Homestead vs Miami (Hialeah, Florida City: section 8, foreclosure, renting)

[ALINALUCY05]

It's too bad to hear that! I was thinking of moving to Homestead...changing my mind now!! Can anyone tell me about West Kendall?? Or which side of Miami is reasonably priced (rental) and safe to live???

[doggiebus]

Honestly most Miami-Dade is "relatively" safe (its not Mayberry) with the exception of a few spots. Your guard has to be up all the time in Miami-Dade or South Florida for that matter. So you aren't going to find one place you can leave your windows open at night and sleep soundly (unless you are some martial artist or have a gun), not even in Coral Gables... There are places in Homestead that are not that bad, go to the old section of Homestead and you will see it is pretty nice. I would take a drive down there spend a day or two just driving around, have lunch some place to see what type of people are around and make your own opinion.

[popcorn247]

I agree Doggiebus. I live in the old section of Homestead and love it! I sleep soundly with windows open at night in the winter when we have cool evenings. Homestead is close to the Keys, close to the Everglades, close to Biscayne National Park, and far, far from Miami

[cixcell]

i'm guessing you mean the redland? thats where i would buy if i moved. just dont know which areas are and aren't safe.

[NCtoMiami]

Originally Posted by popcorn247

I agree Doggiebus. I live in the old section of Homestead and love it! I sleep soundly with windows open at night in the winter when we have cool evenings. Homestead is close to the Keys, close to the Everglades, close to Biscayne National Park, and far, far from Miami

I totally agree with you and Doggiebus. I moved to Homestead from Raleigh Durham area (NC). It was a big change for me. Been here for a year. People give Homestead a bad name. It is a nice place you don't read about drive by shooting like in some parts of Kendall and Hialiah (sp). Every place has bad parts. Some people here make Homestead like it is overtown not even close. The only bad thing I can say about Homestead not many GOOD places to eat.

[popcorn247]

I live a few blocks south of 296th Street and one block west of Krome I am in the city limits of Homestead.

[Steelers10]

Originally Posted by cixcell

thats a bit further west. we're in the waterstone complex.
our address says homestead and we pay our utilities to city of homestead for water and power

Waterstone is a nice middle-class area sandwiched between new commercial development, Biscayne National Forest/Homestead Air Force Base, and the Turnpike. Yes there are some unsavory places in South Dade. When Hurricane Andrew razed most of the area, some scattered developments in Leisure City/Modello/Florida City proper etc. that were mostly concrete-block apartment complexes were left standing. For almost ten years these pockets sat surrounded by empty lots created by the Hurricane and commercial activity and jobs left the area as there was no longer the population threshold to support these businesses.

So yes, these complexes became decidedly low-income and crime-ridden. But this is not unique to Homestead. Miami is a flat metropolis with few barriers to expansion. You can cross a mile over from Pinecrest (one of the richest zip codes in America) to the other side of US-1 and be in West Perrine. The West Grove is sandwiched between Brickell and Coral Gables. Miami Lakes is next to Opa-Locka.

There is no place in Miami-Dade where you are going to be completely absent of a low-income, crime-ridden area. When Miami was more blue-collar a lot of cheap, concrete "monster" apartment complexes were thrown up. As these areas are now approaching 50 years old or more, they are not particularly nice. But most of Homestead east of the turnpike has only been developed within the past decade or so and is pretty nice (although hit somewhat hard by foreclosures). Much of the area in-between downtown Homestead and the Redlands is solidly-middle class. But if the only thing you have seen in Homestead in US-1, then like every US Route in the suburbs of every American city all you are seeing is the 1960s-era crappy development that ALWAYS leaves a lot to be desired.

[cixcell]

nc: nah certainly no drivebys. i bike down the street and back at dusk too on speedway blvd.

but yeah there arent alot of good places to eat unfortunately. we now have a red lobster, olive garden and chilis. sonic coming soon.

there is a good taco shop down campbell drive by the post office that serves excellent mexican street vendor style tacos.

we drive up to daily bread in pinecrest/palmetto bay for mediterranean food and pho thang in pinecrest for vietnamese. bangkok cuisine in naranja for thai food. it seems if you live here you always see someone you know on buffet night.

[ecofancy]

What about capri restaurant on krome ave? Really good italian, i think i had the best service experience there than any other place in this country at least.

[hurricaneMan1992]

If you can afford a house in Homestead, you can probably afford a townhouse in Aventura (as well as other desirable areas in the "NE" part of the county), and you'd be in much better location--both in terms of proximity and safety--than Homestead. Heck, a house in North Miami Beach may even be in reach.