thinking of moving around miami (Tampa, Orlando: real estate, apartment, condos)

[bk17]

so i am thinking about moving from the cold north to some place warm. i have been to miami and loved it. i however have no idea on where to even start for neighborhoods that i may want to live in. so maybe some of you fine folks can help.
1. i have a 3 year old daughter so schools are very important to me. need to have high graduation rate with lots of college bound students.
2. i like a little space between me and my neighbors, not asking for acreage but no townhouse, apartment, mobile home, etc.
3. clean and friendly neighborhood, low crime rate, educated and employed neighbors, maintained homes.
4.home price below $150,000.
5. Not tied to any region my wife and i have skills that can get use jobs just about anywhere.

[logybogy]

There are no home prices below $150k in good school districts. Period. Anywhere in South Florida. Even the bad areas have homes sell for more.

You'll need to look at central Florida. Places like Ocala, Pasco, Hernando, citrus counties. And even there $150k is very low.

Maybe Georgia or Alabama is better if that's your budget.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by bk17

so i am thinking about moving from the cold north to some place warm. i have been to miami and loved it. i however have no idea on where to even start for neighborhoods that i may want to live in. so maybe some of you fine folks can help.
1. i have a 3 year old daughter so schools are very important to me. need to have high graduation rate with lots of college bound students.
2. i like a little space between me and my neighbors, not asking for acreage but no townhouse, apartment, mobile home, etc.
3. clean and friendly neighborhood, low crime rate, educated and employed neighbors, maintained homes.
4.home price below $150,000.
5. Not tied to any region my wife and i have skills that can get use jobs just about anywhere.

You may want to move to 1979.

That would give you a little over $500k in 2019 dollars for your house in a clean and friendly neighborhood in a good school district. And even that would be a stretch.

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by logybogy

Maybe Georgia or Alabama is better if that's your budget.

Not sure where in 'bama..they aren't known for their schools..and the 'burbs of Georgia are pretty pricey now-a-days, but you can still get nice homes in the $250k+ range the Alpharetta area...anything near Atlanta will be expensive.

The OP could buy a $200k small 2/2 condo in Bay Harbor islands and be close to the beach and next to an A-rated school with minimal condo fees.

[logybogy]

There are more options if he is willing to consider small condos. It's just not typically what famalies with kids prefer as their first choice. But there will definitely have to be compromises if he is serious and not just brainstorming ideas.

[logybogy]

I'm less bothered by the traffic than the complete lack of driving skills or any semblance of "rules of the road." Things like stop signs, lane changes, red lights just seem to confuse people.

[doom1001]

Originally Posted by logybogy

There are no home prices below $150k in good school districts. Period. Anywhere in South Florida. Even the bad areas have homes sell for more.

You'll need to look at central Florida. Places like Ocala, Pasco, Hernando, citrus counties. And even there $150k is very low.

Maybe Georgia or Alabama is better if that's your budget.

I agree,in S.Fla 150k might find you a very small condo in a mediocre area,in Central Florida you have to look into more rural areas in the counties you mentioned,maybe add Polk to that list.The prices in most of Orlando and Tampa are actually rising faster than Miami metro with population rising fast!!Either that or wait for the next real estate collapse to come and lower prices,getting a good house in a good area in Florida for 150k is not easy,like I said an older,smaller place you might luck out but not easy.