Moving to Broward County (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: HOA fees, low crime, homes) - Florida (FL) -Broward County - City-Data Forum

FlaSeeker · 05-15-2009, 09:21 AM

We are moving to Florida from Southern NJ and are considering Cooper City or Weston. Can anyone tell me some differences, some perks, some negatives?
Just some comparitive pros and cons! Thanks!!!

tankev · 05-15-2009, 10:27 AM

Hey FLaSeeker,

I lived in South Jersey for 12 years and now live in Weston. I lived in Collingswood, Sicklerville and for the most part Washington Twp. We moved to Weston in August. I will tell you that except for the palm trees, both areas look about the same; flat and strip malls everywhere!
I think one of the main differences is the school districts. If you have kids, you should know that Broward County consists of one big school district where as Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and other counties break their districts down into smaller groups according to towns. Many people will tell you that Florida public schools are not good and for those people that might be the case. Personally, we have not had an issue with the schools. I find them very simular to Washington Twp Shcools. We moved to Weston mainly for the schools (which has 6 elementary, 2 middle and 1 high school) but I have heard that Cooper City has great schools also. If you don't plan on using public schools there are many private schools available.

As far as Weston goes, I cannot think of an area in South Jersey that Weston can be compaired. Weston is a contained master planned community. There are many housing developments within the town. We have boutique type shopping, restaurants, grocery stores, drug stores, hospitals and alike all within our boundaries. All malls or big box stores are outside the town about 5 miles away. Almost all developments are gated which to me has its pro and cons. Weston is a very well manicured town that looks spotless. There are many activities for children. We have a huge sports program and a YMCA which doesn't look like any of the Y's I have been to in South Jersey.

There are many different languages spoken here as with all of South FL. I am not finding that to be a problem. I like the diversity.

Oh, If you drive on 295, 42 and 476 , you will be used to the traffic here. So. Jersey has some quaint, small towns, not so much here. I miss all the produce stands. We have casinos but nothing like Atlantic City. Beaches are different but I like FL beaches better. Both places seem to be great places to live.
Feel free to private message me with other questions. Let me know what town you are in and I will try and compare the areas a little better for you.

SierraDog · 05-15-2009, 02:18 PM

A lot of people here seem to be enamored of Weston. I see its advantages if you have kids and for resale value of the home (based on school reputations), but I will go ahead and point out the downsides. Where will you commute? The Weston commute from Fort Laud can be ridiculous. I just feel like it is a very long drive everywhere from Weston, whether south to Miami or east to central Broward. I'd just rather not spend so much of my time behind the wheel especially on weekends to drive to the fun areas (beach, Las Olas, malls). Plus, almost all homes there are governed by mandatory HOAs and the monthly fees are pretty significant in the newer communities. Just some issues to take into consideration.

If you do a search of the forum you will find a ton of topics on these communities.

tankev · 05-15-2009, 03:25 PM

You are right about the HOA's Sierra Dog. We had an HOA in South Jersey, but nothing like in Weston. As far as commutes go if the op lives in South Jersey and works in Philly, central Jersey or god forbid has to drive the Schuylkill on the other side of Philly, the commute to Fort Lauderdale from any western suburb will be a piece of cake. But I don't know where the op lives. If kids are involved, Weston by far is the most kid friendly place that I have lived in. And we are on our 5th move and 3rd state with kids. Having said that, once my kids are out of school and if we are still here, my plan will be to move closer to the beach or closer to my husband's work in Miami. If I didn't have kids I would not be living in Weston. I can't help the op with Cooper City but I can tell them what I experience in Weston. But just like you say, don't rule out the other areas.

rkumar3 · 05-15-2009, 08:31 PM

I think Weston is over rated...I would suggest Cooper City or better yet Davie... more central and closer to everything including beaches.

