Anyone relocate from Los Angeles to Miami (Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach: real estate, 2013)

[Breaking_Good]

I am wondering if anyone who has made the move from Los Angeles (or So. Calif. in general) to the Miami area would be willing to share their thoughts/experiences in assesssing the two places?

Or maybe a Miami native that moved to So.Calif and came back to So.Fla. can share their perspective?

I have already done a fair amount of research and have visited Miami/So. Fla in the past. But always good to hear what others have to say.

Looking at comaring overall quality of life and everything that goes with that (e.g., cost of living, crime, climate, culture/arts, geography, etc). I am asking about "living" in both places not so much as a visitor.

Thank you.

[elchevere]

I live in San Diego currently and and am contemplating a move to Miami, after 30 years on the West Coast as a former East Coaster....I picked up Florida as a territory for work 6 months ago and have visited 3 times since December. I am renting an apartment in SoBe and will be working out of it for the entire month of May after which I will decide whether tol proceed with the move. As an ex-NY'er and East Coaster, I love the energy level and growth of Miami, the diverse international flavor, proximity to places I prefer to vacation (Latin America and Europe) and I will be closer to my elderly mom who is still in NY....I feel unchallenged and unstimulated in San Diego and the place is too laid back for me (first moved to Marin County--which I loved--and then Orange County--too suburban and conservative for my tastes, before moving to San Diego 11 years ago).

[YoungTraveler2011]

If you are moving from CA to FL I have bad news for you son.

[Breaking_Good]

I am considering moving. And I bet I am old enough to be your daddy. But I am all ears. Tell me the bad news.

[unquiltom]

I moved from San Diego to Miami almost 2 years ago. About the only thing I like better here is the weather.
Native Miamians will defend this place like it's heaven on earth, but I don't think they see the things that are wrong here as anything unusual.
In the almost 2 years I've been here, I've made no friends. I've had my car broken into (Never happened in SD). I have complete strangers use my driveway as a parking space. I have constant road rage every time I drive the streets here, which is caused by the poor driving habits and lack of courtesy of the majority of Miami drivers. I can't get a decent hair cut here, no matter how many different places I've tried. My work has an unspoken policy of trying to make their employees feel as if they're worthless and lucky to even get a paycheck, they never compliment you for doing a good job. I believe they do this so you won't realize you're being grossly underpaid. (My job in SD, which was different, but still, a comparable position, paid about 40% more)
They say the cost of living is less in Miami, but I really don't see it. Sure, you don't pay state income taxes, but they get you in other ways. Almost all the freeways are toll roads and if you go to South Beach, there's no such thing as free parking. Homeowners insurance is a big expense, because the insurance companies know a hurricane will come one day. Even if you rent, the cost of that insurance is getting passed on to you. There's also wind and flood insurance that are required. My electric bill is double what it was in SD during the winter and 3 times more during the summer.
I don't even want to get into the attitude many of the Latin Americans have towards non-LA's in Miami.
The work related issues have finally reached the point where I don't think I can stay here any more. I'll be sending out resumes and looking for a new a place to live, in another part of the country, soon.

[deboinair]

I am from LA, but have been in Miami for 15 years off and on from different cities. I thoroughly enjoyed Miami in my 20's because it's a party city. In my 30's, I don't like it so much. It has changed greatly and Spanish speaking is pretty much a must if you are going to work down here. It's not diverse in anyway like LA. The only diversity now is at South Beach, but that is mainly tourists. The population is Hispanic for the most part and Cuban dominated. It's a tight nit culture that holds a lot of key positions here. This makes the job field an unfair playing ground. There is a great pretentiousness with people now also. This is something fairly new. Started about 5 years ago.

LA is way more expensive to live. Miami is expensive also, but the matching salary is not here. The link below is an accurate description of Miami right now. Don't get me wrong. You can have a lot of fun and will meet interesting people. It's just that don't expect it to be anything remotely like LA. The only thing similar is the weather. lol The best thing about living in Miami is that you are 2 hours away from pretty much any tropical Caribbean island. This is a huge plus, because you save so much when you go on vacation. Trust me you will value this when you see what goes on down here on a daily basis. ha ha

You can try Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach and just enjoy the festivities Miami has to offer.

10 Things I Learned From Living In Miami | Thought Catalog

[midnightfapper]

i've done it. would never go back in a million years.

miami completely blows los angeles out of the water, period. everything's newer, cleaner and the standard is much higher. this is a city that's actually dynamic, expanding, attracting people from all over the planet, has a future, etc.

you don't need to think about this one, just go.

now, to address someof the ridiculous comments above:

it's hilarious that people cry about the "latino influence" here: los angeles is over 50% latino, here it's 65%. except we tend to have much higher quality immigrants from all over latin america, spain, etc. this isn't a city chock-full of day labourers, we have many, many educated/wealthy types (lots of those "complaints" are likely envy, plain and simple).

