From NJ to FL (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: insurance, houses, landscaping)

[michaelfasano123]

Hey! Were looking to relocate to Florida from New Jersey. Were still testing waters and doing a 30 day trip to check out the area. Im hoping someone can tell us some areas to look at. here is what she wants and what i want. Our budget is anywhere up to 900k and willing to build as well. My Brother is in Fort Lauderdale so i want to be close but not too close lol. He is near las olas so probably a 25 min ride to 1 hour is ok. Def want to be near water but MUST be a close nit town or area

She
charming tiny town
close nit
woodsy but not like red neck woods
no cookie cutter houses and development towns

Me
id like to be on or near the water
small to big town but i want a tight nit town to plant my roots
want everyone to know everyone
good schools(We have 3 boys under 6)
No cookie cutter houses

[kyle19125]

Check out Cooper City or Davie, though neither is on/near the water. Otherwise for good schools, a sense of community and as having a more rural/non-cookie cutter feel, they work for you.

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...uI%7BgC~%5CejA

[StarryKnight1]

We need to know your applicable budget range.

In general, with a few exceptions, the attributes you are seeking are in expensive areas.

[kidyankee764]

I don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for with a $900k budget.

If you can stretch your budget, I’d suggest Lighthouse Point. But you’d have to stretch it quite a bit.

[StarryKnight1]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for with a $900k budget.

If you can stretch your budget, I’d suggest Lighthouse Point. But you’d have to stretch it quite a bit.

And, note that 900k is the OP’s maximum budget, which means that he’s not looking nearly looking to spend $900k….

[wizrap]

Can any place in South Florida be described as tight knit? I’d maybe suggest the Plantation acres section in that city but once the kids are ready for middle school they’d have to look at private, and the top private school in the area is more than $30,000 a year.

And despite the laidback feel of the Acres, the city of Plantation is not tiny.

[StarryKnight1]

Originally Posted by wizrap

Can any place in South Florida be described as tight knit? I’d maybe suggest the Plantation acres section in that city but once the kids are ready for middle school they’d have to look at private, and the top private school in the area is more than $30,000 a year.

And despite the laidback feel of the Acres, the city of Plantation is not tiny.

There’s no such thing as “tight knit” in south Florida because it is by definition an antonym of that, IE, a metropolis.

Why do so many people come here with a long list of highly desirable attributes while asking for cheap or something close to cheap? This is a fast growing, expensive metro area. The chances you’ll find something as described in the OP within the given budget range are little to none.

[silverct9a]

Easy, people from up north still think “Florida” is cheap. South Florida is far from cheap especially once you factor in transportation and insurance costs on top of housing.

[912904]

Originally Posted by michaelfasano123

Hey! Were looking to relocate to Florida from New Jersey. Were still testing waters and doing a 30 day trip to check out the area. Im hoping someone can tell us some areas to look at. here is what she wants and what i want. Our budget is anywhere up to 900k and willing to build as well. My Brother is in Fort Lauderdale so i want to be close but not too close lol. He is near las olas so probably a 25 min ride to 1 hour is ok. Def want to be near water but MUST be a close nit town or area

She
charming tiny town
close nit
woodsy but not like red neck woods
no cookie cutter houses and development towns

Me
id like to be on or near the water
small to big town but i want a tight nit town to plant my roots
want everyone to know everyone
good schools(We have 3 boys under 6)
No cookie cutter houses

Not realistic.

[huitrecouture]

Originally Posted by michaelfasano123

Hey! Were looking to relocate to Florida from New Jersey. Were still testing waters and doing a 30 day trip to check out the area. Im hoping someone can tell us some areas to look at. here is what she wants and what i want. Our budget is anywhere up to 900k and willing to build as well. My Brother is in Fort Lauderdale so i want to be close but not too close lol. He is near las olas so probably a 25 min ride to 1 hour is ok. Def want to be near water but MUST be a close nit town or area

She
charming tiny town
close nit
woodsy but not like red neck woods
no cookie cutter houses and development towns

Me
id like to be on or near the water
small to big town but i want a tight nit town to plant my roots
want everyone to know everyone
good schools(We have 3 boys under 6)
No cookie cutter houses

FIRST decide on your school criteria and stick to it because the SCHOOLS can be tricky. Then shop for a neighborhood. Regarding "knowing each other"...I'm going to advise you since your children are young that if you're LUCKY you will develop friendships based on having your children be active in the community and with other families. Therefore school district results are KEY. Research the highest rated elementary and middle schools in each county then stay in THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS

We had the same 8 familes as best friends my kid's entire childhood through college and he still has them today. In Bucks County PA not Florida which is a different animal.

Are you working from home?

You've never been to South (or any) Florida, right? And you certainly never drove a hour radius from your brother.

We don't have "woodsy". Florida is sand. Sandy loam. No woods. Not in the Jersey sense. We have some trees. Watch for OVERGROWN LANDSCAPING in older properties.

We don't have "charming tiny towns" OR tight nit (sic). Nobody knows anybody. You realize they're all MIGRANTS HERE, right? Especially the last couple of years. And you don't even want to be around your OWN BROTHER. So much for "tight knit".

We don't have "no cookie cutter houses". Be prepared for cookie cutter.

WHAT is a "development town"? We don't even have anything like that in Jersey or Phila. I guess that may be considered Weston.

LOL "near water". There's a LOT of water in FLL but not near your other criteria.

Is that 900K for just the house itself? What about the 20,000 for the insurance?

Try Wellington, Parkland or Jupiter.

Also HILARIOUS people don't want "cookie cutter" but all want to move into the nice HOAs without them being HOAs. At least in FLL you have nice neighborhoods all different type and styles of houses but GET READY TO LIVE WITH GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT NEXT DOOR.