Coral Gables: Which is a better area and a better deal? (Miami: insurance, credit)

[hbrulay]

222 Aledo Avenue, Coral Gables FL 33134 - Trulia

1520 Capri Street, Coral Gables FL 33134 - Trulia

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by hbrulay

222 Aledo Avenue, Coral Gables FL 33134 - Trulia

1520 Capri Street, Coral Gables FL 33134 - Trulia

Both are reasonably priced and in nice neighborhoods. However, the Capri Street property is in a very prestigious section of Coral Gables and has a nicer interior, so I'd go with that one.

[big mean bear]

The first house seemed to have larger, open rooms, a pool, and a smaller lot, but a nicer area. The TV room in the second house was a joke, is that closet a living room? The second house north of Granada golf course is starting to get close to 8th street, or Miami, but you still pay the the same takes as everyone else in the Gables. Also, the capri street house is on the fringe of Coral Gables, where the Aledo street house is in the 'thick' of Coral Gables. They've gotta be kidding; that second house is 725k??? Man this town has got a lot to learn.

[big mean bear]

Originally Posted by crisp444

Both are reasonably priced and in nice neighborhoods. However, the Capri Street property is in a very prestigious section of Coral Gables and has a nicer interior, so I'd go with that one.

You can't say "very prestigious" in Coral Gables until you're east of US-1. You're giving all those idiots who finance Lexuses and entry level Mercedes more credit than they deserve!

[planetsurf]

The one on Capri.

My mother-in-law lives within 4 blocks of the one on Aledo. FOR ME, I prefer a little walking ability; she is on the west side of Le Jeune and can walk to the library and the Community Center, but it isn't the best area to "stroll."
The one on Capri definately is.

Your not that close to 8th street -- which over there isn't that bad anyway -- and close to the golf course which is GREAT to walk around.

They are both beautiful, but I'd take Capri.

Good luck.

[planetsurf]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

You can't say "very prestigious" in Coral Gables until you're east of US-1. You're giving all those idiots who finance Lexuses and entry level Mercedes more credit than they deserve!

Not true.

The area around the Biltmore and off of Riviera CC are unarguably "very prestigious." Take a ride down Santa Maria St, around where Jeb Bush used to live, and tell me that it's not.
Most of Alhambra Circle and the streets that line the canals S of Bird in between Granada & Riviera you might be able to argue "very," but I'd think most reasonable people would agree are "very prestigious" too.

I mean, you'd be right that someone who lives on Bird just off of Red Rd might be able to claim "Prestigious CGables" (or next to 8th St or next to Douglas Rd) and I would NOT consider that block nice at all. But then you're splitting hairs to say, "this block" or "that block" when you aren't talking about the obvious fringes of CGables.

And maybe, just maybe the people living in expensive houses driving an expensive car can actually afford them? What a concept. I bet ol' Jeb could afford a Lexus -- but I'm sure you weren't talking about him.

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

They've gotta be kidding; that second house is 725k??? Man this town has got a lot to learn.

A fairly large (2000 square feet) and luxurious home in one of the most prestigious suburbs in the US should cost a lot of money. Average Joe shouldn't be able to afford to live wherever he wants; the area around Capri Street is affluent and should be expensive in my opinion. If you want an "affordable" 2000 square foot home for under $300,000 you should like in Cutler Ridge, West Kendall, or Westchester - middle class areas.

[big mean bear]

The closer you get to Calle Ocho, the more your Coral Gables 'prestige' evaporates. It's simple physics, the closer you are to an undesirabe area, the less desirable your area becomes; hence less prestige, but same ZIP code. Why pay $725k for a 1900 s.f. house when ten streets north you can get the same thing for $350k. I'm just saying that 'prestige' is paper thin when you're talking about the same kind of house just a few streets north. Also, the closer you get to Calle Ocho, and away from the most expensive part of Coral Gables - prestige set aside (east of US-1), the more people probably finance entry level Mercedes. You will encounter 'those' kinds of neighbors- the self serving ones who don't help you clean up trees after a hurricane, but instead call Team Metro on you! And they probably buy their chrome rims for their entry level luxury cars on Calle Ocho - in cash!

[Miami Vice]

I guess that you have an issue with "entry level luxury cars".

[jbravo]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

You can't say "very prestigious" in Coral Gables until you're east of US-1. You're giving all those idiots who finance Lexuses and entry level Mercedes more credit than they deserve!

Originally Posted by big mean bear

The closer you get to Calle Ocho, the more your Coral Gables 'prestige' evaporates. - prestige set aside (east of US-1), You will encounter 'those' kinds of neighbors- the self serving ones who don't help you clean up trees after a hurricane, but instead call Team Metro on you! And they probably buy their chrome rims for their entry level luxury cars on Calle Ocho - in cash!

I've heard this before. So, the area West of US1 is the "Industrialized section of the Gables?" Actually heard that one from an elderly Cuban lady in Cocoplum.
Talk about pretentious!
As for helping you clean up after a hurricane, that depends on your neighbors. Lots of folks in the "prestigious" east of US1 called their insurance company and rented while their houses were torn down due to salt water intrusion in the foundation. Never saw them cutting tree limbs with chainsaws.
And I agree with what PlanetSurf says after this post.