Fort Lauderdale Help

exactly where I was looking...looks like we found our spot...now we have to find our house!
 
I love FLA already - so friendly...thank you folks...

Is The Isles 33309? - was really looking closer to the Beach of Las olmas but happy to be persuaded w local color...

would like to have the intercoastal just beyond my pool if possible - I'm sure you guys understand:smt038

The Isles are 33301.

A couple of other thoughts:

The Isles aren't on the ICW. Some of the tips have exposure to the Middle River on the North and New River on the South.

The ICW in Ft. L commands a premium but there are some huge trade offs. It is like having a boat freeway in your backyard on the weekends and everything that comes with that. Some smelly boats, noise, and a lot of wake issues if you're trying to keep a boat on the ICW. If you are at a narrower part, about the only way you can keep a boat is to have a lift.

You also need to have a hurricane plan for you boat in SoFla. Because the area is denser than most, the plan can be a more costly and difficult. The two companies I know that will underwrite for Ft. L and the Bahamas will require a written plan.

There are a long lists of trade offs for anyplace but especially Florida. One caution I would offer is to not be swayed by a "good deal" and make sure you get what you want. If you like to fish but the place you pick has crappy fishing, it doesn't matter how good the deal was. I know that's stating the obvious, but when you start looking around down here you will see eye popping deals on everything that may sway your fundamentals.
 
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Spoke to a buddy of mine who lives in the area today and he recommended 33316 - Harbor Beach, his thinking is that it's way quicker to get out to deep water and off to the Bahamas than in the Isles - anyone have a strong opinion?
 
Huh? Las Olas is a street that runs from downtown FT. L to the beach. It has some retail and nice restaurants on one end, access to the Isles in the middle and the beach on the other.

Maybe you are thinking of the Riverside Hotel that bought a block or so and is going to expand the hotel. That project is still on.


Hey Boulder,
Are you in SFL in the summer or winter months? You should come join some of our raft offs!
 
Spoke to a buddy of mine who lives in the area today and he recommended 33316 - Harbor Beach, his thinking is that it's way quicker to get out to deep water and off to the Bahamas than in the Isles - anyone have a strong opinion?

Harbor Beach is very close to Port Everglades. The closest in fact. The only issue I have with HB is that you're disconnected from the Las Olas buzz. The South Isles are still only about 10 minutes to the inlet at Port E. It's a bit like trying to pick which bikini model you like the best. Kind of hard to go wrong.

I was looking at houses today on the Isles. Prices have dropped maybe 10% in the past 90 days and still not much moving.
 
What did you see in the Isles today Boulder? anything in my sweet spot? Not trying to pick the bottom...just really looking for a reasonable deal and a place to escape this 20 degree weather in :smt013CT!!
 
What did you see in the Isles today Boulder? anything in my sweet spot? Not trying to pick the bottom...just really looking for a reasonable deal and a place to escape this 20 degree weather in :smt013CT!!

An example: There is a house on Flamingo that is a great deal. They paid around $2 and put another $500K in it for updates including a great dock. It's on a wide canel and only 2 lots off the ICW which is about perfect. The listing was $1.9 and they just dropped it to $1.79. Great water location, dock and house behind a gate. The problem is, nothing is selling, so while the ask is a great price against what the owner has in it, it's hard to tell where the floor is. I wouldn't have thought it would go below $2 and there it is. The market is so sluggish it's hard to feel a true bottom and when the bottom comes I don't see anything that says it's going to go up and to the right in a hurry. There will be plenty of time to get in.

I'm frustrated with it as my emotional side says buy a place now but my analytical side thinks the timing is off.
 
Booked to stay in Harbor Beach for a week for spring break 4/12/09 - 4/19/09 today,
Idea is to test drive the area and look around, as well as chill from these crazy financial markets / ride bikes etc...anyone have good family fun restaurants etc. they can recommend?
Is renting a boat an option? Something in the 28' range...you know, like a 280DA?:huh:
 
Booked to stay in Harbor Beach for a week for spring break 4/12/09 - 4/19/09 today,
Idea is to test drive the area and look around, as well as chill from these crazy financial markets / ride bikes etc...anyone have good family fun restaurants etc. they can recommend?
Is renting a boat an option? Something in the 28' range...you know, like a 280DA?:huh:

As mentioned in the post above, you can rent up to 26' IIRC at Bahia Mar which is within walking distance of Harbor Beach. They are very much 50 footers. Pretty rough when you see them up close. However, they are good enough to run to Miami or Boca if you've got a flat day. Not that bad to rent from a $ standpoint. Maybe $300 day. Take something that proves you've got a good boat so they'll let you take off.

If I'm in town that week I'll take you out for a water tour which might fast forward you through the differant areas. I think it's good to see it from the water too.

The first thing you'll want to do is to go to Bahia Cabana on the north side of Harbor Beach. It's a watering hole for Nick Nolte and God knows he seems to drink enough. Think long necks not martinis. Get a beer and wait for the yellow water taxi. Has to be yellow. $13 each to ride it all day and you can get on and off. Mildly hookey but I have to admit I enjoy it. Takes you downtown too. From the taxi ride, you'll see some other stuff that interests you.

