[EOTTR]

Hello Everyone

I enjoy reading everyone’s thoughts on various places in Florida. However, I am in a very flexible situation and looking for the best place to relocate- we are not beholden to any particular area. I always use these forums for research and love the “boots on the ground” responses- they are priceless!

Let’s say you had a clean slate to work with. Work/money is not a particular issue. The only requirements are: sailing availability for the kids, private school, housing $1-2M and low crime. A blessed list of priorities!!

We would only spend the school year in Florida. In the summer we live in Utah.

Where would you move? Any information will help narrow my research. (My plan would be to rent for a year to be safe.)

Even if your answer is “Not Florida- move to Texas or NC or….” I would appreciate those comments as well. The only exceptions being California or the Caribbean. We have been there and done that. (We prefer warm winters.

Let me know what you all think- I really appreciate it.

Cheers

EOTTR

[StarfishKey]

The Keys - which is why I'm here. Nowhere else in the state even comes close.



You are very fortunate, and I hope that you lead your children by example and get involved in helping people in whatever local community you choose. Kids can only appreciate their own circumstances when they see firsthand what hardships others face in basic safety, housing, and access to equal rights, and become emotionally connected to others with different circumstances than their own. I have taught thousands of kids in high school and in university, and those who are the happiest and most well-adjusted are not those who are totally sheltered from the realities of the world. So while they are living this lovely life of fancy homes, sailing, and private school, I hope they will also be given the gift of contact with real people in the real communities they live in. Because being blessed with good fortune is only meaningful when you see how good you have it, and ultimately when you are involved in helping to make the world around you a better place.

Incidentally, the Keys are a very community-oriented place, so while I would choose to move here for its other features alone, my comment about community involvement/service is relevant because this is how most people behave here. It is small, and rather tight-knit. The public schools are nearly all A rated, and many public school students here have parents in similar situations to yours. Wealthy and poor interact mostly as equals locally, and you often can't tell who is who - everybody is wearing some kind of Hawaiian shirt and sandals anyway, lol. So if you don't want to interact with the "riff raff" a better place for you culturally would be some gated enclave community in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, or certainly many points North where the money will go farther and you can shut the rest of reality out. But friendly and open people are likely to thrive here, particularly when they have the money to remove themselves from some of the harsher realities that others face in the Keys, and to get access to professional resources when needed. Happy, well-adjusted kids who are used to responsibility and have the confidence to know they have survival skills in the real world if ever needed usually stay that way, even when on isolated islands that lack some of the more typical pastimes of kids elsewhere in the country. [On the other hand, I have taught a lot of wealthy kids in Miami who were so disconnected from other people and felt so useless because they never actually had to do anything in their lives, they were miserable, and ultimately felt very drawn to alcohol, drugs, and other concerning and unfulfilling behaviors.]

Note if they like marine life and water sports, they'll be happy/busy here. And there is endless sailing. But, there are virtually no beaches in the Keys, and you will have to travel to Miami for good ones (or sail over to the Bahamas!). And we also don't have malls, or much in the way of movie theaters, etc. It's a great place for a family to hang out together, if you like water, outdoor life, and the kind of wildlife you can see in the Everglades and mangroves. Note also though that if any of your kids have special needs, there are not an abundance of good services down here. It is a slow, relaxed island life, and the more patient and low key you are the better suited you will be to it.

[Corrie22]

I 100% agree...the Keys....safe, low crime, A+ and A rated schools, Island Christian and Montessori are especially highly rated, tight local communities, and clean, lots of activities planned for kids and adults here almost to the point of something is happening constantly, at least weekly
Specifically look at neighborhoods like Venetian Shores in Islamorada, Mile Marker 86, it's on Snake Creek with the drawbridge for sail boats, immediate access to both bay and ocean for sailing...and very nice homes in your price range.
....and your schedule will put you here at the perfect time for fishing, boating, sailing, diving...and when most of the special events are planned

[MrJones17]

Didn't much of the Keys get murdered by the hurricane last year?

[Corrie22]

Nope, not at all... not saying it wasn't bad for some places and people....but way over hyped...had a very small eye....almost all of the Keys is back to normal
Newer homes and buildings are built for it.....we had zero damage

[JAS]

I would go with Coconut Grove. Very safe by Miami standards, could walk to marinas, things to do in a larger metropolitan area.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by EOTTR

Let’s say you had a clean slate to work with. Work/money is not a particular issue. The only requirements are: sailing availability for the kids, private school, housing $1-2M and low crime. A blessed list of priorities!!

