The Real Truth About Miami (Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville: real estate, apartments, rent)
MiamiMiami-Dade County
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Having read so many of the threads on Miami the past few days I feel compelled to write a response since I have also lived there. Reading the many responses I felt pulled in lots of directions because I could identify with most of the issues raised. There are a lot of extreme views in regards to the city but I think the reality tends to fall somewhere in between. But as a single person who lived there I tend to side with those who have a positive view of Miami-Dade. I may even move back if the right opportunity were to present itself.
I'm a white male and I moved to Miami when I was 27. I lived there for nearly 4 years. I left just last year so I think my perspective is still fresh enough without being overly cynical or too nice. The reason I left was only for a career change and had nothing to do with Miami itself. (Actually I lived in South Miami, close to Sunset Place).
These are my takes on the issues: Income: I don't think you HAVE to be wealthy to live here in many circumstances. When I left I was only making $40,000 but was living pretty comfortably. I had a nice, one bedroom apartment which was almost $1,000 per month. Granted I don't have kids and my car was paid off so I had no huge bills lingering. For a young or single person you really don't need that much money unless you're partying it up pretty hard or got big bills to pay. If you share the rent with a roommate it will be even easier. Sorry, I can't speak about income to those with families as that would be a very different story. Crime: I never, ever had a crime happen to me. Any big metro area will have bad parts. If you're in NYC do you hang out in Harlem if you can help it? Of course not. In Miami, stay away from the bad areas. Yes, crime spills over into other areas but be aware of your surroundings and be smart about where you go and when. You need to learn where the "bad" areas are and stay away. Spanish at work: I had Spanish in high school and a bit in college but I am definitely not fluent. I still got a decent job with a great company. Many jobs do prefer that you are fluent and that is frustrating so you do have to search harder. Still, its definitely possible to get a good job with most companies. The hard part for me was that most people at work spoke Spanish there. They were bilingual but preferred Spanish. I sometimes found myself out of the loop and yes, sometimes left out of conversations. But all in all, the older Cubans I worked with made the effort to speak English when I was around and were sensitive to the fact that I only speak English fluently. Still, you need to know that there will be times you feel left out or that you're not really "one of them". It does happen. Spanish and young people: Young Spanish speakers that were born in America or who came as young children DO seem to prefer English over Spanish but at work (and home) there is the atmosphere of speaking Spanish around the older people out of respect. They are taught that its part of their heritage and that they should hold on to it. Outside of work those same young people would very often revert back to speaking in English. Whether they grow to prefer Spanish and pass it on to their own kids, I don't know. Overall, the culture in Miami is that you DO pass it on to your kids. Its expected. So not all 2nd or 3rd generation will necessarily lose their Spanish, especially with Miami constantly being replenished with new immigrants.
Most of my friends in Miami were also Spanish speakers but they were very considerate of me and never excluded me. If they're you're friends, why would they? Anyone who would do that is not worth your time anyway. Spanish in general: Getting around Miami as an English speaker was NO problem. I would say that 90% of the time, even at the DMV, there was always someone who could speak English. I was constantly surprised at who could speak English. I remember once taking a taxi and as I got in I thought "There is no way this old Cuban guy will know English". But he did and quite well. Maybe I was just lucky in my 4 years there but not being fluent in Spanish was never a "problem". Of course, its extremely helpful though. Having said all that, I still found myself wishing that the people there would Americanize more and speak more English. As a guy from the midwest, it only seemed the right thing to do.
By the way, the vast majority of people I encountered in Miami were bilingual, from car repair shops to grocery stores, etc. so again, I didn't have any problems. Families: Someone on here said recently that he feels sorry for young families who move here not knowing what they're getting into. I tend to agree. If you are a typical middle class family, don't come here with your family. There are many, many other areas in this country in which to raise your family without the frustrations of this big city. I know I said that Spanish and crime were never a "problem" for me but I'm a single adult. To raise your kids here is a different issue because you'll have so much more to worry about with finances, schools, and morals. I think parents struggle enough to raise their kids right without adding all the moral and social dilemmas here. Don't sell yourself (and your family) short by coming here when there are many other great choices. Culture: I don't think there is a lot in Miami in regards to cultural things to do. I know the Performing Arts Center recently opened but I don't know how thats going so far. There is also a PAC in Fort Lauderdale though. There ARE some interesting things to see/do in Miami but nothing that won't get old after awhile, IMO. Traffic: Fortunately I can't speak on this very much. I was able to take the metro rail from my area to downtown everyday. It was easy and fast. Lucky me. From what I've heard from others the traffic frustrations seriously take away from the quality of life in the Miami area. You get to work tired and frustrated and you come home even more tired and frustrated. Lots has been written on the traffic already in this forum so you've been warned. Social Life: There is NO reason you can't have a good or at least decent social life in Miami, especially as a young person. There are lots of ways to meet others and there are fun areas to hang out - south beach, coconut grove, coral gables or even going up to Fort Lauderdale. Weekend getaways are great - The Keys, Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, Naples...