95% of the time there's no need to take toll roads, just take the expressways. the tariffs are soo cheap you don't even care (really? people crying about $0.50?). it's nothing like orange county or the bay where you'll pay through the nose and literally have no other options.

anyone crying about utilities here is nuts, we have some of the lowest rates in the entire country: EIA - Electricity Data

my car/motorcycle insurance actually went down $67/month after moving here.

it's hilarious that people cry about property taxes here, the maximum your appraised value can go up in a single family house is 1.5% per annum (it's actually 2% under prop 13 in california).

on top of that, when you sell your house, you can transfer up to $500k in homestead exemptions to a new home (if you buy within two years). so unlike california, you won't get re-assessed at market when you change places (think of it like a 1031 but for property taxes instead of capital gains).

considering real estate here is a tiny fraction of the cost of los angeles, taxes are a complete non-issue, you'll actually save a fortune. yes, homeowners insurance is going to be slightly higher (an extra 10-15%, it's waaaaaaay more than offset by the tax situation alone).

i don't understand why any sane, rational, productive citizen would choose los angeles over miami? maybe if you're into mooching off welfare, think that run down / bankrupt places are "charming" or are delusional enough to believe you're the next marlon brando. hell, even hollywood is leaving los angeles and heading for greener pastures, lmfao!

that place is toast. detroit part deux. thank god the policies here don't support the parasitical dregs of society that have infested california. it would be a shame of this gorgeous state was ruined by crackheads, bums, collectivists, etc.

[Cubanchic]

For the blog post I will have issues with several things....

YES my old times parents are racists, they grew up in a Jim crow Cuban place.

Me ( I am fifty come October ) and ANYONE younger is not in that same racist slant. In fact I have mixed cousins that I love and adore, most Cubans now and days has a relative that is married or has children with someone that is either black or a different race or culture.

My grandson is mixed Cuban, Irish, Peruvian and And a hosposh of european. My
Ittle Ricky Ricardo look alike I love and would love no matter what skin color, heritage or history...he is my grandson.

So when this one chick wrote this blog, she probably didn't have a sense or time in Miami, my hubby who is from Nebraska and north Carolina, understood and guess what he was ok with it.

We are both very Americanized, since he is fourth gen Chec republic (Midwest) and I am first, kids second and grandkids third, gen. Guess what we all speak, think and act like most American households.

LA or California well that is adjustment, and hubby lived in stanta Cruz for a long time and I had work in LA.

Those issues we will post later, it is just that blog post was a bit one sided.

Miami is different from LA and probably a Hecht of lot Hispanic, but NO WHERE near to Mexican American heritage and a faster pace, almost frantic. Driving is hell, almost as bad as LA but with really, really aggressive drivers, heart attack driving if on the highways.

There are plenty of good things for Miami, but thay are the hidden gems that folks ignore.

[straight shooter]

Originally Posted by Cubanchic

For the blog post I will have issues with several things....

YES my old times parents are racists, they grew up in a Jim crow Cuban place.

Me ( I am fifty come October ) and ANYONE younger is not in that same racist slant. In fact I have mixed cousins that I love and adore, most Cubans now and days has a relative that is married or has children with someone that is either black or a different race or culture.

My grandson is mixed Cuban, Irish, Peruvian and And a hosposh of european. My
Ittle Ricky Ricardo look alike I love and would love no matter what skin color, heritage or history...he is my grandson.

So when this one chick wrote this blog, she probably didn't have a sense or time in Miami, my hubby who is from Nebraska and north Carolina, understood and guess what he was ok with it.

We are both very Americanized, since he is fourth gen Chec republic (Midwest) and I am first, kids second and grandkids third, gen. Guess what we all speak, think and act like most American households.

LA or California well that is adjustment, and hubby lived in stanta Cruz for a long time and I had work in LA.

Those issues we will post later, it is just that blog post was a bit one sided.

Miami is different from LA and probably a Hecht of lot Hispanic, but NO WHERE near to Mexican American heritage and a faster pace, almost frantic. Driving is hell, almost as bad as LA but with really, really aggressive drivers, heart attack driving if on the highways.

There are plenty of good things for Miami, but thay are the hidden gems that folks ignore.

Cuba did not have anything similar to Jim Crow laws. As a matter of fact, in Cuba there was no segregation but there was racism just like anywhere else.

[elchevere]

Thanks Midnight...I am considering the move from San Diego and agree with much of what you said.... Out of curiosity, where are you originally from?... I think that has a lot to do with one's perception of both places.