Atlanta to Miami Beach (Surfside, South Beach: wood floors, real estate, rental)

[fedup2008]

I always wanted to live close to the beach, so I was considering relocating from Atlanta to Miami Beach. Believe it or not, I have never been to Miami before, well only when connecting flights. I am a pharmacist so I would be transferring within my company. Of course I was considering a 2BR/2BA condo with at least one parking space for between 300K and 400K. I know that there are slim pickings for my price range, but I been looking on national real estate sites and saw a few in that price range.

I have a few questions:
What is the difference between living North of 5TH and South of 5TH?

Which is better?

Are there any "quiet" pockets in Miami Beach?

I saw some condos where insurance was included in the HOA's, does this normally cover hurricane insurance or is that additional.

I was considering buying a Vespa for traveling around in South Beach, would that be practical or should I not even consider it?

Are there any facilities close by to play golf and tennis? (Particulary close to the locations that I listed below)

What do you think about these two area?
3RD and Michigan
or
Meridian between 3RD and 4TH.

Oh, I am male, 27, have a small dog.

[doggiebus]

Hello welcome to the Miami threads! A Vespa in Miami Beach is a good idea for half the year, not a really good mode of transportation year round though IMO. Rainy season lasts between 5-6 months here, so as long as you don't mind getting wet then go for it. South of 5th is pretty residential there are a few restaurants on that end. Mostly high rise condos. North of 5th smaller/older buildings mostly, with the exception of the inter coastal side. As long as you are south of 20th you will be in walking distance of everything you will need.

[FlyMIA]

Vespa is good when it is not raining but really if you need to drive parking is not too bad in Miami Beach just drive your car. South of 5th street is a bit less hectic and much quiter at night as there are not many clubs south of 5th. South of 5th is a bit better IMO.
All the locations you have posted are nice areas. The are south of 5th is nice.
There is a decent sized city park in the middle of Miami Beach with tennis courts 10min walk from 5th if that. Also there is a golf course around 24th and alton so 5min drive. Of course there are many golf courses all around the metro area.

You really need to travel here. I suggest spend a few days during the winter and spend at least a week during the summer. August is the best month to visit. You will experience 100% humidity, heat index of 115 and tropical thunderstorms everyday. Also the culture here is very different then any city in the US. It is more Latin American than North American. Its a great place to live IMO but it is not for everyone. Come down and visit first.

[feelquiet]

Regarding the condo insurance -- usually your HOA fees include insurance for hurricane damage to the building structure. However, everything within your unit is your responsibility including structural items like kitchen cabinetry, floors (water + wood floors don't mix) etc.

So you will need your own insurance policy that covers both wind damage within your unit, as well as all other perils (water, fire, theft, etc.) That condo policy will usually be under $2k/year, but depends on the insured value of your contents.

Other things to look out for: Many older low rise condos don't have assigned parking. Street parking can be a hassle, so although you're planning around a scooter right now, be aware that assigned parking will enhance the saleability of your condo when you go to re-sell it. I highly recommend assigned parking bldgs.

If you choose an older building with balconies, be aware that balcony repairs are very expensive. Most of the special assessments in older bldgs are due to hurricane damage or balcony repairs.

As a newcomer to the city, I strongly recommend renting rather than buying for the 1st year or so.

[rnc2mbfl]

I am partial to the northwestern corner of South Beach. It's more convenient to Lincoln Road and all its surrounds have to offer. It's closer to more retail, entertainment and city services. It's also closer to the public golf course on Alton Rd. I'd take the corner of Alton Rd and Lincoln Rd as the center from which to search for a place to live and find something that is a comfortable walk from there. You won't be sorry.

[TravelinMan305]

Definitely north of 5th is way better. I strongly agree with the poster above that you should rent before you buy. In fact, unless you plan on staying put at the same home for 30 years, I wouldn't buy at all. You can get a really nice rental (even a condo) for much cheaper than a monthly mortgage plus you won't have to worry about hurricane liability and property taxes, which can be expensive here. If you must live on South Beach, I like the area just to the east of Flamingo Park by Meridian Ave, which is a little quieter and greener than most parts of SoBe, plus you have easy access to the best park on SoBe, Lincoln Rd, Collins and Washington Ave, and either side of the beach.

I think a Vespa could be a great idea, I have been thinking of getting one myself. Of course, it all depends on where you work. If you live AND work on Miami Beach, I would say go for it. You should be able to walk most places, but the Vespa could fill in the gaps. It rarely rains in the AM anytime of the year, and afternoon T-storms happen less often on the beach than on the mainland, so you should be alright coming home at night, especially if your commute is short. However, longer commutes, especially on the mainland that likely include highways, it might not work out. I would give it a try before you buy one, and see what it's like riding around in crazy humidity because you don't want to go to work sweating like crazy.

Flamingo Park has tennis courts, and I think some of the older high-rises on the west side may have private courts. There are several nice golf courses up and down Miami Beach from South Beach to Bal Harbour in the north of the county. If a quiet scene is critically important to you, I would definitely consider other parts of Miami Beach. Mid-beach around 41st Street could be worth checking out...much quieter, but also a lot less going on (more older people, fair number of health care related businesses though, which may be good for you). Also I wouldn't completely ignore North Beach, Surfside, and Bal Harbour, since they are all nice, quiet, and have lovely beaches with plenty going on.