There is a runners club, there are book clubs, good churches. I was even part of an improv group in North Miami Beach. You may have to look but there are certainly social outlets. Overall: I think that like life in general, Miami is what you make of it - but in my honest opinion, Miami is for the rich, the young and adventurous (I was in this category), or the new immigrants. I think most others will feel more frustrated and possibly left out. Either way, I don't think Miami is a place that most people stay in for very long anyway.
This is just my take on the Miami situation.
Having read so many of the threads on Miami the past few days I feel compelled to write a response since I have also lived there. Reading the many responses I felt pulled in lots of directions because I could identify with most of the issues raised. There are a lot of extreme views in regards to the city but I think the reality tends to fall somewhere in between. But as a single person who lived there I tend to side with those who have a positive view of Miami-Dade. I may even move back if the right opportunity were to present itself.
I'm a white male and I moved to Miami when I was 27. I lived there for nearly 4 years. I left just last year so I think my perspective is still fresh enough without being overly cynical or too nice. The reason I left was only for a career change and had nothing to do with Miami itself. (Actually I lived in South Miami, close to Sunset Place).
These are my takes on the issues: Income: I don't think you HAVE to be wealthy to live here in many circumstances. When I left I was only making $40,000 but was living pretty comfortably. I had a nice, one bedroom apartment which was almost $1,000 per month. Granted I don't have kids and my car was paid off so I had no huge bills lingering. For a young or single person you really don't need that much money unless you're partying it up pretty hard or got big bills to pay. If you share the rent with a roommate it will be even easier. Sorry, I can't speak about income to those with families as that would be a very different story. Crime: I never, ever had a crime happen to me. Any big metro area will have bad parts. If you're in NYC do you hang out in Harlem if you can help it? Of course not. In Miami, stay away from the bad areas. Yes, crime spills over into other areas but be aware of your surroundings and be smart about where you go and when. You need to learn where the "bad" areas are and stay away. Spanish at work: I had Spanish in high school and a bit in college but I am definitely not fluent. I still got a decent job with a great company. Many jobs do prefer that you are fluent and that is frustrating so you do have to search harder. Still, its definitely possible to get a good job with most companies. The hard part for me was that most people at work spoke Spanish there. They were bilingual but preferred Spanish. I sometimes found myself out of the loop and yes, sometimes left out of conversations. But all in all, the older Cubans I worked with made the effort to speak English when I was around and were sensitive to the fact that I only speak English fluently. Still, you need to know that there will be times you feel left out or that you're not really "one of them". It does happen. Spanish and young people: Young Spanish speakers that were born in America or who came as young children DO seem to prefer English over Spanish but at work (and home) there is the atmosphere of speaking Spanish around the older people out of respect. They are taught that its part of their heritage and that they should hold on to it. Outside of work those same young people would very often revert back to speaking in English. Whether they grow to prefer Spanish and pass it on to their own kids, I don't know. Overall, the culture in Miami is that you DO pass it on to your kids. Its expected. So not all 2nd or 3rd generation will necessarily lose their Spanish, especially with Miami constantly being replenished with new immigrants.
Most of my friends in Miami were also Spanish speakers but they were very considerate of me and never excluded me. If they're you're friends, why would they? Anyone who would do that is not worth your time anyway. Spanish in general: Getting around Miami as an English speaker was NO problem. I would say that 90% of the time, even at the DMV, there was always someone who could speak English. I was constantly surprised at who could speak English. I remember once taking a taxi and as I got in I thought "There is no way this old Cuban guy will know English". But he did and quite well. Maybe I was just lucky in my 4 years there but not being fluent in Spanish was never a "problem". Of course, its extremely helpful though. Having said all that, I still found myself wishing that the people there would Americanize more and speak more English. As a guy from the midwest, it only seemed the right thing to do.
