What keeps you here? (Miami, Hialeah: real estate, apartment, lease)

[editorguy]

As a newcomer to City-Data and a South Florida resident, I've noticed that there are quite a few of you who live in the Miami area who really dislike it. This has piqued my curiosity: What keeps you from leaving?

In no way am I second-guessing those who dislike Miami or the fact you're staying here -- I'm just really interested in hearing your story. Are family obligations (such as a spouse who doesn't want to move) keeping you here? Are you trapped here because your house isn't selling? Are you staying because you're not sure it will be much better anywhere else? Do you want to stay in the hope of making things better?

In my case, family obligations are all-powerful for the time being and we're not in a position right now to even consider leaving the area. We do have our eye on a few other areas in the long term, but that would be for retirement -- assuming we'll be able to afford to retire someday.

[MiamiVice1985]

I think Miami has a rich history that rivals that of any other city. I have been coming to Miami and the Keys since I was born (1985), so I have any great memories of this part of the world. My mom said she would put me in my crib in front of the TV while my parents watched weekly episodes of Miami Vice.

The weather is great, I love boating, theres a really great International airport... Miami used to be a stopping point from the Keys for our boat before when we went to the bahamas. I remember touring this city as a kid, I knew this was a "COOL" city. I wanted to move here since I could remember. I moved here when I was 18, started school at FIU out west, and the rest is history.

Miami is oozing with culture -from the Miami river to downtown to Coconut Grove. This city is amazing. Miami is in between the Bahamas and the Keys, two island chains where I wish I spent most of my time... And Miami Vice YEAAAAAAA BABY THOSE PEOPLE KNEW HOW TO PARTY !!!!\

TO answer your question...everything tells me to move somewhere else but one thing makes me stay... M - I - A - M - I

[tallrick]

I was born and raised in Miami. Despite most of my friends leaving, I have held out hope that things would improve. A hard real estate crash will revive the heart and soul of south Florida. While I doubt that Miami can be saved, there are certain parts of south Florida that may still hold promise. In order for me to move to Miami, housing prices will have to fall to 3x median income levels, and Team Metro would have to be disbanded. While most of Miami's history has been destroyed in the name of real estate stupidity, I still wish that the area can become fun again.

[Bette]

My husband was born and raised in Miami. He grew up in the 1960's - it was just like "Sand Lot" - when I first met my husband, we were talking about how change had come to Miami - his parents now live in Pembroke Pines. He said something like he didn't have anyone Hispanic in his class at school. However, when I went to his high school reunion - the guy he knew as Rick was Enrique; John was Juan and so far. No one thought so much about ethnic background or religion. You just all played together and got along.
He grew up in Hialeah.

I grew up in the northeastern Broward city - Lighthouse Point - but my parents came here from the northern suburbs of Chicago. At first, I was very unhappy my parents came here (I was in middle school), but I grew to love it. It was a lot of fun in the 1970's and early 1980's.

Of course, I worked, he worked; went to college, got married, had kids. We now live in Boca Raton and have for 25 years. So, that has grown too.
Our families are all here. Very hard to leave.

Do we think about it? Sometimes. But sometimes a place can be a nice place to visit (ATL, NYC) but I don't know if I would want to live there and start all over. There are good things that come with growth and I most of the time don't mind the diversity.

One thing I hate and this is not just Miami - when I go to have my nails done, a lot of the girls are Asian. They speak Vietnamese to each other; that is SO rude - that is why people get upset - it is just RUDE and your paying customer thinks you are talking about them which you are probably are!

We are so lucky to live in this country and actually have so many options for us - where we want to live, work, worship, socialize with and so forth.

And to the OP - I share your last statement but it's a ways off.

[illini84]

Basically, it just takes time to get out. I've got to find another job first, wait for my apartment lease to run out, save up some money (impossible in Miami) for moving expenses, etc.

For the lifelong residents like tallrick, I guess it just boils down to money and the economy. After awhile, you're just kind of trapped here.

[nitokenshi]

I think the whole grass is not always greener on the otherside thing and fear of being in a new environment kept me from leaving miami sooner.

[nicsma2002]

In our case it's a spouse who doesn't want to move (me) because of family obligations, the fact that I grew up here (familiarity), and the fact that we're comfortable and well-established here. We do dream of greener pastures elsewhere - selling our tiny house and buying pastoral acres somewhere else - but its hard to uproot a family that's doing well and start all over someplace else from scratch. We also understand the grass isn't necessarily greener. So, here we stay, enjoying what Miami has to offer (a lot, really), and otherwise tolerating or being amused by South Florida life.

[MiamiVice1985]

If all the good people stayed instead of moving to other places where they might get a little more for their money, there would be a lot more good people here. Honestly, the only reason I haven't left is because I have met some really good people here. I guess my roots are starting to grow here UH OH!!!!

[Miami Vice]

OP, I currently live here. (Also born and raised). I have a large family and my parents are elderly and in poor health. My wife and I have very good careers. I have 11 years to retire with a great pension. My kids (5 and 8) go to a great school and are involved in numerous different sports and functions. We live in a great home in a decent neighborhood. We also have great neighbors. The only reason why I would like to move is because Miami has become way too diverse and overpopulated. With that comes all the other problems. (traffic, crime, etc.) For now, I'm stuck here but I plan on moving later on in life. I also agree that depending on where you move, the grass won't be greener.

Although Miami isn't a place that I would move to if I were coming from elsewhere, it's also not as bad as some make it out to be. Many of the people on here don't live here, but they use this forum to express their hate towards Miami and it's people. Those that do live here and are miserable, use many excuses as to why they can't leave. If I had to post the negatives about an area daily, I would spend a little less time on the computer and get a second job to help pay for my move. All you have to do is read their other posts to see how bitter they are. To each their own I guess.

[kevinkagy]

I was raised in Miami and still live in Miami and love every bit of Miami. It's my home, it's my city and I really do love living here. Miami has a lot to offer that a lot of people don't see. Sometimes people get so caught up on certain bad things about a city that they forget the one million other great things that city has to offer.

The amount of outdoor and recreational events, concerts, sports events (Ericcson Open, Super Bowl, FIU, UM, Heat, Dolphins, PGA tournaments), history, music events (Ultra, Winter Music Festival, Miami Symphony), arts (Art Basel, new Frost Museum, MAM, MoCA, Wolfsonian, Lowe, HMoSF, etc), theater (Arsht Center, numerous theaters around the city, and the new Frank Gehry Symphony House in Miami Beach), parks, and its urban environment (Downtown, Brickell, South Beach, Grove, Coral Gables, Dadeland, etc.). Miami has A LOT to offer.

And although some may think Miami's public transit is bad, Miami is the only city in Florida with a metro, Metrorail and one of only a couple cities in the U.S. with a metro system. Plus, we have the Metromover which is free which takes you around Downtown for FREE, which is amazing! I love Miami, I really do, and I never plan on leaving.