Nice Walkable Neighborhoods in Miami? (Tampa, Fort Lauderdale: crime, how much, new home)

[Hold on to the Nights]

Originally Posted by chasfh

My wife and I are getting close enough to retirement age to consider a second home in a warm winter climate. Miami obviously leaps to mind as a major prospect.

We currently live in Chicago, in the Wicker Park area. Wicker Park is an extremely walkable neighborhood with restaurants, bars, galleries, bookstores, music venues and other amenities all within 10-15 minutes on foot. We love that kind of area and we like cities by nature, so we would like a second home in a neighborhood that's as close to that as possible.

I have been in Miami for the past few days and have been looking around for areas that would fill that bill. In such an area, we would ideally purchase either a single family home (which we prefer) or a condominium (which we could consider), looking for at least 2/2 and at least 1,200 sq ft with a budget in the threes.

I have been around a few neighborhoods and it seems like the ones that are closest to what I'm looking for are Coral Gables and Coconut Grove. I drove through Miami Beach and Brickell, areas a realtor suggested, and while they seem OK, I prefer something less intensely urban and more neighborhoody, with little neighborhood downtowns.

I would love to get any additional suggestions for other neighborhoods that might fit our preferences. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Like other said the good areas of South Miami(the walkable area is around US1 and 57th avenue and SW 72 st)

You could also consider Palm Beach, Martin counties and the Tampa Bay area(St Petersburg, Clearwater) for more affordable options.

For sure you won't find Wicker Park here, but you will find areas similar to Coral Gables.

[Coconut1]

I would advise against the west coast and believe you're headed on the right track with where you're looking.

One piece of advice I give to anyone nearing retirement age is to retire some place with solid public transportation. There may come a day where you're no longer able to drive and having to depend on other people if public transit in your area is no good is not a good predicament to be in.

Keep looking at areas close to Metrorail- it connects everything you need to still have a very good quality of life; shopping, restaurants, entertainment, hospital, doctors, etc.

[hurricaneMan1992]

1200 square feet and in a walkable area will be tough, since many 2 bedroom places come in at only 700-800 square feet. Also, it will almost certainly have to be in a condo.

In addition to the above suggestions, Sunny Isles Beach could work out, especially the neighborhood near the government center. Parts of Aventura along Biscayne Blvd. also. Check out the Las Olas riverfront in Fort Lauderdale as well as Delray.

[chasfh]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

Miami now a days really isn't a retirement place anymore (The Villages in Central Florida or the west coast of Florida is considered more the retirement parts of Florida for the Midwest). I will agree with the others, I think Surfside and Aventura are your best bets for a more walkable retirement area. Though Aventura really doesn't have that "Little neighborly feel". Like Surfside, Key Biscayne, Coral Gables and South Miami have. Key Biscayne is a good place for older people to retire, plenty of high rises, parks, the beach, a grocery store near by you can take your golf cart too. Not a lot of shopping though.

Coral Gables and Coconut Grove are walkable if you live near downtown Coral Gables or Coconut Grove, other wise most of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove isn't all that walkable (mostly residential with no sidewalks). While the Roads is a nice area, it is a younger area in my opinion. South Miami is walkable as well as long as you live with in a few blocks.

I appreciate your thoughtful recommendations here. I think I may not have made myself too clear on what I am looking for.

I am a fit, athletic, active 52-year old who takes 10+ mile bike rides through city streets for exercise; plays in a hardball league with guys in their 20s; goes to ballgames, sports bars and concerts (Lollapalooza last year, Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field on tap for this year); and enjoys the activity of large city neighborhoods and downtown areas. I am very comfortable among crowds of all ages and ethnicities. My wife is on the same page with me (although she's not in the hardball league with me. )

I am not looking to retire to a community that's gated off from the outside world and populated only by really old people who all look the same as I. I am also not interested in retiring to a suburban environment predominated by supermarkets, malls and golf courses.

The reason we are looking in Florida for winter homes is, frankly, only for the weather. My dream is to play in a winter hardball league to complement my summer hardball activity. If Chicago had Miami's winters, I would not be looking at all (although with global warming afoot, maybe it will in ten years! ). But since it doesn't, we would like to find an area as close to the vibe as we have in our Wicker Park neighborhood now.