By the way, the vast majority of people I encountered in Miami were bilingual, from car repair shops to grocery stores, etc. so again, I didn't have any problems. Families: Someone on here said recently that he feels sorry for young families who move here not knowing what they're getting into. I tend to agree. If you are a typical middle class family, don't come here with your family. There are many, many other areas in this country in which to raise your family without the frustrations of this big city. I know I said that Spanish and crime were never a "problem" for me but I'm a single adult. To raise your kids here is a different issue because you'll have so much more to worry about with finances, schools, and morals. I think parents struggle enough to raise their kids right without adding all the moral and social dilemmas here. Don't sell yourself (and your family) short by coming here when there are many other great choices. Culture: I don't think there is a lot in Miami in regards to cultural things to do. I know the Performing Arts Center recently opened but I don't know how thats going so far. There is also a PAC in Fort Lauderdale though. There ARE some interesting things to see/do in Miami but nothing that won't get old after awhile, IMO. Traffic: Fortunately I can't speak on this very much. I was able to take the metro rail from my area to downtown everyday. It was easy and fast. Lucky me. From what I've heard from others the traffic frustrations seriously take away from the quality of life in the Miami area. You get to work tired and frustrated and you come home even more tired and frustrated. Lots has been written on the traffic already in this forum so you've been warned. Social Life: There is NO reason you can't have a good or at least decent social life in Miami, especially as a young person. There are lots of ways to meet others and there are fun areas to hang out - south beach, coconut grove, coral gables or even going up to Fort Lauderdale. Weekend getaways are great - The Keys, Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, Naples...
There is a runners club, there are book clubs, good churches. I was even part of an improv group in North Miami Beach. You may have to look but there are certainly social outlets. Overall: I think that like life in general, Miami is what you make of it - but in my honest opinion, Miami is for the rich, the young and adventurous (I was in this category), or the new immigrants. I think most others will feel more frustrated and possibly left out. Either way, I don't think Miami is a place that most people stay in for very long anyway.
This is just my take on the Miami situation.
FormerMiami : Definitely one of the better critiques that I have seen on Miami , not overly negative or positive ..... it is what it is and yeah for a younger single person it can be a blast . You have to know what you are geeting into if considering Miami , and watching a few episodes of CSI Miami or Nip / Tuck will not cut it . You lived in a nice area by the way , no wonder you experience was not bad ... plus you seem to be very tolerant as I am . I do not speak a lick of Spanish , but that has not hindered me when in Miami . It can be frustrating , but I have not really run into many Spanish speakers that have been outwardly intolerant because I did not speak Spanish as many other posters claim ... maybe I have been lucky ... LOL
Okay Gentlemen, I was a Miami Native recently who just moved to TN in May to be exact. I lived in Homestead/Redlands in a single family home and had about an acre and a half. Married with 3 small children. As a mother, wife, and business owner, it kills me to say it, but Miami has spiraled and the cost of living there has skyrocketed. Since we purchased our home 3 years ago our insurance and tax bill combined shot up to 16000.00 a year. Let alone a 3000 mortgage. I always said Miami was for newlyweds and single people. But not so for families, it beautiful, great, great schools, convenience of a metropolitan city. Draw backs, overcrowded schools, frustrated teachers, everyone is just frustrated, between fighting in traffic, fighting for parking. Luckily 5 years ago we opened our own business and no longer had to commute as everyone else did. But economically it is not beneficial, thus why we moved. Crime occurs anywhere. Our home was broken into twice, but nothing of the utmost value was taken. Yet I was okay with it as in the back of my head it were normal. But now living on a farm yes farm in TN I can't say I would go back to all the madness. I am cuban and love my heritage and everything about Miami, but as a married, mother of 3, Idealistically its not the best place to raise children, I was raised there in Kendall, which back then nothing really bad happened to Kendallians... LOL
Miami is kinda New York. It is not for everyone. You either love it or hate it. For families in NYC or Miami is not good but if you have money than is no problems.
Some cities are slow, some fast, some bilingual, some are more friendly than others.
All I wanna say, Miami is not bad or nor is heaven, but is all what you prefer.
FormerMiami, this is a great post, you get rep from me! I am a second generation Miami native who just moved away last year. I also lived in South Miami near Sunset Place for the last three years I was there, and I always tell people that while I was tired of Miami in general, I really loved the area that I lived in S Miami. I don't think I will ever move back unless certain things change drastically, but my parents and a few good friends are still there, so I will still visit until they, too have moved on.
