Relocation from Southern California (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: foreclosures, insurance, townhouse)

[RigbyPDX]

Hi - We are thinking about relocating from Southern California (LA area) to south/central Florida. We have a small family with a young child so a safe area with good schools is a must. Additionally, we would like to be near the ocean, ideally in a house with water access. I know ocean access is very expensive. We would like to keep our house purchase price under 600k, preferably 400-500. We only need a small 2 or 3 bedroom home but are looking for water and even ocean access. Can this be done?
Are there any areas that meet these parameters within an hour drive of Miami? We have been told that Boynton Beach is nice as well as Boca? Also a city with some amenities would be a plus.
Thanks in advance.

[skylinet]

600k and a single family home on the the ocean in Palm Beach County doesn't exist unfortunately. You can definitely find something in walking distance that would fit what you are looking for though. It most likely won't have a view of the water but would be close. There's a nice foreclosed townhouse in ocean ridge (Boynton Beach) in the 500's that has water access in the community and beach access that could be interesting for you.
Are you going to be working in Miami or just looking to visit it? When we moved here we wanted to be close to Miami but in the 7 years we've been here I think we've gone down 5 or 6 times...

The Bluffs in Jupiter could be a good fit for what you are looking for as well.

[RigbyPDX]

Thanks for the reply and the info. We will be working in Miami - an hour or less is ok with us. Sorry - we aren't looking for "on the ocean" just ocean accessible - perhaps via a canal or intracoastal? Is even that over 600k?

[skylinet]

In a house most likely, the lowest priced canal home right now East of 95 with ocean access in South Palm Beach County that I'm aware of is 675k. A townhouse might be doable though. In the "good old days" 3-5 years ago you could get a canal home in PBC for $450k but you don't see those anymore. The TH I mentioned in ocean ridge has boat slips in the community with ocean access. It did take an offer yesterday, but might come back as foreclosures often do.

Jupiter would be too far of a drive for most people to Miami.

[urbandeco]

East Boca Raton. Personally, I think much nicer than Boynton and a bit closer to Miami.

[ByeByeLW]

Golfview Harbor is an older community with single-family homes in Boynton with ocean-access canals. It is just west of 95 off of Congress.

Have you considered Ft Lauderdale or Hollywood? It seems to be less expensive, at least when I looked a few years ago

There was a single-family home in Ocean Ridge across from the ocean for under $400,00 a few years ago. I was shocked.

A few friends of mine have duplexes there (I don't think it's Ocean Ridge proper, I'm not sure) on the east side of A1A, and there are some older single family homes on the sidestreets but they don't have boat slips or any of that. Another friend of mine bought one for $275,000 in 2006 when prices were high!

The thing that would kill you there is the insurance.

[ladyalicemore]

The schools in Boca Raton are a real plus for those with children, but in your price range, you won't have deep water access.

Especially as you are working in Miami, look into Lighthouse Point and (10-15 miles south of that) Fort Lauderdale. The Venice of ... America? South Florida? There are more canals so it might be easier to get that view of water. I don't know what the schools are like in FLL, though.

[GOL]

Originally Posted by RigbyPDX

Hi - We are thinking about relocating from Southern California (LA area) to south/central Florida. We have a small family with a young child so a safe area with good schools is a must. Additionally, we would like to be near the ocean, ideally in a house with water access. I know ocean access is very expensive. We would like to keep our house purchase price under 600k, preferably 400-500. We only need a small 2 or 3 bedroom home but are looking for water and even ocean access. Can this be done?
Are there any areas that meet these parameters within an hour drive of Miami? We have been told that Boynton Beach is nice as well as Boca? Also a city with some amenities would be a plus.
Thanks in advance.

Hello! I just moved here from Los Angeles also. What part of LA are you in? Are you from California? I agree with some of the other posters, Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale will be a MUCH easier drive.

The traffic here is nil for most of the year. Even Miami is NOTHING like LA!

[8to32characters]

Originally Posted by GOL

Hello! I just moved here from Los Angeles also. What part of LA are you in? Are you from California? I agree with some of the other posters, Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale will be a MUCH easier drive.

The traffic here is nil for most of the year. Even Miami is NOTHING like LA!

Coming from Southern California, your commute will probably be easier, but just be advised that's it much more difficult to meet quality people and make meaningful, long-lasting friendships in South Florida.

That, plus the weather, scenery, culture and overall lifestyle totally suck by comparison.

Oh, yeah--can't forget the bugs, either.

[StreetLegal]

^^^While it is tough to be the variety of So.California, the home price differential is huge as Los Angeles is one of the most unaffordable housing markets in the country.

The median home price in Boca Raton for a single-family home is $375,000
Boca Raton Home Prices and Home Values | Zillow

A comparable coastal city in LA might be Manhattan Beach. The median price of a single-family home there is $2.0 million. Manhattan Beach Home Prices and Home Values | Zillow

The bugs and the humidity would be a big adjustment but with this type of price differential some might view it as a bargain.