Considering moving to Miami area - South Beach? (Tampa, Miami Beach: apartments, rent)

[Mocina]

I am a 28 year old female considering relocating to the Miami area from the North East. I am originally from So Cal and miss the heat, and am also looking for a new exciting place to live. I love latin food/culture, art, nightlife, and great beaches where I can relax. Considering all this, it looks like South Beach might be a good option? I am looking for somewhere where there is also a good chunk of people around my age so that I can meet new friends. Also, if anyone lives in the area, could they tell me how they like it, what to expect, and the best places to live? How about other places in Miami?

(Also, does anyone know how the area is around Jefferson and 6th? Might be looking at a place there.)

I also might consider Tampa.

Any suggestions?
Any help is appreciated!

[305guy]

I'd consider Surfside if you're coming from SoCal, South Beach is a totally different party vibe than the SoCal beach scene. Surfside is about 8 -10 miles north of SoBe and is mellow (i'd describe it as a mix between La jolla and Coronado) but it is close enough to party in SoBe and go back home and leave all the partiers behind.

I have a few friends out there and they love it. It's right on the water too, the beach is quieter for those days you don't want to be around loud party animals.

Assuming you want to be in the middle of it all, the apartments around Jefferson and 6th are a little run-down in that area. Unless you find one that has been fixed up by the owners, but it's like Pacific Beach with alot of rif-raff walking around at all times of the day. Alot of stuff within walking distance and you can easily take your bike alot of places. It's gritty but it'll be an experience if that's what you're looking for.

[Lost in Translation]

Originally Posted by Mocina

I am a 28 year old female considering relocating to the Miami area from the North East. I am originally from So Cal and miss the heat, and am also looking for a new exciting place to live. I love latin food/culture, art, nightlife, and great beaches where I can relax. Considering all this, it looks like South Beach might be a good option? I am looking for somewhere where there is also a good chunk of people around my age so that I can meet new friends. Also, if anyone lives in the area, could they tell me how they like it, what to expect, and the best places to live? How about other places in Miami?

(Also, does anyone know how the area is around Jefferson and 6th? Might be looking at a place there.)

I also might consider Tampa.

Any suggestions?
Any help is appreciated!

I say go for it. South Beach is exciting and a great place to get your feet wet in South Florida, but it does honestly get old after a while. We lived there for a year, and although we liked the experience, we kind of got tired of loud drunk people, obnoxious college-aged toursists from the mid-west, no sense of community (people constantly moving in out of SoBe), the fake-ness and getting ripped off at all the local hang outs. Seriously, every restaurant/bar/night club in SoBe has one scam or another to milk you of your money, whether you are a local or a tourist. We've had numerous occasions of waiters tacking extra tips on top of the automatic 15% service charge (after we left the restaurant mind you), charging us for drinks we didn't order, etc. I hate to say it, but SoBe kind of has no conscience or soul at times, so you really have to watch your back. This kind of applies to Miami altogther, needless to say, but SoBe is worse given that it's a tourist destination. You will know what I'm talking about after you live here for a while!

Jefferson and 6th is very, very shady at night. There is a small grocery store and Walgreens right there in the vicinity where bums, alocholocs and other hoodlums hang out in the wee hours of the night. Last Fall a few people were even mugged there at gunpoint. It's pretty safe in the day. I would focus on any place south of 5th (if you can afford it), on the West side in a high rise (if you can afford it) or anything closer to Lincoln Road (more affordable, but you may have to deal with art-deco appartments, which may mean smaller space, outdated plumbing, cockroaches, etc.).

If you are new to So Flo, I think South Beach is a good place to anchor yourself and see what else is out there. Once you are tired of South Beach, and it will happen, you might want to explore Coral Gables, parts of the Grove, Brickell, North Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Aventura, or even upgrade to the more civilized Broward County (which is what we are doing - knock on wood - in a half year).

If I could do it all over again, I honestly would have moved to Tampa/Sarasota/St Pete. I think that area is more relaxing, more civilized, more beautiful, and just plain has a better quality of life. But we like So Flo enough to stay, despite its flaws.

And all this is coming from one of the more positive posters on the board... can't wait to see what the negativity mongers write

Hope this helps.

[kevinkagy]

I say look anywhere around South Beach or Mid Beach. It definitely sounds like your scene. Best of luck!

[itlchick]

I had almost the exact same experience as Lost in Translation.

My question is - do you have a job or job prospects? What is your field? Some find that it is very difficult to get a job, especially a good-paying job, in Miami/MB. I found that jobs underpaid compared to the NE. So while some might be fine (computer programmer, doctor), others (administrative assistant, waiter) are very hard to get.

[burgler09]

If I were you I'd spend time in both cities and get the vibe before you just jump in and move... or you might end up being one of the negative nancies on here.

[rnc2mbfl]

I live on the West side of Southbeach near Lincoln Rd and think it's a fantastic place to live. While it's near enough to everything fun that people associate with Southbeach, it's also less frantic and more neighborhoody than other parts of the beach. Living in this particular part of sobe means that you can walk to all sorts of places and services of everyday life. Banks, Publix, the Post Office, Movies, Drug stores, Gyms, Macy's and a host of restaurants, shops, etc. are literally within a ten minute walk. The Southbeach Local bus runs right through the neighborhood and takes you to a variety of sobe destinations for a quarter a ride. Party weekends and events that are torture for the East side of the beach are rarely a problem for the West side folks.

