Boca/Ft L. area: Mosquitoes & socioeconomic racial segregation (Miami: sales, real estate)

[Puppyaddict]

Hi,

I am a single 33yo professional female currently living in the Denver area. I've always wanted to move back to the beach (lived near L.A., near the coast for a while) and get away from cold winters, and now that I'm into scuba diving, I would prefer closer to the Caribbean than CA.

I had been looking into Charleston, SC, thinking it would be an interesting, not-too-big city that has all the necessary amenities, friendly, culturally rich, mixed-ethnicity, warm-water-beaches area to go that is not too far from FL & Caribbean diving, but upon visiting last week, I found 2 problems:

1. There is apparently a nasty socioeconomic gap (no middle class) that runs largely along racial lines, and I was hoping to find a community where I might freely associate with other races (I'm white) without feeling unsafe (I understand that most cities have ghetto-like areas to avoid, but that doesn't of course mean that is where all the non-whites live!), and also potentially date interracially, but I am educated & prefer the same in my potential mates.

2. I apparently am extremely appetizing for mosquitoes. Sure, they say this year it's worse than others, and yes, it IS mosquito season there, but honestly, I don't think I can live somewhere that I have to douse my body in Off every time I leave the house for 3+ months out of the year...in Charleston I got over 40 mosquito bites sitting outside for about 10-15 minutes at dusk--yup, idiotic, now I know, but still--others got only a couple bites, I got 40 (plus another half-dozen in less than 5 minutes AFTER sunset getting off a harbor cruise boat), and they turn into NASTY red welts that last for at least a couple weeks, so...are there any areas of FL that don't have mosquitoes right on the coast? I've also been to Cancun in May, but apparently that is BEFORE the wet season, so maybe that is why I didn't have a problem there--or that it is more like desert along the coast. And I loved the climate there!

Suggestions? Info? Non-Off treatments to tame mosquitoes??

Thanks for your help!

[Wild Style]

S. Florida sounds about right for you. just understand the economy is bad right now, so you need to be sure you can get a job down here. i wouldn't move here without a job, thats for darn sure. Have you been here before?

Also, i think Fort Lauderdale or Miami may be more your speed. Boca Raton is a bet older and family oriented crowd.

Just my 2 cents

[Puppyaddict]

I read on another thread that Boca is getting younger, and the downtown area is getting revamped a bit (I think that was Boca).

I've looked at Ft. Lauderdale too (been there once, in December), and it is nice...so that is a possibility. I am open either to affordable interesting places to live (maybe mixed-use areas), or somewhat to bedroom community stuff more like Boca, since I understand that I may find more work actually in Lauderdale.

Yeah, seems like L. is probably more mixed-ethnicity than Boca, but even though it would be nice to live in downtown Lauderdale or some cool redeveloping area on the upswing, I figure it isn't a huge drive between the two to go out or spend some time on weekends.

More about me:

I enjoy a variety of foods and love wine.
I'd like an area where I feel safe walking a dog in the evenings.
I am progressive, educated, but don't make huge $$. Not into flashy lifestyle.

[Wild Style]

I would really rethink the whole Boca thing. but, I guess you have to see for yourself. I say come stay for awhile. You don't like it you can always get another apartment in Fort Lauderdale. Real Estate is all effed up, so you can get OK rent now (still way over priced, given incomes)

[fauve]

Look at downtown Delray Beach and downtown Hollywood Beach. As for mosquitos - sounds like you're allergic - could be breed-specific. I'm allergic to mosquitos on the gulf coast, but not here - go figure...

[Sharkey514]

Second the suggestion by Fauve (see above). Delray Beach is fun and on the up-swing. There are dozens of good restaurants, wine bars, a brewery-type place, a couple of fun-chic hotels and a GREAT beach...I think the demographics are changing -- very interesting crowd on the weekends -- not the same town your Grandma would have known a few years ago.

[tichel]

DEFINITELY you will like Ft. Laud/Miami area. but i agree with WILD STYLE. Come visit us (after hurrican season) and I really think you will enjoy here! I might sound bias, but I think that we have the most beautiful beaches in the US! If you go snorkelin' in the keys, you won't wanna leave! As for diversity, well you picked the right spot. I sometimes think S. FL should be considered a separate state than north or central Fl, just because we are such a melting pot and not (for the most part) racially segregated. We have so much intergration, that you can't tell a hispanic from a white from a black sometimes!
My family alone has a mix of black, white, middle eastern, italian, pakistanian, hispanic, brazilian, haitian and jamaican. I can't wait until we add asian!
We definitely don't discriminate!

Welcome!

[Puppyaddict]

Originally Posted by tichel

DEFINITELY you will like Ft. Laud/Miami area. but i agree with WILD STYLE. Come visit us (after hurrican season) and I really think you will enjoy here!

Sound great guys...I am hoping to move soon though, and can only come certain times of the month due to not being allowed to take time off then since I'm working in finance (I can't ever visit over about the first 10 days of a month when we have to close the previous month's books). So I was looking at around the weekend of October 17th.

Looking at hurricane history, there is a chance of a big one hitting, sure, but most of yours seem to happen in September...yes? Is the weather just unpredictable in mid-October, and the sort of thing where if there isn't a big storm, it's nice out?

Thanks!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by tichel

DEFINITELY you will like Ft. Laud/Miami area. but i agree with WILD STYLE. Come visit us (after hurrican season) and I really think you will enjoy here! I might sound bias, but I think that we have the most beautiful beaches in the US! If you go snorkelin' in the keys, you won't wanna leave! As for diversity, well you picked the right spot. I sometimes think S. FL should be considered a separate state than north or central Fl, just because we are such a melting pot and not (for the most part) racially segregated. We have so much intergration, that you can't tell a hispanic from a white from a black sometimes!
My family alone has a mix of black, white, middle eastern, italian, pakistanian, hispanic, brazilian, haitian and jamaican. I can't wait until we add asian!
We definitely don't discriminate!

Welcome!

Nice sales pitch!

[PBCboy]

Fort Lauderdale does not seem more mixed race than Boca Raton to me. The city of Fort Lauderdale is among the most segregated cities in South Florida. There are wealthy Caucasian neighborhoods far east and even some mediocre ones around, and then there's dangerous poor black neighborhoods.

Of course, there's nothing stopping you from moving on the outskirts of the city. Does it have to exactly either the cities of Fort Lauderdale or Boca Raton, or can it be anywhere in Broward/Palm Beach Counties?