Need some feedback on Broward county please (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: extended stay, apartments)

[vkvidal]

Hi all,
I have been looking through the boards and could use some info. on the different cities/towns in broward county. Can someone give me the scoop on the following areas:
Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Dania Beach, Hallendale, Aventura, Davie and Ft . Lauderdale?
We are planning a move next month and are looking for a nice and safe place to live, we have a 4 yr old and a baby on the way. We are planning on renting first and looking to spend no more than 2k/ month. Townhouse/condo/ house is fine. We plan on visiting all these areas but was wondering if anyone could provide some general info. On what these places are like. We prefer a City feel and yes I already know that there is nothing like Manahatten, but not really looking for that. We just want something that has a livelier vibe than we have here in Georgia ( we are bored out of our minds here) we have family in North Miami and Kendall but we are interested in the cities I mentioned above.
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

[Mr. Lee]

Originally Posted by vkvidal

Hi all,
I have been looking through the boards and could use some info. on the different cities/towns in broward county. Can someone give me the scoop on the following areas:
Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Dania Beach, Hallendale, Aventura, Davie and Ft . Lauderdale?
We are planning a move next month and are looking for a nice and safe place to live, we have a 4 yr old and a baby on the way. We are planning on renting first and looking to spend no more than 2k/ month. Townhouse/condo/ house is fine. We plan on visiting all these areas but was wondering if anyone could provide some general info. On what these places are like. We prefer a City feel and yes I already know that there is nothing like Manahatten, but not really looking for that. We just want something that has a livelier vibe than we have here in Georgia ( we are bored out of our minds here) we have family in North Miami and Kendall but we are interested in the cities I mentioned above.
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

Places are subjective to needs but I have lived and worked in a few of those over the years and most have good and bad in them, so it will depend on what you are looking for.

For instance some parts of Hollywood are good and some are high crime areas and the beach for the most part is older. Hallandale will be mostly older people but some younger have moved there in recent years and also since it is close to Miami Dade county lots of Spanish speaking people. Pembroke Pines has a lot of people who moved up from Miami after the hurricanes, so a lot of Spanish speaking people mixed in. Davie east is older and has a lot of lower income and older homes whereas Davie west is a nice area IMO and Weston which is in west Davie is usually high end but also has lots of Spanish speaking people. Fort Lauderdale has good and bad areas. Dania and even Dania Beach also has good and bad areas. Aventura is an up and coming area but again there will be lots of Spanish speaking people which does not bother me but it might bother some who have a hard time understand accents.

Fort Lauderdale beach area and Las Olas area of Fort Lauderdale will feel sort of like big city with lots of high rise buildings in the skyline, as will many parts of Miami and Aventura.

My advice would be to come down and stay in one of those extended stays and then drive around and look at areas yourself to see which ones will fit your bill.

Camden Las Olas might be one place to start at but I have no idea of the prices and then there are lots of privately owned condos in the general area such as 350 Las Olas, River House and Watergarden which are high end and probably more than you want to spend, as well as Waverly which might be more affordable since it is right on US 1 and diagonally across from Camden and a block or so away.

Then on 17 street which is not far from Las Olas is one building right on the port which is called The Port, but again probably too expensive, so maybe start out in that area and look around because there are older buildings mixed in that I am sure will be much more reasonable.

Single family homes or up to 4 story condos can be found all over and in western Davie as well as in western Pembroke Pines. There is a high rise called Tao Sawgrass in Sunrise or Plantation and right next to the Sawgrass Mall which would make shopping easy.

Let me end by saying I am not a realtor and not trying to steer you toward any one place, just trying to help so you can do some research based on your needs.

[vkvidal]

Thank you for the wealth of info! Just what I was looking for.