Miami Move (Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral: apartment, lease, homes)

[KCattran]

Thinking of relocating to Miami - my husband and I have a 1.5 yr old daughter - his office is in Coral Gables - we could afford about 650K - if you had options where would you live? We are active and play tennis etc. Thanks so very much.

[kevinkagy]

Looking for suburban: Coral Gables (old architecture and beautiful gardens, parks and tree-covered roads), Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Coconut Grove, South Miami, or Doral. Doral being the furthest away from Coral Gables.

Looking for urban: Downtown Miami (Brickell in specific- very upscale high rise apartment towers, safe neighborhood, good schools, great public transit, and parks) or Miami Beach (if you're into a lot of activity, people and A LOT of stuff to do).

[KCattran]

The negative posts make me feel really apprehensive about the move - how do you like living in Miami/Dade - What is the good bad, & ugly. KC

[kevinkagy]

Originally Posted by KCattran

The negative posts make me feel really apprehensive about the move - how do you like living in Miami/Dade - What is the good bad, & ugly. KC

Like any place, people always complain and here they tend to complain a lot more. Personally, I love living in Miami, I really do. I understand that there are problems with traffic in Miami, but you have two options to get over that: 1- live close to your work or 2- take public transit like I do (Metrorail) It's fast, convenient and you never have to worry about what traffic is like on the roads.

As in any city, there are good parts and bad parts, but in general the areas south of MIA are nice, some more lower-middle class, some being very high class neighborhoods. The areas I listed above are all my favorite areas in Miami and are all very nice. The area around Coral Gables is all nice, there aren't any bad areas around there, unless you consider Little Havana and the area around there sketchy (which can be in some parts can be eh so so). But overall, Miami is a really nice place to live. There are a lot of beautiful homes, beaches, parks, nice architecture, a growing and improving Downtown, new civic buildings, good universities (FIU and UM), zoos and theme parks (Miami MetroZoo, Jungle Island, Miami Seaquarium, etc), museums, etc.

[illini84]

Miami can be nice, depending on where you live. You said your husband's office is in Coral Gables, which is arguably one of the nicest places in the whole Miami region. I'd highly recommend living there if you can afford it--plus you won't have to worry about the traffic so much. I live in Coconut Grove (close to the Gables) and it's a great neighborhood too. There are lots of tennis courts in both areas and lots of active upper class and upper middle class people. Like someone else mentioned, if you're looking for urban high-rise living, try Brickell. Good luck and welcome

[spyderman33]

Gables hands down... $650K should get you something nice (3/2 ~2K SF) in the North Gables area... You'll love it in the Gables.. I would recommend renting first to check out the area and then buying...

[himain]

Hope you speak Spanish

[rogerbacon]

If your husband works in Coral Gables you must live somewhere close arleary, right? What is your reason for wanting to move? Is it just to be closer to work? If that is the case Coral Gables is the obvious answer. Other than that you problably wouldn't gain anything by moving to Dade County from wherever you currently live.

[kevinkagy]

Originally Posted by himain

Hope you speak Spanish

Not true! You don't need to speak a lick of Spanish, you'll be fine!

[doggiebus]

Its a good thing that you have apprehension to moving to Miami you really should. I am not sure where you are moving from? That said, you could be moving from a place that is not great, so going from one frying pan to another frying pan here in South Florida. But then you could be coming from a great place.

Yes there are nice places to live in South Florida like Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, etc. But you have to leave your block, to dine, shop, for entertainment etc. Thats when the issues of Miami will start (you can go through other threads to read the common complaints of South Florida).

I live in a "good" area but still don't like it here because of the things you deal with living in South Florida. (I have know people that have lived in Coconut Grove and Pinecrest in million dollar homes that didn't like it.) Some issues I have had, going to the grocery store and having problems finding something, sometimes (not always). I have a difficult time finding someone in the aisle that can speak English to help me. I have called stores and they only speak spanish or they have to get someone that speaks English on the phone. Now if you speak spanish you will not have this issue. If you don't know spanish you will be fine, but....

Another issue for me is the weather, ughhh, we do not have great weather. Its hot and humid from May through November usually. The last two years have been hot and humid much longer than just those months. Yesterday we hit 89 degrees and humid in February, not weather you want to get outside for too long.

Now I wouldn't raise my children here. That boat has sailed for South Florida. Most of my friends with children have moved to raise their children in a better place. Now, South Florida may be a better place to raise a family than the place your live right now. As South florida is a better palce than many parts of South/Central America or the Caribbean.

Now this is MY OPINION. You may not feel the same way. I will say this that most of the people that I know, that have moved here in the last few years have all already moved. And many friends of mine and their parents have left South Florida. I can go on and on about people I know that are leaving. These people are leaving (or have left) for many reasons. Hell, your child is still not in school yet. So if you don't like it here you can leave after your lease runs out. I suggest renting for a year, near his work.

Originally Posted by KCattran

The negative posts make me feel really apprehensive about the move - how do you like living in Miami/Dade - What is the good bad, & ugly. KC