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My wife and I currently live in Westchester and are considering a move to the Miami suburbs. We have young kids and are both able to work from either NY or Miami. We can afford a decent house in the Coral Gables area, which seems to fit us best.
Backstory: I’m from Westchester and my wife is from Latin America. She feels a strong connection to her community that is lacking here. We feel that Miami could be a good balance of both the US and Latin America. She has some family and friends that live in Miami. She also has many family/friends in her home country that visit Miami frequently throughout the year. We too visit Miami often and both of us like it. She lived in Miami for a few years before we were together.
In addition to potentially being a better fit for my wife, I think it could be great for our kids. I'd like them to have a strong connection to Latino culture as well, which is much more likely in Miami.
It sounds great in theory. However, it is a big decision and we want to make sure it is the right thing for our family. I know it has been a popular move lately, can anyone share their experiences? What factors would you consider that we may be missing? Any general thoughts/advice?
We are worried that we will uproot our family with such a big change and come to regret it.
can anyone share their experiences? What factors would you consider that we may be missing? Any general thoughts/advice?
I'm from Westchester and my wife is from Latin America.
We feel that Miami could be a good balance of both the US and Latin America.
I'm a little concerned that you are mixing metaphors here, or comparing apples to oranges, so to speak.
I can share my experience with you, by my measures.
At the personal or family level, there is no "US" and there is no "Latin America".
There is your personal social circle in Westchester County, NY and there is your wife's family/friends from some particular locale in "Latin America" and in Miami. These people are not "Latin America" and they are not "Miami". They are your wife's social circle, Spanish-speaking and bilingual, I imagine.
So I would advise keeping it in real perspective. You are swapping one social circle for another.
Having said that, southern Florida and Miami offer warm temperatures year round, plenty of water, they are on US soil, there is no state income tax, and apparently a state government that is less intrusive into people's personal lives.
There is nothing else that is unique about this place.
If you assign high value on that unique combination of features, then there is a high probability of satisfaction.
If not, and you are instead mainly swapping one social circle for another, then your chances of success are 50-50 as far as those things are concerned.
Hope this helps, a little.
P.S. By some measures, the Coral Gables municipal government can be intrusive in people's personal lives.
P.P.S. By some measures, Ransom Everglades, in nearby Coconut Grove (City of Miami) is among the top 25 best high schools in the whole United States, so that's also something a bit special.
I agree with a lot of what the person above wrote with regards to swapping one social circle for another. Miami isn't known for their strong friendship bonds. Its actually the opposite -that people from the NE have a hard time making real friends here and always relate to life in NY/PA/NJ. Its a different life. Those communities have neighborhoods where you'll see 6 bikes outside someone's home and no one is wondering where their kids are. Or 'block parties' for holidays...or cookouts where everyone comes over.
That doesn't happen, for the most part (it does in some parts) but definitely not in Coral Gables or Coconut Grove.
As many know on here, I'm a real estate agent. My job is to find buyers homes and sell homes for a good price for my sellers. And I'm telling you, against my own interests, you should rent for 1-2 years before doing the 'uproot'. Keep your home in Westchester, rent it out (rents are insane all over America, it won't be hard) and rent in the Gables for at least a year (But really 2 is a good barometer).
Also - Ransom Everglades is a 6-figure private school, per child. If you plan to attend, keep that in mind. I know NY has expensive private schools too, but I'm just putting that out there. And the majority of graduates do not go on to Ivy League schools. But of all the schools in SE Florida, that school will give your kids the best shot at getting into one.
I agree with the above post that you should rent for a year or two and explore the South Florida before you purchase.
When you finally do purchase, consider Miami Shores, east of Biscayne Blvd (in particular, east of NE 10th Ave between 91st and 104 ST. There's only one entrance in and out and there is a strong community feel. You will see families and kids biking on weekends and during the holidays there are neighborhood events. Halloween is big in that neighborhood with much of the area turning into a big block party. The main issue: there's hardly anything for sale there.
If your budget allows, also consider Bay Harbor Islands, the west island is all single family homes and it's a great neighborhood with a strong community feel.
I'm a little concerned that you are mixing metaphors here, or comparing apples to oranges, so to speak.
