Young professional moving to Doral (Miami, Miami Beach: apartments, for rent, condos)

[jhwkmac]

Hello all,

I'm currently living in North Bay Village, I really like it. Recently accepted a job in Doral in the logistics industry and want to move to the area to cut down on commute time.

I'm looking to get a 1 bedroom or big studio for $1200 tops. It sucks that the difference between a one bedroom and two bedroom is often only $100 in Doral but I guess there are plenty of single professionals like myself willing to pay that.

Does anyone have a recommendation for what condo complex to look for? would also consider north fountainebleu. Ive heard good and bad things about most, but I don't know the area well. what are the best? what's the best located for walkable restaurants/shops?

Thank you!!

[Dakster]

"Walkable" restaurants and shops.... Gotta think about that for a minute.

For that you really would want to be within walking distance of a 'big' mall - Miami International Mall, Dolphin Mall, or Mall of the Americas. Dolphin Mall is the hardest to leave within walking distance of, so really forget that one. (It is in the middle of a commercial/industrial area - however, there is one possibility - see below) Fountainebleau is all apartment buildings and there are a couple of small strip shopping centers with restaurants around. I would bet you would grow pretty tired of them, fast. As long as you consider the area bordering Mall of the Americas Fontainebluea there are tons of partment buildings within walking distance to that mall. A couple of buildings have gone up in the past few years - so you have some newer buildings to choose from.

I don't have any firsthand experience of what the apartment buildings are like or the people in them, so it is best to do some touring around them. You are already going down here to work - so drive by and around. You also might like what is one of the malls over the other and can taylor your research choices around that.

There are TINY, but new 'Euro' style apartments going up (or maybe open already) on NW 107th Ave and about NW 18th Street. I can't remember the exact name at the moment. It is located across NW 107th Ave from International Mall - (although closer to the starbucks/Fuddruckers) on the west side of the street. Might be worth looking into, since it sounds like you don't mind a small place. An ex-coworker of mine looked at them, but decided it was too small of a place for him. That is probably the only 'Apartment Building' that you could walk to Dolphin mall from and obviously International Mall too. For that place, location, location, location has it.

[jhwkmac]

Thanks for the reply. Walk ability to shops isn't a huge criteria just a preference. Best criteria is not super boring, nice, clean, well kept, etc

[jhwkmac]

And as close as possible to my work which is near 36th and 82nd

[JacobMAX]

I simply would recommend something nearer to Doral but not as suburban and secluded, as I really think - especially as you would be coming from North Bay Village - you would quite possibly regret a move to that neighborhood for quite a few reasons: it's not a walkable area really, you'd need a car for basically everything; not many nice apt. complexes - just a glance at the ApartmentRatings website gives you an idea of how things are in some complexes down there; basically no nightlife and it's further away from areas of interest - vis-à-vis Downtown, Miami Beach, etc.; main upsides though would be the commute and price.

Places that are more interesting, not far from Doral (good commute - as you'd be going against traffic), with more amenities and other stuff more close by would be, keeping in mind the budget given for rent: Downtown (preferably the eastern-southeastern bits - near the Bayfront - which have more amenities and is more gentrified and safe/well kept), Midtown (again, preference to the eastern bits - east of N Miami Ave - for the same reasons as Downtown) and Brickell (problem would be that there wouldn't be too many options on that price range - but definitely there should be some).

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by JacobMAX

I simply would recommend something nearer to Doral but not as suburban and secluded, as I really think - especially as you would be coming from North Bay Village - you would quite possibly regret a move to that neighborhood for quite a few reasons: it's not a walkable area really, you'd need a car for basically everything; not many nice apt. complexes - just a glance at the ApartmentRatings website gives you an idea of how things are in some complexes down there; basically no nightlife and it's further away from areas of interest - vis-à-vis Downtown, Miami Beach, etc.; main upsides though would be the commute and price.

Places that are more interesting, not far from Doral (good commute - as you'd be going against traffic), with more amenities and other stuff more close by would be, keeping in mind the budget given for rent: Downtown (preferably the eastern-southeastern bits - near the Bayfront - which have more amenities and is more gentrified and safe/well kept), Midtown (again, preference to the eastern bits - east of N Miami Ave - for the same reasons as Downtown) and Brickell (problem would be that there wouldn't be too many options on that price range - but definitely there should be some).

$1200 won't get you much in downtown or Brickell. Midtown perhaps. Upper East Side too, but then you'd might as well stay in NBV for the same commute.

Fontainebleau Blvd. might look promising density wise, but don't be fooled, there's really nothing to walk to from those condos and apartments, and it's not pedestrian friendly.

Miami Lakes main street and Coral Gables "North Ponce" area are other possibilities. I would personally go with the Gables.

[point80]

Doral is more bike/walk friendly than people think. There is an expanding network of paths (large off-the-street paths not slivers carved out of the street), especially in areas west of 97th Ave.

I would suggest you look at two areas. First look off of 97th Ave just north of 41st/36th. Nice area with walking/bike paths and would be a short walk to commercial & dining area at intersection of 97thAve-41stSt. This would be very close to your job.

Also, look off of 114th Ave north of 41st St. Lots of bike/walk paths in this area. You would be close to commercial & dining area at intersection of 114thAve/41st. Easy access to turnpike if needed. And you would be a 5 minute bike ride or 20 minute walk down to Dolphin Mall (bike path all the way down).

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by mouzon

Doral is more bike/walk friendly than people think. There is an expanding network of paths (large off-the-street paths not slivers carved out of the street), especially in areas west of 97th Ave.

I would suggest you look at two areas. First look off of 97th Ave just north of 41st/36th. Nice area with walking/bike paths and would be a short walk to commercial & dining area at intersection of 97thAve-41stSt. This would be very close to your job.

Also, look off of 114th Ave north of 41st St. Lots of bike/walk paths in this area. You would be close to commercial & dining area at intersection of 114thAve/41st. Easy access to turnpike if needed. And you would be a 5 minute bike ride or 20 minute walk down to Dolphin Mall (bike path all the way down).

That's in interesting setup you've got there for the bike path access to Dolphin Mall. It's a little tricky to find, you've got to go down 114th ave and between/behind some commercial parking lots. There's even a designated crossing of the "loop" road around the mall parking lot and you don't have to walk through the parking lot. Good to see the City of Doral is trying to make things more bike friendly, even if it's not particularly pedestrian friendly (large distances between stuff, crosswalks only at major intersections, 4-6 lane high speed roads).

[point80]

Originally Posted by hurricaneMan1992

That's in interesting setup you've got there for the bike path access to Dolphin Mall. It's a little tricky to find, you've got to go down 114th ave and between/behind some commercial parking lots. There's even a designated crossing of the "loop" road around the mall parking lot and you don't have to walk through the parking lot. Good to see the City of Doral is trying to make things more bike friendly, even if it's not particularly pedestrian friendly (large distances between stuff, crosswalks only at major intersections, 4-6 lane high speed roads).

Last time I checked the Dolphin Mall path went all the way up to 58th St, and it looked like it was going to go further north. Also, the path branches west at 50th now where there is a new park. Also, paths are being built along 58th moving east-west. Yes, it seems like a sincere attempt to counterbalance the negatives.

[Miami Vice]

Go north on NW 97th Avenue from NW 41 Street. There are some apartments just north of the Publix shopping center. They are privately owned by sometimes you'll see "for rent" signs on the windows. The problem will be getting through the guard gate. Those are pretty nice. I lived there long ago. 2 pools, tennis courts, gym, and a lake if you like to fish. There were 1,2 and 3 bedroom apartments there. Good luck.