Is Miami really as dangerous and nasty as everyone says? (Fort Lauderdale: hotel, schools)

[sapphos]

Originally Posted by Miami Vice

Yeah, I can't imagine chickens running around in NYC. Some people who have immigrated here don't see the big deal in having chickens in their backyard. I guess that it makes them feel more at home. I also don't think that chickens will do very well in the extreme cold weather.

I haven't seen any chickens in my neighborhood or the wealthier parts of the county. I'd rather see a chicken running around, than a old rusted pick up truck with flat tires and weeds growing into it like there is in multiple parts of the county.

I'd also prefer that to having some thug selling crack on the corner or hanging out in front of the Qwik Mart.

actually, chickens are becoming part of the new "green" life and people ARE raising them within the city limits.There's a family in Brooklyn that has more than 20 chickens being raised in their backyard.

[amourmetric]

depends on what area you live in.
i've grown up here and hate it.
maybe it's you either love or hate it.
you honestly would have to rent and try the place out
possibly before moving to it.

[blackklight]

i doubt people on this forum have actually driven through liberty city, to put it in plain terms i wouldn't drive through at night and if i did you better believe i'd have at least a 22 on me, loaded.

there are apartment complexes that don't even have doors on them.

[doggiebus]

I have driven through Liberty City a few times only during the day. A friend of mine used to get office furniture there for cheap. Drove right past the Liberty Market. I have to say, I wouldn't drive through there at night.

[planetsurf]

Gee - there are tough neighborhoods in Miami. Who knew??

First of all, ignore all this City of Miami vs Miami-Dade crap. Miami is Miami, it includes Miami Beach, S. Miami/Gables/Grove and Aventura. Hollywood/Hallandale is Broward, Homestead is South Dade.

If you're not sure about Miami, spend a few days, rent a car (people DO drive nuts there) and drive from SOBE to I-95, head south to US1. Have lunch in the Grove or Gables, then drive over to Matheson Hammock and spend some time on the sand.
Head back with a stop at Brickell village for a drink. That's the Miami vibe.
Try and come when Art Basel, The Film Festival or Boat show is in town. Try and hit it for Food Weekend or one of the music festivals. I love it -- we have a blast with my kids whenever we are in town and plan on moving back within the year. You may too, or may not.

It's a CITY, 80% of the people dissing it are either bigots ("THESE people should learn English") or are just pissed Miami went from a smallish city with a beachy/touristy vibe to a CITY. It has bad neighborhoods, traffic isn't the best, it's expensive.
Guess what, the traffic and cost in LA is much worse. Crime sucks everywhere. Ever go to Bed-Sty? Compton? I was with a client who got a flat in Compton once, we pulled into a gas station with 3" thick glass and the guy told us to HURRY! In daylight! We finished changing that tire just as a crowd was starting to gather to watch us get mugged I suspect.
It's life, sorry things are getting worse, but they are everywhere.

Ask yourself this, why do people spend so much time telling others how bad Miami is? What's their motive?
Great story on their motives ... lived in Atlanta after college. (Didn't want to move back "home" to Miami yet.)
After 4 years, Atlanta got BORING and we were ready to move back. Mentioned this to a very nice lady we knew and she immediately asked "why would you want to move THERE? What a horrible place!"
Now, my wife and I are both from Miami, and we knew not everybody liked it, so we asked about her reaction. Of course she hadn't actually BEEN there and because we were Jewish, she admitted it was filled with THOSE people (there it is again) who don't even speak English! She didn't realize my wife (GFriend at time) was a Jewban.
Just another bigot.

Go and find out for yourself. It is BASICALLY as safe as any big city and a lot nicer to live than many.

[rkc652]

Atleast yall live in MIAMI i got to deal with livin in Memphis

[PBCboy]

Originally Posted by planetsurf

Gee - there are tough neighborhoods in Miami. Who knew??

First of all, ignore all this City of Miami vs Miami-Dade crap. Miami is Miami, it includes Miami Beach, S. Miami/Gables/Grove and Aventura. Hollywood/Hallandale is Broward, Homestead is South Dade.

According to who? The city of Miami does not include Aventura or Miami Beach, just because you say it does doesn't make it true.

