Looking for 2/2 anywhere in FL...where is the best place to live? (Miami: for sale)

[sunshineallthetime]

We are looking to rent (or possibly buy) a 2 bed / 2 bath condo anywhere in Florida. We would like a newer building in a safe area: either by the beach (ocean view preferred), or in the suburbs. Looking to move in about a month! Thanks!

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by sunshineallthetime

We are looking to rent (or possibly buy) a 2 bed / 2 bath condo anywhere in Florida. We would like a newer building in a safe area: either by the beach (ocean view preferred), or in the suburbs. Looking to move in about a month! Thanks!

Buyer beware in the condo market! You have to do your homework and perform due diligence. You'll see many inexpensive condo units for sale and there's a reason why so many are priced that way. Prices are down because there's a glut of units on the market. A lot are foreclosed or distressed properties. Many are simply vacant after the owners walked away due to simply owing more than the unit is now worth. Many condo communities are cash-strapped due to not collecting condo fees from many of the owners which results in poorly maintained facilities due to insufficient funds. Other communities are overrun with rented units due to inability to sell which often leads to poorly maintained units and banks unwillingly to lend to buyers in a complex with a high ratio of renters. Always check the condo documents with someone who knows what to look for. Paramount is sufficient reserve funds for costly repairs and maintenance such as roofs and replacement of windows and air conditioning. A lack of funds when such repairs pop up leads to costly assessments that are added to your regular monthly maintenance fee which can cost up to several hundred dollars per month. There are some great deals to be had however. My advice would be to steer clear of the overbuilt markets such as SW Florida, Miami/Ft Lauderdale and Tampa/St Pete. Some of the smaller cities like Melbourne Beach, Cocoa Beach, St Augustine, Ormond Beach, Flagler Beach and New Smyrna Beach would be good places to focus in my opinion. Good luck!

[sunshineallthetime]

Thanks for the advice!! I'll share more information so we might get more specific responses as well. We are a young couple in our late 20s, both from the midwest, who both work from home so work is not a problem. Our monthly budget would be up to $1600. We were hoping to get some ideas from people who live in the area on what their area is like...what there is to do around there, what type of people live there, what problems there are, etc so we can investigate a few of them further. We really like the idea of a newer home/condo (built in last 5-7 years). Thanks!

[kyle19125]

You could definitely find something nice in Orlando with that budget. Bear in mind it obviously won't be oceanfront or oceanview, and will resemble most any other suburban locale in the Southeast US.