I'm thinking about buying a place down there. So what's it like to live in Miami?
[Edited 2/17/09 19:38pm]

How many homes do you have??

Do we have any Orgers in Miami?

IMO, Miami sucks.

The traffic sucks, the insane heat and humidity sucks, the snobbish attitude sucks, the price of everything there sucks. Infrastructure is horrible, I could go on and on....

Don't let the allure of the picturesque parts of the area gas you, Miami sucks.



SCDLS, why not go somewhere where your dollar (already worth shit) is worth more than somewhere like this? I know you are fairly ok in the income department, but why needlessly give it away?

NC or CO is the place to go.

JerseyKRS said:

I concur...Miami is NOTHING like what is portrayed on TV....I was very disappointed...

JerseyKRS said:

I'm used to heat and humidity so that's not a big deal. It's hotter in Texas than Miami. I don't want to be anywhere cold cuz it will most likely be a vacation home and I want to pick somewhere I'll be sure to go. As for snobs, I believe there are good people everywhere and it's just a matter of falling into the right circle. Not to mention real estate has plummeted there so it's a good time to buy, I think.
[Edited 2/18/09 6:35am]

pardonme4livin said:

I've been many times and I always have a good time. Different strokes.

I looooove South Beach I don't think I could live there but I do visit every year. I go to Mexico March 2nd and I think I'll plan a long weekend in South Beach in April.

Love to jet set!

That was my home for 12 Years. I was lucky to be there during a really magical era late 80's-early 90's: it comparable to a mixed mash-up of the the Art Deco period meets the Rat Pack 40 hey day, with a heavy handed influence from the left-over wild children of Studio 54 and Regine's Nightclubs in Europe. Good Lord the things that went down then, with todays Big Brother-TMZ society there's no wayin hell an era like that can ever be duplicated...but hell, go for it anyway... there is still much fun to be had and good life to be enjoyed...and it's purty down there

You and your shoes will fit RIGHT in

Miami Primer Part 1

Miami and Miami Beach are two separate cities divided by Biscayne Bay, held together with one international airport and 5 bridges known as "causeways": 5th St. Causeway, Venetian Causeway , Julia Tuttle Causeway, 79th St. Causeway, and 163rd St. Caueway. there are further causeways up the road, but by that time you're slowly leaving Miami/Miami Beach (in Dade county) and inching your way into the liitle suburbs that before Ft.Lauderdale in Broward County.

2. You need wheels, fancy ones. But go ahead and buy used. The turnover for cars down there is pretty fast because the place is full of high riding transients and snowbirds, so used luxury cars are cheap. Traffic is a nightmare though not as intense as an LA traffic jam, but people drive far more recklessly and accidents are common.

3.No need to live on South Beach. That's for people under 30. You will only go to parties there. Besides the need to actually live there is no longer because it's bohemian heydey is gone. It's now grossly commercial and full of young MTV wanna be types with poor taste. For your age, interests,ect, if you want to live on Miami Beach and you can front the $$$ try to find something in the Jewish sector from the 41st-63rd street (very family oriented with a suburban feeling and not loud on the weekends due to Sabbath)...or go 71st street and above into Surfside (the 80's), or the neighborhood after BalHarbor (this is after the 90's, maybe 125th?.)

4 The most pricey and exclusive areas of Miami Beach (real estate wise) are South Beach (1st-st to lincoln road), 41st & Arthur Godfrey Road, Pine Tree Drive, and Bal Harbor.

5. Although they say New Orleans and Detroit are among the murder capitals of the country, I would bet Miami isn't far behind, they just cover it up better for the national stage. Get used to hearing the news report at least one murder or freak accident daily (such as body parts being found in dumpsters or fake doctors performing dental or plastic surgeries in gargages with rusty hardware tools). it's unsettling initially, but within a month you will become completely desensitized to the violence.


More Later...gotta get some work done

Ottensen said:

I KNEW you'd come through Auntie (H)Ottie!

Lots of useful information here. Would you do a highrise condo or a house? Which area do you recommend? And how'd you know Bal Harbour is my favorite part, especially the Shops?

