Looking for Cheap Condos in Miami

**Catt** · 10-13-2011, 12:47 PM

yah, i tend to agree with your assessment sportf. it may not be a nice quiet family area with pretty big homes and manicured lawns, water views, parks and schools -- and you'll know more when you physically go there and check it out, and see how the vibe feels to you -- but i still think this particular area is not nearly as bad as the image people tend to have, lumping this part of NMB in with the rougher parts of Miami Gardens. yes it's not what ppl usually think about when they say they want to live in beauitful beachy Florida - but - perspective - at the same time, this piece of NMB is not as bad as, say, Bridgeport.

imho the area will really be OK for a young single guy just starting out here, as a way to get an inexpensive condo to start out in the Miami area. nothing says you must stay there forever. After you've been here a while and learn first-hand about the whole area, you'll know better where you might want to settle permanently; and if you have the means to buy a condo for cash, in and of itself that's INFINITELY better than renting when you first arrive. imho you'll be ahead of the game, cause when it comes time to buy your 'real' place, you'll already have equity.

**sportf190** · 10-14-2011, 04:06 PM

That's exactly my point ! Glad you understand, Ideally I don't want to live on south beach because other than price it is all tourist and want to actually make a living here and also want to be in between fort lauderdale and south beach. I know coming down here it won't be a vacation but i also love the fact that a 20 min drive to south beach on weekend puts me on vacation! Lol another thing I live in Ct now and where can you get a decent condo for 40k with low property taxes? No where most are 120 up to start. This is my dream to live in miami so im going to pursue it especially young and single where i can enjoy the latin women

..What is your face book ? Add me whitmorejoa@ccsu.edu

**Catt** · 10-14-2011, 04:29 PM

yeh, i get it!

ok - sent u an e-mail but it bounced back - you sure you typed that e-mail addy right?

**sportf190** · 10-15-2011, 12:04 AM

the email is for the facebook! just type it in the search function and my page should come up my name is john whitmore!... anyone else feel free to add me i am trying to get a pic up for this site... thanks

**Catt** · 10-15-2011, 12:51 AM

ok great, that worked...

**sportf190** · 10-25-2011, 03:40 PM

just to give everyone an update, i got an offer accepted on 1400 ne 191st st. a little nervous about making a move to miami but i know this is where i want to be being young single and running a business why wouldn't i want to be here. the complex is fourth horizons, has a pool and is close to aventura and the sky lakes mall, any one know where this is and any possible information?

**Christy** · 10-25-2011, 04:05 PM

Congrats on your offer getting accepted! If it's a short sale make sure you have a letter from the bank accepting the offer.

**dylan** · 10-25-2011, 04:07 PM

I think you might have to bump up the budget or just rent.

**sportf190** · 10-25-2011, 05:28 PM

Its. A bank foreclosure and why should I bump up the budget? Just curious as to what I am missing out on? Its a quiet area that is 15-20 min from south beach and 15im to hard rock casino has a pool and only owner occupants. The unit only has 2 others for sale so it doesn't have a bunch of foreclosures. I am looking for somewhere to stay and build my business and have south beach to party on. I have a car so transportation isn't an issue and dont want to live right on south beach.. Just trying to see the negatives on this..

rk · 10-29-2011, 11:14 AM

sportf, good luck with that. I did not follow this thread carefully, but did you buy that condo sight unseen? Seems a bit of a gamble. Let us know how it turns out. I don't know a lot about that area, but from the location would be mainly concerned about the noise from I-95, and the upkeep of the building.

**Catt** · 10-29-2011, 11:32 AM

you're not missing anything - being able to purchase a foreclosure for cash & have no mortgage to pay, puts you WAY ahead of the "new resident" game. Regardless if the place is not fabulous, if it has some highway noise, has no closet space, might have ugly paint or old kitchen appliances, is in an urban area, not a pretty, quiet, kid-safe, suburb with parks & good schools and all that -- you don't need those things in your circumstances. The negatives might be that the neighborhood itself isn't pretty, might be noisy, and might be more 'urban hood' than most ppl would feel comfortable with as their permanent living place.

but being able to own - outright - a condo right from jump, trumps ALL that stuff - and gives you the foot in the door, to start building equity immediately & allow you to focus all your energy on your business..... without having to waste any time pounding the pavement for that "perfect" rental. the way the market is right now with all these super-inexpensive foreclosures, I'd do the same thing in a heartbeat if I had the cash. And since you're in the real estate business, you could rent it out, flip it, or whatever, then move up to the perfect home after you've had time here to look around at your leisure, to know where you really want to settle.

can't wait to hear about the place!

**sportf190** · 11-03-2011, 10:38 PM

hey guys just to update everyone, i visited the condo on 1400 ne 191st st. this week and it was definltly not a GHETTO AREA! I drove west of 95 and that was where it was bad, but the area I can buy a condo for 36k to be exact was a decent area, not the best condo ( no beach view or excessive HOA features, BUT was in between two gorgeous lakes, close to sky lake malls, and 15 minutes from south beach and also close to the hard rock casino. THe location is great for me as I don't want to live on south beach and deal with tourists all day, just because i want to perminatly live here. I went to the gym in Bally in north miami beach definitely lower class people but then I went to LA fitness right across from me and was definitely a lot nicer and met a few people. A couple of things I noted the area is very diverse and I shouldn't have a problem adjusting just not use to it over here in CT, and the driving can be rough, I also understand that I was a "dumb" tourist and had no idea where i was going so i would suddenly stop and drive slow but once I get used to it I figure i will be fine. I went to the hollywood boardwalk which was beautiful and also visited south beach. Parked by 6th st. parking garage only 1$ an hour not bad at all. I walked in the Aventura mall was nice mall with tons of stores. The pizza is not like CT but that is all we have up here lol. The only negatives I can see are maybe the homeless people may be frustrating, me adjusting to the diversity of miami, the traffic seems rough especially on miami gardens dr. and by my area. Other than that I think the positives far outweigh the negatives of me sticking around CT. Fact is I can buy a condo cheap, enjoy beautiful weather/scenary Flat out gorgeous down here compared to NOrtheast, have great nightlife, run a business, and meet new people from all over the world. I am definitely nervous about moving but again at 23 being young and single where else would be a better place to live, and I know most people have moving fears but it is normal

any opinions thanks

rk · 11-04-2011, 12:03 AM

Wonderful. Do keep us updated about the area once you move in.

**THOMASAM** · 02-02-2012, 09:30 AM

Hey John. I'm a philly pa.transplant. Your property finds are pretty good. Realestate is hard on its ass down here,as hard or harder than most of the U.S.. nNot to discourage you. I don't think, actually I'm sure R.E. hasn't hit bottom yet, which would and should be a really good thing for newer investors. I think you may already know, but this state is running rampant with short sale scams!! Massive time wasters . Study the foreclosure rules /laws down here they've been changing.No matter what you do, stay as busy as you can no matter what you have to do. I never thought I'd say this,but condo flipping /renting may be the safest /smartest thing to do for a while. Other than that, i don't know how many friends you have in CT.,hopefully not many. Because most likely about 4to 6 mon'ths in you will start missing them severely. If you're lucky you might be able to lure 1 or 2 of them down. Go for it!!! and. Good luck. PS. You should be nervous / excited but you can drink yourself through that!