Lesbian couple with kids moving from NYC to South Florida

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by ktusNY

Hi,
We are a professional lesbian couple in our 30s with twin 4 year old boys. We live in Manhattan and love NYC but really hate the winter and want to try out a beach location. We are ideally looking for neighborhoods that are close to/on the beach and also walkable to shops, restaurants, etc. (but we understand that no area in SoFL is going to be as walkable as NYC). Nightlife is not important to us as our nightlife now consists of mostly reading bedtime stories about pirates and dragons
We would love to be in an artsy/liberal area with other gay families or at least where being a gay family is no big deal. We would look to rent first and are open to either a condo, townhouse or detached house as we are not yet sure what will work best for us. We are looking at both the Miami and FT Lauderdale areas. Good schools are a plus but we are willing to do private school if the local public schools aren't good. We'd like to spend under $3500 a month in rent.
My wife stays at home full time and I'm keeping my current job, which allows me to work from home most days with only the very occasional trip to Miami to the office, so commute times are not a major issue for us
Thanks for any advice you have!

#1: With $3500 a month as disposable rent money you have a lot of options!
#2: The "beach" neighborhoods and walkable outside of "South beach" would include the northern portion of Miami Beach (walkable & good mass transit), also Surfside.
#3: "Artsy/liberal areas? Stay out of suburban areas. (Wal-Mart/cookie cutter housing)
#4: "being a Gay family"...You shouldn't have any issues in that regard! This is Miami not Mississippi!

I think the worst transition problem for you will be the weather and the daily rain downpours in the summer and having to drive.
Your requirements are quite "doable" in the Miami area! Take it from a ex-New Jerseyian.

Good luck!

[amonte]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

#1: With $3500 a month as disposable rent money you have a lot of options!
#2: The "beach" neighborhoods and walkable outside of "South beach" would include the northern portion of Miami Beach (walkable & good mass transit), also Surfside.
#3: "Artsy/liberal areas? Stay out of suburban areas. (Wal-Mart/cookie cutter housing)
#4: "being a Gay family"...You shouldn't have any issues in that regard! This is Miami not Mississippi!

I think the worst transition problem for you will be the weather and the daily rain downpours in the summer and having to drive.
Your requirements are quite "doable" in the Miami area! Take it from a ex-New Jerseyian.

Good luck!

2. No one told me about Surfside. Is living without a car there easy? How about getting into Miami and the Beach from Surfside? Are there any other areas in Dade County that living without a car is easy? Thanks.

3. For artsy, yeah stay out of the suburbs. Only options are Miami and Miami beach. Stay out of everywhere else in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

3. For liberal, I'm not sure what is meant by that. I wouldn't really call any of the Miami area liberal, but I'm not sure what is meant. Gay wise, there are or were significant gays in Miami beach but last time I read, which was a few years ago, there were more gays somewhere in Broward county, I think in Ft. Lauderdale, but keep in mind Lauderdlae is a suburb. Also, something important is that, again, I read a few years ago, Ft. Lauderdlae was the number one place in the country for HIV ***MOD CUT***

There's a lot of people in Miami and nearby suburbs that live without a car.

[klaucka]

Originally Posted by ruski

Also Delray has some areas that you don't want to be lost in.

unfortunately, ruski is correct.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by klaucka

unfortunately, ruski is correct.

Yeah, I thought once I could explore Delray Beach (not too far from the beach too) for shortcuts, took this one side street, thinking that it would be a through street that would take me where I needed to go...

HOoooo-LYyyyy crap...

[ruski]

Originally Posted by amonte

2. No one told me about Surfside. Is living without a car there easy? How about getting into Miami and the Beach from Surfside? Are there any other areas in Dade County that living without a car is easy? Thanks.

3. For artsy, yeah stay out of the suburbs. Only options are Miami and Miami beach. Stay out of everywhere else in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

3. For liberal, I'm not sure what is meant by that. I wouldn't really call any of the Miami area liberal, but I'm not sure what is meant. Gay wise, there are or were significant gays in Miami beach but last time I read, which was a few years ago, there were more gays somewhere in Broward county, I think in Ft. Lauderdale, but keep in mind Lauderdlae is a suburb. Also, something important is that, again, I read a few years ago, Ft. Lauderdlae was the number one place in the country for HIV ***MOD CUT***

There's a lot of people in Miami and nearby suburbs that live without a car.

No, Fort Lauderdale is NOT a suburb of Miami, like Stamford is not a suburb of NYC (And Fort Lauderdale is much nicer than Stamford)

[amonte]

Originally Posted by ruski

No, Fort Lauderdale is NOT a suburb of Miami, like Stamford is not a suburb of NYC (And Fort Lauderdale is much nicer than Stamford)

It is a suburb, look it up. The Miami metropolitan area consists of Palm beach, Broward and Dade counties, with Miami being the main city and the rest its suburbs. That's how it is. It's not my opinion.

I don't understand why some people on these forums insist on denying it or on not admitting it. If you don't like Miami and that's why or whatever it may be, that's fine but it doesn't change how things are.

