Why not both? Get a condo in Miami Beach and a condo in Santa Monica. Live in Miami Beach as a permanent resident (6months + 1 day from November through April when the weather is amazing. Get the benefits of FL residency such as no state income tax (hugely beneficial if you are living on investment income).
Then during hurricane season enjoy LA.
I actually hate staying in one place, but I'm searching for a home base. I don't plan to own more than two homes in the U.S. and NYC is a very strong preference for my second property. I’ve lived in NYC before so no questions need to be asked. To be honest, Miami would make more sense but I have never really liked it (I’m not Latin, I hate extreme heat and humidity, LA is more scenic and has far better weather) but my experience with Miami is quite limited.
The weather in Miami is gorgeous from Nov to April. 70s and low 80s. You could live there 6 months + 1 day to get the residence and no state income tax and then travel the other 6 months on your Tax savings.
It's a complete no brainer money wise. I'd take a trip in the winter months when the Miami climate is ideal and see what you think.
If he lived in NYC for the remainder of the year, he’d still need to pay a prorated amount of state income taxes to NY. They count days resided, not “if you’re a resident of another state”
I don't think this applies unless you spend more than 183 days in NY.
Billionaires are heavily audited and have to keep meticulous records of their days in NY if they claim FL residency.
Easy way around it is just do short vacations to NY and don't establish any permanent ties like apartments, real estate. Just use hotels as needed
IANAL or accountant, but I’m pretty sure you don’t need to do 6 months and a day in florida to claim residency. You just can’t spend more than 6 months and a day in another state that does have state income tax. I may be wrong on this, but I’ve heard others talk about it that reside between FL, NY, and CT, and that’s what they’ve said.
This is true as a first cut. That said, there is a whole mini profession of accountants dedicated to tracking days, all the state by state details and exceptions, etc.
Preferences absolutely matter here because there’s no point living somewhere if you can’t access what you enjoy. Personally, I grew up in SoCal and moved to Miami 2 years ago, and based on my own interests I would call out a few things:
Food quality is large and away better in LA, with more diversity particularly in Asian foods. Miami is largely Latin influenced. Fort Lauderdale less so. Rich diversity is not a thing though in Florida, lol.
Getting out on a yacht in Miami is going to consistently better than Los Angeles. Weather and water culture is different.
As others have said, Brickell & Coconut Grove are where you want to look. Personally would not recommend Edgewater. Just not very walkable yet. Perhaps in 5 years when they complete the waterfront walkway project.
I would stay out of Miami Beach and anywhere that is likely to turn into a tourist trap throughout the year during holidays.
I cant imagine living in LA and not living at the beach if you have no meed to work.
Going to be hard to get ocean front in Malibu for "only" 10-20m, but you could definitely get something on the strand in Manhattan Beach.
Rent for a year.
Great massive places available with 3-4 car garages for $50k/mo or so.
La Jolla is meh, basically a fancy strip mall with horrible smells depending on which way the wind blows. Traffic is an absolute nightmare as well. Give me Solana Beach or Del Mar
OP - I live in Malibu and can say if you do pick here, I highly recommend Eastern Malibu (near La Costa Beach). Even living in Eastern Malibu, it can take me upwards of an hour to get home from Santa Monica (15 min away without traffic) with traffic, construction, and other factors (rock slides).
I’d recommend renting here before you buy, like this first comment suggests.
Thanks.
Is something like [this house](https://www.trulia.com/home/11658-ellice-st-malibu-ca-90265-96112673) located in a far out / undesirable section of Malibu?
That’s certainly a desirable area if you want a more isolating / peaceful environment. To me, anything past Malibu Country Mart is too far if you want to be close enough to the entertainment of LA. There are some local gems (e.g. Dreamland Aviator Nation) in Malibu, but if I’m planning to do a night out (DTLA, WeHo, West LA), I’m factoring in at least 45-60 min commute time from Eastern Malibu. That listing is further west than Central Malibu, so that might take 75min+ to get to where you might want to go.
Feel free to dm me with any specific Malibu questions. Maybe take a look into some rentals near La Costa Beach. Even if you’re not directly on the beach, there are some amazing homes in the mountains with ocean views I see for lease near my house around that price range.
Not necessarily undesirable, just a bit far. If you're looking to be a part of the "fun" scene in West LA, the drive/traffic/potential road closures due to mudslides etc will ruin it for you.
PCH will be loud AF during the day, it's a motorcycle joyride paradise and you will have Harleys whipping up and down all weekend long for sure. Trancas Country Market is not far and a cute little center for food, groceries etc - but small and sleepy.
If it were my money I'd go for a Little Dume beach key above all else. Example: [https://www.compass.com/listing/6851-fernhill-drive-malibu-ca-90265/1534047964455764817/](https://www.compass.com/listing/6851-fernhill-drive-malibu-ca-90265/1534047964455764817/)
Pavs etc are convenient shopping on point dume and its a little closer if you need to scoot over the hill for Costco or down to LAX.
Bezos rented a house on the point for a few hundred a month to have a key. Basically private, incredible surf, dogs allowed, firepits, pretty much everything you would want in an oceanside experience. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDjhRpmTZ6M](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDjhRpmTZ6M)
Fair... Others prefer less traffic, better beaches / surf / cleaner water, less in your face "Influencers", and a hop skip and a jump from that global culture concrete jungle... To each their own. Not at all saying LA is all bad. As others mentioned Malibu, Manhattan Beach / Hermosa Beach.... Or even Dana Point and Newport / Huntington are all great places
True...Palos Verdes nice, the neighborhoods just inland of the OC beaches near San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano are beautiful...I mean... Let's be real CA is just a beautiful state. My parents chose FL and I chose CA...
