Need Help Finding Affordable Housing For Family Of Six (Miami: rental, insurance) - Florida (FL) -Miami-Dade County - City-Data Forum

atlmom5 · 05-08-2015, 09:21 AM

Hi, my husband just took a job offer in Miami. He will be working at Bal Harbor, we've been online looking for places that other people have recommended like: Aventura, Coral Gables, Surfside, Sunny Isles. We've looked at many of these places before he took the offer and thought we could surely afford Aventura and Surfside (I really liked the Surfside community a lot, however, now that he has negotiated his salary with his company, I think many of these places are out of the running.

Here's the deats:

We need at least a 3 bdrm/2ba and I'm thinking we can't go over $2500 a month.

We have 5 children, but only 4 will be coming with us, our oldest just finished her freshman yr at college, and will be staying here since she has the Hope Scholarship and college is paid for. Our children's ages that will be moving with us are: 16,14,12,and 10.

For the past 3 years we've been car free, and I know in some areas I can find a place within our budget, but most of the places will consist in my husband having a long commute. Right now, we live in an area where we have the bus stop right around the corner and the Marta train station in walking distance from our home. So, if you could recommend places that aren't such a long commute to Bal Harbor where he could walk or catch a bus would be great.

Recently I've been looking at Miami Shores, Cooper City, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines and North Miami Beach areas.....right now my husband is in D.C. and he'll be back home for two weeks before he leaves for Miami at the end of this month.

We need help fast, this has been a whirlwind for us, just over a month and a half ago my husband was in the ICU at Emory Hospital because of heart palpitations,thank god he didn't have a stroke. Every last one of the doctors that treated him said, most patients with his symptoms have a stroke within 6 months of having symptoms. He was seeing a cardiologist and his primary care physician for a year and a half before he ended up in the hospital, but his heart issues were so sporadic none could really figure it out. Well anyways, can you please give me some suggestions on areas? I know I went off subject a little, but I just wanted to give you a glimpse of our whirlwind. We are not native Atlantans(he's from Dayton, Oh and I'm from Raleigh, NC),but we both love this city, and this is home to our children, however, he feels like he has an opportunity to move up in the company with this move to Miami. We've talked about him moving and the kids and I will stay here( we love our school cluster, we've been in the same school cluster for 11 years,so our kids have really tight friendships and so do I),but he wants us there with him and my high school kids are willing to try it, but they both want to move back so they can graduate with their friends. So, the kids and I will live there for a year with him and then come back to Atlanta after the year is up. Are we selfish for not wanting to stay longer? I mean Miami seems like a wonderful city, but when someone has put down a strong foundation in a community, it's hard to let go. If it was just an issue with me moving myself and my husband's things, I wouldn't have such an issue......well I did it again, I got off topic.....I guess I need to vent too....but anyways, can you lead me in the direction of nice rental property areas that don't go over $2500 a month for a 3 bdrm/2ba and also if we have to get a vehicle, what is the average price for gas? Thanks so much for your help and again, sorry for rambling at times.

tallrick · 05-08-2015, 10:20 AM

Unless the new job pays 80K or more do not ruin your life by moving to Miami.

Rekichi · 05-08-2015, 11:00 AM

If you want a safe area, I would recommend that you look north to broward, although the commute might be a little much.

"also if we have to get a vehicle"

Highly recommended, but expensive. You're looking at 150+ for the insurance alone thanks to our brilliant state legislature (Mandatory PIP and Cubans don't mix). If you're looking to be car free, look at the bus routes on Google Maps. Be warned, Miami-Dade IS NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ASIDE FROM BRICKELL AND MIAMI BEACH.

"what is the average price for gas?"

Around 2.68

FlyMIA · 05-08-2015, 03:08 PM

Well the car thing is going to be a big hit. Think about increasing you budget because if you want to be carless you will have to be close which is expensive. If you only will have one car it still won't be easy. Think about the cost of a second car added on to the budget to begin with. You WILL be getting at least one car. Don't think its a maybe, it will happen. I suggest looking in Broward. $2500 a month won't be easy in the areas you listed. Maybe you can find something in the Miami Lakes area, maybe, a townhouse.

valicky · 05-08-2015, 04:27 PM

Your rent budget will be very tough. The areas where you don't need a car (hardly anywhere) are much more expensive than that rent budget. So a car for dh and one for you most likely since you have all the kids.

Have you looked into CoQ10 as a supplement for your husband? I've suffered with palpatations and arrythmias all my life. I had two incidences where it was so bad -heart racing at about 190 bpm for hours and hours that I had to be given Adenosine to get my heart back to regular rhythm. I was told I would need to go on a prescription med that had lots of side effects. I've been taking CoQ10 (ubiquinol is better absorbed than ubiquinone) and haven't had anything more than momentary flutters since. It's been a few years now. It's a very good supplement for the heart. Magnesium is also good for heart rhythm abnormalities but the CoQ10 has been enough for me.

MiamiResident · 05-08-2015, 04:45 PM

With 5 children you need a truck full of money if you want to have a decent quality of life in Miami.

atlmom5 · 05-09-2015, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valicky

Your rent budget will be very tough. The areas where you don't need a car (hardly anywhere) are much more expensive than that rent budget. So a car for dh and one for you most likely since you have all the kids.

Have you looked into CoQ10 as a supplement for your husband? I've suffered with palpatations and arrythmias all my life. I had two incidences where it was so bad -heart racing at about 190 bpm for hours and hours that I had to be given Adenosine to get my heart back to regular rhythm. I was told I would need to go on a prescription med that had lots of side effects. I've been taking CoQ10 (ubiquinol is better absorbed than ubiquinone) and haven't had anything more than momentary flutters since. It's been a few years now. It's a very good supplement for the heart. Magnesium is also good for heart rhythm abnormalities but the CoQ10 has been enough for me.

First off, I would like to say thank you for the info about CoQ10 and I'll pass that info to him. I know he was taking Vitamin E, and magnesium from time to time, and I also suggested maybe he should take fish oil when he first started having palpitations.....fast forward to when he was in ICU, one of the doctors told him, that the fish oil and magnesium along with him being young(44) probably protected him from having a stroke. Anyways, I wish you well and many more years of good health.

Also, thank you for your input about our rent budget. I was hoping that maybe North Miami Beach would allow us to be car free because the prices didn't seem as pricey as some of the other areas, and it didn't seem to far away from Bal Harbour. I guess we'll be looking into purchasing a vehicle because I've already looked into the "more walkable" areas ,and I felt like throwing up looking at the rent prices.

atlmom5 · 05-09-2015, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

With 5 children you need a truck full of money if you want to have a decent quality of life in Miami.

LOL, I know you're telling me the truth, but that statement was very funny to me, and a truck full of money is something that we don't have at all......Thanks for keeping it real with me!

oronzous · 05-12-2015, 11:48 AM

With 5 kids, I would forget the car-free option.
I think you should figure out a solution where you can have just one car.
FYI, buses to Bal HarboUr (yes, they added a U to make it even fancier) go either to Aventura or North Miami Beach.

atlmom5 · 09-24-2015, 01:21 PM

I just thought I would come by to give a quick update on our situation. My husband went on down to Miami and the kids and I are staying put in Atlanta. I really wanted to update everyone that helped me out a lot sooner, but it has been a very busy time for our household. My husband decided to give it at least a year, and if there's no bigger opportunities like the job promised, then he's coming back to Atlanta. I want to thank everyone once again for their help because without your knowledge...my large family probably would've been down there barely getting by.