[nycamberlady]

Originally Posted by ktusNY

Hi,
We are a professional lesbian couple in our 30s with twin 4 year old boys. We live in Manhattan and love NYC but really hate the winter and want to try out a beach location. We are ideally looking for neighborhoods that are close to/on the beach and also walkable to shops, restaurants, etc. (but we understand that no area in SoFL is going to be as walkable as NYC). Nightlife is not important to us as our nightlife now consists of mostly reading bedtime stories about pirates and dragons
We would love to be in an artsy/liberal area with other gay families or at least where being a gay family is no big deal. We would look to rent first and are open to either a condo, townhouse or detached house as we are not yet sure what will work best for us. We are looking at both the Miami and FT Lauderdale areas. Good schools are a plus but we are willing to do private school if the local public schools aren't good. We'd like to spend under $3500 a month in rent.
My wife stays at home full time and I'm keeping my current job, which allows me to work from home most days with only the very occasional trip to Miami to the office, so commute times are not a major issue for us
Thanks for any advice you have!

Hi
, I arrived home last night from an investigory trip to DelRay (I want to move someplace with a lesbian presence in 2 yrs in south florida) I don't fit into a youngish bar scene.. and have no gay friends to help me out down there, so it would be all new.. I.. I was recommended to DelRay beach as it is full of things to do, lively, arty and an easier fit for a New Yorker. I drove around Dania beach..thru fort lauderdale, del ray... Boyton beach witha friend who lives down there. First off, I checked demographics in several sites and according to them, the person who said it is MOSTLY retired older, is not correct. you can easily check that out also the percentage of children.. personally, I felt very very comfortable in downtown delray, restaurants.. etc. Picked up 6 publications with listings of events to do , every day a person could be entertained with some sort of event/cultural activity/social etc. I was amazed.Referring to comment to your post about Jewish, perhaps a higher concentration? perhaps, but coming from Ny, they just seemed like Nyorkers to me. Sitting in a restaurant I easily engaged with neighboring tables.. I don't sense any anti gay anything, was, however, very disappointed not to find in these classifieds,, articles, events.. anything lesbian or gay at all. I'm going to do more research.. but one might have to go to neighboring Fort Lauderdale for that. bummer. I didn't find Fort Lauderdale cozy at all. 'd love to find a "gay neighborhood" also but I haven't found one.....of course there is wilton manor but .. but due to demographics, it wouldn't be right for me.. to me, it wouldn't sound right for you but perhaps I'm wrong.. .
one comment about your rent. that s a LOT of money here. you could , unless you have multiple pets,
find so many attractive homes under your rent limit, your head will spin. $ 3,500 rent over 5 years is $210,000 AFTER taxes .. Yipes.. a beautiful home would be paid for in that time. I plan to rent first also , good plan. when you look at places to rent, check flood zones . I was there mid Jan in a COLD spell, and felt like I was in heaven. I am a total New Yorker, I can't believe I am contemplating moving to Florida, but it looks to me like every day is vacation. and I am NOT retired.. and feel if I am going to work, why not have a community presence of some sort. btw, someone told me the west coast has areas with lesbian couples too, don't know the age range though.. and same person told me east coast has more n.y.ers so I felt the adjustment for me would be smoother.
.

[BeenAround40]

Originally Posted by ruski

Also Delray has some areas that you don't want to be lost in.

All areas in Florida have some areas one wouldn't be lost in - in fact most of the US - LOL.

As far as the retired Jewish areas, Cubanchic mentioned twice, they're located mostly in the west areas of Delray Beach and Boca Raton. But, who cares? If you're coming from Manhattan, there would be no difference (except for maybe age). I believe culture is not defined by the multitude of latin-speaking areas.....I've lived in the Miami area (just a year) and yes, if you want to hear/speak a predominant spanish language, that's where you should live.

[Christian242]

Originally Posted by ktusNY

Hi,
We are a professional lesbian couple in our 30s with twin 4 year old boys. We live in Manhattan and love NYC but really hate the winter and want to try out a beach location. We are ideally looking for neighborhoods that are close to/on the beach and also walkable to shops, restaurants, etc. (but we understand that no area in SoFL is going to be as walkable as NYC). Nightlife is not important to us as our nightlife now consists of mostly reading bedtime stories about pirates and dragons
We would love to be in an artsy/liberal area with other gay families or at least where being a gay family is no big deal. We would look to rent first and are open to either a condo, townhouse or detached house as we are not yet sure what will work best for us. We are looking at both the Miami and FT Lauderdale areas. Good schools are a plus but we are willing to do private school if the local public schools aren't good. We'd like to spend under $3500 a month in rent.
My wife stays at home full time and I'm keeping my current job, which allows me to work from home most days with only the very occasional trip to Miami to the office, so commute times are not a major issue for us
Thanks for any advice you have!

I think your best bet would be Coral Gables, its a really nice city, very family oriented and with really good public schools. And you would be able to find a really nice rental property within your budget. Another good thing about Coral Gables is that the city is constantly organizing weekend events for children and families, not to mention that it has great restaurants. ***MOD CUT*** Good Luck!