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Thread summary:

Moving to Miami: teacher, real estate, market, buyer, two mortgages.

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Old 06-11-2008, 04:34 AM
 
Location: NJ
67 posts, read 218,570 times
Reputation: 27

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I posted this in the Miami forum, but I'd like to hear what some of you would say about Fort Lauderdale...

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Sunny Isles Beach. Obviously, visiting the beach seems like paradise (esp. since we left 100 degree weather in NJ). I just would be interested in learning what life is really like in the area. As we are both teachers, it would also be nice to know what the school situation is like.

I also noticed that there are condos around that area (either on or around A1A) that are going for $170s-$200's. Is there any reason for that, or has the market just tanked there?

Thanks!

P.S. How bad are the hurricanes?
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Old 06-11-2008, 06:06 AM
 
Location: S. Florida
1,100 posts, read 3,011,177 times
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The market has definetly tanked! It is a buyers market for sure! When my husband & I moved down her 11 years ago, we could have purchased a nice home anywhere from $110 and up. Unfortunately, we didn't have the money for it. We ended up buying a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in Sunrise about 5 years ago. We purchased it for $140 right at the end of the "affordable housing market" in S. Florida. Our home is now worth well over $300K. But I wouldn't have a buyer anytime soon. I have seen houses in my neighborhood go up for sale, and then never have any buyers coming around.

Also, I have a cousin who lived in a lovely 4 bedroom, 3bath home in a desirable area in Boca Raton. When she and her husband purchased it around 10 years ago, the price they paid was $140. During the seller market heyday, she bought a bigger and much more expensive home in Boynton Beach. (which by the way, nobody should ever buy without first selling!) She figured she would be able to sell her house in Boca in less than 6 months. At the time, houses were being sold like hotcakes in her area.

Now moving forward a year later, she has not been able to sell her Boca home! She is carrying two mortgages and going broke. The homes in her area used to be sell for $600K. Even though she lowered her price to $369K, she STILL can't sell it.

As far as hurricanes go, they can be scary. I have been though about 3 or 4 since moving here 11 years ago. So I have definetly seen what kind of damange they can do. I was lucky enough that I didn't live here when Hurricane Andrew hit. It's that kind of devastation that I hope we don't get again anytime soon.
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Old 06-11-2008, 07:34 AM
 
Location: Jupiter
1,108 posts, read 4,216,657 times
Reputation: 647
Exclamation Vacation Paradises???

Almost every vacation I have every taken...I have considered moving to that area...it always looks better there...then where you are.......the worst was Hawaii....but what the hell....

You and your wife have a great situation...you are both teachers...so when you are both off this summer....why don't the two of you go down to Fort Lauderdale...and rent a place for two months....this will give you a chance to sample the weather....the neighborhoods...look for jobs....visit schools....shop....etc........perhaps after staying there for two months...it will not be the paradise you are looking for...at least this way...you will still have jobs to return to in September.......
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Old 06-11-2008, 07:46 AM
 
Location: Hampton Roads, Virginia
1,123 posts, read 5,331,039 times
Reputation: 710
Quote:
Originally Posted by gcctrumpeter View Post
I posted this in the Miami forum, but I'd like to hear what some of you would say about Fort Lauderdale...

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Sunny Isles Beach. Obviously, visiting the beach seems like paradise (esp. since we left 100 degree weather in NJ). I just would be interested in learning what life is really like in the area. As we are both teachers, it would also be nice to know what the school situation is like.

I also noticed that there are condos around that area (either on or around A1A) that are going for $170s-$200's. Is there any reason for that, or has the market just tanked there?

Thanks!

P.S. How bad are the hurricanes?
We are also looking at a move to FLL after the first of the year due to a job transfer. Last summer we were there for vaca, but had looked around as if we were going to live there (DH's corp office is there and the potential for a move has been looming for a year now). After several days, we both agreed we loved it! We like the style of architecture, the warm (and hot) climate and the laid back lifestyle. I have been looking at the real estate and YES, it is a buyers paradise. It will probably be like that for a long time due to the huge inventory of foreclosures and just normal sales.

Even knowing about the buyers market, we will still probably rent because 'if' we don't like it, we would then be stuck with a house we cant sell. Like the other poster said, you might want to consider a long vacation during the summer to be able to act like residents and window shop for housing.

Personally, I like FLL MUCH better than Miami - two totally different animals. FLL has a much more suburban feel. As teachers, you should have no problem finding jobs.
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Old 06-11-2008, 07:48 AM
 
717 posts, read 773,040 times
Reputation: 122
Quote:
Originally Posted by gcctrumpeter View Post
I posted this in the Miami forum, but I'd like to hear what some of you would say about Fort Lauderdale...

