, you'll find that South Florida is the perfect place.
3. You'll regret the time you lost living in that other state.
4. South Florida is a huge metropolitan area and of course you'll find areas that look pretty bad, but only if you intentionally drive to those areas. Forget about Realtor.com, South Florida is becoming less and less affordable every year because it's one of the top places in the U.S. for foreign and domestic investors.
5. Cleveland Clinic
Additional Information: The Federal Reserve announced today that the interest rates are expected to remain unchanged for now, but they signaled that they may increase interest rates by mid-year. So, this is an excellent time to buy your dream home in paradise at a fixed record-low APR.
1. Love is a strong word I guess... How about - I like living in West Broward. Specifically I'm in Cooper City, which borders Davie. Of course I haven't really lived anywhere other than S. Florida, so I don't know how valuable my opinion is... If I were to suggest anywhere in Broward it would be the Weston/Davie/Cooper City areas. In Davie I would make it west of University Drive. Davie is a pretty big geographic area and some of the eastern end of town is kind of sketchy. It's beautiful on the western side save for a trailer park or two.
2. I have kids, so I'm not sure what free time is. I hear those with it do a lot of outdoor stuff. Beaches, Everglades, fishing, etc. If you like a rodeo, Davie hosts them on a regular basis. West Broward is also within driving distance of tons of restaurants, museums and such.
4. Foreclosures can be hit or miss. If you just search for "Davie" you are probably going to see some run down places over on the east side - or areas that border Davie to the north east that aren't really desirable. I don't think a lot of foreclosures in the better neighborhoods ever really make it to market. Most of those are sold to investors before an agent puts them on MLS.
5. You're in luck. You can live anywhere in Broward and be within a short commute of a hospital. Seriously, they're everywhere.
I have a love-hate relationship with this area. But I like it more than I hate it and thats why I stay. As much as I'm not liking some of the changes I've come to accept most of them as a natural part of growth in the area. There are many things to do here if you have the time...culture from all over the world... Many opportunities to explore new things. OK, the real reason I stay here is because of family, business, and property, but somehow I feel as though I'd miss the place if I left for good.
Don't let your decision to move here be blunted by foreclosures you see online. That situation is actually affecting areas all over the country. Even if you intend to buy, rent for a while and familiarize yourself with the area first. Then take your time to look for a good deal on a property.
True that hospitals are all over Broward County, but the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, all the HCA facilities, and all the Tenet facilities are all dumps that you will not enjoy working in as a nurse. Look to the Broward Health or Memorial hospitals instead. And, if you speak a little Spanish and don't mind the commute to south Miami, the Baptist hospitals are good too. If you work in a specialty unit and have a lot of experience you can make decent money here as an RN. It won't be as much as you are earning in the northeast but the tradeoff is that you'll be paying less taxes and the COL is lower.
South Florida, namely Fort Lauderdale and Miami is all about diversity. Since the Obama administration, the area has now become inundated by Haitians and Jamaicans. There is definitely a tropical and stimulating feel here. It's a lively and exciting area to relocate to. I was born and raised in the country, and acclimated to the difference, but there might be a career opportunity for either Lake Mary or Charlotte, NC, so I might relocate again soon.
I have a love-hate relationship with this area. But I like it more than I hate it and thats why I stay. As much as I'm not liking some of the changes I've come to accept most of them as a natural part of growth in the area. There are many things to do here if you have the time...culture from all over the world... Many opportunities to explore new things. OK, the real reason I stay here is because of family, business, and property, but somehow I feel as though I'd miss the place if I left for good.
Don't let your decision to move here be blunted by foreclosures you see online. That situation is actually affecting areas all over the country. Even if you intend to buy, rent for a while and familiarize yourself with the area first. Then take your time to look for a good deal on a property.
True that hospitals are all over Broward County, but the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, all the HCA facilities, and all the Tenet facilities are all dumps that you will not enjoy working in as a nurse. Look to the Broward Health or Memorial hospitals instead. And, if you speak a little Spanish and don't mind the commute to south Miami, the Baptist hospitals are good too. If you work in a specialty unit and have a lot of experience you can make decent money here as an RN. It won't be as much as you are earning in the northeast but the tradeoff is that you'll be paying less taxes and the COL is lower.
