lenlu

Hi,
We are relocating to Miami but not for a few months and I'm doing some research on finding good areas in which to live for my family. We have two small boys so we'll need a good preschool, a safe neighborhood, possibly gated, not too far from downtown (within half an hour). Do people mostly go to private grade schools down there or are there some decent public schools outside the city? I'm honestly afraid to move from the Pacific NW I've been here so long. I'm having a hard time picturing my life in Florida, much less the Miami area. We are very family oriented and not much into the party scene now that we're older. I'm picturing thunderstorms, too hot, kids can't play outside because of the fire ants in the grass. Can someone give me some good news? Also, how much is your gas, milk, dry cleaning for ten shirts? I'm not kidding, I want the basics. Thank you!

GoTravel

No, no children at all in Miami play outside because of fire ants in the grass.

Seriously, fire ants have massive ant hills that you stay away from and they aren't even an issue.

What is your budget for a home?

Coral Gables is a nice family neighborhood very close to downtown.

Your kids will play outside year around and will do different things. They'll surf, swim, play sports, and all the things other kids do except in the heat of the summer, they'll play on the beach instead of in your back yard.

Thunderstorms are wonderful, what is wrong with them? The rain usually cools it off for a few minutes.

Miami is a wonderfully diverse city and is said to be the northernmost Latin American City or the capitol of Latin America.

lenlu

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate your help! I think we're trying to keep the house price under 400,000 if possible. Have any thoughts? I looked around Pembroke Pines and it seems there are some properties. Mainly I'm concerned about schools.

amcc

I live in Miami, and I have 3 small boys, so maybe I can help you feel better. I understand your concern about schools, it's a big issue with kids. The website for the public school system in Miami-Dade is: http://www2.dadeschools.net/index.htm. Schools are graded based on standardized test scores, if you send to public, you'll want an A school. This is the link to the school grades: http://oada.dadeschools.net/DQM/06gradesElem.pdf. Surfing around their website, you can see what school would serve a potential residence.

Public schools don't generally start until Pre-K4, most until kindergarten, so before then, you send your kids to a private preschool. There are many, some associated with churches, some not. Whatever neighborhood you live in will have many to choose from.

I went to private school my whole life, but I will send my children to a public school at the corner of my house that is fantastic through elementary, after that I will switch them to a private Catholic school. There are many private schools around, I would say that Catholic schools are the most numerous, but that may just be because I am most familiar with those. There are excellent public schools, excellent magnet programs available, so the decision of public vs private is not as cut and dried as it might be in other school districts.

I can't imagine that any area of Broward County (like Pembroke Pines) is within half an hour of downtown Miami, particularly during rush hour. Great areas to live with kids are Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest. I have no knowledge of what real estate prices are in your hometown, but it might be difficult to find something around $400k in these areas. A good realtor will be your best friend.

A huge benefit of these areas is that you can take the Metrorail downtown in about half an hour. My husband did that for quite a while, and it was convenient and safe.

I love living here. My kids play outside all the time, I've never even considered fire ants. The beach is great, we go to parks all the time. While summer is so hot and humid, you get used to it, and winter (Nov-April/May) is amazing. We don't do the party scene anymore either, but there is so much more to enjoy here than that.

Nature here is different than what you are used to, but it is beautiful and unique.

From friends who have moved here, I've found that the ones who most loved it are those who have embraced Miami's unique qualities, it's vibe, and the melting pot of cultures and peoples that it encompasses.

As for prices:

Gas is about $2.45/gallon (regular)
Milk (we are experts due to our children) is $2.49-$2.99/gallon (cheapest drugstore), $3.49-$3.99 more common at supermarket.

I can imagine how nerve wracking it must be to move like this and I hope it is something that will end up being a huge positive for your family.

rncheryl

Wow, culture shock, for sure.
We live in Pembroke Pines and it is closer to an hour to downtown Miami. Iffy about schools, elementary much better than high schools. Good neighborhood to evaluate if you are ok with the drive is Weston in Broward County. Good access to I-75, upscale,family oriented town with numerous gated communities, lots of parks and open spaces. Miramar is a growning in Broward County further south, quite ethnically diverse.

321go

Can I give you some good news? Certainly!

If your boys enjoy sports, soccer and softball are nearly year-round sports in Florida.

There are plenty of parks with great activities for kids: http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/

Miami Metrozoo is an excellent zoo with lots of children's programs. http://www.miamimetrozoo.com/

The beaches are great. The water is warm and you can swim nearly year-round. The Gulf coast beaches are particularly beautiful.

