Settled in 1900, the neighborhood of Goulds, Florida grew from one apartment building, a post office and a grocery store into a thriving small town in the suburbs of Miami.
Goulds, Florida, is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, which is located on the Atlantic Ocean side of south Florida. Its location surrounding the Dixie Highway, or Route 1, makes it a convenient place to live if you need to commute into Magic City for work or if you simply want to go for the nightlife and beaches. With about 7,500 people calling the three-square-mile section of Florida home, you'll be able to enjoy a small-town feel while being situated close to a big city.
Moving to Goulds
Living in Miami isn't cheap, but the good news is that rental homes in Goulds are priced a bit lower than those in many of the surrounding areas. This makes the town a nice place to live in while commuting to the pricier parts of the city. Most of what you will find for rent in Goulds will consist of single-family homes, or maybe duplexes. If you are intent on renting an apartment or finding a studio to rent, you may need to go to the nearby neighborhood of Homestead. High-rise apartments aren't going to be found in this section of the county; for those, you'll need to look at the actual city of Miami.
If renting a house sounds like your idea of the perfect housing situation, you're in the right place. Realize that in most cases, you will be responsible for your own lawn care. Not that you'll have to do it yourself if you don't want to; many homeowners and tenants choose to hire out the mowing to various landscaping companies in the area. Also, before you sign a lease, find out whether your new home has a well or is on city water. If it's the former, find out from the landlord how to handle the water treatment system. While one downside to well water is that you'll have to add a softening agent, the good news is that you won't have a water bill!
Neighborhoods in Goulds
Because Goulds is just three square miles in area, there aren't really designated neighborhoods to speak of. The whole neighborhood is pretty walkable, with a WalkScore of 52. This means that you will benefit from having a car, but if you don't have one, either temporarily or permanently, you can probably make do using your own two feet. The closer you live to Route 1, the easier it will be to hoof it to your various errands and destinations. Keep this in mind if you are moving without a vehicle.
If you do have regular access to a car, however, choosing an area on the basis of convenience will probably have to do with where you plan to go for work and perhaps for recreation. The area is surrounded by several major roads, including the Dixie Highway (aka Rt. 1), Rt 821 and, to the north, Rt. 994. If you are new to the area, find out which road is best to take to your workplace, and choose a rental location accordingly to shave a few minutes off your commute.
Living in Goulds
In Goulds itself, you will have several options for grabbing a bite to eat or spending any money burning a hole in your pocket. Fast food faves like Wendy's, Subway and Burger King are located conveniently in town, as is Food For Your Mood and the Village Chalet Restaurant. You'll find plenty of places to spend your spare change along the Dixie Highway, including Macy's, Sears, Aeropostale and Family Dollar.
If you want to live in the midst of a big city, then Goulds might be a bit too removed from that scene. If you are looking for a quieter place to live, away from the big city traffic and congestion, then this might be just the place you're looking for! It will take you about a half hour to get to downtown Miami, assuming you don't hit gridlock on the way.
Living in South Florida, seeing bronzed bodies and turquoise surf may be more of what you're looking for. In Goulds, you're about 45 traffic-free minutes from Miami Beach, but you can get to the white-sand Matheson Hammock Beach more quickly, as it's only 12 miles away. For a super quick jaunt to a swimming place with sand, you're only ten minutes away from Larry and Penny Thompson Park, which features an inland lake.