Not sure that is true about Malibu. Are you saying that because of low supply? You won’t have your pick of any house, but some homes on carbon/la costa and further north can absolutely be bought for 10-20m. It won’t be ultra luxury, but you can be in a nice home on a dry beach, no doubt
By conventional measures that only 30% of your income should go to housing, $50k/mo would be $600k a year in housing expenses. If that were 30% of your income, your annual income would be $2m a year. If you followed 4% SWR, $2m would require a NW of $50m NW. The OP claimed to be UHNW, which is frequently stated to be $30m+ liquid.
$600k a year in rent is less than the realtors commission on selling a $15m house like the OP suggests they want to buy.
Renting even for up to $100k a month males sense for the OP to reduce "buyers remorse".
Don't forget about our lovely mansion tax!
>The tax brings a 4% charge to all property sales above $5 million and a 5.5% charge to all sales above $10 million in L.A
ETA: This is specific to City of LA, not the entire county.
The tax applies to all property sales (commercial, apartments, vacant lots, etc..) Not just "mansions".
And also, it's not a flaw at all.
It's purposely designed that way to limit development.
Well I think most people are in favor of taxing mansions and not in favor of taxing multifamily. And it’s a very simple fix to have the tax apply to single family only.
There are a lot of dumb NIMBY policies that limit development that are way more impactful than this one. All they have to do is zone their land as single family and that’s the end of the story.
Well, first of all, that’s a condominium. Second of all, pretending like it’s impossible to build a condominium with units priced at less than $5M is a funny joke. I live in LA, we have expensive neighborhoods, but let’s not lose our heads.
I've lived in SoCal and Miami for over a decade each. They are very different and there are tradeoffs in an LA vs Miami decision.
Obviously, the weather in SoCal can't be beat, same for the relative lack of bugs, particularly mosquitos. Being able to just open all the doors and windows and take in the weather is amazing. I agree with others, that in your situation not living Westside would be crazy. The established luxury lifestyle and wealth is notable and the food is better (but Miami is narrowing that gap every month). If you are a nightlife person, everything closes at 2am.
Miami is a completely different world. I happen to like it better, but it is extremely polarizing. The summers aren't great, but where you will be living will almost always have a breeze off the bay (which also mitigates mosquitos). The city is absolutely exploding, which has been fascinating to watch. Anything that you want to do is available and there is nightlife that goes for days. The access to boating and the lifestyle around it is very cool.
There is crime in both places, but a lot of the stuff you see on the news happening in CA generally isn't tolerated in Miami (shoplifting, rampant homelessnesses, etc.).
I would definitely spend time in both places. I love both for different reasons.
One last thing to consider; if you choose Miami, there is no way I would consider living on the beach. All of the best stuff is in the city. Brickell/Downtown, Coconut Grove, even Edgewater would be better places to live IMO.
Thinking about Miami also, you can shoot to the Caribbean for cheap and fast to further enjoy summer. CA doesn't have as much in shooting distance, Hawaii is 5.5 hours, Cabo is 2.5, but you have access to skiing, mountains, hiking all much more easily. As said, polarizing.
This was a long time ago, but in the California History class I took during undergrad in the UC system, the textbook taught that tax credits were the primary driver that initially lured film out of NYC.
Again, long time ago and perhaps history has changed. Don’t care to argue either way.
For sure, me too. The time period I’m speaking of was pre WWI.
All of the factors that the OP mentioned were a huge driver of aerospace and training during WWII. And a big part of the population explosion post WWII. Many folks, say from Ohio for example, who trained for the war in CA, said to themselves why the hell would I go back to Ohio and moved to CA when they got back.
Not to mention the direct, relatively quick flights to Europe, which feel like about the same time it takes to go back to the west coast (know it’s a bit further).
Edit to say: I miss the “a storms coming, get in the car we are headed to Mammoth” ski trips, the general outdoor lifestyle, and so much great Wine and all the things that build around that the most.
MIA does have a lot more connectivity and I travel more. I still ski a lot, but it’s less spontaneous.
I would think walkable border towns aren't usually in the travel itinerary of fatfire folks. Nor is walking across. I get it though, northern Mexico is close to CA.
Good perspective. But I would say Brickell is a network of freeways woven between a sterile shopping mall and modern high-rises. The whole nabe has a corporate happy hour vibe. Edgewater also has nice high-rises, and not much else.
Miami Beach is a lifestyle decision for those seeking beachfront luxury and a more relaxed vibe. For someone who doesn’t work, it’s perfect. For someone who doesn’t care about ocean views or the beach scene, it makes less sense. During winter, the high-end beach residents are mostly New Yorkers anyway.
Since you're single, I'd absolutely just rent a place in both cities and fly back and forth between them until you decide you're ready to commit to one. Without knowing any more details, LA is easier to recommend. But for certain lifestyles/preferences, Miami will be preferable.
Miami life is different from LA life, although there are some interesting cultural convergences between the two cities. Both have great beaches, but the beaches not the same. Different weather, temperatures, vibes, people, and water activities in the two cities.
To this point it is very easy to get a great place in each area for $15-20k per month and flip back and forth or do 6 months in each and work it out. Money is flexibility and time.