You'll experience cuisines that are difficult to find in other parts of the country: Haitian, Dominican, Cuban, etc.

You'll meet many other families who have moved here from other places. It's not the kind of place where you don't "belong" unless you great-grandmother was born there.

Thunderstorms are exciting; just stay inside and enjoy the show.

amcc's advice: "I've found that the ones who most loved it are those who have embraced Miami's unique qualities, it's vibe, and the melting pot of cultures and peoples that it encompasses." is so true. I hope that you will look upon your move as an amazing adventure and enjoy every minute of it.

Judyrem

321 and amcc, very good and thoughtful advice, I am sure you have made lenlu feel much better about the move!

GoTravel

lenlu, one thing you will find by moving to such a tropical area that is surrounded by water is that your family as a whole will start doing more and more water related activities.

Boating is an activity we enjoy year around.

lenlu

Guys,
This is all very helpful information for which I am grateful. I'm totally into new cuisine and cultures (here primarily Asian) so moving to another will be fun. An hour commute is not okay for us so we'll have to look closer to Miami. My husband's work is off-commute hours but still...I'd hoped to live slightly less expensively than Seattle but it doesn't sound like it. Sounds pretty equal actually. Last question, is everyone's home damp from all the rain and do most homes have ants/bugs inside? I really don't want roaches in my house, it's enough to make me halt the move. Can I have hardwood floors or do they have to be tile? Thanks guys. Strange questions but I've gotta know.

AustinTraveler

Your house will have air conditioning so you don't have to worry about dampness. You can have wood floors too, no problem.

You will probably see a roach or two but you won't be overrun with them unless you're a total slob (which I doubt!).

I grew up in Florida and I can tell you that the heat certainly never kept us inside. My nieces play soccer year round in Florida and they're doing just fine. Just keep drinking water!

And good for you for wanting to keep your husband's commute short. I hope you find a great neighborhood close to his job. Sorry I can't help with the specifics but I didn't grow up in that area of Florida.

Lastly, your questions aren't strange at all!!

GoTravel

We have palmetto bugs and they are basically large flying cockroaches. They are not a sign of dirtyness, everyone has them but routine and regular pest control will keep them at bay.

It is the tropics, we do have lots of bugs but you really don't see them.

I'm not understanding why bugs would halt your move?

No, it isn't damp as someone said, AC takes care of that.

One thing to remember, the humidity makes your skin look and feel better!

321go

Lenlu, it's not the same kind of damp as the PNW experiences. And as others have pointed out, A/C keeps it at bay in your home.

Yes, palmetto bugs exist here, but no they won't be flying all over your house. Your realtor or new neighbors should be able to give you recommendations for what is known here as "the bug man." The bug man will make sure that the only bugs you will ever see (and that will be rare) will be dead ones. Think of it this way: there are no slugs here!

It sounds as though you're planning on buying, so do be sure to check on how much your homeowners insurance will cost before you buy your new home. The cost can vary quite a lot depending on the specific location and type of building. Then be sure to find out what your property taxes will be - if someone gives you the figure the current owners are paying, that won't help. Due to Florida's unusual property tax laws, your taxes will be different. Your realtor will be able to explain it to you.

Some other Florida advantages: take the words "overcast" and "drizzle" out of your vocabulary. You won't need them. And say goodbye to going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. Even in winter, daylight lasts much longer than it does in Seattle.

amcc

Don't worry about the bugs, I don't like them either and they aren't an issue generally. As someone mentioned, a good exterminator will take care of them. I haven't seen a roach in a while.

I have wood floors in my house as do many, many houses. The A/C is on practically everywhere, practically all the time so dampness is much less of a problem than you would think. Actually, getting used to the A/C (if you aren't) will probably be a bigger deal.

The neighborhoods I mentioned are within your commute time to downtown, so I would suggest you stick to areas in Miami-Dade County, probably south of downtown. Housing is expensive here, but prices are stabilizing after a couple of crazy years, so you will be coming in to the market at a better moment. There are thousands of new condos all over, but with kids, maybe you aren't interested. Other relocation threads here have mentioned that you might want to rent for a little while until you get your bearings and see the lay of the land, what neighborhoods appeal to you, traffic, older houses vs newer houses. It's a good idea worth considering.

Ask as many questions as you want, it is a big event you are doing.

