Best neighborhood for working from home? (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: fit in, apartment complex, rental)

[SuddenlySouthern606]

Hi!

I can live anywhere but need to stay on the eastern side of the country for family reasons. Miami is further than I had planned to consider, but the more regional cities in the SE don’t seem to be a great fit so I’m expanding my search.

I’m looking for a safe walkable neighborhood with greenery/parks that my dogs would enjoy. Hope to be in a demo with single midcareer professionals. Would prefer to rent a townhome over a unit in a high rise but open to a high rise. Want to be near shops to walk to on my lunch break working from home.

I’m not into clubs - prefer local mom & pop places. Don’t know if any of Miami Beach falls in that category. Someone suggested coral gables & coconut grove but I wonder if those are too far from the action.

Excited to visit soon. Whether or not I land there permanently, I look forward to exploring the region. Thank you for any advice you can provide to a potential Chicago transplant.

[thinkertinker]

Hey Chicago transplant here who also WFH and moved to Miami.

In Miami Beach, the West Avenue corridor is solid. It's quiet and away from the craziness of SoBe, but is very walkable, and beautiful. In Miami proper, Brickell, Midtown/Edgewater, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables are all great options. Just be aware that Coconut Grove and Coral Gables they have their walkable parts indeed, but mostly you will need to have a car to live there.

If you want to be car free, then I wouldn't recommend Coconut Grove or Coral Gables. Yes, they have their walkable parts, but most places within both of those places aren't really considered "walkable."

Another cool neighborhood is MiMo, perhaps not more walkable than Coconut Grove and the Gables, but it's a lot more connected to the city and other interesting neighborhoods.

If I were you I would consider the West Avenue corridor in South Beach, especially if you are renting. South Beach is such a unique place to live, that even if not permanent I feel like everyone should experience it once. Kind of like moving to NYC and having never lived in Manhattan. But then again SoBe is not for everyone.

Also, I would really consider focusing more on condos than townhomes. Townhomes are not that common in the city, unless you got out to the burbs, and even then. You will find a lot more options (and much more affordable) if you go with a condo in a condo building.

I would rank it as such for people to WFH and want walkability and comparable to Chicago neighborhoods:
1. SoBe (specifically West Ave has more of a Lakeview/Lincoln Park/Wicker Park vibrancy and walkability)
2. Midtown/Edgewater (Ironically I would say like a hybrid of Lincoln Park and Edgewater in Chicago)
3. Brickell (very walkable but can be very hectic stressful to live there, think of it like Streeterville)
4. Downtown (I think a better place to buy than rent, because it's up and coming maybe think of it like River West/Logan Square, gritty but some cool spots and changing a lot)
5. Coconut Grove (think of it as a Lincoln Square just less walkable)
6. Coral Gables (Evanston, enough said)
7. MiMo (Roger's Park but nicer and more trendy)

There other places that are great further north. Spots in Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, and downtown West Palm Beach.

I will say this, knowing Chicagoans since I was raised there, if you like the typical Midwest Chicago culture, that you see in places like Lincoln Park and Lakeview (you know what I am talking about), I would recommend going to the counties further north in cities like Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, as you will probably fit in better.

Miami is obviously extremely Latin and very international, so I have met people who moved down here who want more of that American culture and end up not liking Miami, because it lacks that. For that American culture you need to go to Fort Lauderdale and everything north of that. If you want a more international vibe then you'll love Miami. I feel like Miami-Dade county has a very distinct demographic, very international. Broward and Palm Beach County are a lot more American.

[elchevere]

South of Fifth on Miami Beach would give you low-mid rise options, the best park in Miami (South Pointe Park) and Little more of an American/Euro vibe than the mainland. Might not find as many mid career professionals as you would on the mainland—young, for sure, but not as many as in Brickell. Also little more money for not as new or nice a building but not awful by any means. Definitely a more relaxed vibe and walkable but not quite as concentrated as Brickell, West Avenue or Sunset Harbour/Venetian Islands.