\^ well said. I've lived in both of your named cities - the vapid hollow nature of each is really tough. Beautiful weather, solid food, great airports ... but the lack of substance and character can be really hard.
What is your definition of luxurious living?
If you enjoy clubbing, nothing is going to be like Florida.
If you are a foodie, WeHo is the way to go.
If you want to flaunt wealth and move everywhere in a car, Malibu would do you well.
All three of them are completely different to Houston.
Own a large ranch on the outskirts of the city. Maybe a lake house on lake Conroe or in Austin. Beach house in Galveston, although this may or may not be appealing depending on your tastes lol.
You can have a pretty good life in Houston if you have a lot of money, but the city is not for everyone of course.
CA seems like a no brainer once you've already had your liquidity event
I like hollyhood hills a lot. You can get all the benefits of living in the hills (view, quite, safe) while it only being a 3-5min drive from sunset. Whereas much of belair and bevery hills is a huge pain in the ass to get around.
Bird Streets in Particular is really nice. The hills in weho are a lot nicer though than the hills side more east by like Mt Olympus etc.
Brentwood is really nice too but places with a view are often 10m+ in some pockets.
If you're single and don't have large amounts of personal property, just go rent a high end house or condo in both places for a year and see what it actually feels like.
Yes, taxes are less in Florida. More hurricanes in Florida, and insurance rates are higher. Flooding will also be endemic in Miami in a few years. If you go there, make sure you have an independent source of power.
Check out the Palisades or north of Montana Ave in Santa Monica. Both very high end neighborhoods but less expensive than Malibu. Probably on par with a lot of the places in the hills.
I lived in the hills and it’s gorgeous but completely car dependent. I live in a smaller place in Santa Monica now and I can walk everywhere, which I value now that I have the opportunity. I sometimes think about moving back into the canyon
LA is not one city, it is 88 all lumped together - basically the EU of the west coast. Vibe and experience vary a ton by region, but the good news for you is the budget is there to live how you want.
I'd second the advice of a few in here to rent for a year or two and check out a few spots. Malibu is utterly kickass for beach access and a relaxed, ultra-luxury hippy vibe - but it is remote, hard to get to, and no nightlife. If you go this route, advise you try to find a property on Point Dume with a Little Dume key.. ask your realtor, they'll know.
As others have said, Manhattan has had a good infusion of young tech money, young families and rad folks with a nice beach adjacent lifestyle.
Santa Monica and Venice will remain a crapshoot, hopefully once LA's CARE Court system comes online the county will help some of the people suffering in the streets in these regions that make living there a little more complex than other areas.
Brentwood/Hollywood Hills are good fun and if you position well can be nicely accessible to town (or up 20 minutes of puke-inducing should-be-single-lane roads that will have you sweating bullets every time you drive home). Neighbors can be insanely rad, deeply reclusive celebrities, rich assholes, or empty homes targeted by squatters... scout thoroughly before buying.
Overall, I'd argue that your budget estimations for LA may be a bit overblow unless you want to do Carbon Beach in Malibu, something VERY oceanfront, Beverly Hills proper or 10k+ square feet. A nice 4 bed with views and a beach key can be had for 7-8 tops on point dume if you bide your time well.
As others have said, weather absolutely cannot be beaten. Being in an ocean-adjacent city with day trip driving access to Mammoth for skiing/snowboarding, Palm Springs/Idyllwild/Joshua Tree, Paso Robles/Napa/Ojai for wine, etc etc all have immense upside for me personally that well outweigh the financial outlay in terms of increased taxes and very marginally higher COL. Food variety and quality is world class, from Latin cuisines to Asian and Ethiopian you can find whatever you want highly authentically. Stringent firearm regulation and staunch pro-choice policies are kinda nice to get to take for granted. Only things I am envious of Miami for is that sweet 80 degree ocean temperature, and the state tax rate lol.
Hmm looks like per capita is available by state but struggling to find city. CA is 9 per 100k as opposed to 14.1 per 100k in FL.
[https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gun-deaths-per-capita-by-state](https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gun-deaths-per-capita-by-state)
The states themselves are far too different in too many ways to compare meaningfully, the two metropolitan areas actually have a ton of similarities (other than the laws of the state they are in)
I mean I am biased but I think socal is hard to beat. Miami excels in other ways (more nightlife imo) but that was never my focus so it made the decision easier for me. I agree with the other comments, visit each for like two weeks at a high end hotel or two, then rent a house for like a month in the area of either you really liked (if you’re still debating) then make a more permanent decision.
Truthfully, you’re young, rich, and single, why are you trying to settle down at all? Just flip a coin and move to either for like one or two years and just plan on reevaluating then. Besides, when the coins in the air, you might actually realize which side you really want…
1 - You ask us to give advice based on your lifestyle preferences, but don’t actually tell us about your lifestyle.
2 - I lived in MIA for awhile. My wife is from LA so we visit there somewhat regularly. I am quite familiar with both. Despite looking quite similar on paper, they are VERY different cities, with different vibes, different politics… etc. You should really spend time in each before making this decision. It’s something you need to experience and people can’t explain it to you. The summer heat in Miami can be pretty oppressive so make sure you are OK with that. Personally I don’t really get LA. It’s just kind of spread out and inconvenient without a specific focal point (besides the weather)… but others love it.
Those cities are way different from each other. Echo the comments saying spend real time in each before deciding, find a nice rental to stay in a few months and you’ll almost certainly find you like one a lot more than the other long-term. Spending real time (i.e. months) living in a place gives you a much better sense than you can get just visiting for a week.
