WESTSIDE
ESTATE AGENCY

Beverly Hills · Malibu

WESTSIDE ESTATE AGENCY

Beverly Hills · Malibu

A Complete Guide For Moving To Miami

Miami, Florida can be described as a vibrant city, rich in culture and plentiful in sun. Before you make a decision regarding any move, you should thoroughly research your potential new city. After all, discovering that you hate your new location while you’re in the middle of unpacking is never ideal.

Fortunately, nobody hates Miami. The atmosphere and vibe make it impossible. The Miami way of life is as laid back as it can get. Beautiful beaches are jam-packed daily with tourists and a few of the 400,000 people who are proud to call this wonderful city home. Chances are if you’re planning on moving here, it’s probably because you’ve been here before.

If not, well then, you’re in for a real treat.

A Different Cuisine

Moving new Miami brings a whole new world of food. The culture cuisine pulls heavy influences from Latin America. Try to branch out from the pricier restaurants that you’ll find along Miami Beach. Like any famous city, Miami has it’s tourist traps, and once you’ve established residency, you’ll be skilled in avoiding them.

Once you’ve honed this skill, you’ll come across food trucks and hidden gem cafes that have food and service like you won’t find on the main strip. If you get the chance, try anything and everything Cuban. Miami, though diverse, is known for Cuban food.

Be sure to add Calle Ocho to your list of places to see. Rich in Cuban culture, food, and politics, many Miami residents are regulars here, and you don’t want to miss out on the Calle Ocho music festival.

Depending on where you’re moving from, you’ll probably revel in a little sticker shock when it comes to buying tropical fruit. The prices are ridiculously affordable. Be prepared to eat your weight in mangoes when they come into season. They’re delicious!

Culture Shock

Miami can induce a bout of culture shock to many of its new residents. Much of the population is Latino, and that heavily influences the way of life in the most amazing ways. From fine dining to festivals, music, and art, the Latin America influence is always present.

In fact, you’ll find that starting your new life in Miami might be a bit easier if you take a few Spanish classes! Much of the population speaks it, so you’ll put it to good use. Not only are you branching out and making it possible to connect with people of different backgrounds and cultures, but many employers in Miami are searching for bilingual candidates. It’s win-win!

Speaking of employment…

You’ll find that the career folk are a bit different in Miami. They want to know more about you and less about your job, which is an incredibly refreshing way of life. Making time to work and time to play is essential to Miami life, and it gives co-workers a chance to become true friends. In and out of the office.

Moving to Miami means that you’ll be late for work. Probably often. This is not because you’re lackadaisical about time efficiency, but because Miami traffic can be downright awful.

Business associates, friends, and family won’t mind waiting for you, because they live in Miami too and they’re probably also late. Sometimes traffic can be pretty unexpected, so it’s not even a matter of giving yourself enough time to get where you need to be. It’s all about embracing that laid back Miami vibe.

Miami has an incredible art culture. The design district alone has tourists and residents alike flocking to take in the scene. Art Basel, one of the main Miami attractions when it comes to art, boasts galleries from all over the world. North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa (among others) are all represented at Art Basel.

A whole new generation of emerging artists is able to be accessed here. Nothing is off-limits, including sculptures, photos, and films. You’ll be able to spend hours wandering the exhibition hall. Even long-time Miami residents have a hard time pulling themselves away from everything to be seen at Art Basel.

It’s all part of one of the greatest melting-pot cultures in the world.

The Climate

If you’re moving from a colder climate (like New York, Maine or Michigan) be prepared to sweat. You’ll get used to it in no time, but here in Miami, we love hot and humid weather. Sure, you might prefer to spend a little more time in the gym, but you’ll also find that 70 degrees will feel chilly.

It won’t take long for you to get used to the regular appearance of alligators, especially on the outskirts of the city. They prefer to keep to themselves, and as long as you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.

Miami also falls victim to the occasional hurricane, so if natural disasters are not high on your list of preferences for your new home, you might want to keep more inland, even though hurricanes are not limited to the beach.

Hurricane season ranges from August to October, and as you settle into life in Miami you’ll learn all about the preparedness of the community.

Education is the best route to take in this situation, and hurricanes rarely deter anyone from living in Miami. If you’re buying a home, be sure that you’re aware of where it sits in the floodplain. Also, homeowners insurance that includes flood coverage is a must-have.

The Cost Of Living

Living in Miami can get pretty pricey, but overall, it’s only about 15% higher than the national average, which is very reasonable for a beachfront city in high demand. The reason for your move, as well as who is making the move with you, will determine where you live.

Income, family size, and location will all help you to figure out how much it will cost you to live in Miami.  Like the rest of the United States, housing is what you’ll spend the most money on. With Miami, you’ll find that the higher cost of living is definitely worth the perks, such as Florida’s notoriously low taxes.

Making The Miami Move

If you already live in the United States, Miami is just a short plane ride away. You’ve gained familiarity with the culture, the people, the climate and the way of life. Now it’s time to move your things.

While micro-apartment units are popping up all over Miami, much of the living space in the city is somewhat sprawling. There are luxury apartments everywhere, offering panoramic views and high-end amenities.

Whatever space you’ve chosen, decide what you’re bringing with you and find a company to ship it, websites like a1autotransport.com can provide general ballpark quotes on shipping your household goods as well as your car.

Even with the endless traffic, you’ll find that you’ll want your car while living in Miami. Having a personal vehicle will bring you the freedom to hit the beach whenever you want if you live inland, without having to use public transportation.

On that note, the city of Miami does have a great (air-conditioned) public transportation system. Many use it successfully, but if you have a car, bring it.

Living in Miami is a life-changing experience. Once you’ve settled in, you’ll never want to leave. Each day brings warmth, sunshine, new experiences and the chance to hit the beach right after work.

You’ll never face one second of boredom when you live in Miami. The welcoming diversity will make you feel like you belong as soon as you arrive.




Let's Connect ...

OOPS.
There was an error sending your message. Please try again later or call us.
THANK YOU.
We've received your inquiry. Someone will contact you soon!

Beverly Hills

460 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 247-7770

Malibu

3900 Cross Creek Road #5
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-1171