Considering Miami Beach (North Bay Village) (renting, condos, home)

[whitmeyer]

I've been looking at a few condos (rent) in the North Bay Village area of Miami Beach. I have some family in Miami and a good friend as well. I'm not looking to make a permanent home there, but am considering coming down for a year or two.

My concerns are obvious:

-Don't speak Spanish
-My degree is in Finance-Miami obviously not being the ideal spot for this field
-And the obvious concern about finding a job somewhere within a 30 min drive

The condo I'm looking at is nice, and I have enough saved up if worse came to worse and I could not find a job and had to relocate after 6 months or a year. I've always wanted to live there, and enjoyed it very much while visiting, although I'm sure actually living there is a different ball game.

I'm hoping someone can give me some info on the North Bay Village area of Miami Beach, particular The Bridge Water building, if anyone is familiar-and possibly some insight into the jobs in Finance/Accounting. Oh, should probably mention, I'm single, 26.

[traveler36]

I moved to Miami as a child from the North East and grew up in the North Bay Village area. It is not predominantly Hispanic like most parts of Miami. Anywhere under downtown in the SW or W quadrant of Miami is majority Spanish speakers where you can go to a Mcdonalds or a grocery store and be greeted with a "HOLA". As far as finance I am pursuing an MBA and have previously worked jobs in the financial sector and you are right Miami is not a financial mecca, but Brickell (just below downtown) is sometimes considered the banking capital for Latin American countries doing business in America. You will find a cultural divide in Miami as far as financial jobs. A majority of your clients will be Hispanic and you will have to cater to their culture and ways of doing business. The good thing about that is that a majority of hispanic businessman want to be more Americanized in their practices so it's not a problem working with them except for having to learn the language.

The Bridgewater is a nice location you are in the middle of the mainland of miami and the Northern part of Miami Beach so you get a great view of the bay. Also because of the housing market renting a condo will get you a great price. The building is safe and the drive to most places in Miami from North Bay Village is 15 to 20 minutes with moderate traffic.

[whitmeyer]

Originally Posted by traveler36

I moved to Miami as a child from the North East and grew up in the North Bay Village area. It is not predominantly Hispanic like most parts of Miami. Anywhere under downtown in the SW or W quadrant of Miami is majority Spanish speakers where you can go to a Mcdonalds or a grocery store and be greeted with a "HOLA". As far as finance I am pursuing an MBA and have previously worked jobs in the financial sector and you are right Miami is not a financial mecca, but Brickell (just below downtown) is sometimes considered the banking capital for Latin American countries doing business in America. You will find a cultural divide in Miami as far as financial jobs. A majority of your clients will be Hispanic and you will have to cater to their culture and ways of doing business. The good thing about that is that a majority of hispanic businessman want to be more Americanized in their practices so it's not a problem working with them except for having to learn the language.

The Bridgewater is a nice location you are in the middle of the mainland of miami and the Northern part of Miami Beach so you get a great view of the bay. Also because of the housing market renting a condo will get you a great price. The building is safe and the drive to most places in Miami from North Bay Village is 15 to 20 minutes with moderate traffic.

Thanks for the input

I'm not really looking to go into banking (although I can't be too picky), I'm more towards the corporate end of finance as opposed to financial services/banking...I'm just hoping I can land something decent in this economy in a city that has been hit hard.