[leavingvegas]

If you had a choice to live in S.FL or S.CA; which would you choose? And within the two cities which areas would you recommend? Thank you...

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

If you had a choice to live in S.FL or S.CA; which would you choose? And within the two cities which areas would you recommend? Thank you...

To be honest, that is totally subjective.It depends on what you are looking for and they are difficult to compare due to obvious size differences. In the most basic terms (factoring in Crime, traffic, schools,basic asthetics) Miami-Dade County has a really crappy standard of living like no other, Broward can be pretty decent all around (and really crappy if you pick the wrong spot too), and Palm Beach County is good south, ABSOLUTE CRAP central, and suburban-ish north. I don't know much about So. Cal, but I do recommend posting on the General U.S forum.

[leavingvegas]

Yes, I agree it's subjective. It's a broad question but I'm trying to get an idea of what areas are better to live in. Regarding weather, people just basic overall lifestyle. I want to live by the beach but be about 30 mins drive from a city. I'm single, no children, 38 and own a staging/decorating business, so I need to live where people truly have money. Unlike Vegas, where people pretend they have money

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

Yes, I agree it's subjective. It's a broad question but I'm trying to get an idea of what areas are better to live in. Regarding weather, people just basic overall lifestyle. I want to live by the beach but be about 30 mins drive from a city. I'm single, no children, 38 and own a staging/decorating business, so I need to live where people truly have money. Unlike Vegas, where people pretend they have money

I still can not answer about Cali and don't know what you mean by "people". I will tell you this, Miami is full of fakers. People who drive Mercedes Benz's and live with 12 people in a crappy apartment and the money here tends to be plastic type of new money but I CAN (hesitantly) recommend in Miami/Dade County

Aventura
Bal Halbour
Parts of Miami Beach

In Broward (also hesitantly)
Coastal areas of Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Lighthouse Point
If you want to go suburban wealth, try Weston(one of the "biggest earners" of 2006 according to Forbes magazine) or Parkland

In Palm Beach County
Palm Beach (ehh, what can I say, if you have a million or above, go for it, but they aren't fakers! Just be prepared to see a lot of blight when you cross the water into West Palm)
(Hesitantly)
Coastal Boca Raton (you will meet plenty of fakers here)


The lifestyle in these communities is as laid back as all possible, but once you see most of the areas in Dade, you could be in for a real shock, and in a bad way. Miami tends to get compared to a "third world city" and it certainly is. Broward is mostly working/middle class, going into upper class, with small pockets of really deep blight in the main city (Fort Lauderdale). Palm Beach County has a lot of wealthy people, but the inequality there breeds a lot of crime and gang problems, and blight there can sink pretty deep and covers large areas in the main city (West Palm).

If you do not need to be around very wealthy people when you get home from work, I can recommend a few more communities in Broward/Palm Beach County if you like. hope I helped!

[House4Sale]

I'd say it'd be CA as most people I know who are use to the west, prefer sticking around there. Those use to the east are more comfortable there. That's not a blanket thing just what I've observed. I'm originally from N.E. and when I went out west, I liked it but my east coast roots kept calling me back.

[leavingvegas]

Thanks for narrowing the areas down for me.

What I mean by "people" is good hearted, real, and down to earth..

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

Thanks for narrowing the areas down for me.

What I mean by "people" is good hearted, real, and down to earth..

In which case, Dade county tends to be really really pretentious, Broward a lot more down to earth, and PBC tends to be a little bit of both pretentiousness and typical normal people. I have found people here in the Davie/Weston area of Broward (Very suburban) to be pretty down to earth and cool, and they will tell you how they feel. There is a little bit of arrogance in the air, but people here are usually down to earth throughout the Broward County area.I would not say "friendly", but certainly real. The feeling here is very Northeastern in that respect, whereas in California, in my little experience there, I can tell you that people tend to be breezy, fake, and airy.

Also, both cities are very car oriented, but I can tell you that traffic here is not bad at all compared to many American metropolitan areas. Miami has congested streets and bad rush hour delays, but it is far from the worst I have seen. Broward County has relatively few traffic delays, except during rush hour on Interstate 595. Palm Beach County is experiencing a lot of roadwork, but after the work is done, the congestion levels should not be too bad. Both areas (Socal and So Fla) have awful mass transit.

[leavingvegas]

To: Ft.Lauderdale..

Where is Parkland? What is your opinion of Coral Gables? Which parts of Miami Beach? How far inland is Weston?

I appreciate your time..

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by leavingvegas

To: Ft.Lauderdale..

Where is Parkland? What is your opinion of Coral Gables? Which parts of Miami Beach? How far inland is Weston?

I appreciate your time..

Weston is about 15-20 minutes inland from Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables is a green area with a decent amount of wealth as well, but it surrounded by a lot of blight and has crime issues, and in Miami Beach, I am going to be honest, I do not know THAT many specifics. Parkland is in Northewest Broward, about 10-15 minutes inland near Boca Raton and Coral Springs and is very suburban in character. What type of environment are you looking for, by the way? A more charged urban atmosphere with plenty to do, or suburban/peaceful type of place?

Also, I have misunderstood if it is important that you LIVE around wealthy people for personal reasons, or if you just need wealthy areas for your business.

[leavingvegas]

Currently, I live about 15 mins off the strip in Vegas/city. The area I live in has access to all the basic necessities: movies rest. shopping, parks and of course star bucks/coffee bean; to where I rarely go to the strip besides "shows" or really upscale dining. I do like this set up, so something similar..

I do live a nice lifestyle, so I would say for both personal and professional reasons..