I can share my experience with you, by my measures.
At the personal or family level, there is no "US" and there is no "Latin America".
There is your personal social circle in Westchester County, NY and there is your wife's family/friends from some particular locale in "Latin America" and in Miami. These people are not "Latin America" and they are not "Miami". They are your wife's social circle, Spanish-speaking and bilingual, I imagine.
So I would advise keeping it in real perspective. You are swapping one social circle for another.
Having said that, southern Florida and Miami offer warm temperatures year round, plenty of water, they are on US soil, there is no state income tax, and apparently a state government that is less intrusive into people's personal lives.
There is nothing else that is unique about this place.
If you assign high value on that unique combination of features, then there is a high probability of satisfaction.
If not, and you are instead mainly swapping one social circle for another, then your chances of success are 50-50 as far as those things are concerned.
Hope this helps, a little.
P.S. By some measures, the Coral Gables municipal government can be intrusive in people's personal lives.
P.P.S. By some measures, Ransom Everglades, in nearby Coconut Grove (City of Miami) is among the top 25 best high schools in the whole United States, so that's also something a bit special.
Thanks for your perspective, certainly the positives don't hurt!
I was referring to latino culture generally, which is distinct from US culture, and is present in Miami in a way unlike anywhere else in the states. I have experienced it extensively both in Miami and throughout latin america. There are positives and negatives of each, and my family happens to enjoy both cultures. It is not just social circles.
I agree with a lot of what the person above wrote with regards to swapping one social circle for another. Miami isn't known for their strong friendship bonds. Its actually the opposite -that people from the NE have a hard time making real friends here and always relate to life in NY/PA/NJ. Its a different life. Those communities have neighborhoods where you'll see 6 bikes outside someone's home and no one is wondering where their kids are. Or 'block parties' for holidays...or cookouts where everyone comes over.
That doesn't happen, for the most part (it does in some parts) but definitely not in Coral Gables or Coconut Grove.
As many know on here, I'm a real estate agent. My job is to find buyers homes and sell homes for a good price for my sellers. And I'm telling you, against my own interests, you should rent for 1-2 years before doing the 'uproot'. Keep your home in Westchester, rent it out (rents are insane all over America, it won't be hard) and rent in the Gables for at least a year (But really 2 is a good barometer).
Also - Ransom Everglades is a 6-figure private school, per child. If you plan to attend, keep that in mind. I know NY has expensive private schools too, but I'm just putting that out there. And the majority of graduates do not go on to Ivy League schools. But of all the schools in SE Florida, that school will give your kids the best shot at getting into one.
Hope that helps!
Thanks this is very helpful. It probably makes sense to test out before we buy.
How about Key Biscayne in regards to community? I hear it's close to the things you describe in the northeast.
Thanks for your perspective, certainly the positives don't hurt!
I was referring to latino culture generally, which is distinct from US culture, and is present in Miami in a way unlike anywhere else in the states. I have experienced it extensively both in Miami and throughout latin america. There are positives and negatives of each, and my family happens to enjoy both cultures. It is not just social circles.
I understand your perspective, fair enough.
My perspective is based on living significant amounts of time (+2 years, as a poster above astutely points out) in some two dozen cities across about a dozen countries across three continents, including Latin America; from that perspective, memes about national or ethnic "cultures" become meaningless abstract utterances, and what counts in real terms are the individual humans and social circles that one personally deals or does not deal with.
But that's my measure of reality. We are all different.
In any case, Miami does have a lot to offer and with the economic basis that you seem to have, your probability of a satisfying outcome, if you make the move, is reasonably high.
I say make the move. There is a reason why many New Yorkers made the transition to Miami. Definately easier living and lower costs. People are friendlier too. This coming from someone who struggled to make it for two years after college in NY and ultimately gave up and went to DC. I had a job in a month in DC. Flying back and forth is easy too with many flights and with the cost savings you can make a trip every two weeks or a month depending on your budget.
My wife and I currently live in Westchester and are considering a move to the Miami suburbs. We have young kids and are both able to work from either NY or Miami. We can afford a decent house in the Coral Gables area, which seems to fit us best.