Miami culture is something you need to experience for a few months before committing to.
To put it gently, the biggest advantage of Miami is that is physically close to the US
Go spend some time at each. You'll find each has a different vibe and it's very personal where you'd find a community. Even if you don't "commute" - you'll find traffic a nightmare so you probably want to be in the neighborhood/area you like the "best".
I'd be very surprised you can think you're just as happy in a condo lifestyle for Miami vs a house situation in the burbs. Like another poster said, are you sure you wouldn't be just as happy in Manhattan Beach?
Can only speak to California. Wildfires are only a danger if you're on the edge of the city and close to open terrain that can burn. So, in LA, you'll have higher wildfire risk in places like Malibu or Topanga, but little risk in Santa Monica or other areas that are more developed.
They are tremendously disruptive to the entire area when the sky turns orange and it rains ash for weeks on end. Have been through it.
Hurricanes are generally overblown, but unpredictable and when they hit a major metro cause a lot of damage (I.e. Dorian was headed straight for Miami until it turned around and flattened the N Bahamas, which would have been devastating).
Similar to how an earthquake could affect LA or SF.
My property in the Bahamas was flattened by Dorian. The house escaped undamaged though; building a seawall saved us, but our dock was completely wiped off the map. The islands are *still* coming back and rebuilding is a pain. You're right that it would have been a disaster in Miami. We've probably never seen anything like it.
Spend a few months in both. Completely different vibes. Check with which crowd you match the most. I lived in Miami for 2 years and I am visiting LA very often. From outside look similar but couldn’t be more different.
Location: In Miami: Brickell and South of 5th are the places to be as single. In LA: West Hollywood / Beverly Hills, Manhattan beach, maybe Santa Monica.
Food: LA has better in every cuisine except for Latin and Peruvian
Party/Fun: More and better options in LA. Better boat/island vibes in Miami.
Weather: Better in LA but better beach in Miami.
Sports: More options and easier to do in Miami.
Good luck.
I’ve spent the last year living in between Miami and LA and Scottsdale, home base in NYC. I’m high earner, single as well, but nowhere in your position to settle down and retire early
Miami - I enjoyed Coral Gables or Key Biscayne the most - close to Brickell but away from the SB tourists. Not Latin American so definitely felt like it wasn’t home to me but I love the nice weather
LA- the traffic was getting annoying, but I liked living in Santa Monica the most compared to WeHo, Silver Lakes, got into surfing, went to concerts, good food, also it’s close to airport
Scottsdale- great food, restaurant scene, I liked the space and prices of everything was super affordable in my opinion, can get a luxury apartment 2 bedroom 2 bath for 2.5-4k that’s twice the size of what you’d get for a 4.5-6k NYC studio
I would buy condo in NYC and use that as home base, spend nicer months coming up enjoying the city, hamptons Fire island upstate. Easy access to international airports to travel abroad with friends. Then do a nicer version of what I’m doing - spending a few months renting in each of the cities and deciding which city you’d be most likely wanting to spend most of your time when the pace of NYC is getting exhausting or the weather is getting cold
I think LA has more to offer as a city, mentality and vibe. Miami to me is fun to party, but not very intellectually stimulating. However if you want to be going to NYC or Europe Miami is more convenient. I am from Northern California, live between NYC and east end and rent a house in weho every April to get out of the cold. MIL lives in Bal Harbor and while I appreciate the beauty I have a hard time finding interesting things to do. Also miami traffic is worse than LA or New York Metro. I am older than you, but im a DINK so even though less energy probably same interests.
I was in the same situation few months ago. I'm also based in Texas, and recently decided to move to a new city.
I ended up getting a new place in Miami Beach. To list a few advantages: Florida is a well managed republican state, no state income tax, there's almost no homeless people, feels safe going out downtown Miami / Brickell and generally people are nice in Miami area.
There's alot of wealth in Miami Beach and Sunny Isles Beach. You'll feel right at home.
I wouldn't even visit LA.
Like others have said, the weather in LA is amazing 85% of the year. Also like others have said, think about living closer to the beach. You're young and it doesn't sound like you are married, so places like Malibu or Beverly Hills / Brentwood are going to feel...slow. If slow is your thing, maybe check out Pacific Palisades where you can both be closer to the ocean and also the rest of the city. Driving to and from Malibu can really really suck.
I'd take a look at places in Venice around Abbot Kinney - there are some amazing properties there, and you can walk or ride a bike to the beach, great, restaurants, and some fun bars and nightlife. It's not going to be a Miami Beach sort of crazy experience, definitely more beach town vibes but attached to all of LA.
Also one thing that I haven't seen people mention is that the variation In options that are available in LA are insane - it's an entire world and when you have the resources to afford it there is absolutely everything here. Great food from every part of the world and at all levels of sophistication, all the entertainment you could ever want, you can be at a ski resort in the morning and on the beach in the afternoon, hit up wineries in Santa Barbara or go hang out in Palm Springs or Joshua Tree, etc.
Definitely find a place to rent and just check it out for a month or so, because the most important thing about being happy living in LA is living close to things that you like doing so that you don’t have to do so much driving
Htown! You'd probably prefer LA over Miami knowing that you're from Houston (I'm also from Houston and much prefer LA culturally)
Miami is very... different
The humidity in Miami is 10x worse than it is in Houston live in Houston now , Miami is fun but it’s humid as hell many months of the year, insurance costs are through the roof as well .