We're probably 2-5 years away from taking the plunge so we have time to check out more options, but from what I have seen of the Coral Gables and Coconut Grove areas, that seems as close as we are going to get to the concentration of urban amenities in the Miami area.

I really enjoyed our visit in Miami earlier this week, and I will definitely keep my eye out on the market there as trigger time gets closer.

Thanks again for your insights!

[chasfh]

Originally Posted by Hold on to the Nights

Like other said the good areas of South Miami(the walkable area is around US1 and 57th avenue and SW 72 st)

You could also consider Palm Beach, Martin counties and the Tampa Bay area(St Petersburg, Clearwater) for more affordable options.

For sure you won't find Wicker Park here, but you will find areas similar to Coral Gables.

Tampa is on my list to check out, too. I got a recommendation in that forum to check out Sarasota, which I will do.

I looked at Lauderdale while we were down there too, tooled down Los Olas, and frankly, lots and lots of blue hairs up there, more than I saw in Coral Gables, actually. Maybe it's the University vibe in CG. I kind of dig that.

I also like the idea that Miami and Tampa have major league sports, so when we are wintering and the Red Wings or Pistons come to the area, I have the option to go see them.

I know an exact replica of Wicker Park will be super difficult to locate, but I wanted to give an idea of what I'm looking for. We really liked Coral Gables while we were there, although it's more like an Evanston than a Wicker Park, and we could certainly be OK with that.

[chasfh]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

I would advise against the west coast and believe you're headed on the right track with where you're looking.

One piece of advice I give to anyone nearing retirement age is to retire some place with solid public transportation. There may come a day where you're no longer able to drive and having to depend on other people if public transit in your area is no good is not a good predicament to be in.

Keep looking at areas close to Metrorail- it connects everything you need to still have a very good quality of life; shopping, restaurants, entertainment, hospital, doctors, etc.

Good call on public transport. I know I'm not going to be as fit as I am now forever, and really, that's why I think the city is a good place for me to go, because that would put me close to not only the amenities I like, but also to the medical I will eventually need.

[doggiebus]

I would highly suggest a visit to the Villages, I thought the same thing you do about the place. But when I took a visit (for my parents) you'll be very surprised. These aren't old people sitting in their rockers kind of people (these are active seniors starting in their 50's, the highest STD rate in the country is in The Villages) .

[chasfh]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

I would highly suggest a visit to the Villages, I thought the same thing you do about the place. But when I took a visit (for my parents) you'll be very surprised. These aren't old people sitting in their rockers kind of people (these are active seniors starting in their 50's, the highest STD rate in the country is in The Villages) .

Is the neighborhood like Wicker Park, Coral Gables or Coconut Grove?

[Coconut1]

I obviously didn't read carefully and didn't realize you're only going to be using this as a second home.

Although the prospect of a single family home is nice, you're going to have a lot of maintenance to keep up and honestly I'm not sure you'd want to leave your house vacant 6 months out of the year.

If you're only going to be down a few months a year I think I would definitely go the condo route. Much less maintenance and much more peace of mind when you're not down here.

[doggiebus]

Originally Posted by chasfh

Is the neighborhood like Wicker Park, Coral Gables or Coconut Grove?

It's not as established, as it isn't as old as these areas. It's the largest retirement community in the country 100,000 plus homes, 10+ golf courses in the community all free to residents for life, thousands of clubs, there is a tone of stuff there. In 50 years I could see parts of it being more like the areas you mentioned, but right now its more like a new track home development. The home prices haven't dropped much even in this down turn of an economy, because demand is so high to live there. The Villages - Florida's Friendliest Retirement Hometown - New Home Sales, Home Resales, Build Your Dream Home, Brownwood Paddock Square

Just a thought.

I have a few friends that bike, usually 50+ miles on a Saturday, your not going to want to ride through the streets of Miami. As it really isn't safe to ride on the streets in Miami. They ride on the Key, Pinecrest, on the busway in South Miami Dade or out in the Redlands in South Miami-Dade where it's safer to ride.