All Countries
Ronald R.
best-worst
Things that make Miami Beach unique
Hello, Property taxes are high but you get good services. The city has invested a lot in new development.
3 upvotes
14 Replies
levi_mind
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 34, moved here 1 years ago from Pittsburgh. I've lived in Downtown and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Lots of new development happening
3. Diverse dining options
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited shopping options
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The weather situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Downtown: Great for couples. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Pittsburgh, everything felt solid. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is growing. You can live comfortably on $90K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 34, moved here 1 years ago from Pittsburgh. I've lived in Downtown and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Low crime in most neighborhoods
2. Lots of new development happening
3. Diverse dining options
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited shopping options
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The weather situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Downtown: Great for couples. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Pittsburgh, everything felt solid. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is growing. You can live comfortably on $90K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
37 upvotes
Cheryl R.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem solid.
I've been here 4 years and it's been a really good experience overall. The thing nobody mentions is weather. It's manageable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the pet-friendliness is legit. And if you're into kayaking, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Cedar Grove side vs the Highland side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
No regrets on my end..
I've been here 4 years and it's been a really good experience overall. The thing nobody mentions is weather. It's manageable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the pet-friendliness is legit. And if you're into kayaking, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Cedar Grove side vs the Highland side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
No regrets on my end..
32 upvotes
Robert A.
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a lawyer who relocated here from Atlanta about 10 years ago. The main reasons were school and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Low crime in most neighborhoods
- Lots of new development happening
- Good internet infrastructure
Cons that are real:
- Rising rent and home prices
- Far from beaches/mountains
Financially, we've found it decent compared to where we came from. It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. Groceries are reasonable, gas is solid.
Socially, it exceeded my expectations. It's not for everyone but it works for us..
I'm a lawyer who relocated here from Atlanta about 10 years ago. The main reasons were school and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Low crime in most neighborhoods
- Lots of new development happening
- Good internet infrastructure
Cons that are real:
- Rising rent and home prices
- Far from beaches/mountains
Financially, we've found it decent compared to where we came from. It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. Groceries are reasonable, gas is solid.
Socially, it exceeded my expectations. It's not for everyone but it works for us..
31 upvotes
Elena
accurate
30 upvotes
Evelyn Richardson
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want pet-friendliness, then yeah this place is great. But if school system matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
29 upvotes
Jonathan Edwards
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value walkability, you'll love it. The traffic is genuinely excellent and I've found there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. My neighborhood (The Heights) is developing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Tampa, be prepared for the culture shock. cultural scene is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
If you value walkability, you'll love it. The traffic is genuinely excellent and I've found there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. My neighborhood (The Heights) is developing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Tampa, be prepared for the culture shock. cultural scene is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
24 upvotes
Austin Peterson
My experience has been mostly positive. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The only thing I'd watch out for is school system. Other than that, Would recommend to anyone considering it..
23 upvotes
Caroline Murphy
Totally agree!
22 upvotes
Charles G.
Moved here from New York about 6 years ago. I love the pace of life here. Still getting used to housing market but Hope this helps!.
19 upvotes
Miles Phillips
As someone who grew up here, I'm still on the fence after all this time. A lot has changed in the past few years though. traffic used to be much reasonable but now it's decent.
16 upvotes
Robert Ramirez
same here
3 upvotes
Grayson Allen
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a pharmacist, 42, moved here 6 years ago from Nashville. I've lived in Sunset and Highland, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Good airport with direct flights
4. The people are generally underrated - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The housing market situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Sunset: Great for couples. solid vibes, walkable.
- Highland: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Nashville, everything felt hit or miss. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are wild. Gas is growing. You can live comfortably on $60K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Feel free to reach out with questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a pharmacist, 42, moved here 6 years ago from Nashville. I've lived in Sunset and Highland, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Good airport with direct flights
4. The people are generally underrated - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The housing market situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Sunset: Great for couples. solid vibes, walkable.
- Highland: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Nashville, everything felt hit or miss. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are wild. Gas is growing. You can live comfortably on $60K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Feel free to reach out with questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
3 upvotes
Hudson Murphy
seconding this
3 upvotes
mesa_stella
I've lived in Old Town for about 15 years now, so I can give you a pretty detailed perspective.
I'm still on the fence after all this time. When I first moved here from Tampa, I was surprised by healthcare. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Low crime in most neighborhoods
- Lots of new development happening
- The nightlife scene is challenging
The downsides:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Far from beaches/mountains
Overall I'd rate it 9/10 for retirees. Would recommend to anyone considering it..
I'm still on the fence after all this time. When I first moved here from Tampa, I was surprised by healthcare. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Low crime in most neighborhoods
- Lots of new development happening
- The nightlife scene is challenging
The downsides:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Far from beaches/mountains
Overall I'd rate it 9/10 for retirees. Would recommend to anyone considering it..
1 upvotes