I believe that Miami has really declined in general quality of life over the years, especially for families, as you said. That said, I am glad that I had the experiences I had there, since I know I can drive anywhere having learned to drive in Miami . Not to mention, I can appreciate certain aspects of other places that are completely foreign in Miami, and vice versa. I think the Miami lifestyle is fine for people whose "values" line up with the Miami way; however, I tend toward needing a bit more depth of character from people and places. I was not finding what I needed in Miami after spending my whole life there (save for 3.5 years in Gainesville for college), so I decided to move on to the next adventure.
Okay Gentlemen, I was a Miami Native recently who just moved to TN in May to be exact. I lived in Homestead/Redlands in a single family home and had about an acre and a half. Married with 3 small children. As a mother, wife, and business owner, it kills me to say it, but Miami has spiraled and the cost of living there has skyrocketed. Since we purchased our home 3 years ago our insurance and tax bill combined shot up to 16000.00 a year. Let alone a 3000 mortgage. I always said Miami was for newlyweds and single people. But not so for families, it beautiful, great, great schools, convenience of a metropolitan city. Draw backs, overcrowded schools, frustrated teachers, everyone is just frustrated, between fighting in traffic, fighting for parking. Luckily 5 years ago we opened our own business and no longer had to commute as everyone else did. But economically it is not beneficial, thus why we moved. Crime occurs anywhere. Our home was broken into twice, but nothing of the utmost value was taken. Yet I was okay with it as in the back of my head it were normal. But now living on a farm yes farm in TN I can't say I would go back to all the madness. I am cuban and love my heritage and everything about Miami, but as a married, mother of 3, Idealistically its not the best place to raise children, I was raised there in Kendall, which back then nothing really bad happened to Kendallians... LOL
The Real Estate in Florida is going to continue to climb to the point that it will one day be the most expensive in America, Many who have lots of money in Latin America are moving to Miami/Florida .
After Chavez became President in Venezuela all with money left and most wound up in Miami thats just one example of countless all over Latin America.
The market here is insane and not going to change . I sold my house in NY and bought a nice house in Doral but per square foot I think Miami cost more .
One day native Miamians who are not rich will be pushed out simply because they will not afford the real estate/taxes here .
Miami is kinda New York. It is not for everyone. You either love it or hate it. For families in NYC or Miami is not good but if you have money than is no problems.
Some cities are slow, some fast, some bilingual, some are more friendly than others.
All I wanna say, Miami is not bad or nor is heaven, but is all what you prefer.
The Real Estate in Florida is going to continue to climb to the point that it will one day be the most expensive in America, Many who have lots of money in Latin America are moving to Miami/Florida .
After Chavez became President in Venezuela all with money left and most wound up in Miami thats just one example of countless all over Latin America.
The market here is insane and not going to change . I sold my house in NY and bought a nice house in Doral but per square foot I think Miami cost more .
One day native Miamians who are not rich will be pushed out simply because they will not afford the real estate/taxes here .
If this is true, why are there so many slums in Latin America? Rich immigrants will not be buying small single family homes to live in but "luxury" homes in desireable areas. What I think will happen is that Miami becomes part of Latin America with a few very rich/expensive areas and huge slums of condos/apartments and lower priced single-family areas.
Income: I don't think you HAVE to be wealthy to live here in many circumstances. When I left I was only making $40,000 but was living pretty comfortably. I had a nice, one bedroom apartment which was almost $1,000 per month. Granted I don't have kids and my car was paid off so I had no huge bills lingering. For a young or single person you really don't need that much money unless you're partying it up pretty hard or got big bills to pay. If you share the rent with a roommate it will be even easier. Sorry, I can't speak about income to those with families as that would be a very different story.
Not everyone would consider this living comfortably. I can't help but think back when we bought our first house, our income was similar to yours. We bought a 3 bedroom house with a smaller mortgage than the rent you are paying now. That was back in 1990.
Crime: I never, ever had a crime happen to me. Any big metro area will have bad parts. If you're in NYC do you hang out in Harlem if you can help it? Of course not. In Miami, stay away from the bad areas. Yes, crime spills over into other areas but be aware of your surroundings and be smart about where you go and when. You need to learn where the "bad" areas are and stay away.
