ISO safe family friendly, liberal artsy community near Miami (Coral Gables: for sale, condos)

[stuckinrichmond]

I'm in Virginia and have no clue about Florida communities. Please provide names of counties or neighborhoods that might fall into these categories:

Safe, Family-Friendly yet 'hip', excellent public schools, Creative, Liberal

I'm looking for houses in the 400-600 range for 4+ bedrooms. 45 minute or less commute into Miami.

Please post only positive comments, I don't have time for the 'why are you moving to this hell hole' and 'we don't want liberals in Florida' type posts.

Thanks.

[CiXeL]

liberal and artsy?
ROFL!!
when you find it tell me.

[PNW2007]

Liberal & Artsy. New York, Seattle, San Fran? Miami is as artsy and liberal as my toilet is.

[stuckinrichmond]

OK, guys, let me rephrase...

If you were artsy and liberal and had to live and work in the Miami area, where would you go? I mean, you can't tell me that there aren't at least pockets of cool places to live in a city like Miami. I'm talking suburbs too. In a city where the hottest creative advertising agency is located there HAS to be something that fits this description.

What is Cooper City like? What about Pinecrest? Come on guys, help me out.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by stuckinrichmond

I'm in Virginia and have no clue about Florida communities. Please provide names of counties or neighborhoods that might fall into these categories:

Safe, Family-Friendly yet 'hip', excellent public schools, Creative, Liberal

I'm looking for houses in the 400-600 range for 4+ bedrooms. 45 minute or less commute into Miami.

Please post only positive comments, I don't have time for the 'why are you moving to this hell hole' and 'we don't want liberals in Florida' type posts.

Thanks.

Well, so much for your last request.

Where in Miami do you want to have a 45 minute commute or less to? Miami has grown. Commute by train, car, or both?

Not knowing exactly where in Miami, I would suggest looking into Pinecrest, South Miami, The Roads, or Coral Gables areas but you would probably have to increase your budget - a lot.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by stuckinrichmond

OK, guys, let me rephrase...

If you were artsy and liberal and had to live and work in the Miami area, where would you go? I mean, you can't tell me that there aren't at least pockets of cool places to live in a city like Miami. I'm talking suburbs too. In a city where the hottest creative advertising agency is located there HAS to be something that fits this description.

What is Cooper City like? What about Pinecrest? Come on guys, help me out.

Forgot to include PARTS OF Coconut Grove, and Brickell (lots of condos there)

[PNW2007]

nice way to slip that For Sale in.

[lionking]

lol!....not trying to be cheesy about it,but hey,if he is looking to come here and I want to move for my reasons I'll give a bit of a lowdown.

Actually I'll miss my neighbors,they are the kind that wave,bring cakes and cookies over and not in your business.

30-45minutes,sometimes it does depend.

there are good things about Miami still.....though for me the reasons are not enough to stay.Miss my friends and family for one.

[stuckinrichmond]

OK, much better.
I found a 4br/3b 3000sqft beauty in Cooper City for $630K.
Someone please post about Cooper City. Give me the real scoop about this area.

Thx.

[doggiebus]

Originally Posted by vpcats

Well, so much for your last request.

Where in Miami do you want to have a 45 minute commute or less to? Miami has grown. Commute by train, car, or both?

Not knowing exactly where in Miami, I would suggest looking into Pinecrest, South Miami, The Roads, or Coral Gables areas but you would probably have to increase your budget - a lot.

Ok, Coconut Grove is the closest to what you are describing. Crispin, the ad company that does BK, is located in Coconut Grove along with other smaller ad companies. There are many restaurants, shopping and some entertainment there. A few of the prep schools are located in this area. Coconut Grove started out many years ago as an artist colony actually. You would be close to the water, lots of people walk to the parks that are near buy.

I am not that familiar with the Roads area. Coral Gables is nice too, many restaurants, beautiful well kept yards, but they have many homeowner rules, like your house has to be a certain color. And it isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for.

South Miami is sort of getting to be artsy, they have revitalized their little downtown area. My husbands company is there and my in-laws live in South Miami (High Pines). It still has a small downtown feel. Good shopping, lots of restaurants, quiet neighborhoods, but some streets get lots of people cutting through the neighborhoods during rush hour. The homes are changing as people buy homes for $700,000 down from my in-laws, that are 1500 sq ft. and torn down to put a $1.5 million dollar home on all of the property, leaving almost no grass in the yard. But there are cheaper homes on the edge for $600,000. That said it is still cute, even in the center of Miami.

Coral Reef High (not in the greatest area, I think it is a charter school) was ranked 29 in the US for Best Schools and Palmetto Senior High was 67 which is located in Pinecrest. FYI, Florida isn't know for their schools. Pinecrest isn't an artsy area, it is a young yuppie area. I live about two miles west of Pinecrest, so you may want to look on the other side of US1 from Pinecrest or Palmetto Bay, you may find it to be slighly cheaper than Pinecrest. You will most likely do your shopping, dining, etc in Pinecrest. Lots of the kids that live in Pinecrest get sent to the private prep schools. My sister use to teach at PSH, and most are bussed in from other areas.

I hope this helps.