[decodriveboy]

I think South Beach is a great place to start for anyone new to South Florida, and Lost In Translation gave an excellent reply.

I lived on 8th and Euclid for 2 years during which pretty much everything that could happen, did happen. LOL Some advice I'd like to share:

Be very careful walking around late at night. LOTS of drunks, many genuinely insane & homeless people who will harass you for money or simply curse at you (day or night.) There's a constant flow of people coming down to party and be rowdy, especially on weekends. Avoid Washington Avenue and Ocean Drive (unless you're one of the partiers, I suppose.) Be careful crossing streets! Many drivers use the residential roads (Meridian, Euclid, Penn, etc.) as their personal Autobahn and several pedestrians have been killed as a result. Thankfully, the City has finally erected many more stop signs than there were before.

Holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day are every South Beach dweller's personal headache. Unruly out-of-towners and locals arrive and bring huge crowds, deafening hip-hop & rap noise booming from every car, gold teeth and sagging pants, and leave streets filled with trash and litter. Most full-time residents flee each year rather than be overtaken by this ongoing nightmare (which the City needs to put an end to.)

Housing can be hit-or-miss. Most of the buildings in South Beach are old and the City is unrelenting in citing them for one problem or another. You may rent in a beautiful, vintage boutique building, but then be forced to deal with leaks after every rainfall, street-only parking (good luck - your car will be vandalized at least once I promise, or wrecked from a drunk driver hitting it), stubborn plumbing, pests like termite swarmers and waterbugs, and the pervasive smell of mildew. No question: your laundry, bicycle, any personal belongings will be stolen within seconds if you do not watch them like a hawk.

I recommend South of Fifth or West Avenue to live, though if you are looking for vintage, stay in Flamingo Park. DO NOT rent at 6th and Jefferson, that is actually one of the worst streets for crime, for whatever reason. One good thing is that the Miami Beach Police Department is no joke. They are always there in a FLASH should you have any issue (speaking from personal experience.)

OK, now that I told you the bad, here's the good. There's no other place like South Beach on earth. If you live and work here, you will not need a car for anything. It's all within this one-square-mile radius. The gorgeous architecture and colors of the buildings are amazing and healing. The people are beautiful, the water, sand, trees, everything. There's a special energy in the air which no other place has that I've been to. You have beach, nightlife, new friends, and excitement just steps from your door. It's like living in a permanent vacation.

Having said that, just remember what you need to look out for to make your stay here a pleasant one. Look for housing on West Avenue, South of 5th Street, or near Lincoln Road (which is the best part of South Beach, IMO) and be sure to ask if parking is provided. Other places you may want to also consider would be North Bay Village, Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Sunny Isles Beach -- all are great -- and much less drama!

[Natali26]

Originally Posted by decodriveboy

I think South Beach is a great place to start for anyone new to South Florida, and Lost In Translation gave an excellent reply.

I lived on 8th and Euclid for 2 years during which pretty much everything that could happen, did happen. LOL Some advice I'd like to share:

Be very careful walking around late at night. LOTS of drunks, many genuinely insane & homeless people who will harass you for money or simply curse at you (day or night.) There's a constant flow of people coming down to party and be rowdy, especially on weekends. Avoid Washington Avenue and Ocean Drive (unless you're one of the partiers, I suppose.) Be careful crossing streets! Many drivers use the residential roads (Meridian, Euclid, Penn, etc.) as their personal Autobahn and several pedestrians have been killed as a result. Thankfully, the City has finally erected many more stop signs than there were before.

Holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day are every South Beach dweller's personal headache. Unruly out-of-towners and locals arrive and bring huge crowds, deafening hip-hop & rap noise booming from every car, gold teeth and sagging pants, and leave streets filled with trash and litter. Most full-time residents flee each year rather than be overtaken by this ongoing nightmare (which the City needs to put an end to.)

Housing can be hit-or-miss. Most of the buildings in South Beach are old and the City is unrelenting in citing them for one problem or another. You may rent in a beautiful, vintage boutique building, but then be forced to deal with leaks after every rainfall, street-only parking (good luck - your car will be vandalized at least once I promise, or wrecked from a drunk driver hitting it), stubborn plumbing, pests like termite swarmers and waterbugs, and the pervasive smell of mildew. No question: your laundry, bicycle, any personal belongings will be stolen within seconds if you do not watch them like a hawk.

I recommend South of Fifth or West Avenue to live, though if you are looking for vintage, stay in Flamingo Park. DO NOT rent at 6th and Jefferson, that is actually one of the worst streets for crime, for whatever reason. One good thing is that the Miami Beach Police Department is no joke. They are always there in a FLASH should you have any issue (speaking from personal experience.)

OK, now that I told you the bad, here's the good. There's no other place like South Beach on earth. If you live and work here, you will not need a car for anything. It's all within this one-square-mile radius. The gorgeous architecture and colors of the buildings are amazing and healing. The people are beautiful, the water, sand, trees, everything. There's a special energy in the air which no other place has that I've been to. You have beach, nightlife, new friends, and excitement just steps from your door. It's like living in a permanent vacation.

Having said that, just remember what you need to look out for to make your stay here a pleasant one. Look for housing on West Avenue, South of 5th Street, or near Lincoln Road (which is the best part of South Beach, IMO) and be sure to ask if parking is provided. Other places you may want to also consider would be North Bay Village, Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Sunny Isles Beach -- all are great -- and much less drama!

I agree totally.

This post is spot on in every respect.