I'd also rent a decent car so you can explore the Keys some and points to the north like Delray.

I'll send some more stuff when I get back to FLA.
 
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I was thinking a bit further. If you are staying for a week I do think you owe it to yourself to look at WPB and up to Vero. I really like Ft. Lauderdale but it's not for everybody.

For example, something about Vero appeals to me but it wouldn't work because I have to be close to a major airport and I wanted access to the Keys by boat. You may not care about that.

At any rate, kind of a ramble but probably worthwhile to look around some if you have the time.
 
I lived all over south Florida from 95-2000. I started in Ft Lauderdale-Delary-Boca-Hollywood-Sarasota then back finally to Ft Lauderdale. The only reason I left is that it was just too much and after 5 years of just non-stop going and going I had to take a break. I never can seem to get Ft Lauderdale out of my mind. I would love to go back but I hate the healthcare systems down there so I won't (I work in healthcare). Someone posted there was not much boating there. I was on friends boats almost every other weekend there going up and down the Intercoastal and canals, trips out 5 miles or so. We spent out Sundays at Shooters/Bootleggers hitting on half naked women. It was heaven. I vividly remember one guy saying to me as we sat on a deck at Bootleggers saying, "Its the tropics bro, its heaven". My vote is for Ft Lauderdale.
 
i have been in South Florida since '76. I went back up to Birmingham/Atlanta in '91 after Gulf War 1 and never could re-adjust. came back down in '95 & love it.

Ft. Lauderdale is beautiful...I lved there 10 years...I'm in West Palm now.

While you are down here in April, also take a look at Boca Raton & Delray Beach. Lighthouse Point in North Broward near Pompano Beach is worth a look also...it is very near Hillsboro Inlet and close enough to Freeport to make a day trip. For the money you are talking you can live like a king in Lighthouse Point...clean deep water, no fixed bridges and state of the art "Florida Design/Architectural Digest" type home.:smt038
 
I go out every weekend to south beach or to elliot key on the boat. It is definitely heaven. I havent gone up to Ft. Laud by boat. I will have to do that one of these days.
 
Thanks folks - my confidence level is definitely going up - I think we have a good plan - I googled Bahia Mar marina...nothing leaping out at me on boat rentals...anyone have a good contact or phone number there?
Also...what are good fun family restaurants in the neighborhood? either Harbor beach, Las Olas or the main beach area by the beach hotels?
 
I have lived all over Florida including the cities below, and I LOVE Ft. Lauderdale - don't let people talk you out of it. Ft. Lauderdale is the BEST place to booze-cruise on the water BAR NONE! (uh, sorry about the pun). There are so many great places on the water to dock your boat (and in such a small proximity). When people say it's not a great boating spot, it's because there are no real bays in the Las Olas area. You'll be stuck going slow past Movie-star homes most of the time. You aren't far from the inlet if you want to open up on the ocean. I've had plenty of flat days on the ocean. You can also go further up or down the ICW to get to some open areas.

Miami has a great bay (careful of the depth), and beyond that is the keys. All of which are awesome cruising grounds - although it will take you a morning to get there - but hell, you'll be retired.

Also, it is the perfect place to hop over to the Bahamas which you should love. To me, the magic of boating is never realized until you can get your boat over to the aqua-marine waters and almost deserted islands in the Bahamas. (I could go on and on)

Bahia Mar has some boat rentals, but they aren't the greatest of condition. It was a Club Nautica as of last year. If you are going to buy a house, you might want to find a realtor with access to a boat - I bought a water front property in the Florida Panhandle and I did just that. I just kept asking around, and ended up finding a bunch of realtors with great boat access.

As for Restaurants, I've eaten at most of them on Las Olas and A1A, and they are all fantastic. Simply park on Las Olas, and walk a few yards. Amazing Sushi, Asian, Italian, Seafood, etc. If you like cigars, there is a great little cigar bar on Las Olas.

I'd love to help you more, but I'm not living in South Florida now (damn it). You'll probably find better resources than me, but you can email me at tony@nautydog.net

My Florida locations..
  • Fort Lauderdale (off of Las Olas)
  • Boca Raton
  • Delray Beach
  • Tampa
  • Clear Water
  • Orlando
  • Pensacola

FYI... Not only have a lived in these places, but I've boated them too. And I've spent a lot of time in other Florida locations that I haven't listed.
 
One month away froom my next visit to Fort Lauderdale and I can feel myself getting psyched...even the weather here in CT is improving (55 degrees this weekend!) and I may even get some golf in...looking at the Marina bill for summer dockage and thinking about summer on LI sound:smt038

Going to do some heavy house hunting while the Admiral and the brood work on their tans - lots for sale it seems and I'm ready to buy:thumbsup:
 
One month away froom my next visit to Fort Lauderdale and I can feel myself getting psyched...even the weather here in CT is improving (55 degrees this weekend!) and I may even get some golf in...looking at the Marina bill for summer dockage and thinking about summer on LI sound:smt038

Going to do some heavy house hunting while the Admiral and the brood work on their tans - lots for sale it seems and I'm ready to buy:thumbsup:

The weather is great this time of year...seas have been running 2 feet or less for over a week...We're headed out tomorrow.:thumbsup:
 

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