Miami Overrated? (Jacksonville, Orlando, Gainesville: home, buy, standard of living)

[doom1001]

That's very true about Miami,way too many BMW's and Benzes parked in front of houses that probably aren't worth much more than the car.Many of the cases are people trying to keep up with that "Miami" lifestyle even if they can't afford it.They'll work 2 jobs 60,70 hours a week just to keep up with the bills and payments.Other cases are people from other countries who come here and expect to have everything at once and are a bankruptcy and/or foreclosure waiting to happen.The credit crunch has probably put a hold on this kind of behavior lately.

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by doom1001

That's very true about Miami,way too many BMW's and Benzes parked in front of houses that probably aren't worth much more than the car.Many of the cases are people trying to keep up with that "Miami" lifestyle even if they can't afford it.They'll work 2 jobs 60,70 hours a week just to keep up with the bills and payments.Other cases are people from other countries who come here and expect to have everything at once and are a bankruptcy and/or foreclosure waiting to happen.The credit crunch has probably put a hold on this kind of behavior lately.

Yup, great point.

[matchpoint]

There are plenty of Ferraris, Porsches, Lambos rolling around Los Angeles. It's just it seems rare to me to see them depicted on TV shows that are situated in LA. Whereas with Miami, sure, there may be exotics prowling the streets, but the Miami-based TV shows seem to have a fetish for showing them on their shows.

Does the Miami police department roll around in Hummers? Does the Miami Police Dept or "CSI" type lab have all that state-of-the-art technology? Talk about tax dollars at work--WOW! Those CSI labs are better equipped than the military!

I could really care less about people complaining about Miami self-absorbtion, rudeness, narcississim, etc. I used to live in Boston, NYC and San Diego. All of these cities had people exhibiting the same qualities.

Do you know what? I don't care. The good--ACTUAL CULTURE/EXCITEMENT outweighs the bad. I've lived the past decade in rural farm places and these are the worst places for anyone to live.....

RESCUE ME MIAMI!

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by matchpoint

There are plenty of Ferraris, Porsches, Lambos rolling around Los Angeles. It's just it seems rare to me to see them depicted on TV shows that are situated in LA. Whereas with Miami, sure, there may be exotics prowling the streets, but the Miami-based TV shows seem to have a fetish for showing them on their shows.

Does the Miami police department roll around in Hummers? Does the Miami Police Dept or "CSI" type lab have all that state-of-the-art technology? Talk about tax dollars at work--WOW! Those CSI labs are better equipped than the military!

I could really care less about people complaining about Miami self-absorbtion, rudeness, narcississim, etc. I used to live in Boston, NYC and San Diego. All of these cities had people exhibiting the same qualities.

Do you know what? I don't care. The good--ACTUAL CULTURE/EXCITEMENT outweighs the bad. I've lived the past decade in rural farm places and these are the worst places for anyone to live.....

RESCUE ME MIAMI!

Sounds like you and Miami will be great for eachother!

[bale002]

Originally Posted by doom1001

That's very true about Miami,way too many BMW's and Benzes parked in front of houses that probably aren't worth much more than the car.

I've been to Istanbul, Turkey in poor residential neighborhoods with broken glass in filthy streets and semi-dilapidated houses with brand new American and European brand cars parked in front of them. I can say the same about some suburbs of New York.

In my view, the real estate crash has gone some way in reducing the extent that Miami's housing is overpriced, though there is still some way to go. But the problem that won't be solved in the foreseeable future is the imbalance between luxury housing and the natural risks of the region that surround it, reflected in sky-high maintenance and insurance costs.

But taking a hard look at prices and taxes in other "desirable" areas in the US, Miami isn't that bad after all. If you can afford it, pay the insurance (or go without if you own a SFH with no mortgage) and pray for no hurricanes.

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by bale002

I've been to Istanbul, Turkey in poor residential neighborhoods with broken glass in filthy streets and semi-dilapidated houses with brand new American and European brand cars parked in front of them. I can say the same about some suburbs of New York.

In my view, the real estate crash has gone some way in reducing the extent that Miami's housing is overpriced, though there is still some way to go. But the problem that won't be solved in the foreseeable future is the imbalance between luxury housing and the natural risks of the region that surround it, reflected in sky-high maintenance and insurance costs.

But taking a hard look at prices and taxes in other "desirable" areas in the US, Miami isn't that bad after all. If you can afford it, pay the insurance (or go without if you own a SFH with no mortgage) and pray for no hurricanes.

I disagree. When one takes, in my opinion, a look at other places in the US, I think it makes people even crazier to want to live in Miami. But if you're from Cuba or Haiti, I know Miami might be the best replica for them, and I can see why they would like Miami, but other than that, I dont see that many people really striving to get to Miami.

[noland123]

Miami is a great city but to live here is expensive and nobody right out of college is promised a job all you own is a sheepskin. Like I said before a desirable city to visit but have someplace pre-planned before coming as one can get ripped off if you are not smart.I think it would be a good idea to have family and friends here that can help you out to share rent,but have a decent paying job before coming.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

Originally Posted by ComSense

I disagree. When one takes, in my opinion, a look at other places in the US, I think it makes people even crazier to want to live in Miami. But if you're from Cuba or Haiti, I know Miami might be the best replica for them, and I can see why they would like Miami, but other than that, I dont see that many people really striving to get to Miami.

If that were true, we wouldn't get any questions in this board and I doubt those questions are coming from Haiti or Cuba. Also I don't what parts of Miami you have visited that you think Miami looks like a Haiti/Cuba replica, but apparently you only visited Overtown and East Hialeah.

[vpcats]

I have heard Miami is like Cuba because of the ocean, the weather, the sunshine, the palm trees, the language, the culture. So is Puerto Rico. They say PR & Cuba are two birds of a feather. You could say Dominican Republic, Jamaica and any of the tropical islands are similar too.

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by ♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥

If that were true, we wouldn't get any questions in this board and I doubt those questions are coming from Haiti or Cuba. Also I don't what parts of Miami you have visited that you think Miami looks like a Haiti/Cuba replica, but apparently you only visited Overtown and East Hialeah.

You're right. Also folks from the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Colombia move to Miami. I could see why they'd like Miami, it's the closest thing they got to where they came from originally.