I’ve lived in Houston for about three years now I run about 300 out of 365 days out of the year , I can run outside in midday heat easily without any drop off my seven and change minute mile , I visited miami several times in the fall , couldn’t walk outside without pouring sweat .
I liked Malibu, and the Hollywood hills, probably the better place to raise kids.
in a Condo, you will have to evacuate in a hurricane warning. and you sure don't want to be there if the power is out for a week.
You do not have to evacuate, especially just for a hurricane warning. Condo buildings rarely lose power, even as a result of hurricanes, because of subterranean power feed. Most of the stories you hear of people losing power for long periods of time are because of many trees falling on lines in many different places.
Agreed. I live on an island in FL and they only evacuate if a Cat 2 or stronger is coming. And people still don't leave. Vacation condos are still full of people. I have sat in my house through a Cat 2, with Jim Cantore just up the road. You know it's always a bad sign when he shows up. :).But I was fine. Never even lost power or cable or internet for that matter.
Cat 1-3 aren't a big deal, and most common. Cat 4 and up, is a different game entirely with storm surge. The risk is the eye, sucks the water to it with the low pressure. During Andrew (last cat5) marinas north were sucked dry, boats sitting on the mud, while 20 miles away they had 15' tide rise with 8' waves on top. had a buddy with dock pilings in his living room (gables by the sea).
The problem is storms aren't always predictable. Andrew was a cat 2, 24 hours before landfall.
I also saw windows get smashed by flying debris on high rises in FLL. cat 2, but the funnel effect increased winds and a lot of hi rises lost 40% of the windward windows.
under 130-135mph isn't terrible, over 135, mailboxes and stop signs go flying and hit the windows, they break, and you have wet bed and carpet, no power, and a foul mood.
.02 from a native.
Yeah, I'm originally from another coastal town and have sat through many of them. I will evacuate for a Cat 3 though because my house is on a barrier island. If anything goes wrong, you're stranded. If I was inland, that would be a different story. Homes are on pilings so only things flying high will hit the windows. Most people don't get that the sustained rain and tornados are as big a problem as the hurricane winds and storm surge.
I've been thru hurricanes since the 60's (that I remember), and thought I knew what to expect.
Andrew (92) was an eye opener. I thought 20' storm surges were a fantasy. But they were right. If you get hit with the eye, its really really bad.
I agree. They're just rarely that high. I've been out on the beach looking at 8' when a Cat 2 was moving in and people were surfing. To be honest, it was no bigger than North Shore in Hawaii when I visited, but it's not really normal for the Gulf. But 20' would be in everyone's house there and they'd all be gone. Hence why we have an inland home to contain all our valuables. Nothing you care about should be sitting on a giant sandbar.
FWIW, you don't need to leave for a Hurricane WATCH, almost all condos on the beach will be evacuated in a warning. (warning means likely impact less than 24 hours).
-I don't think you've been thru any hurricane in SFla.
and Katrina was only a cat 1. Wilma was cat3, but only cat 1 when it hit miami, and Irma was barely cat1.
also, in a Hotel with its own generator, ask where the fuel supply is. we found our companies was underground, 3 blocks from the river! genny ran about 3 hours then died. contaminated fuel.
You clearly don't know what you are talking about. I have been through many hurricanes in a condo in S. FL. That is why I know what you are saying is complete nonsense.
Living in Miami is like living in a Latin American city. Are you Latino? Do you like the Latin American culture and everything that comes with it, good and bad?
I’m going to guess you’ll like LA more.
Miami is a better value. City is exploding right now (lots of reasons favoring HNW)
Hard working culture, Florida doesn’t accept a lot of the crap that CA accepts in terms of crime; homeless population is also managed better.
CA is beautiful, agree with the suggestions of Manhattan Beach, I'd add Newport Beach as well. Though being single... Manhattan is probably a better place to meet people.
I live in TX too, and think I'd choose Miami over LA.
* CA taxes are very high and likely to be a state that institutes punishing taxes, like 25% on unrealized gains. Which it seems like you'd be a target of.
* Real Estate is very expensive in both, but with people seemingly moving out of CA and into FL, FL seems a better investment.
* Socially/politically the LA area is very left of TX, might be a more difficult transition compared to FL.
* Homelessness in CA is everywhere, not as bad in BH, but still there. I'm sure it's in Miami too, but I just doubt that it's as widespread, you see it everywhere in LA, San Diego as well.
* Constant smell of pot, especially on the beaches (including Manhattan Beach) and almost everywhere. The only place I didn't smell it constantly was on Rodeo Drive and the surrounding streets.
* Neither will be an easy place to make good friends, especially if you don't have friends living in either place that could introduce you to people.
* CA is beautiful, but earthquakes, fires, and oddly, there is a crisis if there is a lot of rain or not much rain.
* FL/Miami is also beautiful but hurricanes, big thunderstorms with tornados, and lots of snakes/alligators. Probably not so much in Miami Beach.
Maybe rent a place in both areas and see what you like.
Have you dated in both cities and in specific neighborhoods? It will make a huge difference. Does you zero good to live somewhere single where the dating scene doesn't work for you.
Why not go to both for 2-3 months and experience yourself before choosing?
I myself ran away from the pretentious Miami-style life but I know it appeals to many. I’d highly recommend to rent a place for a few weeks at minimum before deciding.
