[sickofthemotorcity]

25 year old single male looking to move to florida. sick of michigan want to move to south florida. i have been to south beach a few times and love it there. i no its expensive but i would only be looking for a studio in a decent area in the area of south beach need the beach life. i would be looking for any type of job i can get my hands on. i have enough money for a year or so for a reasonable place not looking to live in a mansion more the location. any help would be appreciated with cities to live and maybe an idea of rent for a studio or 1 bdr apartment and any type of bills involved thanks.

[FL2MT]

If you liked the 'vibe' of being around South Beach I would focus on the obvious areas (South Beach, Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale Beach). You almost certainly want to stay east of the intracoastal. You might get a cheaper place on the mainland side but it's an entirely different feel being over there. Always plenty of people looking for roommates on craigslist so you might go that route for a few months to get a feel for where you'd want to rent. A little easier that way to change your mind and pick a different location than if you're locked into a 6 or 12 month lease.

Your biggest bill will be electricity during the summer, but in my experience it's no worse than the heating bill of a Michigan winter. Other bills and expenses should be similar to what you pay now although of course your rent will be significantly higher on the beach than anything in Michigan.

I moved out of Michigan a number of years ago. Spent time in Miami and a few other areas so I certainly know the feeling wanting to move somewhere warm. Best of luck to you where ever you may end up.

[THX 1138]

Thing you have to ask yourself, how will you be able to survive down here unless your making a good income for the long haul? South Beach is very expensive, the job market down here is not the greatest and there is a lot of competition for what's out there.

Also keep in mind, most private by owner rentals require First, Last and Security Deposit up front during lease signing which can get expensive for many.

[kyle19125]

^^^ I agree with what was said above and would caution to not fall into the "vacation was fun, I'm moving there" trap. Living here and visiting here are two different things and I can guarantee your everyday life living here will bear no resemblance to your vacation trip unless you're moving with a good deal of money and plan to have a sizable income while living here. I'm not trying to be a killjoy, rather offer up a dose of reality. If planning to go through with the move I would urge you to consider other similar coastal areas in Florida with better job markets and more importantly a much lower cost of living. As mentioned above Fort Lauderdale is slightly less expensive but you might also look at smaller cities nearby like Hollywood or Hallandale. If you can get past the "South Beach vibe" and the lack of reality associated with experiencing it even on an occasional basis (or other than watching others enjoy it), look at other areas of the state. The Tampa Bay area is much less expensive and places like St Petersburg or Clearwater offer great beaches, nightlife when/where needed and a standard of living where you can enjoy yourself a lot more often....though lacking in the NBA-hip hop-gangsta wannabe environment of South Beach. If that's the case, best of luck in South Beach...there really isn't anywhere else in Florida with that "vibe".

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

I've lived in your fine state of MI and it b-slaps FL hands down. Try West MI , Grand Rapids or K-Zoo the FL thing will get old quick.

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Buzzcut

I've lived in your fine state of MI and it b-slaps FL hands down. Try West MI , Grand Rapids or K-Zoo the FL thing will get old quick.

7 months of winter, cold grey skies and the depression that sets in get's old quick too.

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

Originally Posted by THX 1138

7 months of winter, cold grey skies and the depression that sets in get's old quick too.

True, but winters can vary from year to year...heavy snow, couple of blizzards one year, not much the following year. I've seen it not snow until Christmas Eve one year in MI and I lived in the Lake effect zone. There are no bad or good years with this FL heat , it's always here.

[sickofthemotorcity]

thats what im trying to find out the only place ive been to in florida is south beach. i just want to get to where its warm all the time. i didnt mean for it to sound as if the only choice is south beach. i just want to here opinions from people who have been to the different cities. i would like something close to a beach style of life not dead centre in the middle of a city thats what i have now.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by sickofthemotorcity

thats what im trying to find out the only place ive been to in florida is south beach. i just want to get to where its warm all the time. i didnt mean for it to sound as if the only choice is south beach. i just want to here opinions from people who have been to the different cities. i would like something close to a beach style of life not dead centre in the middle of a city thats what i have now.

Florida has almost 1300 miles of coastline where it's considered to be "warm" 10 months out of 12, and probably all 12 if you come from someplace like Michigan. I would suggest doing some homework on places other than Miami Beach so you have an idea of cost of living and job availability. The link below might give you some ideas. Good luck.

Florida Beach Towns

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Buzzcut

True, but winters can vary from year to year...heavy snow, couple of blizzards one year, not much the following year. I've seen it not snow until Christmas Eve one year in MI and I lived in the Lake effect zone. There are no bad or good years with this FL heat , it's always here.

Not in my area, you just got to live in the right part of Florida.