Need apartment in North Miami area (Hollywood, Pembroke Pines: apartments, rent, condos)

[klmsu9]

Im attending St Thomas Law School in August and need to find an apartment in the vicinity. Obviously I've done a little research and living anywhere near the school in Miami Gardens/Opa Locka is suicide.

Im looking in the Hollywood, Aventura, Cooper City, Pembroke Pines area currently. Any other nice areas within say 20 minutes of the school (37th Ave in miami Gardens)? i want somewhere nice and classy-ish, not run down. Im from an upper class neighborhood in Michigan so I definitely dont want to live in the ghetto or a bad area- obviously safety is important. Ive heard good things about certain parts of Hollywood and Aventura. Itd also be kind of nice living near nice scenery/the water/beach for once coming from dull Michigan but not a requirement per say

Looking for suggestions in areas. Just need a 1 bedroom apartment, nothing frilly. Ive seen some areas are up to $1300/month for a 1 bedroom but Id rather stick to $1000 or under preferably. Im only paying about $600 in michigan but I know its more expensive in S. Florida, so I was thinking <$1000 range, but not a big deal if it goes over if its a nice area/apartments. Washer and dryer in the apartment preferred as is a balcony/deck/etc, gym in the clubhouse would be a nice add-on

[vpcats]

Try Miami Lakes.

[klmsu9]

ok but arent they sitting only a mile west of the opa-locka airport? With all those planes flying low right over isnt it noisy?

[vpcats]

Miami Lakes or vicinity (Palm Springs North) are nice and not too far from St. Thomas.

There is a nice, quaint Main Street in Miami Lakes and many, many apts and/or THs with lakes and walking trails, etc. I like it a lot. I lived around there about 8 years ago. Moved because traffic to my job was getting to me and I was ready to explode so I moved to the "city". Otherwise, I would have stayed up there.

I don't remember planes bothering me at all. I guess it could be different now. I can't swear you won't hear planes, depending on where you live and the flight paths.

[blp03]

I'm also attending St. Thomas Law in the fall, and Miami Lakes seems to be the best area to live in. The area around the campus is kind of rough, but Miami Lakes is close by and seems to be a good community.

[MoverandShaker2004]

Your school is right above the Broward/Dade county line. You should stay somewhere above that parallel and find somewhere in Aventura!!! If I was you, I would make my home base Aventura. Its nice, clean, safe, and it has a ton of shopping and restaurants. It is also filled with condos that are going down in price/rent.

Miami Lakes will have you scampering back to Michigan in a heartbeat! It is surrounded by slum/questionable areas. Plus, your drive to and from school will take you through one of the worst ghettos in Miami (Carol City). Trust me, look Aventura.

[Meerteekah]

The fact that you chose St. Thomas means you will have to drive in "questionable areas" no matter where you live. If you rent in Miami Lakes, you go straight to school on the Palmetto (time your drives to avoid the worst traffic times and you will be fine). Be alert once you get off and on your way back to the highway. Once you're on the Palmetto, you're fine to go to Miami Lakes (either the 57th ave exit or the 67th or the 154th). The questionable areas around Miami Lakes aren't that close to Miami Lakes proper (the core of the city). Just avoid Opa Locka, basically.

I live in a working class neighborhood (not the classy one you're looking for), and the rents here are in the 700-750 for one bedroom apartments. (We own an apartment building and live in all four one-bedroom apartments.) We've lived here (not the highest crime area, being it's close to Aventura, but still not the safest) for 10 1/2 years without any serious criminal incident. (Had a garden hose and some hubcaps stolen. That's it.) We shop at Aventura Mall.

There are parts of Hollywood that are nice, parts that are not so much. But that would be a nice shot on 195 to 826 right to St. Thomas.

$1000 should get you a super nice studio or a pretty decent one-bedroom in a good area. classifieds - craigslist

But you'll have to be vigilant every time to you go to school (avoid night classes if you can, frankly). There's no getting around the fact that the school is in an unfortunate area and you'll have to deal with that (with care and your car windows up and locked, should be fine).

Best of luck.

M

[klmsu9]

thanks. im not worried about driving in a bad area, i do drive through Detroit a bit during the day so bad/slummy areas are nothing new. I just dont want to physically live in the bad area where i cant walk outside or have my house/car broken into. Obviously its just going to be a straight drive from home to school, not stopping off in the ghetto to say hi or go to the corner store. So im not worried about the drive, and my classes are during the day so it shouldnt be an issue at night time. Im definitely not sheltered if thats how i came across I live on the border of Pontiac right now which is mostly African Americans, and is kind of a ghetto-ish city like Detroit. But my complex is gated and everyone here is nice and minds their own business and ive never had one issue in 2 years. I just like living somewhere where i know my stuff or place isnt being messed with when im home or away. I always lock my car and put my windows up even in some of the safest cities int he Us here in Michigan. There will always be people in nice areas too who try and jack you and are hoping people let their guard down

I was a little skeptical of Miami Lakes, although i hear its nice, that its right on the edge of Opa Locka and the airport is right there with planes taking off and landing (basically flying low) which could be noisy at night and such for the little bit of sleep i will actually get in between studying. I also hear a lot of younger people/students live in that area and I've never been one to live in the "student areas" because they tend to be more noisy and people partying. Im 27, so Im a little out of the partying mood and more into getting the job at hand done at school and concentrating 100% on that. There will be plenty of time to see the beach etc when i graduate.

Im actually looking in Pembroke Pines right by the Pembroke Mall. Its not too bad a drive, about 20 min without traffic, and I wouldnt have to go on the highways or anything where traffic would be a nightmare (just Douglas Rd. straight South or other side roads). Plus it wouldnt be anymore of a hike than living in east Hollywood or Aventura. And ill probably only drive there once a day and just stay there during the day and study in between classes or what not. So 20-25 min each way isn't too big a deal. There are some nice complexes and for $1000-1100 i can get a nice 7-900 sq ft place.

[MoverandShaker2004]

I would still look at Aventura if I was you. Good luck!

[soco611]

ok, miami lakes is very very bad as well as opa locka, i live in north miami right now, im actually trying to move out, its too expensive and i dont NEED to be in miami... i live right on biscayne around 135th is n miami/ miami beach/ aventura area. its a nice area but be reminded you are in miami so if you live in a nice complex, right down the street, its not gonna be so nice. thats just how miami and most of florida is. North miami is a quiet n'hood and very close to downtown, sobe and aventura. if u need to be in n. miami i'd suggest aventura because its literally 5 min away and much nicer. if not dont not move here... you can get much more for what you pay for and a much better lifestyle, down here is pretty gross....