I agree with this. Crime happens everywhere - even in very nice areas. The only thing I always wondered about was why many people in Miami have bars on their windows. To me it makes the neighborhood look like a high crime area whether it is or it is not, and I don't see this trend in Broward or surrounding areas nearly as much as I see it in Miami.
Spanish at work:
I had Spanish in high school and a bit in college but I am definitely not fluent. I still got a decent job with a great company. Many jobs do prefer that you are fluent and that is frustrating so you do have to search harder. Still, its definitely possible to get a good job with most companies. The hard part for me was that most people at work spoke Spanish there. They were bilingual but preferred Spanish. I sometimes found myself out of the loop and yes, sometimes left out of conversations. But all in all, the older Cubans I worked with made the effort to speak English when I was around and were sensitive to the fact that I only speak English fluently. Still, you need to know that there will be times you feel left out or that you're not really "one of them". It does happen.
True.
Spanish and young people: Young Spanish speakers that were born in America or who came as young children DO seem to prefer English over Spanish but at work (and home) there is the atmosphere of speaking Spanish around the older people out of respect. They are taught that its part of their heritage and that they should hold on to it. Outside of work those same young people would very often revert back to speaking in English. Whether they grow to prefer Spanish and pass it on to their own kids, I don't know. Overall, the culture in Miami is that you DO pass it on to your kids. Its expected. So not all 2nd or 3rd generation will necessarily lose their Spanish, especially with Miami constantly being replenished with new immigrants.
Most of my friends in Miami were also Spanish speakers but they were very considerate of me and never excluded me. If they're you're friends, why would they? Anyone who would do that is not worth your time anyway.
Thank you for sharing that perspective about passing on to the children. I never saw it that way before.
Spanish in general: Getting around Miami as an English speaker was NO problem. I would say that 90% of the time, even at the DMV, there was always someone who could speak English. I was constantly surprised at who could speak English. I remember once taking a taxi and as I got in I thought "There is no way this old Cuban guy will know English". But he did and quite well. Maybe I was just lucky in my 4 years there but not being fluent in Spanish was never a "problem". Of course, its extremely helpful though. Having said all that, I still found myself wishing that the people there would Americanize more and speak more English. As a guy from the midwest, it only seemed the right thing to do.
By the way, the vast majority of people I encountered in Miami were bilingual, from car repair shops to grocery stores, etc. so again, I didn't have any problems.
I, too, wish that everyone spoke English. If we moved to Cuba, we would be expected to learn their language. I was always offended when I was spoken to in Spanish as a first choice when I was in a store or a place in which I needed service. There were several instances in which I could not get a question answered in a store, because the employees did not speak any English. For the most part, you can communicate though, especially if you know a little Spanish.
Families: Someone on here said recently that he feels sorry for young families who move here not knowing what they're getting into. I tend to agree. If you are a typical middle class family, don't come here with your family. There are many, many other areas in this country in which to raise your family without the frustrations of this big city. I know I said that Spanish and crime were never a "problem" for me but I'm a single adult. To raise your kids here is a different issue because you'll have so much more to worry about with finances, schools, and morals. I think parents struggle enough to raise their kids right without adding all the moral and social dilemmas here. Don't sell yourself (and your family) short by coming here when there are many other great choices.
I recently left S. FL for NC, which I think is a better place to raise my kids. It is not Utopia though, as some try to claim. We are enjoying it here though.
Traffic: Fortunately I can't speak on this very much. I was able to take the metro rail from my area to downtown everyday. It was easy and fast. Lucky me. From what I've heard from others the traffic frustrations seriously take away from the quality of life in the Miami area. You get to work tired and frustrated and you come home even more tired and frustrated. Lots has been written on the traffic already in this forum so you've been warned.
Traffic is an issue in many cities. I am finding that out here in NC. Sometimes my commute takes me 30 minutes & other times over an hour, so not much different than Miami. The only thing that makes it more bearable here is that IMO the scenery is nicer to look at while you are crawling and drivers are more courteous for the most part.
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. Not to mention, I can appreciate certain aspects of other places that are completely foreign in Miami, and vice versa. I think the Miami lifestyle is fine for people whose "values" line up with the Miami way; however, I tend toward needing a bit more depth of character from people and places. I was not finding what I needed in Miami after spending my whole life there (save for 3.5 years in Gainesville for college), so I decided to move on to the next adventure.
