Working in Opa-Locka, where should we live? (Hialeah: apartment, rated)

[stat3man]

Originally Posted by Felix C

No. You emphasized ONLY and are now backpedaling from that by saying it was an opinion.

I actually recommended Davie not Doral. I face no congestion because I have a good route to/from but that is not the issue of this post. You wrote Miami Lakes was the ONLY desirable community near Opa Locka airport and are patently incorrect.

To eliminate any notion that I am backpedaling, Miami Lakes is the ONLY desirable community near Opa-Locka Airport.

[Felix C]

Originally Posted by stat3man

To eliminate any notion that I am backpedaling, Miami Lakes is the ONLY desirable community near Opa-Locka Airport.

Well then you are contradicting yourself from your previous post as you were saying then that it was only an opinion and now back the definitive ONLY.

That is ok. Many people do not know how to articulate in writing. Enjoy your life.

[Steelers10]

Originally Posted by Bradlywin

Thanks in advance for advice... I have been reading all of the threads on good places to live in Miami, but haven't found anything that helps me out. I will be moving to Miami this summer and working at the Opa-Locka airport. I am searching for advice on finding a fun, safe place to live (rent) within a 30 minute commute (or possible bicycle ride) to Opa-Locka. I am 30 and have a wife, young daughter and family dog. We are pretty active people and love to go for family walks, beach, dining, and would prefer to be within walking distance of some of those things... We will be renting and have a max budget of $2,000 per month for rent. Places I am considering are Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Miami Beach (north), Aventura, Hollywood... I would really not like to spend more than 30 minutes in my car on the way to/home from work everyday, and am not used to living in a big city. We love new culture experiences so aren't scared to live in a diverse area as long as it's safe. Safety is important, though, as I will be spending quite a bit of time away from home so need to ensure my wife and daughter will be safe while I am gone. Thanks again everyone, this is my first post here.

Coral Gables and Coconut Grove would just be too out of the way from Opa-Locka Airport and you perhaps would not end up with the best rental in those areas for that amount. Hollywood, Aventura, and Miramar would all be within a 30 minute commute but that is always dependent on rush hour traffic. It really depends on what time you will be going in to work. You can potentially go against rush hour traffic in Aventura or Hollywood but because South Florida is shaped linearly rather than concentrically you will always tend to catch at least a stretch of traffic in any commute.

There are no particularly nice areas within a bicycling commute ride to Opa-Locka Airport. Miami Lakes is just to the west of the Opa-Locka Airport and is a nice area. There is certainly dining and shopping to the "downtown" area within walking distance but you might be hard pressed to find a desirable rental for your budget. Note: it is not like there are not plenty of rentals for $2000 or less in Miami but for where you are working and the areas you desire it just cuts down on the number. Also, Miami Lakes is diverse but like many majority Hispanic areas in Dade County, if you don't speak Spanish it may be a radically different lifestyle than you are accustomed to.

From your desires, it seems as if you want to live close to the beach. Once again, you may not get the nicest of accommodations in your budget. Accordingly, it is not as if there are not decent, affordable rentals that allow pets every now and then, but an issue with South Florida is that decent areas are generally close to some pretty sketchy ones as a rule of thumb. I know someone who just moved out of Hollywood because of numerous car break-ins. His neighborhood was fine but some of the older areas tend to be rundown and house the criminal element.

Like a previous poster, he ended up in Davie (Broward County). Like all people who move to South Florida, you are tempted to take advantage of proximity to the beach and the high-density walkable communities there. But if safety, less than half an hour commute, accommodations for a young family, and pet (and perhaps schools down the road) are considerations, I would check out Miramar west of Palm Avenue. They are mostly subdivisions, but neighborhoods such as Monarch Lakes are walkable, bikeable and have shopping nearby.