Speaking of Venetian Islands, there is a new apartment complex that will be opening later this year next to The Standard Hotel and walkable to Sunset Harbour and Lincoln Road Mall away from the tourists….only 3-4 stories and close to Maurice Gibb Park. Anybody have more details on this building ? That might be another option though it probably won’t be cheap…

[thinkertinker]

Originally Posted by elchevere

South of Fifth on Miami Beach would give you low-mid rise options, the best park in Miami (South Pointe Park) and Little more of an American/Euro vibe than the mainland. Might not find as many mid career professionals as you would on the mainland—young, for sure, but not as many as in Brickell. Also little more money for not as new or nice a building but not awful by any means. Definitely a more relaxed vibe and walkable but not quite as concentrated as Brickell, West Avenue or Sunset Harbour/Venetian Islands.

Speaking of Venetian Islands, there is a new apartment complex that will be opening later this year next to The Standard Hotel and walkable to Sunset Harbour and Lincoln Road Mall away from the tourists….only 3-4 stories and close to Maurice Gibb Park. Anybody have more details on this building ? That might be another option though it probably won’t be cheap…

Yeah, I think it would be good to know what the OP's budget is. I brought with me my Chicago salary ($115k) and I am doing alright and live comfortably, but my salary is higher than the Chicago average. So OP, renting has becoming extremely expensive in Miami, at least in the past year, so that will also determine where you rent. Places like Brickell, SoFi, Midtown, etc., at this point (not so the case a couple years ago) are much more expensive to rent in than the more expensive neighborhoods in Chicago and even at my salary I am not finding those neighborhoods to be too affordable.

When I moved to Miami, Miami and Chicago rents were pretty much on par with each other, I didn't feel the difference, but in the past year that story has changed....

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by SuddenlySouthern606

Hi!

I can live anywhere but need to stay on the eastern side of the country for family reasons. Miami is further than I had planned to consider, but the more regional cities in the SE don’t seem to be a great fit so I’m expanding my search.

I’m looking for a safe walkable neighborhood with greenery/parks that my dogs would enjoy. Hope to be in a demo with single midcareer professionals. Would prefer to rent a townhome over a unit in a high rise but open to a high rise. Want to be near shops to walk to on my lunch break working from home.

I’m not into clubs - prefer local mom & pop places. Don’t know if any of Miami Beach falls in that category. Someone suggested coral gables & coconut grove but I wonder if those are too far from the action.

Excited to visit soon. Whether or not I land there permanently, I look forward to exploring the region. Thank you for any advice you can provide to a potential Chicago transplant.

Check out the town of Surfside.

https://www.townofsurfsidefl.gov/dep...visit-surfside

[MiamiLIFE]

Originally Posted by SuddenlySouthern606

Hi!

I can live anywhere but need to stay on the eastern side of the country for family reasons. Miami is further than I had planned to consider, but the more regional cities in the SE don’t seem to be a great fit so I’m expanding my search.

I’m looking for a safe walkable neighborhood with greenery/parks that my dogs would enjoy. Hope to be in a demo with single midcareer professionals. Would prefer to rent a townhome over a unit in a high rise but open to a high rise. Want to be near shops to walk to on my lunch break working from home.

I’m not into clubs - prefer local mom & pop places. Don’t know if any of Miami Beach falls in that category. Someone suggested coral gables & coconut grove but I wonder if those are too far from the action.

Excited to visit soon. Whether or not I land there permanently, I look forward to exploring the region. Thank you for any advice you can provide to a potential Chicago transplant.

I left from NY in Oct. Settled on Edgewater area. I like this neighborhood a lot. Don't need a car, beach is relatively close, midtown, Design District, Wynwood and Upper Eastside nearby. I biked to Brickell this weekend. Bike ride took me 20 minutes. I think you could find a townhome vibe or mid-rise rental in Midtown. I also hit the flea market on Lincoln Road this weekend. Great vibe. Loving Miami.