Turning 40: Living in Miami, but considering moving to Houston

[kfer]

Not to sound rude but I think you want champagne on a beer budget. $250k housing budget won't get you the lifestyle that you want or like in a major U.S. city.

[armanito]

Originally Posted by kfer

Not to sound rude but I think you want champagne on a beer budget. $250k housing budget won't get you the lifestyle that you want or like in a major U.S. city.

Kfer...assuming that you are aware that Miami is a major U.S. city , I have to deduct that you don't really know the prices of beer and champagne in every state. Less 250K got me a 2000sqft single home, fairly remodeled (then I updated the rest), with private 30ft pool, medium size fenced yard, close to south beach and not far from fort Lauderdale and other centers. I lived near DC, where except for the pool I had a similar property, then in VA Beach...I have clients that own properties in Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte...same thing. Not all champagne on the same shelves is priced the same and not all major U.S. cities are inaccessible to those who make less than 500K per year ...so, perhaps you might be right about Houston as I am not enough in the know when it comes to real estate averages there, but I know for a fact you are incorrect about 'all' the other major U.S. cities

[crono_clone]

Try looking in Northside Village north of downtown or East End/Eastwood to the East. They're majority Hispanic so most posters here turn a blind eye to them, but they might be worth checking out for you. Also try checking out some places in the Museum District east of Fannin Street, which is rapidly gentrifying but some houses might still be within reach of your budget. Check out HAR.com and try to visit some of the places you find next time you're here.

[Oildog]

I have also recommended Northside Village in other threads. In three years you will think its a good place to live...except you wont be able to afford it.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Your budget however, will not buy you space unless you drive rather far, and still the builders give you tiny lots. You will be in extreme suburbia and your conversations won't have much to do with culture.

Yes, but if you live inside the loop, you will be robbed and raped daily.

[armanito]

Thank you Crono_clone and Oildog. As my next trip approaches it is going to be very useful to have more than one area to check. As far as turning a blind eye to prevalently Hispanic communities, unfortunately it happens in the Miami forum as well. Pretty sad for communities that try to project themselves as cosmopolitan centers.

Pedro_Martinez, being raped and robbed every day is am sure an exaggeration lol But there is some truth hidden in that: crime is higher in places where it's easier to go unnoticed. I always shake my head when someone ask where should I move in Miami and the usual elitists are quick to say Downtown, or Brickell, or Miami Beach. I used to have a condo in one of the high-rises downtown and I never felt more unsafe going out; cars and apartments were broken into daily even though we were paying an hefty price for HOA and security, drunks at every corner no matter the day of the week and couldn't take a peaceful walk without being harassed by tourists looking to find entertainment...Now, that's Miami and can't speak for Houston, but it's to say that living where 'the happening is' doesn't always turns out to be advantageous and in many cases is an unjustified hype that doesn't make sense safety wise and economically.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by armanito

Pedro_Martinez, being raped and robbed every day is am sure an exaggeration lol

BTW, I wasn't being serious. I was just presenting the other side of the same stereotyping coin in regards to this ridiculous statement:

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

You will be in extreme suburbia and your conversations won't have much to do with culture.

[armanito]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

BTW, I wasn't being serious. I was just presenting the other side of the same stereotyping coin in regards to this ridiculous statement:

Oh, I figured that was the case lol And I can clearly see that some statements are born of stereotypes, which are inevitable when asking for input to a large audience. When I decided to get rid of the condo downtown and move a bit more inland and go for a single family home, I've heard worse comments "you'll be surrounded by families and kids" Oh boy...I wouldn't want that now right? lol People can be a bit extreme in their observations, and although I don't dismiss anything, I take it all with a grain of salt.