Any suggestions on places to live? (Miami, Tampa: apartments, insurance, loft)

[SeasideStudio]

My husband and I want to move to Florida in a few years.
We are young 50's. Kids will be grown up. We want to easy
access to beach areas, safety, and will need to work so employment
opportunities need to be good. My husband would probably
work at a college or university. I can work anywhere. We'd like
to find a somewhat artsy, or at least not too conservative
community that is not really pricey. Maybe 2-3 bedroom
condo in the $300,000. -$350,000. range. Any suggestions
on where to start? Thanks.

[Synergy1]

If you need the glitz and glamour of the STARS then you may need to look at the very high end called South Beach in Miami. You will need lots more money but it can give you a place to start...

Then try Ft Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Sebastian and Port Saint Lucie Area.

Don't forget to check out Ft Meyers/Cape Coral, Sarasota and Tampa Bay and Venice areas. Each has their own beauty and may appeal to someone who is moving South.

Don't forget the taxes are high in Florida along with the HO insurance and condo. Prices are rising as I type.

My aunt owns a condo with an ocean view in Ft Lauderdale. Nothing big just a 2/2 and her condo fees are $425/month on the 11th floor of a 17 floor condo and each time she gets her car she has to call to get the doorman retrieve it. That's a $5'er each time in and out. Two years ago she was considering selling and her home was said to be worth $615k. Frankly I didn't think it was worth $300k but since the economy is almost slowing to a stop only the bidder knows what a nice condo can cost.

[seeriously]

Artsy and Port St. Lucie just don't belong in the same sentence. Since you posted this on the Port St. Lucie - Sebastian - Vero Beach thread, I'm assuming you'd like something in this area. University employment, artsy... you may have to try the Gulf Coast.

[J.R.]

Try Jensen Beach. It does have an "arsty" feel and environment and is pretty much built around the beach and that lifestyle. If you look within a mile or 2 of the beach, the homes are colorful and have a Key West, eclectic feel. Go inland another 2 miles and you have Pinecrest - a wonderful planned community of family homes on large lots. Pinecrest is traditional - not eclectic, but a very nice community. In this market a Pinecrest home would range from about $275,000 (for an older home) to pushing $750,000. The "downtown" area of Jensen has art shops and funky little privately owned establishments ranging from gift shops, surfing, clothing to great little restaurants.

And! Jensen is only a 15 minute drive to Historic Downtown Stuart; another wonderfully funky area.

For you needs, Ft. Pierce ( 15 miles to the north) has Indian River State College. The college has a satellite campus in Stuart as well. IRSC offers 2 year degress mainly, but in the past few years has started offering 4 yr programs in business, teaching and many medical fields.

Port St. Lucie is just 10 miles north of Jensen and they have a satellite campus for Florida Atlantic University and Barry University (IRSC has a PSL campus too). Hope this was helpful.

Good luck!

[SeasideStudio]

Great ideas and comments. Very helpful. I appreciate it. Thank you!

[runswithscissors]

You need to check here, Vero Beach. Artsy is different in everyone's mind.

We have an art museum, a theater and the most gorgeous beaches and parks. No it's not cosmopolitan but Florida isn't.

Unpretentious with alot of money parked here. But it doesn't show.

You can buy over at the beach with your budget no problem.

Price points are from 30,000 for a very respectable condo to 25 million.

Your challenge will be saying your husband will be working at a college. LOL That limits where you can chose. The job will determine where you live not the other way around. This isn't like say, Philly with 20 colleges in the town.

[seeriously]

You are correct, runwithscissors. Artsy is different in everyone's mind. I don't consider Vero to be artsy either though we have a great theater and a nice museum. Artsy to me (just for clarification) is where an artist may chose to live, somewhere with scenic coves and loft apartments, studio art classes, alternative health venues, and a general unpretentious (to use your word) sense of well-being. From what I read in these posts, maybe Venice on the other side of Florida.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by verobeach

You are correct, runwithscissors. Artsy is different in everyone's mind. I don't consider Vero to be artsy either though we have a great theater and a nice museum. Artsy to me (just for clarification) is where an artist may chose to live, somewhere with scenic coves and loft apartments, studio art classes, alternative health venues, and a general unpretentious (to use your word) sense of well-being. From what I read in these posts, maybe Venice on the other side of Florida.

Yeah, I don't consider it artsy either lol. I come from New Hope Pa in Bucks County which started out as an "artsy" country getaway from NYC years ago. Painters, writers, coffee shop banter, galleries, studios and cottages on the Delaware River where Washington Crossed it as a matter of fact LOL.

Now it's just a tourist trap with retail and one book store. I refused to go in town when they started the carriage horse abuse deal.

I think my son said Deerfield Beach was artsy or maybe it was Delray I forget. But he chose WPB. And he's an actual artist.

Regardless, the OP has very few choices near universities is S Fl. Boca or Miami pretty much. She wants liberal so maybe Gainsville but it's not "tropical". I could care less about artsy people now...in fact I avoid them like the plague ever since the election ha ha.

You never know what you'll want "in a few years", things change. But for sure Vero Beach is "where the tropics begin" , right? LOL I'm loving this breezy cool day today without humidity. If ONLY.....

[seeriously]

I agree. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood today!