Cooper City, Davie, Plantation, Weston, Pembroke (Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise: apartment, renters, insurance)

[AUGRAD]

So here is the situation. My fiancee and I moved down to South Florida back in April. We only had 30 days of corporate housing and I was the only one with a job at the time. I work in Doral, but knew enough about the markets to know I could get more house for the money north. When it came down to it, we had to find something in the last week and settled on a 4bdrm/3.5 bath townhouse in Miramar on Miramar blvd between Douglas and University. We were just broken into on Xmas eve and have never really felt safe here. We have absolutely nothing in common with our neighbors either. My fiancee and I are 24 and 26, but need a single family home. We have a dog, and a lot of "stuff". We are looking for a house,and considering only my income can be considered for financing(finace has very little credit history) we are limited to $290K. Need to get out of Miramar. My fiancee works in FTL off of east Commercial BLVD, and I work in Doral right off of the 12th street exit on the turnpike. We would like somthing sort of in the middle, although mostly north. I am OK with a 45 minute commute, she would like to be closer. Safety is number one priority at this point, and we would need atleast a 3/2 single family home with a fenced yard and prefer a 2 car garage. So far we LOVE Forest Ridge in Davie, and have seen homes in Walnut Creek in Pembroke. Can anyone tell us anything about Walnut Creek? It looks nice, and safe inside the gates, but very sketchy on Taft outside the gates.

Also, what other neighborhoods would you suggest which are somewhere between 75 and 95 no further south than Taft(all though I dont like on Taft) and no further north than Sunrise Blvd?

Thanks again. Looking to move quickly!

[rkumar3]

I think you are looking in the right direction.... We recently moved from a TH in Davie to a single family in Cooper City (Stirling and palm) and absolutely love it. Just be cautious that market has really changed in the last couple of years, prices have started to go up and inventory is very low. If you see something you like, you need to move fast!

BTW, I love Forest Ridge as well but would stay away from Walnut Creek

[AUGRAD]

Thanks for your input. We were getting the same uneasy feeling about Walnut Creek as soon as we drove out of the gates.

Are there any other neighborhoods which are similar to Forest Ridge which would ahve affordable homes in our price range? The closer to the turnpike the better for me. Also, any other general tips we should keep in mind when looking to buy our first home in one of these areas??

[JimboUSMC17]

Unfortunately for P. Pines, you will have to look West of I-75 for the nicer areas. Same goes for Miramar.

[misterednotthehorse]

I wouldn't be buying a house until well after the economic collapse.

It's going to be a renters market for years to come.

If you have your heart set on owning property I'd recommend finding a small farm in a rural area, not necessarily Florida. The more rural, the better.

Yeah, I know that's not what you asked about. Just felt the urge to share that with you.

When you get a chance watch, Stansberry's Investment Advisory, and read, Aftershock, by the Weidemers.

Ciao

[ruski]

Weston is perfect for a commute to Doral, and commute to Fort Lauderdale is quite doable too (I myself commute to Cypress Creek and I-95, one exit north from Commercial Blvd)

I also used to commute from Weston to Doral a bunch of years ago.

The best part about Weston is that it is safe.

Now, finding something in $290 K price range in Weston... You can probably find a condo. I would recommend looking in Courtyards at the Grove (right near the Library, the Middle School, and the High School). I happen to live there now, and it is one of the best condo developments in Weston.

From this development, it is an easy shot to I-75, and then you can go South to Doral or North/East to Fort Lauderdale. Or you can use US-27 and go to Doral that way.

[AUGRAD]

Thanks for the response, however, with a dog and all of our "stuff" we really need a single family home with a yeard (even if small) and a garage. We arent really the apartment, or condo kind of people.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by AUGRAD

Thanks for the response, however, with a dog and all of our "stuff" we really need a single family home with a yeard (even if small) and a garage. We arent really the apartment, or condo kind of people.

So a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1 car garage condo won't cut it?

Also it is possible to find a small single family house in Weston for around $300 K

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by AUGRAD

Thanks for the response, however, with a dog and all of our "stuff" we really need a single family home with a yeard (even if small) and a garage. We arent really the apartment, or condo kind of people.

I think you could find what you want in Weston if you could spend just a tiny bit more than $290K. I think you need to be in the low $300K range.

[AUGRAD]

Unfortunately on my income alone I don't believe they will qualify me for that much. A lot is contingent on the taxes and insurance as well. What are the typical insurance rates for a smaller (2000 sq ft) newer home with wind mitigation, newer roof, no pool, and hurricane shutters in those areas?

I have seen tax rates range from 2700/year all the way up to $6200/year on similarly priced homes. That becomes a killer when exploring financing options.