If the OP were interested in working at a Baptist Hospital ( they call themselves Baptist Health South Florida) she wouldn't even have to travel out of Broward County to do so, apparently Baptist has five urgent care/diagnostic OP centers in western Broward County- they list them in Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Weston, Davie, and Sawgrass.
If the OP were interested in working at a Baptist Hospital ( they call themselves Baptist Health South Florida) she wouldn't even have to travel out of Broward County to do so, apparently Baptist has five urgent care/diagnostic OP centers in western Broward County- they list them in Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Weston, Davie, and Sawgrass.
Forget about Realtor.com, South Florida is becoming less and less affordable every year because it's one of the top places in the U.S. for foreign and domestic investors.
AR: I was a Realtor in NC/SC in the early-mid 2000's (oh, what a wonderful time). I am concerned about another bubble in some areas - and I hope that the appreciation in South Florida is stable and sustainable, so I will definitely watch the speed of appreciation over the next couple of years. I will definitely take the advice of other posters and rent first and explore. Thank you for your wonderful advice and opinions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnD_fla
As much as I'm not liking some of the changes I've come to accept most of them as a natural part of growth in the area... OK, the real reason I stay here is because of family, business, and property, but somehow I feel as though I'd miss the place if I left for good.
... the COL is lower.
JohnD: I gravitate toward cultural diversity (being from a culturally shallow, boring, small town in Tennessee - which I LOVED {{wink-wink, no offenses to my home-peeps}}). I literally laughed out loud when you talked about love-hate and then ended with "OK, the real reason I stay here..." But you had me at the COL is lower. Illinois taxes are reason enough to make the move down there, or anywhere else.
House7 it is rare that I call someone on a statement made on CD. The Obama administration had no influence on the numbers of Haitians or Jamaicans in south Florida. Those numbers have been growing since before the Reagan administration.
now to the OP. If you like diversity,this is your new home. Anything that you can possibly imagine doing, you can do here. Alex gave you excellent info. Weston, where I also live, is a beautiful, clean, safe, and well manicured city. You will find a solid representation of cuisine. Just don't walk into a Cuban or Venezuelan restaurant expecting Mexican food. Yes, I was witness to a couple from Iowa who could not understand that all of South America does not eat Mexican food of tacos and burritos. The proprietors of the restaurant were far more gracious and tolerant than I would have been.
You will encounter crazy drivers, breathtaking sunsets, great winters, and hot summers. We have clean air. Gators will not be waiting on your doorstep.you can be as active or as lazy as you wish. Oh, yes, south Florida can be a bit pretentious, so just ignore that aspect. Life is expensive so do your research and a lot if it. Also do not buy a new home as it will be many years before you can recoup that expense....unless you plan on staying in that house for 5 years or longer.
As to the housing market in south Florida? Well, it is making a come back. However, in the 20+ years I have lived here i have watched it rise and fall - it is all about timing.
South Florida? You either love it or hate it. Wait till you have experienced your first category 2 hurricane. And then watch your insurance rate double or triple. Enjoy! Don't hesitate to DM me.
South Florida? You either love it or hate it. Wait till you have experienced your first category 2 hurricane. And then watch your insurance rate double or triple.
... just when I think I've considered everything, I am reminded of the cata$trophic ri$k of hurricane$
Suffice it to say, I'm overwhelmed.
Went for my visit on 3/26 - 3/31 - it was chilly, but the locals let me know that that was an anomaly. I explored and really liked Weston and Parkland, but both areas were pricey. Sticker-shock pricey. Like, "how-in-the-world-can-some-of-these-aging-tract-homes-be-worth-half-a-million-dollars" pricey. I noticed that many Weston residents were Spanish-speaking, and I want to become fluent in Spanish, so that's actually a plus for me.
Diversity is always a plus for me - I love people, period.
I have been digesting my initial visit, because I simply find it very different (Deep South girl who now lives in Chicagoland, never a tropical locale). But, the potential for a beautiful life is there, I just have to see if the scales can balance.
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