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Sunny Isles Beach. Obviously, visiting the beach seems like paradise (esp. since we left 100 degree weather in NJ). I just would be interested in learning what life is really like in the area. As we are both teachers, it would also be nice to know what the school situation is like.

I also noticed that there are condos around that area (either on or around A1A) that are going for $170s-$200's. Is there any reason for that, or has the market just tanked there?

Thanks!

P.S. How bad are the hurricanes?
Wife an I are planning our move right after the new year. Probably live in downtown FTL -Las Olas- for a year or two then buy a home in Weston. I do not expect any type of housing recovery for at least 7-10 years. I believe it will be a buyers market, especially downthere, for a long time.
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Old 06-11-2008, 07:49 AM
 
Location: America
6,993 posts, read 17,359,800 times
Reputation: 2093
Quote:
Originally Posted by rusty78 View Post
Almost every vacation I have every taken...I have considered moving to that area...it always looks better there...then where you are.......the worst was Hawaii....but what the hell....

You and your wife have a great situation...you are both teachers...so when you are both off this summer....why don't the two of you go down to Fort Lauderdale...and rent a place for two months....this will give you a chance to sample the weather....the neighborhoods...look for jobs....visit schools....shop....etc........perhaps after staying there for two months...it will not be the paradise you are looking for...at least this way...you will still have jobs to return to in September.......
this should be made a sticky! This man speaks the truth!
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Old 06-11-2008, 02:25 PM
 
Location: NJ
67 posts, read 218,570 times
Reputation: 27
If we could afford just to take off for the summer, we would probably buy a second home there instead of moving there. Then we could have the best of both worlds.
The other problem we have is that we would have to give 60 days notice to our job, and schools down there start in early-mid August (we start in September). We would either have to make a quick decision or decide to move next year, and I don't see myself moving that quickly to make such an important decision.
Obviously, living in Paradise isn't the same as visiting it, and I can't say we're seriously exploring it. You never know, though, and it would be nice to know whether a move would be worth it. I know that each place has its own issues, but I can't afford to buy a house because of the 7% sales tax, ridiculous property taxes, income taxes, and, well, everything else that New Jersey taxes. There are 600+ school districts, 500+ municipalities, and by the time we retire, there probably won't be any pension for teachers. The schools are supposed to be great (although I work in one of the tougher ones), but aside from that, and the fact that my wife grew up in NJ, I would leave as soon as I could.
Plus, I just don't see myself "getting ahead" here. With the cost of living and taxes, I just can't save any money. I can't even afford a $175,000 condo (which around here gets 2bd/2ba - no amenities) because the taxes would be $2500-3500 a year and constantly going up. So, for now, we're renting a 2bd/1ba apartment for $1200/mo with little room if we start a family.

Sorry for the venting If you looked at the Jersey forums, you'd probably find a lot of people in the same boat.


What is different between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami-Dade? Does one have better schools or different types of communities?

Thanks!
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Old 06-11-2008, 02:38 PM
 
Location: America
6,993 posts, read 17,359,800 times
Reputation: 2093
broward = less urban, less hispanic
dade = more urban, more hispanic

Each place has its pluses and minuses
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Old 06-11-2008, 07:09 PM
 
Location: Miami
6,853 posts, read 22,450,255 times
Reputation: 2962
Quote:
Originally Posted by gcctrumpeter View Post
How bad are the hurricanes?
They are all different! I have been through to many hurricanes to even count. The worst was Hurricane Andrew, I survived obviously but I did have a friend that lost his sister during the storm. All I can say is have insurance, have your hurricane supplies at the beginning of Hurricane Season don't wait till a storm approaches, have a hurricane plan ahead of time, place all important files in a ziplock bag and then place that in a plastic file folder that you can just grab if you evacuate. Don't expect the government to help you the first three days after a storm.
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Old 06-11-2008, 10:50 PM
 
Location: Tampa, Fl (SoHo/Hyde Park)
1,336 posts, read 4,964,108 times
Reputation: 1039
i dont know whether to laugh or cry when i still see these NY/NJ people talking about moving to Lauderdale, Broward or anywhere in florida for paradise.....listen, if u have a ton of dough and can earn over 100k and keep your head on straight amidst all the nonsense and bs in SoFla then u may carve out some form of paradise....otherwise, living here is no joke...this place is littered with tradgic stories of northeasterners who moved here for paradise, especially these days with everything crashing and burning.
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