help with move to miami area (Plantation, Davie: mortgage, relocating, insurance)

[felix9]

Dear all, i have trawled through the numerous threads and they have all been so useful. i do have some specific questions, if any expert can assit?

We are relocating from the UK and will be commuitng to Miami for work. Is weston a good option?

1. From threads it seems that FL schools are so-so. I will prob go down the private route anyway. what do you suggest?
2. i have read threads on univeristy, pinecrest. my son will be 11(not sure what grade that is) and my daughter 5. any good private catholic schools that anyone can recommend?
3. what commuinties would be good for a budget of 400K. we would like land i think if not a least my own section of the back yard. nice family communities
4. i have read a lot about the snobbiness in weston but having visited, like the feel of the area. we are a black family and would like an area that is diverse and w/o any race issue. we have lived all over the world and quite enjoy a mix of diversity. Thanks in advance

[compelled to reply]

Hey, I was just about to reply to your OTHER thread . I'm going go go ahead and bump that one on top.

[felix9]

thanks i was wondering who i had offended

[reiliz]

Hello for 400K in this economy, look to Weston, Plantation Acres or West Davie. You can also look to Parkland and get a great deal. This economy is great if you are buying. I have never seen houses go for this cheap. Two major issues you have to look out for.
No.1 - Windstorm Insurance, If you buy a 400K house and get the 2% deductible then you are 8K out of pocket immediately after a major Hurricane Hits. (most roofs cost about 10k as a start). I don't even want to mention what happens if you get a 5% deductible and you are looking at 20k. Additionally, the insurance itself will cost you about 5-6.5k p/yr. No.2 - Taxes, Basically another 2% of the house value.

On a 400k house you are looking at 8k taxes plus 5k insurance $1100.00 before you even start talking mortgage.

As for you're being black, forget it. We have so many interacial, inter-national, inter everything it really is not an issue. I live in an area where my next door neighbor is a black brit, his wife is Jamaican. Behind me is a Chinese family from Trinidad. Two Muslim families along the side of my house, A family of Salvadorians, many Brazilians (and some I would call black, but they are Brazilian before they are anything else, especially at World Cup Time). My house was once worth 400k, the economy has changes that. This is why I reccomended Weston, Plantation Acres, Davie and Parkland. I am not a hater, get as much as you can for your money, strike while the iron is hot.

One final note about these areas. The Public Schools are hit or miss, the Elementary School may be "A" rated, and the Middle School, located 100 yards away, might be "D" rated. There is no rhyme or reason to any of this.

Hope this helps, good luck. I have lived in the Miami-Fort lauderdale area for 20 years.