Why I want to move to south Florida... (Miami, Miami Beach: apartment, to rent)

[space age]

I just discovered this forum this past Thanksgiving weekend while looking for the pros and cons of living in south Florida. I read about both ends of the spectrum when it comes to the good and bad of living in this part of the state.

Despite all of the negatives I've read, I still want to move there.

Originally from the mid-west, I've been living in ATL for 19 1/2 years and it still doesn't feel like home. It's just where I live, so because of that I'm ready to pack the family up and move south, way south.

Why I want to move:

- I want the tropical weather, scenery, vibe, and palm trees. That relaxes me.

- We (my family) love going to the beach; we go every year. Budget wise I hope I can get us a place no more than a 20 minute drive to a beach. So even when we get tired of going once/month and only go twice a year, it's only 20 minutes away instead of 6 hours. Unless I can afford to get us close enough to have a view...that'll be sweet.

- I'm betting (and all of this is a gamble) that because we're interested in so. Florida we'll find more to do.

- But just in case I don't find more to do there than here, I'm bringing my hobbies with me. I see the SCCA has a chapter down there I can join and you guys have the Homestead track so I can take my son to see some races.

- The various festivals and events yearly should keep us interested.

- I have a friend down there who charters a boat and goes fishing (it seems like) every other week. Talk about fresh fish. I can't wait, but I'll have to use the beer fund money to fish so this will be a toss up if it happens to often.

- Riding season is year round.

These are a some of my reasons. Anybody else contemplating this same move? Have you thought about what you'll do when you get there and why?

[FlyMIA]

Will you have a job? Does you job allow you to move down here?

You must be ok with a large Hispanic influence on the culture too. As for a home 20mins from the beach that usually depends on your budget. Miami is a very "thin" area so no home will be more than 15-20 miles from the coast but that certainly will be longer than 20min drive.

You have young kids? What about schools. There is a lot to look into. Miami is not for everyone. But some of the things you are looking for Miami does offer, so that's a good start.

[bigh110]

"Originally from the mid-west, I've been living in ATL for 19 1/2 years and it still doesn't feel like home. It's just where I live, so because of that I'm ready to pack the family up and move south, way south.

Why I want to move:

- I want the tropical weather, scenery, vibe, and palm trees. That relaxes me.

- We (my family) love going to the beach; we go every year. Budget wise I hope I can get us a place no more than a 20 minute drive to a beach."

Forget Miami! you need to move "way south" Florida extends another 120 Miles south/southwest all the way to key west. Get your family down to the Fabulous Florida Keys and become members of the conch republic!!

[unquiltom]

Come down here and spend some time before you decide to relocate. You'll need at least a month to experience the traffic, the lack of english speakers in many areas, the attitude of many of the Latin people towards non Latins. Coming here on a vacation and thinking you'd like to live here is probably a mistake. You really need to get a feel for what living here will actually be like.

[space age]

FlyMIA - our son will be in kindergarten next year so I checked with my friend and he recommended where his kids attend school. My wife isn't quite on board with this move and part of the criteria is to live in a good school district and I have to ensure our quality of life doesn't diminish cause I've lost interest in Atlanta and want to move. Part of the reason and interest in the move is a job offer I received so employment is covered.

Big H - I like anything with "conch" in the name. Thanks for the invite!

unquiltom - I hear you. I've been sitting in ATL traffic since my sophomore year of college 18 years ago. An hour just to drive 20 miles from my house to work/school or an hour & 30 minutes if you leave 5 minutes later. I've learned patience and planning (because I can be impatient-lol). This is also why I want to rent before buying a house; we can get a place close to work to cut the commute times, or find a side of town we like before committing, and/or bail on south Florida if we don't like it.

If the job offer works out as I envision, I'll be traveling back and forth between there and ATL on the weekends for a few months before my wife quits her job and I bring my family down permanently.

Thanks for the advice guys. This helps me build on my case to the wife.

[hurricaneMan1992]

IF you make decent money and don't mind living in a condo or smaller, older house, 20 minute drive to the beach should be possible, in the nicer parts of North Miami and North Miami Beach. Many of the Elementary schools are decent, but be warned the middle and high schools suck.

People fish from shore and catch stuff, and there are piers you can go out on, so the boat is not your only option fishing wise.

By riding you mean bicycling? Cycling is gaining more and more steam and gradually becoming more accepted here.

Good luck!

[ruski]

Where is your job/office located in FL?

[Dakster]

I, too, suggest coming down and driving around. If you want another big city then Miami might be right for you. Also, where are you going to work? (area, don't have to give us company name) as that has a bearing on where we might recommend for you to look at.

If you want a slower paced life, with water all around and can afford it, the Conch Republic (Florida Keys) may be for you too. Be warned though, that the Florida Keys is pricey. An example is that Publix Supermarket buses their employees in from Dade. They also have subsidized Apartment housing for some as well. FWIW, at one point I considered moving down there, but I wouldn't want the daily commute into Miami-Dade.

I know north Dade was recommend, but there are nice areas in the South end too. A lot will depend on where this school is and where are you working... I'm sure you are not looking for more long commutes.

[space age]

Hurricaneman1992 - what's considered decent money for the areas you mentioned? North Miami Beach is in good proximity to the office...by my standards. Less than a 20 mile commute down in to Miami Beach.

I meant riding motorcycles year round. I got caught in 32* weather up here last month when I stayed out later than planned and haven't rode since. I thought I suited up right and found "kinks in the armor" so to speak. My neck and hands froze. I could get better cold weather gear, but no need to temp fate riding in freezing temps.

Dakster - I could do big city or small, actually. I'm originally from Chicago, I mainly grew up in a small city in Indiana, and spent all of my adult life in Atlanta. I've been able to acclimate to both. At this point, I'm going where the job offer has led me. If it leads to the Keys, we're there!

The only thing I can't sacrifice is our son's education. I would like a short commute and affordable rent, but I want my kid to only worry about passing his tests and me if he doesn't, not defending himself at school. If I need to live an hour from work for a good school system, then I'll live an hour from work.

You all mentioned driving around first. We've visited Miami a couple of times. Man...the last time we were there (2012) I got cut off by a valet as he pulled in to a hotel in South Beach returning a vehicle to a customer the night we got there... pissed me off. We were surrounded by impatient drivers the whole time we were there. But, they were mainly concentrated in South Beach, once I figured that out I avoided that area mostly. The rest of Miami was OK to me. I just had to adjust/remember this is not a slow moving beach side town, but a bustling metropolis. I was used to driving around Destin since that's where we've been going yearly since about '03. So when we got to Miami Beach I was in slow moving beach/vacation mode. Once I reverted back to driving like I was back in Atlanta or Chicago, I was cool.

[doggiebus]

Miami isn't a year round place you want to motorcycle. Rainy season begins in Mid May and runs through November. The worst months are June through October. Besides the rain, Miami drivers are not the best place to be with a motorcycle. A friend just lost a motorcycle friend last month, hit and killed by a 17 year old girl. He said he's not going to ride his bike after dark anymore in Miami. Just be careful if you decide to ride a bike.

Coming from Atlanta where car insurance, home insurance and home prices are cheap, you will be shocked by the prices here.

What is your budget? $400,000 for a SFH will get you into the good schools.