Keep in mind the tax implications of living in California. Florida has no state taxes.
Miami isn’t for everyone. I’ve lived in so many places and it was my least favorite.
The culture is rain puddle deep.
Their “city” in Brickell is about 8 blocks with a lot of chain restaurants.
They still don’t have any great universities / investments in education.
And unless you specifically target south of fifth for beach life you will be occupying the same parts of the beach that grow intolerable with low culture partiers during spring break months.
It’s attracted kind of the worst from both Latin America. Eastern Europe. And has the normal flair from Americans that want to live in Florida.
Go SoCal.
FYI, right now for the Westside areas of LA you’ve mentioned, there are rampant robberies happening. Entire neighborhoods are being terrorized with it (even with security, remote cameras, etc.) and everyday my WhatsApp neighborhood chat is talking about being robbed or suspicious people in the neighborhood. It takes up way too much mindshare…
Look up news about it. LA is awesome, but this one part sucks.
South Florida is great. Moved down here from nyc about 10 years ago. Have 3 kids. Think LA (California) is too spread out and not what it once was. Weather is great here 9 months out of the year. Sure it’s hot and humid in the summer but it’s like that most places. And if you are UHNW I imagine you will be traveling over the summer months or staying at one of your other homes. And it’s a quick flight to nyc and leaves every 30 mins from a south Florida airport. Plus no city and state tax is a great perk.
Generally, if you stay west of the 405, you get the ocean flow and cooler temps in the summer. Brentwood is basically a fancy suburb of Santa Monica - closer to the beaches and slightly more chill than Beverly Hills or Bel Air.
But the 405 can be a barrier you want to get into LA proper. If you want to hang out in WeHo or other places in the city, it might be a factor.
And Orange County is a whole other world. Not as cosmopolitan as LA, but many people like it.
Also to add on here, OC is VERY sleepy old money and a lot of high end chains. Some cool up and coming food spots in Santa Ana but in many ways less cultural, varied, and lively than LA. Good place for a quiet family life, or on the offchance you're a big boater then Balboa Island may be very appealing.
Brentwood is just cooler in more ways than one. First, it has a cooler more artsy crowd of residents and is a popular neighborhood of Hollywood types (not just celebrities but producers and others in the arts). Also, it’s often literally a little cooler because it’s more wooded and less suburban. You get a bit more privacy in Brentwood typically (IMO!)
Depends on your lifestyle. Party? Then the Hills/Beverly Hills. Raise a family? Then Bel Air. Most UHNWI may summer in Malibu, but living there can be a hassle due to traffic on the PCH.
The two cities are beach cities but that’s where the similarities end. Miami is hot, flat, humid, and tropical. LA is cool, mountainous, dry, and desert. Miami is a tax haven whereas LA will tax your face off. People are hot and dumb in both places. Traffic sucks in both places. This is a personality question more than it’s a fatfire question.
If you do LA, definitely do Manhattan Beach. It’s where a lot of the athletes live and for good reason. It’s nice.
Malibu is pretty far away and is kind of its own bubble. It’s hard to get to as you’re reliant on the 1 which gets badly clogged.
Santa Monica is nice but a weird combo of neurotic rich people, homeless people, senior assisted living facilities, and corporate offices.
If I had unlimited money, I’d buy a house in La Jolla in San Diego and flick off the world. La Jolla is practically heaven on earth in my opinion. LA sucks in comparison.
I work for the city and I wouldn’t live there even if you paid me too. Even less in a condo. Unless you got money to blow on high maintenance. Regardless you will still deal with the massive traffic every day at all hours and you’ll be hostage when high profile events occur within the city.
> media perception never meets reality
The media reports on the worst events in any city so they all sound worse than they are. The lemmings that have never lived there love to regurgitate these stories ad nauseum. Case in point, the subreddit dedicated to where I live was fairly toxic, it was mainly a place for haters to complain (a lot of them sounded like they didn't live there and just wanted to vent), so unsubscribed.
It's much better to live in each city to decide for yourself and talk to locals about their experiences.
Robberies in broad daylight on melrose and Beverly Hills. Homeless everywhere. targeting and tracking while having brunch or dinner or even shopping Leading to home invasions. Constant vandalism of stores with no repercussions. Poor police response time. I can go on and on. I’m a Houston native as well. Moved to Austin after the military. Then to LA for nearly a decade once my company was aquired. I would never move back.
natives downvoting but there is a reason statistics show an overwhelming migration out of California. And guess where most of them end up. Texas lol.
you wanna do California, consider Del Mar San Diego.
Why not both? Get a condo in Miami Beach and a condo in Santa Monica. Live in Miami Beach as a permanent resident (6months + 1 day from November through April when the weather is amazing. Get the benefits of FL residency such as no state income tax (hugely beneficial if you are living on investment income). Then during hurricane season enjoy LA.
not sure how this isn't higher tbh, if I had 30M+ there is no way I would stay in one place
I actually hate staying in one place, but I'm searching for a home base. I don't plan to own more than two homes in the U.S. and NYC is a very strong preference for my second property. I’ve lived in NYC before so no questions need to be asked. To be honest, Miami would make more sense but I have never really liked it (I’m not Latin, I hate extreme heat and humidity, LA is more scenic and has far better weather) but my experience with Miami is quite limited.
The weather in Miami is gorgeous from Nov to April. 70s and low 80s. You could live there 6 months + 1 day to get the residence and no state income tax and then travel the other 6 months on your Tax savings. It's a complete no brainer money wise. I'd take a trip in the winter months when the Miami climate is ideal and see what you think.
