Renting in/near Miami - Safe living for a young woman?? (Doral: living in, dangerous)

[gymbuff]

Originally Posted by ShelliF

Wow, I glad you folks are so classy and helpful. Seriously??

Like I said in my initial post, I have lived in cities before. I'm not an idiot. However I -HAVE- been in areas where going out alone as a young woman really COULD get you attacked or harassed. Where your car -WOULD- be keyed, & flashing your headlights at a car w/o them on would get you mugged & possibly killed as a gang initiation. So try not to be complete a$$holes, would you? Like I said, I know nothing about Miami, we've never even been there. Cut me some slack.

We will be looking at a 2/1 apt for $850-$950 a month & have found a few seemingly nice properties. Don't care about living IN the city proper, but need to be close to Miami International. Does anyone know of nice quiet areas or complexes that you would recommend?

Had you posted this one month earlier you could have rented my apartment in Virginia Gardens, literally a bird's eye view from the airport.
The Miami Springs/Virginia Gardens area is what you want for cheap rent and zero club life. Hialeah is priced right but I have a feeling you won't like apartment living there.

[WINTERFRONT]

Originally Posted by ShelliF

I hope this isn't the "flavor" people are referring to in Miami, b/c here we call that trash.

"trash" is not a flavor

[roadtrip75]

Originally Posted by ShelliF

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate your honesty. I think this is more or less what my husband & I have decided... after 6mo he'll be off probation @ work & we can move anywhere. I love the ocean & would love to experience the blend of Latin cultures, but it's nice to know we have an out if it's not for us.

If you live in the nicer parts of Dade County, like Miami Beach, you WILL get exposure to Latin culture. Those areas are diverse - Latino, white, Jewish, gay, hip-hop, celebs. The mainland away from the water is not diverse. Affordable areas are typically 95% Latino or 98% black. Those are not exaggerations. Miami Springs is like an oasis of whiteness in that area . . and it's about 20% white and dropping.

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

There is also the world famous "Queen of Diamonds" which is where all of the rappers go to see nude ladies clap their behinds, I believe thats 1 block east of I-95 on Miami Gardens Drive.

That's King of Diamonds...The Queen of Diamonds is in Aventura, and it seems much more classy, at least from the outside...

Like you, I wouldn't recommend Miami Gardens.

[intlflairhair]

Originally Posted by ShelliF

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate your honesty. I think this is more or less what my husband & I have decided... after 6mo he'll be off probation @ work & we can move anywhere. I love the ocean & would love to experience the blend of Latin cultures, but it's nice to know we have an out if it's not for us.

It disappoints me that people in this forum have been so hostile - I've asked similar questions for several other potential domicile cities & have never had people behave so defensively (or downright rudely). I hope this isn't the "flavor" people are referring to in Miami, b/c here we call that trash.

ShelliF, I feel bad for you, and others who come on here to seek advice since it's called CITY DATA and get to experience this hostile environment that is much like living in Miami/So. Florida. Right off the bat they jump on you, make fun of where you live, bad mouth where you're from, same ol' same ol'. If you decide to move to Miami, you will see this for yourself in everyday interactions, driving, etc.

Let me break it down for you, there is no "blend" of Latin cultures in Miami. Everyone hates everyone, the end. It's not an exaggeration, racism is rampant. Hispanic groups hate each other, and the white and black people. They are the dominant race in Miami, so do you want to live in a city where the dominant race is racist?

You will have a very hard time getting a job even as a maid/janitor if you do not speak Spanish. You don't need English in Miami, but Spanish, yes. Don't let the people on this forum tell you that's not true. People that say that are usually the ones that speak Spanish. And if you are lucky enough to find a job, you will most likely be underpaid and undermined. There is NO professionalism anywhere in Miami.

I can't tell you what to decide, BUT if you were my sister/cousin/friend, I would tell you to wait out the 6-12 months where you are now, if you can afford it and let your husband deal with the Miami BS. If you don't find a job, you will be miserable and lonely because making REAL friends in Miami is darn near impossible. And again, if you don't speak Spanish, you just narrowed the pool of friend possibilities even further.

Ranting aside, have you considered Doral? It's a fairly safe, industrial city. Lots of new, affordable developments. Really boring and far from the beach, but it's a fairly easy commute to the airport. But be warned, it's pretty much Spanish 90% of the time there.

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by ShelliF

Also, some specific areas in question:

Gladeview/Hialeah/W Little River/Miami Shores
Cutler Bay/S Miami Heights
Miami Gardens/N Miami Glades
U of M Hospital area

Any of these areas particularly desirable or shady?

Cutler Bay and Miami Shores are fine though close to some shady areas. Cutler Bay would a royal pain to commute to the airport.

Hospital district: not the best, but probably OK if you stick to a secure high-rise north of the Dolphin and south of 20 ST. It is possible to walk to Metrorail from some of those buildings, and of course, if you end up working there, it's an obvious advantage!

Also, there's a complex in Design district/Little Haiti that *might* work: "Design Place," but definitely drive around the area to see if you're comfortable. Ditto for the condos across from the old Miami Arena and 1 block from Metrorail downtown (The Madison and some others).

[ShelliF]

Thank you guys so much for your helpfulness & advice! I hope I didn't offend anyone before, I just got really frustrated by certain people being so determinedly rude. What we're going to do is definitely still up in the air, & warrants a couple in-depth visits before we make a decision, but at least now I have a starting point. Having 6 wks to move, alone, is stressful enough - I'll take as much positive direction as I can get!!

[roadtrip75]

Originally Posted by intlflairhair

You will have a very hard time getting a job even as a maid/janitor if you do not speak Spanish. You don't need English in Miami, but Spanish, yes. Don't let the people on this forum tell you that's not true. People that say that are usually the ones that speak Spanish.

Did you read her post? Her husband has a job already and she is in healthcare. I don't think the Spanish requirements apply to this couple.

[WINTERFRONT]

Oh my god!!! A language different than mine!!!

[doggiebus]

Depending on what she does in the healthcare industry speaking both spanish and english can be a requirement as I learned while my husband had surgery a few weeks ago.