[tallrick]

Doral is a dump. The streets do not connect because greedy developers only did infill. The homes there were built to maximize profits on overpriced land, so you have no room and neighbors within arm's reach. Miami Lakes is ok, but is a Grahm style community with looping roads and blocking canals feeding overcrowded main streets. Overpriced in my opinion. The coastal areas are all extremely overpriced and crowded, and located near some very high crime areas. Even South Beach is overrated and dumpy in some areas. If the only work you can find is in a cesspool like Opa-Locka you might do better living in a similar place like Miami Gardens, Biscayne gardens or Opa-locka itself. If you can find a home in a neighborhood of 1 acre lots it will not be a high crime area. There are numerous canals and rock pits with nice middle class homes that are relatively safe. Avoid apartment buildings, condos, townhomes and motels like they are the plague. Homes without trees on small lots indicate a high crime area.

[Bradlywin]

Man, as much as the beautiful beaches sound nice, looks like I am going to have a crappy time commuting to work. No choice to work elsewhere, I'm in the Coast Guard so will be at the Opa Locka airport for about 4 yrs. Most of my coworkers with families live in Pembroke Pines, but we aren't usually into the suburb areas. Although, I will sacrifice our norms to live in a safe place. Good thing is that I travel earlier than most traffic, 6:30-7AM to about 3PM. If I choose a place like Weston near 75 & 595, will that allow for an easier commute to the south and a fast trip down 595 to the beach on weekends?

[Hialeah_Rules]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Homes without trees on small lots indicate a high crime area.

[Felix C]

Originally Posted by Bradlywin

Man, as much as the beautiful beaches sound nice, looks like I am going to have a crappy time commuting to work. No choice to work elsewhere, I'm in the Coast Guard so will be at the Opa Locka airport for about 4 yrs. Most of my coworkers with families live in Pembroke Pines, but we aren't usually into the suburb areas. Although, I will sacrifice our norms to live in a safe place. Good thing is that I travel earlier than most traffic, 6:30-7AM to about 3PM. If I choose a place like Weston near 75 & 595, will that allow for an easier commute to the south and a fast trip down 595 to the beach on weekends?

Co-worker lives in Weston and has no trouble with the commute to arrive at the office at 7am. The important aspect is to be at destination no later than 7:00am to avoid heavy south bound traffic which means a 6:30am onramp arrival time for I-75. Your schedule will place you at good commute times both incoming/outgoing.

Weston is quite nice. I thought rather pricey back in 2009 but best wishes if you find one in your budget. Usual search suspects are craigslist.com for preliminary data and then the dedicated rental sites.

Travel east to the beaches on the weekend is easy going in the early a.m. hours with a bit of clutter approaching noon. Beaches are best in the early a.m. hours or late pm hours while it is cool. Depends on how acclimated you are to direct sunlight at our latitude.

NB: I still vote for Davie. It appeared less dense in terms of housing/concrete/asphalt to grass/vegetation. I noticed it was always much cooler than previous South Florida living thanks to the open areas which allowed for shade and cool drafts. Maybe I was just lucky.

[Optional Angel]

Miami Lakes area is really nice, as others have pointed out. You might also want to check out parts of Miami Gardens, at least the western half. Miami Gardens Drive between I-75 and NW 57th is pretty safe, comparable to Miami Lakes. If you want cheap you got Hialeah a flew blocks over from OL... 2 BR apartments for like $500... but you said fun and exciting so I would rule that out.

[gymbuff]

Originally Posted by Optional Angel

Miami Lakes area is really nice, as others have pointed out. You might also want to check out parts of Miami Gardens, at least the western half. Miami Gardens Drive between I-75 and NW 57th is pretty safe, comparable to Miami Lakes. If you want cheap you got Hialeah a flew blocks over from OL... 2 BR apartments for like $500... but you said fun and exciting so I would rule that out.

Could you PLEASE tell me where in Hialeah someone could get a 2 bedroom apartment for $500? I need it for someone who is currently paying way more than that!

[Hialeah_Rules]

Originally Posted by gymbuff

could you please tell me where in hialeah someone could get a 2 bedroom apartment for $500? I need it for someone who is currently paying way more than that!

some just post to hear the sound of their fingers typing