Looking at Moving from San Diego to Miami (Tampa, Fort Lauderdale: appointed, transplants)

[elchevere]

Greetings:

I currently live in downtown San Diego. Like it, but the people (FauxCal) are not exactly mentally stimulating and in downtown San Diego there is a tremendous lack of professionals other than attorney's (since the courts are located here) yet most of them to do not live downtown. Instead, I run primarily into young 20 somethings who work in the food beverage industry or empty nesters. More of a suburban feel than a true downtown.

Based on this, I am considering a move to Miami. I recently picked up SoFla as a sales territory and my largest customer, Office Depot, is based in Boca. As a single person, I was told I would be best off in Miami. I looked at Delray Beach but I have the feeling I would outgrow that town within 6 weeks and it seems too homogeneous to me. Within Miami, areas I would consider relocating to include SoBe, Brickell, and Coral Gables. I would be working from home most of the time so I could avoid traffic and having to commute to and from work (I would need to travel out of town once a month, so proximity to the airport within 20-30 minutes is vital to me)...as a young 55 year old single person, I am active and would prefer being around professionals (not bartenders) yet within walking distance to a nice gym, post office, lots of restaurants, decent nightlife, women, and the beach. I would prefer being in an area where the age range is 30-50. I would start out renting (not buying) andhave no problem paying up to $3,000 month (hoping I would get a nice or decent 2BR or very large 1BR+ for that).

What are the main differences between SoBe, Brickell and Coral Gables?....SoBe almost has a Santa Monica feel to it, which I like. Can I find a nice rental in a low-mid rise in a quiet area yet close to what I am looking for?....I heard Brickell has lots of professionals, but is it a conglomeration of high rises where I would get claustrophobic??...I have heard Coral Gables is the Beverly Hills of the area.....besides the area, what are the people like--would I find what I'm looking for more so in one area vs. another???

Appreciate any input on the move....besides work related reasons, my mom is in assisted living in NY so I would be closer to her from Florida; the obvious tax savings (payroll and in +/-5 years my 401K); beaches/ocean in Miami nicer than Pacific; Miami is closer to where I like to vacation (Europe and Latin America) and I like Latinas and Europeans as well as Americans.

I am not being forced to move by company from San Diego to Florida and, worst case, I will be visiting SoFla 5x/year and can always add on vacation stays and days should I decide not to move...however, San Diego is a lot like Tampa and I am looking for a city with a little more energy. Also, I forgot to mention that in spite of living in CA for 30+ years I grew up in NY and am still a NY'er....in Miami there would be a lot of transplants and NY'ers are more accepted....in CA, when I ask someone how much is 1 + 1, they tell me c-a-t. In Miami, I have a feeling they would be more likely to tell me the correct answer of 2.

Thanks for your inputs everyone.

Thanks for your assistance.

[doggiebus]

If you think the people in San Diego are not mentally stimulating, are fake and lacking in professionalism. You will find Miami to be even less stimulating, lacking in professionalism and fake than San Diego. You may want to look at places in the northeast like DC, Phily,Boston, NYC. In the south I would suggest Atlanta or the Raleigh-Druham triangle. In Florida I would suggest Tampa.

[elchevere]

but aren't there a lot of transplanted Northeasterner's living in SoFla?--or, they are, but up in Palm Beach County?....what are all those people doing for a living who are buying the $500K and higher +condos in Brickell and other parts of Miami do for a living?...they all can't be wealthy people who don't work for a living, no?

[robertobaggio]

He has no idea what he is talking about. Plenty of professionals with 6 figure jobs in Brickell and Coral Gables.

[ruski]

There are plenty of transplanted Northeasteners in Broward and Miami-Dade.

[doggiebus]

OP I suggest a visit for yourself. Yes there are transplants, but for the most part you'll be disappointed. The transplants that come down, they come here to party and get away from the snow. Why would a smart person leave a better paying jobs in the NE. I had a friend that moved to Miami with his wife three years ago, for similar reasons as the OP (he has family here as well) and he's ready to move soon as he can get a job else where. His wife can't stand how fake Miami is and the weather. She thought Miami's weather was the same year round as it is in December. The first summer here she was in shock how oppressive the humidity can be on a runner. Palm Beach does have more of an intellectual feel, someone in their 20's will get bored in Palm Beach. Ft. Lauderdale is less fake then Miami, but doesn't have that intellectual feel like the NE has.