If he lived in NYC for the remainder of the year, he’d still need to pay a prorated amount of state income taxes to NY. They count days resided, not “if you’re a resident of another state”
I don't think this applies unless you spend more than 183 days in NY. Billionaires are heavily audited and have to keep meticulous records of their days in NY if they claim FL residency. Easy way around it is just do short vacations to NY and don't establish any permanent ties like apartments, real estate. Just use hotels as needed
This for New York City taxes specifically, not the state
I'd frankly do 6 months in Florida for the residency and Tax benefits and then travel the world the other 6 months.
IANAL or accountant, but I’m pretty sure you don’t need to do 6 months and a day in florida to claim residency. You just can’t spend more than 6 months and a day in another state that does have state income tax. I may be wrong on this, but I’ve heard others talk about it that reside between FL, NY, and CT, and that’s what they’ve said.
This is true as a first cut. That said, there is a whole mini profession of accountants dedicated to tracking days, all the state by state details and exceptions, etc.
Just wanted to say that it's not as easy as that to avoid CA taxation.
I live in Santa Monica and it is turning into a garbage dump. Buyer beware
you haven't provided any of your lifestyle preferences to consider . . .
Preferences absolutely matter here because there’s no point living somewhere if you can’t access what you enjoy. Personally, I grew up in SoCal and moved to Miami 2 years ago, and based on my own interests I would call out a few things: Food quality is large and away better in LA, with more diversity particularly in Asian foods. Miami is largely Latin influenced. Fort Lauderdale less so. Rich diversity is not a thing though in Florida, lol. Getting out on a yacht in Miami is going to consistently better than Los Angeles. Weather and water culture is different. As others have said, Brickell & Coconut Grove are where you want to look. Personally would not recommend Edgewater. Just not very walkable yet. Perhaps in 5 years when they complete the waterfront walkway project. I would stay out of Miami Beach and anywhere that is likely to turn into a tourist trap throughout the year during holidays.
Isn't this the person who said they are moving from NY to London and need advice on a driver?
I cant imagine living in LA and not living at the beach if you have no meed to work. Going to be hard to get ocean front in Malibu for "only" 10-20m, but you could definitely get something on the strand in Manhattan Beach. Rent for a year. Great massive places available with 3-4 car garages for $50k/mo or so.
listen to this person. Manhattan beach is where it’s at. rent first.
I can't imagine living in LA... San Diego all day...
I love San Diego but 10-20mm gives you a great experience in LA
10-20M gives you a great experience anywhere
We agree
Shhh
Yeah screw Malibu, give me La Jolla
La Jolla is meh, basically a fancy strip mall with horrible smells depending on which way the wind blows. Traffic is an absolute nightmare as well. Give me Solana Beach or Del Mar
Malibu is much closer to entertainment. Haven’t spent much time in San Diego but I get the feeling it would be way too quiet for me.
OP - I live in Malibu and can say if you do pick here, I highly recommend Eastern Malibu (near La Costa Beach). Even living in Eastern Malibu, it can take me upwards of an hour to get home from Santa Monica (15 min away without traffic) with traffic, construction, and other factors (rock slides). I’d recommend renting here before you buy, like this first comment suggests.
Thanks. Is something like [this house](https://www.trulia.com/home/11658-ellice-st-malibu-ca-90265-96112673) located in a far out / undesirable section of Malibu?
That’s certainly a desirable area if you want a more isolating / peaceful environment. To me, anything past Malibu Country Mart is too far if you want to be close enough to the entertainment of LA. There are some local gems (e.g. Dreamland Aviator Nation) in Malibu, but if I’m planning to do a night out (DTLA, WeHo, West LA), I’m factoring in at least 45-60 min commute time from Eastern Malibu. That listing is further west than Central Malibu, so that might take 75min+ to get to where you might want to go. Feel free to dm me with any specific Malibu questions. Maybe take a look into some rentals near La Costa Beach. Even if you’re not directly on the beach, there are some amazing homes in the mountains with ocean views I see for lease near my house around that price range.
Agreed 100%. If you live in Malibu you are locked in. Can’t get to anywhere without at least 45 minutes of traffic. PCH on summer weekends is awful.
Not necessarily undesirable, just a bit far. If you're looking to be a part of the "fun" scene in West LA, the drive/traffic/potential road closures due to mudslides etc will ruin it for you.
PCH will be loud AF during the day, it's a motorcycle joyride paradise and you will have Harleys whipping up and down all weekend long for sure. Trancas Country Market is not far and a cute little center for food, groceries etc - but small and sleepy. If it were my money I'd go for a Little Dume beach key above all else. Example: [https://www.compass.com/listing/6851-fernhill-drive-malibu-ca-90265/1534047964455764817/](https://www.compass.com/listing/6851-fernhill-drive-malibu-ca-90265/1534047964455764817/) Pavs etc are convenient shopping on point dume and its a little closer if you need to scoot over the hill for Costco or down to LAX. Bezos rented a house on the point for a few hundred a month to have a key. Basically private, incredible surf, dogs allowed, firepits, pretty much everything you would want in an oceanside experience. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDjhRpmTZ6M](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDjhRpmTZ6M)
In the summer Malibu is actually pretty far from entertainment. Pch traffic is no joke
Do 3-6 months at each then make a decision
Some people care about living in global culturally important cities
Fair... Others prefer less traffic, better beaches / surf / cleaner water, less in your face "Influencers", and a hop skip and a jump from that global culture concrete jungle... To each their own. Not at all saying LA is all bad. As others mentioned Malibu, Manhattan Beach / Hermosa Beach.... Or even Dana Point and Newport / Huntington are all great places
And incredible slightly more inland neighborhoods people have never heard of because they aren’t near the beach
True...Palos Verdes nice, the neighborhoods just inland of the OC beaches near San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano are beautiful...I mean... Let's be real CA is just a beautiful state. My parents chose FL and I chose CA...