We would only spend the school year in Florida. In the summer we live in Utah.

Where would you move?

EOTTR

There are several neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County that meet those criteria.

Originally Posted by JAS

I would go with Coconut Grove. Very safe by Miami standards, could walk to marinas, things to do in a larger metropolitan area.

Coastal Coconut Grove is probably at the top of the list, followed by Pinecrest, northern Palmetto Bay, South Miami and Coral Gables, plus perhaps Miami Beach itself and certainly some coastal communities to the north through to Aventura. However, the most renowned and storied private schools are in Coconut Grove and Pinecrest, followed by Palmetto Bay and Coral Gables.

I bolded the last part of JAS's response because the Keys do not offer that on a moment-to-moment basis. Also, on a longer-term view for the children, Miami offers more business/career opportunities, though anything is possible.

Good Luck!

[EOTTR]

Originally Posted by StarfishKey

The Keys - which is why I'm here. Nowhere else in the state even comes close.



You are very fortunate, and I hope that you lead your children by example and get involved in helping people in whatever local community you choose. Kids can only appreciate their own circumstances when they see firsthand what hardships others face in basic safety, housing, and access to equal rights, and become emotionally connected to others with different circumstances than their own. I have taught thousands of kids in high school and in university, and those who are the happiest and most well-adjusted are not those who are totally sheltered from the realities of the world. So while they are living this lovely life of fancy homes, sailing, and private school, I hope they will also be given the gift of contact with real people in the real communities they live in. Because being blessed with good fortune is only meaningful when you see how good you have it, and ultimately when you are involved in helping to make the world around you a better place.

Incidentally, the Keys are a very community-oriented place, so while I would choose to move here for its other features alone, my comment about community involvement/service is relevant because this is how most people behave here. It is small, and rather tight-knit. The public schools are nearly all A rated, and many public school students here have parents in similar situations to yours. Wealthy and poor interact mostly as equals locally, and you often can't tell who is who - everybody is wearing some kind of Hawaiian shirt and sandals anyway, lol. So if you don't want to interact with the "riff raff" a better place for you culturally would be some gated enclave community in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, or certainly many points North where the money will go farther and you can shut the rest of reality out. But friendly and open people are likely to thrive here, particularly when they have the money to remove themselves from some of the harsher realities that others face in the Keys, and to get access to professional resources when needed. Happy, well-adjusted kids who are used to responsibility and have the confidence to know they have survival skills in the real world if ever needed usually stay that way, even when on isolated islands that lack some of the more typical pastimes of kids elsewhere in the country. [On the other hand, I have taught a lot of wealthy kids in Miami who were so disconnected from other people and felt so useless because they never actually had to do anything in their lives, they were miserable, and ultimately felt very drawn to alcohol, drugs, and other concerning and unfulfilling behaviors.]

Note if they like marine life and water sports, they'll be happy/busy here. And there is endless sailing. But, there are virtually no beaches in the Keys, and you will have to travel to Miami for good ones (or sail over to the Bahamas!). And we also don't have malls, or much in the way of movie theaters, etc. It's a great place for a family to hang out together, if you like water, outdoor life, and the kind of wildlife you can see in the Everglades and mangroves. Note also though that if any of your kids have special needs, there are not an abundance of good services down here. It is a slow, relaxed island life, and the more patient and low key you are the better suited you will be to it.

Thanks for this Starfishkey. I agree with what you say. We currently live on a small Caribbean island and poverty is just a matter of daily life. As you say, everyone is pretty much treated the same and usually you can not tell if you are sitting next to a billionaire or a down and out pauper! Kids are the best observers of life- they see the differences with their friends.

I need to check out the Keys a bit more. How is the commute to get to a Home Depot or Loews or city life for museums etc? We really want to get good fresh produce again- are things delayed in getting to the Keys or are they still pretty fresh like any other mainland city?

Perhaps the Keys give us both the island life "pros" but also access to mainland benefits!

Cheers!

[EOTTR]

Thanks Jas and Bale- I do like the historic homes of CoconutG. We really are a family that stays in a small walkable circle of activities. Looks like some good sailing clubs/yacht clubs nearby.

Thanks for your tips.

[JAS]

Originally Posted by EOTTR

I do like the historic homes of CoconutG.

As a follow-up, I would also narrow it down to the northeast part of Coconut Grove.