[robertobaggio]

Miami is way more cultural than Fort Lauderdale (redneck city), don't kid yourself. Just look at art galleries, restaurants, museums, international vibe, finance jobs, etc. I live in Miami and I "party" once every two months. The weather is amazing and I am at the beach every weekend. I am European, in my early 30's, working in finance, and I love it here. I would never live anywhere else (I have lived in Austin, Tampa, San Francisco, Houston before). Although I would make more money elsewhere, I still do pretty well here. If I had kids I would rather raise them here than anywhere else. I would hate to raise them in a place like Texas where they would try to "fit" the local culture of hunting, beer pong, etc rejecting their cultural background.

[elchevere]

again, I'm not mentally challenged with San Diego after 11 years and I'm tired of the demographics (hipsters whose main goal is to be the head bartender by 35 at one of the downtown nightlclubs, lots of military--which you won't have in Miami, and empty nesters close to or at retirement--with very little in between. I've never been around so many people who are so proud of so little though they are better than Newport Beach/OC which is full of elitist acting, snooty, in your face how great they are 1% WASP's....I'd like to think I would be moving for a change and that as an ex-Ny'er my mindset would be better suited for, and accepted in, Florida than in San Diego where it is too laid back, I'm seen as the ugly NY'er because I speak my mind and have direction in life, and people lack common sense let alone sophistication.

I'd be curious as to which might be the best area for a stable, in shape, active, 55 year old bachelor professional who prefers to date women in the 35-45 range and prefers to meet an occasional woman who has something between her ears. The influx of Latinas and Europeans interests me because I perceive them to be more mature, worldy, sophisticated, and liberal/open minded than many--not all--of their American counterparts. If Miami sounds no different than San Diego, I might as well stay put knowing I will still be visiting SoFla 5x/year and can always add on vacation time....if Coral Gables, Brickell, and/or South Beach have what I am looking for (i.e. are more closer to an LA or Santa Monica from a people standpoint if you are familiar with SoCal) is there one area that would be better for me and why.....while I work from home, I do eat out almost every meal, would be looking for a great, high end or very nice health club to belong to, hit the beach a few times a week, nice cigar lounge would be a bonus, and when I do go out I would be more into restaurant bars or hotel bars (not clubs) and rarely stay out much later than midnight these days. All these things within walking distance or short drive with accessible parking would be a plus.

FYI, I work for a bellwether tech company (have so for 28+ years, in sales) and will be bringing my current salary (a move to Miami will actually represent a pay raise given the favorable/non-existent tax situation)...while I am not expecting to run into many others in the tech field in Miami, it would not hurt if I could run into other sales professionals, medical profession, attorneys, finance, etc.

Thanks again.

[ATUMRE75]

Originally Posted by robertobaggio

Miami is way more cultural than Fort Lauderdale (redneck city), don't kid yourself. Just look at art galleries, restaurants, museums, international vibe, finance jobs, etc. I live in Miami and I "party" once every two months. The weather is amazing and I am at the beach every weekend. I am European, in my early 30's, working in finance, and I love it here. I would never live anywhere else (I have lived in Austin, Tampa, San Francisco, Houston before). Although I would make more money elsewhere, I still do pretty well here. If I had kids I would rather raise them here than anywhere else. I would hate to raise them in a place like Texas where they would try to "fit" the local culture of hunting, beer pong, etc rejecting their cultural background.

Fort Lauderdale reckneck city? The OP is looking for guidance not some made up lie. Fort Lauderdale has plenty of culture and nothing about it is redneck. I lived in Broward county for 9 years and can tell you it's a breath of fresh compared Miami-Dade county. Not nearly as hectic or congested.

[robertobaggio]

Every European or Latin American I met thinks of Fort Lauderdale as too redneck. I guess people in Miami don't perceive it to be cosmopolitan as Miami. It's also not pedestrian friendly which is important to the OP I imagine.

OP - Brickell or South Beach is where you should live. Ft. Lauderdale is a lot more similar to San Diego than Miami is.