Looking for Cheap Condos in Miami

[sportf190]

hey everyone I am looking to move down to miami in the month or two. I am going to be renting a furnished apartment for 2 months while i place offers on condos to move here and run my real estate business down here.


as far as meeting people i am concerned I won't have guys to go out with down here. I definitely am moving mainly for the sunny warm weather, scenery, gorgeous latin girls, fact I can spend my weekend on south beach and it is only 15-25 minutes away for a vacation, cheap condos in NE miami dade ( I can buy one cash 25-35k and live off just HOA fees taxes, electric and small bills etc.) Compared to Connecticut high housing prices, expensive taxes etc. and of course the fact that i am 23 and want to be at south beach or fort lauderdale clubs on the weekends =).

my concern is meeting guys who have similar interests in me.. weightlifting, sports, meeting girls etc.

I was here in August and didn't have much trouble meeting people but am actually concerned about the locals as it is always nice to have a few guys to get beers with and go to the clubs and bars..

what do you guys think about my plan and about meeting people?

[Carlos Miller]

The best thing to do is join http://meetup.org and find your interest. That's a great way to start because you'll meet people like yourself who want to meet others.

But other than that, it takes time as it does everywhere else.

[sportf190]

ok thanks carlos, what is your opinion on these condos for 25-35k? I have mixed reviews, but one complex OLA condos which is on this forum has some units for 28k, 1 bed 1 bath in north miami is this the slummy area? My research shows it is more carol city, little haita, miami gardens etc. I am planning on coming down anyways but don't want to get my hopes up you know?

[Carlos Miller]

Condos in that price range sound too good to be true. Carol City, Little Haiti and Miami Gardens are not the best areas. Very high-crime.

[Jess]

i am concerned I won't have guys to go out with down here. I definitely am moving mainly for the sunny warm weather, scenery, gorgeous latin girls

my concern is meeting guys who have similar interests in me.. weightlifting, sports, meeting girls etc.

Honestly, nearly ALL the guys here in South Beach are like that. So I don't think you'll have any trouble at all.

[Christy]

Hey sportf,

Do you really think you can really get something livable for $25K-$35K?

[Doug]

Only if Monica Brown is the agent...

[Catt]

LOL doug!

sportf i've been perusing realtor.com for months and have seen only crappy junk for anything less than about 70-K. of course i'm not in the R.E business, so i'm not as savvy as someone in the industry, and of course don't have access to foreclosed property info like a realtor might have...

and mind you i have no problem with North Miami, North Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, or even Opa-locka. These areas get a horrible rep on all the Miami boards, but I spend a lot of time in those places - my band rehearsal hall is over there as are most of my friends; and yeh, they're definitely the 'hood' - but really not much different from West Philly where i grew up. Maybe not advisable for, say, a family with children, but for a young single guy with a priority of saving money, they might not be all that bad as a 'foot-in-the-door' property.

but still - anything i've seen for less than about 75-K were in areas even too crappy for me, or looked too rundown to buy.

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edit:

i have to eat my own words.

i just went and took a look on realtor.com and there actually ARE some fairly decent foreclosure listings in NE Dade for around 35-K.... saw a 1-br condo at 126th and NE 16th Ave.... pretty much at Biscayne Blvd and 126th. it's technically 'North Miami' but not what i'd call a "really bad" location, although it's a suburban strip-mall kind of atmosphere around there. not at all fancy, but imho it looked not bad at all for the OP's stated objectives.

so sportf imho you might actually have a point there..... but i do think it would be a good idea to check specific addresses on the map for the areas you're considering, to see the exact locations, and inquire about them individually. on that side of town, neighborhoods within just a few blocks of each other can be very different in terms of relative safety, crime, etc.

[sportf190]

thanks catt for the great post! i will give you the address of the properties i am looking at now and you can let me know what you think as well =).. I want to be in Miami so bad and run a business but i definitley want to pick up a condo in this cheap market now.. here is what i have found

one on ne 151th right below s gables dr., north miami beach 2 bed/ 2 bath/ asking 33k
right below NE 169th st.

one on NE191st and ne 171st on the corner by victory park north miami beach, subdivision jade wings 33k

i am getting these listings on

http://dneser.areaprorealtyftlauderd...tyid/F1157115/

let me know what you think !

[sportf190]

Also another great site is some bank owned properties www.homepath.com, go to dade county sort by price and you can see what i mean, of course these are cash deals so most people can't do this but still

[ikon12]

It actually doesn't surprise me that there are such cheap deals around. There have been a few foreclosures in the Flamingo for not much over $120k (which would usually be listed at more than double that), so it makes sense to me that stuff in North Miami etc. would be priced so low. The deals are definitely there for cash buyers.

[Catt]

that Jade winds subdivision is IMHO an OK area, again kinda regular suburban, not fancy, maybe kinda hoodish to most people's way of thinking but not what i'd call a 'really bad' area. I think it would be worth checking that one out. and hey you'd be near a walmart supercenter.

- can you post a better street address for the other property?

[sportf190]

http://dneser.areaprorealtyftlauderd...tyid/A1559816/,

yeah that is it!

also the OLA condos
here they are

http://www.bocaagency.com/MLS/Commun...do&city=NMIAMI

[Catt]

ah - Glades Drive, lol, no wonder i had no idea where 'Gables' Drive was. lol

same general area as Jade Wings but further south. near 163rd st. which is a main street, more urban with some traffic; and even CLOSER to that Walmart, hehe. still, imho also worth looking at.

OLA condos are a little further west, that area's a little more hoodish, but still east of 95, and still not 'really bad' in my opinion. that's right around where you start to have more of an immigrant population. to some that's a bad thing and a red flag, but this is right around where all my friends live, LOL, and i kinda love that Caribbean/Haitian thing, so if it was me, - and i'm a single woman - I would still find it worth a look to see how the vibe feels... just depends upon your personal preference and what you're comfortable with.

[sportf190]

ok awesome, I am not really concerned about views and things like that just a decent area, where i can own something and be close to south beach and have a pool are my big concerns. my focus is more on my business more, but i definitely want to buy a condo cash and not rent, since i would just be paying HOA fees and can enjoy the miami weather.. and yes that walmart may come in handy for my food! lol

anyone have advice on gyms? i see 24 hour fitness and bally are around here as well as gold's.

[Catt]

Planet Fitness is right there too on 163rd & 16th Ave; close to the Glades Dr. condo

LA Fitness around there also, 123rd & 18th Ave

[sportf190]

awesome thanks catt one more condo complex i found that is nice is also across from publix on miami gardens dr. it is called skylakes seems like a good area you know where i am talking about ?

also only 6 minutes from bally and planet fitness about 20-25 from south beach and 30-35 from fort lauderdale which seems perfect....

[Catt]

Yep, Skylake condo's are the same general area as jade winds, just a little further west

[Carlos Miller]

I would really like to follow your story if you move to Miami Gardens because we're always preaching against it. Maybe it's not as bad as they say, as long as you keep your nose clean.

You do get a lot of shootings but maybe that is just drug dealers killing each other.

[sportf190]

the area i am talking about is east of 95 and actually considered north miami beach, across from the complex is tj maxx, publix, la fitness etc. from what i heard the bad areas are west of 95 and after using google maps it seems like a decent area, across from a bunch of stores and some small little houses on north miami beach.. i will keep you updated!