Where's the room for the middle class near the beach? (Fort Lauderdale: real estate, lawyers)

happymccamper · 02-04-2008, 09:28 PM

I am new to S Florida from the North. But its seems like its either super nice or super dump the closer you get to the beach? Maybe I am not up on all the neighborhoods around here...and enocourage those that are to enlighten me. But...you either have to be really rich or what live in the slums or near them? We chose to live in C Springs, which is great, but its seems to take us a 1/2 hr to get to Ft Laud Beach, 20/25min to Deerfield. We are near Boca, but can t use their parks unless we want to pay $17 for a day's use. Pompano may be closer but does not seem as nice, again maybe I am in the wrong spot, we are new down here. But my husband works near the Ft Laud Exec Aport...where are we suppose to live? Boca? Weston? Farther north, farther west? We don't want to move farther from his job or the beach. I sense there is no way to uprise and take back the neighborhoods, clean them up, make them family friendly, etc!? I understand the rich and extra rich get to live on or super close to the ocean, but shouldn't the middle/working class be next in line in the surrounding neighborhoods, what gives? I hope I don't sound snotty...but whats wrong with living by your job and having a small commute to the beautiful beaches, especially when you are working hard! Okay I think that s the most I have ever ranted on here...here goes nothin...sorry if I offend anyone....

Magnulus · 02-04-2008, 09:53 PM

Beaches are desireable areas to live in Florida and there aren't enough hurricanes to put the fear of God into people that live there, so they go up in value. Plus we are in a housing bubble. There are alot of beach towns that are basicly nowheres with a little sun and sand and the real estate is overpriced. In time that will resolve itself. But in the end its all supply and demand and if you want to live in South Florida of course it will cost alot.

The poverty areas and quasi-slum areas are caused because the pay is so low and the rich people, who do have that prime beach real estate, don't want inclusive zoning, but they do want cheap hamburgers, bank tellers, and lawn care... so the help has to live someplace else, in some other town. They need the little people, just don't want to pay them a living wage or rub shoulders with them. Not to get too political, but it comes down to Republican dominance of the state government and their laissez-faire policies. You should be grateful that all those crumbs trickles down to you (just kidding, that's sarcasm).

Edvard · 02-04-2008, 09:56 PM

The thing is your dollar has to compete for the goods in an artificial economic environment. You want to live in the same place as a guy in Belgium that sold his trucking company, 3 retired lawyers from New Yaaahk, A pro football player. You see who is going to get the property? Demand is up, supply is fixed.

happymccamper · 02-04-2008, 09:59 PM

I am starting to sense that....and I know I shouldn't complain too much, I have a great life, we eat, the lights are on, we live in beautiful C Springs etc....that's not what I am trying to say...I am just suprised to see real rich then real poor or almost like a checkerboard effect where you can live in this nice sub, but if you want to do your shopping one street over, look out! And even if you are doing well like us their is no room for you near the beach!

Edvard · 02-04-2008, 11:12 PM

My first beach home was in Holmes beach in 1984, it cost me $55K, and it included a '70 corvette that needed tires. I complained about that price for a few years. Now, if I wanted to go buy it back, I would need at least $800,000 in hand. I wouldn't buy one now, I am too old to deal with a house blowing out to sea. It's kind of sad to see people driving 13 miles each way to clean beach houses for $9/hour...... but there are a lot of people fighting for those properties with money that was made elsewhere.

spainbrit · 02-05-2008, 04:35 AM

You can buy a home that is walking distance to the beach in Pinellas county for less than $200,000. It's not a short walk though

Or you can drive for about 2 minutes. Parking is not impossible, some of it is free, other county park spots are charged for, but folks manage to find parking spaces nearby often. If you are there early a lot of the beach access points have two or three spots that are free for all day.

Oh for those days of beach location property for under $100K, though 2 bedrooms with direct gulf front are now sinking to the 400K mark by me.

Ladywithafan · 02-05-2008, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edvard

My first beach home was in Holmes beach in 1984, it cost me $55K, and it included a '70 corvette that needed tires. I complained about that price for a few years. Now, if I wanted to go buy it back, I would need at least $800,000 in hand. I wouldn't buy one now, I am too old to deal with a house blowing out to sea. It's kind of sad to see people driving 13 miles each way to clean beach houses for $9/hour...... but there are a lot of people fighting for those properties with money that was made elsewhere.

My XH & I purchased our bayfront lot in Holmes Beach on Key Royale in 1992 for $325K, 180 x 115(seawall) x 110 (street). The owner had bought it back in 1988 for $90K. Go Figure!

It's all about location. Back when I lived in Sunrise and my friend from college lived in Coral Springs, it took 1/2 hour to get to the beach...that was 1985....I'm surprised it doesn't take longer now? The areas between each city as well as Pompano have always had "not so nice" areas next to "amazingly nice areas"....that's just how it is. Parking at Ft. Lauderdale beach is not free, I can't imagine why the parks would be either...you're in an overcrowded area and everything is at a premium. I'm not even sure if there is a middle class in Florida anymore

happymccamper · 02-05-2008, 08:32 AM

Anyway, if you want a non-pretentious beach to visit thats actually nice, check out the Broadwalk on Hollywood Beach.[/quote]

That seems to be the general feeling I get from most South Floridans...stated just like you had above. Ah what are you going to do? To bad we couldn't so some sort of revolution and go in and clean it up...a sort of "We aren't going to take it anymore..." These are our up/downtown areas and we want them to look nice...I mean tourism is our thing down here right...wouldn't and shouldn't we want to protect that. Where are some zoning restrictions like how about less pawn's and porn shops in the places we would like our tourists to visit and be comfortable in?! There is no problem w/smaller, older, residences...or hard working people, but for god sakes isn't there a way we could make it look nicer and cleaner? Even if it means we all pitch in?

happymccamper · 02-05-2008, 08:33 AM

[QUOTE Parking at Ft. Lauderdale beach is not free, I can't imagine why the parks would be either...you're in an overcrowded area and everything is at a premium. I'm not even sure if there is a middle class in Florida anymore

[/quote]

Yes I have been going over the math in my head to like by time we drive and pay parking maybe its worth the extra $$ to hang at the Boca Parks.

Momma_bear · 02-05-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happymccamper

I am new to S Florida from the North. But its seems like its either super nice or super dump the closer you get to the beach? Maybe I am not up on all the neighborhoods around here...and enocourage those that are to enlighten me. But...you either have to be really rich or what live in the slums or near them? We chose to live in C Springs, which is great, but its seems to take us a 1/2 hr to get to Ft Laud Beach, 20/25min to Deerfield. We are near Boca, but can t use their parks unless we want to pay $17 for a day's use. Pompano may be closer but does not seem as nice, again maybe I am in the wrong spot, we are new down here. But my husband works near the Ft Laud Exec Aport...where are we suppose to live? Boca? Weston? Farther north, farther west? We don't want to move farther from his job or the beach. I sense there is no way to uprise and take back the neighborhoods, clean them up, make them family friendly, etc!? I understand the rich and extra rich get to live on or super close to the ocean, but shouldn't the middle/working class be next in line in the surrounding neighborhoods, what gives? I hope I don't sound snotty...but whats wrong with living by your job and having a small commute to the beautiful beaches, especially when you are working hard! Okay I think that s the most I have ever ranted on here...here goes nothin...sorry if I offend anyone....

What about Hollywood? Some of Hollywood is a dump, but there are also some very nice neighborhoods there. It's close to the beach. I am also a fan of Hollywood Beach over Fort Lauderdale Beach.