Living in Miami?

Hi to my fav degenerates,


What is it like to live in Miami (Brickell, near the canal)? Cost of living? do people need cars or is it like living in dense SF /NY ? Is there a strong professional community there? Trashy? Nice? I literally know nothing about it besides going there once for spring break in college. From what I remember very hot and full of hot Latinas.


I am debating taking a role in industrial cre dev & acquisitions. Thanks for any insight 

 
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Hi there. Went to University of Miami and worked there for a year after I graduated. Miami is very spread out. its not a walkable city as you'll come to find out since the different sections are pretty far apart. You can walk from Brickell to downtown, but to get to Wynwood or the Design District or over to Miami Beach you really need to drive. There's a metro rail but it's not that great. It can take you from Downtown to Coral Gables, Dadeland, Kendall, but thats about it.
Brickell is a nice place to live but super expensive. I lived downtown which is not as nice but there's a lot of new construction up around Bayfront Park. Most apartments typically have pools. Nightlife is also pretty expensive. be ready to pay $50+ for tickets or at the door to get into most clubs and then $20 bucks for a drink. It is a ton of fun tho to go to LIV, Story, or Elleven. Wharf is fun on Fridays for dollar beers from 4pm-7pm but its going to be crowded with UMiami kids. Also take advantage of the beach. South Pointe Park is a nice area in South Beach and Crandon Park in Key Biscayne is a decent beach. 

 
cdeezy

do people need cars or is it like living in dense SF /NY

NYC you don't need a car, but Miami is all about flashy cars. You go to the club and all the fancy cars are parked out front. I would assume chicks generally like a guy with a nice car in Miami moreso than other cities.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Above covers it. Miami has a decent professional crowd but it is overwhelmed with tourists and "transients" - not using as an offensive term, but more people who are living there for a year or two max and not people you'll be lifelong friends with. If you already have friends and connections there, it's fine - if no friends, work hard to meet other professionals through networks or other gatherings as you're unlikely to just organically meet them out and about.

Cost of living is insane. No taxes is nice but apartment rental prices are just a tick lower vs NYC. You will definitely need a car to do just about anything - but wouldn't say parking is too bad like in many other metro areas.

Feels like Vegas ever since Covid with all the uptick in travel if that's a helpful comparison.

Array
 

The several comments above did a good job covering much of your questions. I know I'm late, but wanted to add my experience as well:

Walkability: I think the answer really depends on where you live/work. If you live and work in Brickell, you can absolutely walk most days without driving a car. Brickell/Downtown can be walkable as well - going to Heat games from Brickell is a decent walk but easier than driving. Generally, I would advise someone considering a move to bring a car. If you want to go anywhere outside of Brickell/Downtown, you'll need one. Plus, there are tons of cool places to visit within driving distance (the Keys, Fort Lauderdale, everything in between). The metro is fine but really needs expansion to be more practical (connections to downtown Coral Gables and Miami Beach). The Brightline train is generally useless, but convenient if you want to get to West Palm during rush hour.

Cost of Living: Expensive. Rents are pretty outrageous relative to a couple years ago - should be (and is) considered amongst the most expensive rents in the US. Food/drink prices aren't better either. Restaurants and bars are a big part of the Miami atmosphere. Expect to pay $20 per cocktail. Don't expect much relief from a cost of living perspective relative to where you are now, though no state income taxes certainly helps. Lots of aggressive landlords.

Professional Environment: Pretty good but intermingled with people just passing through. Miami is a large RE hub, though from what I've heard, without many junior roles. I think Miami is gradually trending toward more young professionals relocating to the area, but my gut says that much of the professional network started via senior employees relocating on their own and working semi-remote. Brickell has a decent amount of young professionals, though they are getting squeezed out due to rent prices. Will be very interesting to see how Miami changes over the next few years with more and more firms moving to the area. I would say the professional community is not as developed as other large cities, though trying to become better connected. Most of the connections in the city are held amongst the older/wealthier individuals (and there are many).

Weather: Weather is fantastic. Winter days are in the 70s while summer days are in the 90s. Almost always sunny. Very hot most of the year but with a nice breeze due to proximity to ocean. Most people in downtown areas spend the weekends at the beach or their apartment rooftop pools. Tons of outdoor activities if you're into that. I personally think Miami (with its buildings, wildlife, bright colors) is one of the most beautiful places in the US. However, lots of snowbirds (people moving down seasonally during the winter).

General: Miami feels almost more like Europe than the US. You will hear several languages spoken anywhere you go. Heavy focus on restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. Tons of fancy cars. Huge proportion of both the people and dollars flowing into Miami are foreign (part of why the real estate market is so expensive now). Big focus on appearance (clothes, shoes, haircuts, etc). People also stare at you for uncomfortably long amounts of time (I think it has to do with sizing up / focus on image). Brickell/Downtown is very nice, not trashy. Obviously has some homeless, but I feel less than other large cities. Miami Beach is known to be the trashier area, and historically, fairly violent.

Gave it a shot but happy to answer any specific questions. Generally, I think it's a great place to live if you can stomach the cost of living and the European feel.

 

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