Moving to Fort Lauderdale/Miami Area (Hollywood, Coral Springs: credit, luxury, apartments)

[paolitz]

Hi, I'm planning to move to the Fort Lauderdale area next year, around July.

I want to know which areas are safe and affordable to rent considering I'm a single woman. My boyfriend is looking for a place as well in that area, we are looking to rent each a studio or apartment, we won't live together so that's why I'm trying to find out first which areas are the most recommended for single females to live without worrying about dangerous areas.

I would also prefer a place in the city area where I can walk to stores and be surrounded by people. I live in Boston, where I can do that, so I wonder if something like that exists in Florida.

I need help...thanks!

[SunnyDog]

Well you didn't say what you're planning to spend, but areas that fit your criteria are Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Hollywood Beach, Pompano Beach--many of the areas along A1A have studios for rent and have stores in walking distance. Rents for studios start around $800/mo. for yearly leases.

[tallrick]

No place in south florida is affordable and few are safe. I think you will be disappointed.

[alexito68]

well like the others were saying it is really expensive to live in south florida.. the market has risen greatly over the last 6 years especially in the hollywood fort lauderdale area. My mother bought a house in hollywood in 99' and its located about 10 mins from the beach and 5 mins from fort lauderdale. As far as studios in hollywood they are hard to come by but there are a few.. the pricing is like what SunnyDog said for most apartments on Sherdian st (where my mother lives) but studios and apartments only get more expensive as you go down south.

There are many people however that rent studios or effiencies. But most of them are located in slightly less safe areas. for example miami lakes will have some cheaper studios and so will carol city near miami gardens drive.. again all depending on your price range..

[itoon1]

I moved down here (Ft. Laud area) a couple years ago for school. My father, a safety and security specialist and former police officer, wanted to make certain I was going to live in an area where I wouldn't need to deal with as much crime. As such he did some research and contacted the local police departments to get an idea of what's best. His findings were that, for safety purposes, living west of the Florida Turnpike is your best bet. I currently live in west Davie (Ft. Laud area suburb) and feel completely safe without being too far removed from the more active social scene of downtown. However, it's nothing like Boston in my area in terms of just walking outside and being a part of the larger scene. If you want that and a "safe" area of Ft. Laud, expect to be dropping BIG bucks. If you're willing to give that up and drive about 15 minutes, it gets a little cheaper in the Davie/Plantation/Sunrise area for apartments you'd feel okay living in compared to areas closer to downtown.
As pessimistic as it sounds, unless you're loaded or willing to live with others, I sorta side with tallrick on this issue. It's one of those places that are great to visit but living there's a bit of a different story.

[batman]

from what i read, pretty much the only dangerous areas in the broward/dade county area are located in the northwest part of miami, especially around northwest suburban opa locka. other areas you likely do not want to live in are; hialeah, liberty city, little haiti, and little havana

[SunnyDog]

I've spent the last decade living up and down A1A in Dade and Broward--in everything from converted motels to luxury hi-rises. Never have had a single crime problem. Also, I strongly suggest living as close as possible to the coast to get the full enjoyment out of South Florida. There are people in the western suburbs here that visit the beach less often than people living in Detroit, due in part because public parking on the beach is costly when found at all, and also because the east-west traffic flow in South Florida sucks.

[pithhelmet]

I live in Coral Springs -

I don't really go to the beach too often, only to fish, so the beach
life is not for me, but the town is nice, easy onto 95, turnpike and sawgrass.

The price of a 1 bed condo is around 1000.00 at the moment - do a craigslist search for a true pricing rate.

but the real kicker is they are all asking first, last and a security just to get into the joint.
THEN they stick you with a credit check (100.00) and a interview with the condo association (at their schedule)

and if you have a pickup truck, that cuts out almost 30% of the possible places to live - and if you have a boat, thats another 100.00 a month in storage fees.

If you can stand the commute - kendal and the homestead area has some reasonable prices for homes. especially around the new hospital.

best of luck

[SunnyDog]

[quote=pithhelmet;164488]I live in Coral Springs -

I THEN they stick you with a credit check (100.00) and a interview with the condo association (at their schedule)



I hate how these condo associations only interview during working folk hours, I don't wanna take time off for their BS. The one at my condo is open only 8:30-3:30 M-F. Plus I had one that told me in the interview that I could wash my car on premises, then 2 months later they made it against the rules. I kept washing away, they groaned a bit but did nothing.

[bale002]

If you drive and/or walk (what?) around neighborhoods that may interest you, it may be possible to find a modest SFH or duplex to rent directly from the owner.