Momma_bear · 05-17-2009, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SierraDog

A lot of people here seem to be enamored of Weston. I see its advantages if you have kids and for resale value of the home (based on school reputations), but I will go ahead and point out the downsides. Where will you commute? The Weston commute from Fort Laud can be ridiculous.

Can you define ridiculous? We have lived in Weston for 9 years and my husband works if Fort Lauderdale. It's 25 miles door to door. It takes half an hour when traffic is light, 45 minutes when there is traffic. I would hardly call that ridiculous.

Our kids go to private school so we could have moved closer if the commute were truly ridiculous.

I just feel like it is a very long drive everywhere from Weston, whether south to Miami or east to central Broward. I'd just rather not spend so much of my time behind the wheel especially on weekends to drive to the fun areas (beach, Las Olas, malls).

Again, it takes half an hour to get to the beach or Las Olas (my husband works on Las Olas), 45 minutes to Miami. I don't know what you consider a very long drive, but anything less than an hour hardly qualifies as "very long" in my book.

Central Broward is just a few minutes by car. My kids to school in Plantation and that is a 15 minute ride at most. Again-is that "very long"?

Plus, almost all homes there are governed by mandatory HOAs and the monthly fees are pretty significant in the newer communities. Just some issues to take into consideration.

True about the HOAs. Costs vary so the OP should certainly ask.

If you do a search of the forum you will find a ton of topics on these communities.

I think you need to quantify things like "ridiculous" and "very long" for the OP. Having come from the NY area myself I doubt the OP will consider a 30-45 minute commute ridiculous or under an hour's drive very far.

compelled to reply · 05-17-2009, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SierraDog

A lot of people here seem to be enamored of Weston. I see its advantages if you have kids and for resale value of the home (based on school reputations), but I will go ahead and point out the downsides. Where will you commute? The Weston commute from Fort Laud can be ridiculous. I just feel like it is a very long drive everywhere from Weston, whether south to Miami or east to central Broward. I'd just rather not spend so much of my time behind the wheel especially on weekends to drive to the fun areas (beach, Las Olas, malls). Plus, almost all homes there are governed by mandatory HOAs and the monthly fees are pretty significant in the newer communities. Just some issues to take into consideration.

If you do a search of the forum you will find a ton of topics on these communities.

I actually live here because it's so convenient to everything. I can get wherever I want or need to be, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Aventura, Coral Springs, Doral, pretty much anywhere in Broward County at any time in under 30 minutes, and even if traffic is at it's absolute worst, 45 minutes tops. Most of Broward requires you to sit at a lot of asynchronous traffic lights to get to the highways. Basically, you will do just as much driving if you live anywhere else, just not in miles. There is almost no traffic in Weston, and even though it's so far west, it's very central from a north-south point of view, and it's right by where 75/Sawgrass/595 meet and has the easiest access to those highways via Royal Palm Blvd. If it wasn't for that, I would probably live east, but the reality is that you never really are that far inland in South FL. The HOA fees are an issue from Parkland to Miramar, Deerfield to Hallandale, and everywhere in between, nothing exclusive to Weston. There are acutally a few no-HOA communities around Bonaventure that are very nice.

FlaSeeker · 05-19-2009, 07:08 AM

How long is the commute from Weston to the airport? That's a major concern; my husband works out of the home- no commute!! But I am getting a clear idea of the area; thanks for all the replies!

Momma_bear · 05-19-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlaSeeker

How long is the commute from Weston to the airport? That's a major concern; my husband works out of the home- no commute!! But I am getting a clear idea of the area; thanks for all the replies!

Half an hour without traffic. Longer if it's during rush hour.

dodiebee · 05-22-2009, 06:07 PM

Either community would be a good choice. I lived in Cooper City, so, I'm more familiar with it than Weston. I can't honestly think of any negative aspects of living there. Traffic was never an issue, it has a very low crime rate, homes are well maintained, there is alot of green space and it's an easy commute to most destinations in Broward County. With no traffic we usually got to the airport in 15 to 20 minutes.