Should I move to Miami? (Tampa, Orlando: rent, transfer, school)

[rose1222]

31 year old, single female.
From Orlando, FL, but moved to NYC for work immediately after school - Lived in NYC 6 years.
Contemplating a move back to FL, and potentially Miami.

Reasons:
Tired of NYC / Not in love with NYC - weather, rent hikes, crowds, smokers, filthy streets.
Right timing - My company is moving locations and this is the time to ask the boss for a transfer / working remotely.
Be somewhat closer to family - without dealing with flights.

Needs:
Want to live in a place that is clean, peaceful, quiet (I'll likely be working from home), but close enough to young professionals.
Would love a place near the water (not necessarily a crowded beach, but a canal would be great).
Someplace close to a Whole Foods, farmer's market and/or gym / studio.
Prefer somewhere where the traffic isn't too crazy - I need to get on a highway to see family quickly (they still live in Orlando) without dodging through crowded streets for 45 minutes.

Concerns:
Are there any single professionals in their 30s in Miami?
I keep hearing about how Miami is very looks-obsessed and pretentious. I'd like to believe otherwise. Thoughts?
Not into partying, drinking, drugs, etc. Very much into health / fitness, cooking, yoga, etc. - would it be possible to find a large enough group of people that are interested in the same?
What is the dating scene like?

Can afford:
Approx. $1000-1600 in rent (including any fees / utilities) for a 1 or 2-bedroom.

Potential areas I had considered: North Miami Beach, Coconut Grove.

I have to make a decision in about a month! Will be visiting FL next week. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[11KAP]

Why not? If you love florida, go for it. Don't hesitate and miss out on your chance to return.

Miami is a big city compared to Orlando tho, so keep that in mind.
You might eventually want to get a car, if you don't have one already.

[ace587]

Coconut Grove

[rose1222]

Any thoughts on Aventura or Sunny Isles?

[ace587]

Originally Posted by rose1222

Any thoughts on Aventura or Sunny Isles?

those also work. Coconut Grove is closer to downtown though. Ives Dairy Road can be a pain sometimes. Just gotta go on the highway at the right time of the day

[ruski]

Sunny Isles is nice and clean, very city-like. But expensive.

[StarfishKey]

There are a ton of single professionals in their 30s in Brickell. Might be on the edge of your price range though.

Miami is not known really to be quiet, peaceful, or clean. And it's full of crazy traffic. But that doesn't mean you can't find a quiet space that suits you in all the chaos.

The closer to the beach, the more superficial and materialistic people tend to be.

Perhaps you would like something closer to Ft. Lauderdale?

I don't know of a place that exactly fits what you're looking for, but I would say that Key Largo is much more like what you're looking for, except the dating scene for 20/30-somethings is not going to be much. There's even a yoga studio, if not more than one. Islamorada has a few and has more of a boutique atmosphere but that's probably too far for you.

If you can't do Coconut Grove (which is great but not quiet), maybe Pinecrest would fit the yoga and Whole Foods and quietness, without the dating scene though.

Sorry - I think I get what you're looking for, but don't know of a place that fits all of it. If you're willing to trailblaze though, you can make a location more like what you want - there are a ton of people wanting to move to the Miami looking for the same things you're looking for. It would be really popular if somebody can make it happen. A little bit like up-and-coming Brooklyn in Miami, if you'll pardon the comparison. Yoga, organic food, tons of young people, parks, water, and outdoor activities. Friendliness and things to do, with rents that have not yet reached outrageous and thus brought on the Park Slope crowd with their noses in the air pushing you out onto the street.

[r_k]

Keep in mind "North Miami Beach" and "North Beach" are different places. The former is on the mainland, while the latter is in Miami Beach.

[sportf190]

Yeah, North Beach refers to Miami Beach and is more towards the Bel Harbour shops I believe, North Miami Beach is right around 163rd up until 185th a decent area to live in. But definitely go for it! You only live once and in my opinion if you can afford it Miami is one of the best places to live in world if your single and young! I looked into Rio which I would compare Miami with but was too third world for it, and one of my friends lived there 10 years said Miami he liked better since we get people from all over the world.. (Most people in RIO were from South America tourists etc.

[dblack86]

Orlando and Miami are vastly different. Perhaps you should come down for a visit and look around.
There are some really great places in Miami, but if you want the calm and quiet, you will probably need to stay in your bubble (as someone said earlier, the traffic is terrible). That may be entirely possible since you are working from home. If you don't mind being a little farther from the water, check out South Miami. I like that area a lot.
Also, consider other parts of Florida as well. Look farther north in South Florida (check out Delray Beach), Ft Meyers, Tampa, or even some beach town farther north.
The only reason why I would say Miami isn't for you, is because it is very expensive to live here, and if you are working from home, you could live in a real great area in a different part in Florida.