Cimbrone

The nice neighborhoods in Miami-Dade county are Coral Gables, parts of Miami Beach, and Pinecrest. But you will be paying top dollar for the square foot in these historic neighborhoods. Your other options are further out in places like Miami Lakes and Doral. I would avoid Kendal unless you love sitting in traffic. Do be careful about the neighborhood you choose as it would not be hard to find areas where you would be one of VERY few English speakers. (I grew up in Miami and have lived in So. Florida all my life, so I know what I'm talking about.)

My mom lives in Pembroke Pines and commuting from this area is very popular. Personally, I hate it there. It's far from everything worth going to, especially the beach. And it's plastic, with cookie cutter houses and increasingly run down commercial areas.

Aventura is a nice area in north Miami-Dade County with high rise condos in your price range. You'll be paying a lot for maitenance though, and the congestion around Aventura is a nightmare.

I'm a high school teacher (in an A school), and I would suggest you put your kids in private schools if you can afford it. I've gone to and taught in public schools all of my life, and I think that the education kids get there is a joke. Yes, an A school is probably safer and the kids more economically advantaged, but they're the same holding pens as any other public school I've encountered. You can do better.

I don't mean to sound negative, but having lived in South Florida for 35 years, I am still not used to the Summers. In August, you can barely breathe.

Have you visited yet? It's a very strange place. I hope you end up liking it.

SoBchBud1

i just want to congratulate everyone who's contributed this thread. I've lived in the Miami area for the last twenty years, and can say all the responses have been right on the money. You might want to check out the up and coming neighborhoods just north of downtown ie: Miami Shores, Belle Meade, Bay Point, El Portal, etc. just do searches in the 33138, 33137, and 33161 area codes, three of the hottest real estate areas in the country. Although the real estate prices might seem a little high, the proximity to the central city can't be beat, and there are excellent private schools in the area like the Cushman School and Miami Country Day School. The vibe in this uppper eastide area of Miami is palpable as tons of new restaurants, stores, and young upscale families with kids move back into the area.

I don't want to scare you, but there are also little gecko lizards by the millions living right outside your house in all the tropical foliage. Its sometimes a challenge not to step on them as they scurry across your path.

lenlu

Can I just put you all on my direct dial list for moral support! Kidding. Okay, I'm going to check out all the links, zip codes, real estate brokers (I've been checking remax since I don't know the main local shop in Miami). To be clear, I'm completely wigged out about these said Palmetto bugs. Oh my GOSH. We have a few small spiders here and nothing else, not even mosquitoes. I think I saw one in Greece once on the sea wall in Mykonos. Gigantic roach. I'll never forget my shock. Seriously, I dread that. Perhaps the bug man can come twice a month? I moved out of an apartment once when I saw a smashable German roach. The little lizards are okay. Maybe living in a highrise condo will make this roach problem non existant? Do most people pay for private grade/high school? I ask because I hope to pay for college for my kids but paying their schooling from preschool through college? Thing is, my husband makes a pretty respectable income...I guess it's just inflation and life these days. Anyway, I'll be checking back. Many thanks.

Stephanie

If you like salsa music you'll love south florida. it was hard to find a radio station that had announcers speaking English. Maybe that is a good thing your children may become bilingual.

321go

Let's deal in facts. Of the 80+ radio stations listed here, 17 were listed as Spanish. That would appear to leave plenty of English-language stations.

http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/Miami_FL.aspx

No_name

I think Miami also has some of the best newscaster around. The NBC station has some of the best.
To find a "lizard" in you house is considered good luck, plus they eat the ants that can invade your kitchen.

Cimbrone

Stop worrying about the bugs. I can't remember the last time I saw a cockroach or palmetto bug in my house. I've been having a harder time with lizards lately. They're very hard to catch, and, unlike with bugs, I feel bad about it because I end up finding their dried up carcasses a few weeks later.

As far as schools are concerned, lots of people have their kids in public schools. I'm very unusual in my cynicism about public schools.

Have you considered homeschooling? There's a great network of homeschoolers out there who have coordinated field trips, get togethers, etc. It's not that the system is worse here than anywhere else (although, come to think of it, Florida does always fall at the bottom of the list in education). But do you really want strangers who are burdened with a ton of other students teaching your kids, when you and the right materials could do it better?

I've been to Seattle, and I love it, by the way. It's earthy and moody and poetic. Florida is spacey and polarized and frenetic. But it's not all bad. The weather has cooled off in the past couple of days, I went for a jog on the beach this morning, and the sunset tonight was spectacular.