I remember that Miami was constantly at the top of the murder list but they tried to gloss it over to avoid scaring the tourists.

Oh, and thanks for the car tip. It's about time to replace ol' SCNDLS and what I decide about Miami will help determine what I do carwise. I'm on the edge about another BMW or a convertible Maserati which comes out at the end of the year. I've never bought used but there's always a first time for everything.
[Edited 2/18/09 8:27am]

I love Miami. If you want to move there and can afford it, then try Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, or Coral Gables. If not, Kendall isn't bad. In general, the higher crime areas all start with the word "Little" in front of them. In general.

Most people , when they see images of Miami, are thinking Miami South Beach. Property there will be very high, but unless you're really in to ultra lounges, clubbing until 6 in the morning every night, and restaurants that'll cost you about 200 dollars per person for a dinner, it's not a terribly convenient place to live. And the parking sucks. Believe it or not there are cheap apartments in South Beach , but no cheap properties to buy.

If you don't mind driving 40 minutes to Miami but want to enjoy all the benefits of the weather without the crime, Boca Raton and Ft. Lauderdale are marginally better.

I wish I could aford to live there, honestly. I'll take the heat over cold weather any day.
[Edited 2/18/09 10:38am]

BSOD said:

Coconut Grove is VERY cute.

I'm a party girl, hence the reason I love south beach!

I will give Miami one more shot to experience the gay scene cuz I didn't when I was there last year but I HATED. THAT. PLACE!

First of all, the goddmaned streets. We were looking for 124th and some main street. We kept following the numbered streets from low to high and had to keep skipping around neighborhoods as we kept dead ending into them. Finally got to 124th and noticed we were at 124th and 124th. How can you be at the intersection of the same street? Not til them did we realize one was street the other avenue. Who the hell builds a city like that?

The service culture. HORRID. In place after place, we basically had to stalk the staff for service. To be seated, to order, to ask where our food was, for additional service. I went to a kiosk at the hotel we were staying at to order lunch and there were 5 ladies behind the counter, I made eye contact with them and none of them budged. Finally I speak up and say I need to order and one of the girls asked if I wanted something.

One more shot, but that's it

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

In South Beach , stay at a hotel on Colins ave. If you're gay try the Essex house or the Kent.
Go clubbing at Twist Sobe on Washington (literally 50 yards from the Essex House) on Friday and Saturday nights. On Sunday mornings, go to the T-dance at Score.
The Beach area across from the Versace House is where you'll find the gay men, and they're very god looking. If you want to see gay models or celebs, etc. go to the Krunch gym.
South Beach could possibly be the gayest place on earth if you're there at the right times--folks sleep very weird hours there

BSOD said:

I'm sure once I get some Floridian Rooster, I'll think it's heaven

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Do yourself a favor and go down during the Ultra Music Festival (World Music Conference). Don't bother going to the festival (too crowded). Just stay on South Beach. The clubs get jam packed with hot guys around 3 AM until about 6 AM.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I have had bad service there but I find that's common in most "touristy" cities. When I go to smaller, mom and pop restaurants, it's not a problem. But the streets do suck becuase they aren't linear or clearly marked. Also, why in the hell does South Ocean Drive begin north of the Ocean Drive that runs through South Beach???

BSOD said:

I usually stay here. It's high right now because of the season, but room 225 on the pool is off da chain.

www.desoleilsouthbeach.com
[Edited 2/18/09 11:54am]

SCNDLS said:

I have never experienced service culture like that anywhere. I kept expecting people to do the no you didn't Oprah neck roll
[Edited 2/18/09 11:53am]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

How many different restaurants did you have bad service at?

SCNDLS said:

ALL OF THEM. We were in Miami for a 3 days total off the cruise ship. At every turn, I was wanting to slap those lazy motherfuckers

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I really loved that place, even though I only spent a few days there.
The girls behind the reception were nice and VERY beautiful, the waitresses were friendly and superquick, the food was great, the weather was hot and humid, and then came hurricane Fay, all in all, I had a ball.
Would love to go there again.

