Frank Said:

Do people live in downtown Miami?

We Answered:

Miami is beautiful! I am a paralegal and made the choice to move there but for personal reasons had to return. I was on a job interview in downtown Miami and saw alot of run down apartment complexes, but I dont recall high residency. Miami is pretty big and you can certainly find something reasonable in the City of Miami. I myself was apartment hunting and found some good deals. Best wishes! I hope to return there myself! ( I am soooo jealous)!

Judy Said:

Does any body know about student houseing in Miami?

We Answered:

There is no student housing unless u planning to stay on a dorm in campus. There is some relatively cheap apartments around. My aunt is a real estate agent so she could help you

Theresa Said:

Can anybody give me some tips as to how to find cheap housing in Miami?

We Answered:

To start the search for their new/next residence
http://craigslist.org

http://realtor.com

If you're looking for a rating for a particular apartment complex, maybe this site will help:
http://apartmentratings.com/

Once you find that property and are approved, to protect your deposits:
As soon as you get those keys, don't move anything into the property until you prepare a list of everything wrong with the property.

Make it perfectly clear you will not be responsible for any pre-existing conditions or needed repairs.

Here's what I suggest:

Go in defensively! Protect yourself and your deposits!

Whatever is told to you which is not in the lease, send the landlord or agent a letter explaing those things as you see and understand them - from your perspective!

This includes repairs, paint, painting, pets, etc. Sign and date the list. Bring or mail it to the landlord or agent. You should do this within 5 calendar days (days in a row).

To increase the likelihood of having as much of your deposits as possible returned to you, you should make a list of everything wrong with the property. No matter how minor or unimportant the repair, situation or problem may seem to be, put it on the list! When its not on the list, its your responsibility. In other words, when you move from the property, it will be deducted from your deposits. When damages are more than the deposits, you will be responsible for any and all additional money.

B] For the list to be easily read and understood, please clearly print or type the list.
Each room or area should have its own heading or title. List all problems in that room or area. Do the same for the next room or area and the next. Do not forget ceilings, walls, floors, closets, doors [front and back], windows, stairways, halls, attic, basement, garage storage shed and, when applicable, any outbuildings; the outside of the house, condominium or apartment.

C] List appliances not properly working, leaking faucets, "running" toilets; spots, burns, stains and tears on rugs; cracks on ceilings, walls and floors; chipped, missing and broken tile; cracked, stuck, broken or missing windows and screens; and all other problems as they appear in that room or area. Nails, nail holes and stuck, missing, cracked or broken windows may be in each room or area. DO NOT leave them out or forget them. Put them on the list. Be as specific and clear as possible.

You may also wish to take pictures, too.
Get duplicates. sign and date originals & duplicates. Send the originals to the owner or agent.

Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it!

VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name!

Alice Said:

Are people really living in Downtown Miami?

We Answered:

Downtown Miami looks like Dubai. It is a sea of construction cranes & new high rises. There are some 25,000 newly constructed condos coming on the market in the next two years; that's in addition to the 10,000 or so already on the market. About half of these are in the "downtown" market which is defined as from about NE 20th St south to Brickell Blvd & Coral Way. This should be the greatest buyers' or tenants' market of all time. I know of several condo buyers who can't flip their units & are renting for hundreds less than their carrying costs. What is even better is that Miami now has an excellent downtown mass transit system You can get from anywhere downtown to the Civic center (where most state lawyers work) by metro-mover (free) & metro-rail (1.25 or lower for a monthly pass). Downtown is also close to the causeway so girlfriend will have a short drive to SoBe -- preferably against the traffic. Miami's downtown used to be absolutely dead at night; but it now has considerable life & is rapidly moving forward. Still, it is presently a work early in progress & much of the infrastructure is of the "coming soon" variety. If you don't want to live in the construction zone, Brickell is pretty much built up or you can even live in SoBe. As long as you are renting you have the felxibility to change after a year.

Chris Said:

I am considering attending a university in north miami, but being an international student im pretty clueless?

We Answered:

My cousin goes to school in north miami (JWU). He showed me the campus, the dorms where he spent his freshman year, and his crib off campus. It seemed like a real nice area to me, but then again I haven't lived in many nice neighborhoods myself so w/e

Clayton Said:

Moving to miami, want to now about miami, scene, culture, student life, housing, etc.?

We Answered:

Ok school wise, the most popular college is Miami dade college. its a community college, anyone can get in, and its really good it offers EVERYTHING in the world literately. from associates, to bachelors, to everything and its designed to transfer into univerisities. the best universities are fiu and um. Nightlife, is great just go to downtown, southbeach, down lincoln rd, and i know about some gay club called colloseum(i dont think thats how its spelled but something like that) and ive heard its really good. and culture wise, almost everyone is hispanic so if you dont already speak spanish, you should start learning cuz u need to be bilingual to survive down here lol. and to sum it up quicly, im just gonna name a few quick spots where you could chill: dolphin mall in doral, it has everything, theater, restaurants, a dave n busters, a bowling alley, etc..also, bayside or bayfront park (theres a beach, boats to take a tour and see all the celebrity mansions, and also restaurants and stores and live entertainment.) anything else just look up online whatever ur interested in particular =]