I am insane. Moving to Miami with a very large family. And a toddler. Oh the humanity. I have ?s. (Miami Beach: condos, crime)

[newfrontalex]

Dang, I almost forgot...what about dogs (German Shepherd) and a few .44s? Any problems registering my animal or my guns in CG?

[Smokey1961]

Coral Gables is very stuck up and strict(Too many regulations) and I do not like the people there, I do not think you would enjoy living there, plus their high school is horrible. I would recommend Pinecrest, Kendall, Kendall West, The Hammocks, The Crossings(especially Calusa Country Club, it has some nice houses.), Westchester(You can get by speaking English there.). Or, for a change of pace, Hialeah. I only brought this up because if your kids can speak fluent Spanish, they will enjoy Miami so much more. EDIT: I'm on the same boat, moving into a apartment with a German Shepard is dang hard. Registering guns, I'm not sure, I never asked LOL.

[UrbanCrossroads]

Newfrontalex, you should consider looking at homes in the Miami Beach area. Maybe the North Beach section or the Mid Beach section. I have a cousin who used to live in a very nice restored 1930s-style home in North Beach in the early 2000s. She had a small child (under 5 yrs old) at the time. I do remember seeing a walkable shopping area on a main street (71st street I think?) near her home with several shops, restaurants and other establishments that looked similar to Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. You said you were interested in proximity to your office near 50th and Biscayne, so a commute from Pinecrest or Coral Gables to your job would just be way too long.

[Smokey1961]

On Miami Beach, If you move there, live roughly north of Dade boulevard or south of 5th Street and you should be fine, Inbetween those two areas are a little bit ghetto-ish and you get the apartment quality of Little Haiti for a hefty price, not to mention the restaurants in that area are pricy!

[newfrontalex]

See, I found Miami Beach really blah. It all APPEARS nice and fine (especially near Bal Harbour etc) but I wasn't really finding much to do around there. It didn't feel like a community, per se. Maybe I'm wrong. Worth visiting again for sure.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by newfrontalex

As for my son, I wouldn't mind him being in private schools once he gets to be school age. For now though, I am looking for the best possible day care in areas we are discussing.

The thing is, that's not terribly far off. I would either make sure I bought in a good school district now, or had the intention of sending him to private school and not worry about what district your house is in.

Regardless, the problem I see is that although you have a nice sum to purchase a home, what you're looking for doesn't exactly exist (at least plentifully) in the areas where you're going to want to live (a duplex in a great area.)

In most great areas, homes are single family because the people living there are owner occupants who can afford to have a private lot with their own private home.

I think you are a prime example of somebody that needs a Realtor to help them with the search because what you're looking for is going to be a bit tricky to find.

I would consider finding two moderately prices homes that are for sale next to each other (or in back of one and other) and this way you would still be connected and it opens up more options.

Another suggestion is to not be afraid of construction. If you find a big enough home, look how you could create two living spaces out of it.

[cityKing]

I hate threads like this, making it seem like they have no control over your decisions.

If you aren't into Miami or you feel like it is a bad decision don't move.

[newfrontalex]

Originally Posted by cityKing

I hate threads like this, making it seem like they have no control over your decisions.

If you aren't into Miami or you feel like it is a bad decision don't move.

Wh...what?

[newfrontalex]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

The thing is, that's not terribly far off. I would either make sure I bought in a good school district now, or had the intention of sending him to private school and not worry about what district your house is in.

Regardless, the problem I see is that although you have a nice sum to purchase a home, what you're looking for doesn't exactly exist (at least plentifully) in the areas where you're going to want to live (a duplex in a great area.)

In most great areas, homes are single family because the people living there are owner occupants who can afford to have a private lot with their own private home.

I think you are a prime example of somebody that needs a Realtor to help them with the search because what you're looking for is going to be a bit tricky to find.

I would consider finding two moderately prices homes that are for sale next to each other (or in back of one and other) and this way you would still be connected and it opens up more options.

Another suggestion is to not be afraid of construction. If you find a big enough home, look how you could create two living spaces out of it.

This is actually our back up plan (taking a SFR with large enough sq. Ft. and doing construction), but again, that's only if we have to.

[Mr. Loco]

Family to Miami ... Are you crazy? Or just really uniformed ?!?!?!