Is LA really that different ? I´ve never been to LA, it is one of my dream destinations but, on the surface, things seem to be a bit similar...nice and sunny weather, palm trees, Spanish as the second language, party culture, people depending on cars, public transportation virtually unknown, the sea, the beach....so, are the differences really that big ?

KoolEaze said:

I think Miami and LA are very different especially the nightlife cuz LA shuts down at 2 am. Whereas Miami goes 24/7. Also, I think the culture is much more diverse and international in Miami.
[Edited 2/18/09 12:11pm]

CarrieLee said:

Coconut Grove is only cute for a partial segment...one wrong turn and you end up in the no so cute, r part apin', robbin', and stealin' part

Ottensen said:

You mean the parts they always show on The First 48?



Police try to convince the frightened residents of a Miami housing project known as the "Pork and Beans" to help them track down the man who's been terrorizing the community.



Been to Miami twice. It's just too hot and expensive for me.

noimageatall said:

No. Coconut Grove is on the south side of town. Little Haiti is on the north, nowhere even near the same vicinity. I haven't seen "the First", though. What the heck is that?

Ottensen said:

It's a A&E crime show where they try to solve a crime within the first 48 hours. They always have Miami and Dallas on there.

BSOD said:

1. South Miami Beach residents are required to have a parking permit & decal for their cars, which gives them first parking priority over non-South Miami Beach residents. You are right that it's still a hassle though, particularly on weekends. When I left years ago I had friends who refused to move their cars from any parking spot they found if it was after 5pm. It puts a damper on your mobility if you can't get where you need to go by taxi, or a friend from another part of town is picking you up and dropping you off.. Kendall is nice but it's too damned far to drive. traffic jams to and fro can leave you stuck for more than an hour sometimes.

2. Boca is too staid for SCNDLS...and Ft.Lauderdale too provencial, and not in the charming sense

Based on her lifestyle, taste, and social habits, in Miami Beach. I would go for Surfside on up to North Miami Beach. In Miami (the mainland) she should nestle right on the Bay, maybe in Morningside in one of the regentried, gated neighborhoods. The furthest south I see her going and being satisfied is Key biscaye, although it's pricey as hell there too.

Ottensen said:

I was thinking about Key Biscayne. You know me so well. Now, highrise condo, townhome, or house??? Which do you think is the better buy? After being in a house for the last 10 years, I shudder at the thought of being attached to anyone. But I'm kinda wanting a view.

SCNDLS said:

Oh shit...that's what I forgot to respond to from the last post you gave me


okay....know that there are serious pros and cons on each side, all relating to the dreaded Hurricane Season. We are no stranger to fucked up rain seasons in Miami, and get ready to spend 3 months of your life each year anxious on the way to panic because we're always waiting to be blown off the fuckin' map. I was in Hurricane Andrew in '92 (?)...right in the middle of a move from a high rise to a street level apartment, and there was no way around it sucking ass, period (sigh)...

HOUSE PROS: You'll have alot of space to store a generator, water, and survival supplies in case the shoit hits the fan and a huricane does land.

CONS: For all the things you use in your outside space, you need to find somewhere to put them when you get a hurricane warning because it WILL fly down the street or through one of your windows.

There's also the issue f storn surges and flooding.


HI-RISE PROS: Less maintainace all around, with extraorinary views


CONS: nowhere to keep your emergency supplies, and if you're too high up it's going to suck if they can't keep the elevevator functioning during a severe weather crisis. There's also the issue of how many windows will you have to cover when you have one of those (cute as hell) hi-rises that are essentially half glass for the view.


Key biscayn would be really cute for you I think. It's age appropriate, I think prolly income appropriate, has a suburban feel with suburban amenitities, but is not too far South that you feel like you're in an alternate universe. You can get to back north and east to Miami Beach by freeway in 20-30 minutes, and 20 minutes in the other direction will take your ass to a shitload of mega malls and hi-end shopping centers


More Later
[Edited 2/19/09 9:42am]