Backstory: I’m from Westchester and my wife is from Latin America. She feels a strong connection to her community that is lacking here. We feel that Miami could be a good balance of both the US and Latin America. She has some family and friends that live in Miami. She also has many family/friends in her home country that visit Miami frequently throughout the year. We too visit Miami often and both of us like it. She lived in Miami for a few years before we were together.
In addition to potentially being a better fit for my wife, I think it could be great for our kids. I'd like them to have a strong connection to Latino culture as well, which is much more likely in Miami.
It sounds great in theory. However, it is a big decision and we want to make sure it is the right thing for our family. I know it has been a popular move lately, can anyone share their experiences? What factors would you consider that we may be missing? Any general thoughts/advice?
We are worried that we will uproot our family with such a big change and come to regret it.
What does this mean?
"Latin America"
That's a checkbox on a job application for the rest of the United States that thinks if you speak Spanish and are brown, then you are Mexican... or something like that.
Miami is the most diverse city... in the entire world - Period.
It has more cultures from South America, Eastern and Western Europe, South East and South West Asia, and everywhere else. There are places where people are very integrated, and then there are communities where cultures live together.
You say your wife is from "Latin America..." again, sorry for getting annoyed at this, but what does that mean? Is she Mexican, is she from Venezuela? Is she Cuban?
It's like telling me that you're European and that somehow you would fit in the same in the UK as you would Spain or Romania... it's all the same, right? I'm half Argentine, and we are decidedly different than those in Honduras, or Brazil, etc.
Ok, rant aside... my mom is from Argentina, but I was born in Chicago and raised in the North East. So I understand you wouldn't have this background... but I needed to give you some slack for that. South Florida does not like the ultra-left "Latinx" comments.
South Florida is amazing. But it depends on what you want. Coral Gables is fantastic, love it. But again... what are you really looking to get from a South Florida move, and how much money do you have to spend?
Miami has largely become the place where Millionaires and Billionaires have fled Socialist countries in South and Central America. Love it or hate it, that's what it is. So there's a lot of glam and glitz, but what you used to see on Miami Vice is not really how things are anymore. It's very expensive to live down in Miami, and while communities intermingle, you're not likely to have the sense of "neighborhood" community that you're used to seeing in most of where you've lived. Most of the people in Miami came from countries where they were the ultra wealthy and lived in big houses (or compounds) where people didn't really talk or mingle with their neighbors. That of course is different for Cubans, many of them were middle class, as well as the Venezuelans over the past 5-6 years.
My advice, you might fit in better in Fort Lauderdale, and then visit Miami. Miami has more neighborhoods that have a more mixed community feel, and is still very diverse, and lots of Hispanic influence.
I've lived in South Florida since 1996. And I love Miami... I've worked there and spent a lot of time there, but choose to live in the Broward County area. If you're a Democrat, you'll like Broward County better anyway. I'm not, for what it's worth... my dad was born in a shed because the NAZIs captured the family home, and my mom fled the Socialist Peronista regime in the 60s... so yeah, further from. But you would definitely get along better in the Fort Lauderdale area.
I remember going to an old school Catholic wedding (I'm Catholic too) in little Havana, and mentioned to one of my friends that I think it would be cool to go visit Cuba one day. (record scratch) ... I spent the next two hours apologizing to everyone to reassure them I was not a Communist, not a Socialist, and that I don't like Fidel, and that I was just trying to be gracious... and I also apologized for my mom's country producing Che Guevarra and sending his spoiled ass to Cuba.
I remember going to an old school Catholic wedding (I'm Catholic too) in little Havana, and mentioned to one of my friends that I think it would be cool to go visit Cuba one day. (record scratch) ... I spent the next two hours apologizing to everyone to reassure them I was not a Communist, not a Socialist, and that I don't like Fidel, and that I was just trying to be gracious... and I also apologized for my mom's country producing Che Guevarra and sending his spoiled ass to Cuba.
Funny how Cubans think.....I'm 100% sure all those same people that you had to apologize to, spend their hard earned american dollars in Cuba. But, it's ok for them to do it, but not for anyone else to go and visit as a tourist. Also, they all favor the embargo but make sure it doesn't apply to them.
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