Sun, sand, bikinis and bass… sounds like a music video, or perhaps your new backyard! Miami Beach is an exciting mix of modern luxury and eclectic architecture. Whichever piece of it you prefer to partake in, Miami Beach is anything but ordinary. Living in a place where most people only ever dream of vacationing is certainly appealing, but if you’re going to make paradise your permanent address, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the ideal pad. So grab your sunscreen, down a café con leche and let’s find you your perfect Miami Beach apartment!
Many Miami Beach apartments are owned individually, even in the large buildings
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Miami Beach Apartments
Sun, sand, bikinis and bass… sounds like a music video, or perhaps your new backyard! Miami Beach is an exciting mix of modern luxury and eclectic architecture. Whichever piece of it you prefer to partake in, Miami Beach is anything but ordinary. Living in a place where most people only ever dream of vacationing is certainly appealing, but if you’re going to make paradise your permanent address, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the ideal pad. So grab your sunscreen, down a café con leche and let’s find you your perfect Miami Beach apartment!
The Renting Game
Many Miami Beach apartments are owned individually, even in the large buildings. This leaves the final say on terms up to the individual owner, making negotiating possible and even expected. You never know when you’ll find an owner who is looking for a particular kind of tenant or who will give you a price-break if you maintain their lawn or some other situation that will work in your favor. Don’t be afraid to ask!
Private ownership also means most owners can’t afford to or don’t want to lose a month’s rent, so they’ll expect you to move in quickly. Most application processes take a week or two, and many owners will want you to move in (and start paying rent) no more than two weeks after that process is complete. Places enter and exit the market quickly, so looking at specific units months in advance is not recommended.
The standard dough required to secure a place is first month’s rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit, but again, in Miami Beach, rules are meant to be broken.
The Lay of the Sand
Miami Beach is a barrier island connected to the mainland by bridges, with the Atlantic Ocean to its east and Biscayne Bay to its west.
In most areas of the beach you will find units big and small, new and old.
So where should you lay down your towel (and all your other stuff)?
South Beach (SoBe): 1st -23rd street
South Beach is considered by some to be the heartbeat of the beach. It has the best nightlife, and bars. (Fun fact: Many South Beach clubs stay open till 5 am.) South Beach sports an art deco style, meaning you can find many older buildings amongst the newer luxury lining the water.
SoFi: South of 5th street- SoFi is at the tip of the island with water on all three sides.
Mid Beach (don’t you dare call it MiBe): 23rd- 46th street
Here you will be able to find more single-family homes and spacious residences. There are also golf courses in this area. FortyFirst to 62nd street and Collins Ave is the location of Millionaires Row, a recently revamped area of luxury apartments and hotels. Home to the Alexander Hotel and the famous Fontainebleau. The night life tend to remain within the resorts, leaving a more calm, residential feel to the rest of the area.
North Beach (NoBe): 46th-88th street
North Beach is more similar to Mid Beach than South. Here you will find Miami Modern Architecture, dubbed MiMo, including a protected MiMo district from 63rd to 71st street. Residents enjoy performances in the neighborhood at the North Shore Bandshell, an outdoor amphitheater at the beautiful North Shore Park.
(Note: The North Beach section of Miami Beach is not the same thing as North Miami Beach, which is an entirely different city. This slippery syntax could leave some dazed and confused, but have no fear oh wise apartmentlist.com seeker, we will steer you clear!)
Don’t forget to ask about:
Parking- In Miami Beach, finding an affordable unit with a parking spot is a bit like finding the Loch Ness monster in your bath tub or the fairy queen in your flower pot – difficult, but possible if you just believe. Parking options run from neighborhood decals to valet, so be sure to ask.
Do I even need a car? While much of the beach area is walkable/bikeable (Miami Beach even has a new bike sharing program called Decobike), if you want to voyage into Miami proper for work or fun, life will be difficult without a car. Miami does have several public transportation systems though.
Air-conditioning- Miami Beach really is the city where the heat is on, with average highs in the 80s seven months out of the year. (In other news, the average daily temperature in January is 73 degrees. Northerners rejoice!) Here, the type and efficiency of your air-conditioning unit will affect your comfort level and your utility bill, so take good ‘ol Will Smith’s word on it and ask about a/c.
Amenities- In Miami Beach, amenity options run the gamut from a washing machine in the alley to full gyms, pools and in-building dry cleaners. You’ll want to take amenities into account when considering apartment values and what’s important to you.
There you have it, my beach lovin’ amigo and we wish you mucho luck. With that last bit of Spanglish, we send you on your way, ready to ride the waves of your apartment search with ease!