[FLBoy123]

PLANETSURG < I am glad you said that. It is soo true!! I lived in Fort Lauderdale for 4 years and wanted to always live in MIAMI and everyone is like noooo you don't! But tryin to listen to them and listen to what I want I have made the choice to move there in a few months. Got a job lined up and renting a condo. I am in Richmond VA < which is ok ( Cold ) and Richmond is on the top list for crime but I feel very safe here , maybe cause of my neighborhood or the fact that crime is everywhere and you cannot escape it lol but this is my home town , I moved back here to finish school and I am almost done. I miss FL so much. I love the houses , Townhomes , Condos and everything. I went to MIAMI in March and I just didn't want to leave. Yes I know Vacation is different but whatever I am taken my shot for it. My better half is not for it what so ever but whatever :-D It will make me happy. God Bless everyone with there thoughts and choices. But nowhere is perfect what so ever and there will be flaws anywhere you go.

[decodriveboy]

Hi Daniel, I would not let anyone discourage you from moving to Miami. There are plenty of decent places in the South Florida metro area to live. You probably won't ever get bored here like you would elsewhere. I come from a big city (D.C.) and am accustomed to big city problems, so they do not bother me as much.

Housing-wise, I'd recommend staying as close to US-1 (aka Federal Highway/Biscayne Boulevard) as possible, and if you can live east of it, even better. The Boulevard is convenient to everything from shopping, dining, and entertainment, all the way from Boca Raton to South Miami. In Broward County, Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale is beautiful; nearby are neighborhoods such as Victoria Park & Rio Vista, pretty but pricey. As you head south, Hollywood Lakes is wonderful, and Parkside (also in Hollywood) directly west of US-1 is up-and-coming, and not as expensive.

As you cross into Dade County, Aventura, and parts of North Miami Beach are nice. Even better would be Miami Shores (in my opinion, the best). Also, look at Shorecrest, Belle Meade, and Morningside, all trendy neighborhoods, albeit surrounded by ghetto on one side and water on the other. If you want to live in a condo, Brickell is great in downtown, with lots of expensive hi-rises. Excluding Brickell, you can actually rent in a new, beautiful downtown building now for pretty reasonable, but the surrounding areas may be sketchy. Also, a lot of people love the nearby Design District, but I wouldn't recommend it due to lack of safety and surrounding urban decay.

South of downtown, look at a neighborhood called The Roads, Coral Gables, and Pinecrest. Due to the traffic, I wouldn't live further south than Kendall Drive (or west of I-95, or anywhere I had to take the Palmetto or the Turnpike.)

Miami Beach is something to look at; you really can't go wrong in Sunny Isles, Bal Harbour, or Surfside. Normandy Isle (off the 79 Street Causeway) is actually somewhat affordable and has a nice sort of downtown area. South Beach is a must-see, but can be a pain, with tourists and thuggy or intoxicated people constantly coming down to party, local or otherwise. Best part of South Beach is Lincoln Road, and to live, West Avenue.

If you want a cookie-cutter, sanitized suburban type existence (be advised it's far from the beach by comparison), look at Weston, Miramar (west of Flamingo Road), western Pembroke Pines, Davie, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, and Parkland. Most of what's near to I-75 is as close to suburbia as South Florida gets. Dade County does not have nearly the amount of such communities as Broward does. **If you have kids, these places would be the only choices to consider, particularly Weston.**

-The good about Miami & South Florida: great weather, beach, beautiful water, fun, palm trees everywhere, interesting people who are easy to meet, exciting energy, lots to see and do.

-The bad: Astronomically high property taxes, lack of jobs, many poor schools, very low wages but extremely high cost of living, huge divide between the rich and not rich, homicidal drivers, lunatic pedestrians. Aggressive, northeast-style attitude is prevalent. Very questionable local politics and practices (especially wasteful ones). This is the motherland of tricksters and scam artists galore. We have the worst, most dishonest contractors you've ever seen. Learn how to fix things yourself, and do not expect good customer service, EVER. You will have to learn to live without it down here.

It seems like the bad far outweighs the good, but I wouldn't think of being anywhere else. You just have to have a very good sense of humor and a lot of patience. Have a good job lined up, and a master plan for how things are supposed to go. And then have a backup plan or two beyond that!

Best of luck

[beenawhile]

Listen, if you're looking for trouble, there are more than a few places to find it in Miami.

If you're looking to relax and enjoy life, plenty of places in MIA to do that also.

Some people (no offense, but even possibly in this thread) just don't have the common sense to make it out there without getting their shirts pulled over their heads (ie: victimized)

You DO need to be situationally aware of "stuff" to avoid potential situations.

You can't have the mentality of the perfect world, b/c you will be blindsided. If you're walking around all up in the the clouds you might as well wear a T-Shirt with the words "i have cash" on it or something.

So, endstate: a little common sense and a little situational awarness CAN AND WILL go a long way for you in Miami...or ANYWHERE in the world for that matter.

I have been in a couple potentially bad situations, but a cool head and some awarness pulled me through with no problems.....