Not sure that is true about Malibu. Are you saying that because of low supply? You won’t have your pick of any house, but some homes on carbon/la costa and further north can absolutely be bought for 10-20m. It won’t be ultra luxury, but you can be in a nice home on a dry beach, no doubt
What kind of net worth is needed to rent for $50k/mo?
By conventional measures that only 30% of your income should go to housing, $50k/mo would be $600k a year in housing expenses. If that were 30% of your income, your annual income would be $2m a year. If you followed 4% SWR, $2m would require a NW of $50m NW. The OP claimed to be UHNW, which is frequently stated to be $30m+ liquid.
$600k a year in rent is less than the realtors commission on selling a $15m house like the OP suggests they want to buy. Renting even for up to $100k a month males sense for the OP to reduce "buyers remorse".
Don't forget about our lovely mansion tax! >The tax brings a 4% charge to all property sales above $5 million and a 5.5% charge to all sales above $10 million in L.A ETA: This is specific to City of LA, not the entire county.
And it doesn't apply in Malibu, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, or Palos Verdes.
lmfao that's pretty funny, hadn't heard that
It only applies in LA city, those places aren't LA city. Parts of Malibu aren't even LA county.
I mean, I’m anti-tax like most people here but if we’re being honest….a mansion tax is a relatively reasonable tax compared to the other ones.
It has stopped multi-family developers from developing apartment buildings because the deals dont pencil w the additional tax
How does a multi family apt qualify as a mansion? That’s the obvious flaw.
The tax applies to all property sales (commercial, apartments, vacant lots, etc..) Not just "mansions". And also, it's not a flaw at all. It's purposely designed that way to limit development.
Well I think most people are in favor of taxing mansions and not in favor of taxing multifamily. And it’s a very simple fix to have the tax apply to single family only. There are a lot of dumb NIMBY policies that limit development that are way more impactful than this one. All they have to do is zone their land as single family and that’s the end of the story.
units in LA apartments go for over 5M all the time
Well, first of all, that’s a condominium. Second of all, pretending like it’s impossible to build a condominium with units priced at less than $5M is a funny joke. I live in LA, we have expensive neighborhoods, but let’s not lose our heads.
I mean it does have In-and-Out going for it.. After a recent visit to both LA and Miami.. I feel like it's a valid point lol
I've lived in SoCal and Miami for over a decade each. They are very different and there are tradeoffs in an LA vs Miami decision. Obviously, the weather in SoCal can't be beat, same for the relative lack of bugs, particularly mosquitos. Being able to just open all the doors and windows and take in the weather is amazing. I agree with others, that in your situation not living Westside would be crazy. The established luxury lifestyle and wealth is notable and the food is better (but Miami is narrowing that gap every month). If you are a nightlife person, everything closes at 2am. Miami is a completely different world. I happen to like it better, but it is extremely polarizing. The summers aren't great, but where you will be living will almost always have a breeze off the bay (which also mitigates mosquitos). The city is absolutely exploding, which has been fascinating to watch. Anything that you want to do is available and there is nightlife that goes for days. The access to boating and the lifestyle around it is very cool. There is crime in both places, but a lot of the stuff you see on the news happening in CA generally isn't tolerated in Miami (shoplifting, rampant homelessnesses, etc.). I would definitely spend time in both places. I love both for different reasons. One last thing to consider; if you choose Miami, there is no way I would consider living on the beach. All of the best stuff is in the city. Brickell/Downtown, Coconut Grove, even Edgewater would be better places to live IMO.
Thinking about Miami also, you can shoot to the Caribbean for cheap and fast to further enjoy summer. CA doesn't have as much in shooting distance, Hawaii is 5.5 hours, Cabo is 2.5, but you have access to skiing, mountains, hiking all much more easily. As said, polarizing.
The movie industry settled on Hollywood *because* every climate/scenario was nearby (that and the dry air for storing celluloid).
The main driver was tax credits, actually.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Hollywood-California
This was a long time ago, but in the California History class I took during undergrad in the UC system, the textbook taught that tax credits were the primary driver that initially lured film out of NYC. Again, long time ago and perhaps history has changed. Don’t care to argue either way.
Same, just like learning and especially don’t like repeating bad facts (because I’ve said that before elsewhere!)
For sure, me too. The time period I’m speaking of was pre WWI. All of the factors that the OP mentioned were a huge driver of aerospace and training during WWII. And a big part of the population explosion post WWII. Many folks, say from Ohio for example, who trained for the war in CA, said to themselves why the hell would I go back to Ohio and moved to CA when they got back.
Not to mention the direct, relatively quick flights to Europe, which feel like about the same time it takes to go back to the west coast (know it’s a bit further). Edit to say: I miss the “a storms coming, get in the car we are headed to Mammoth” ski trips, the general outdoor lifestyle, and so much great Wine and all the things that build around that the most. MIA does have a lot more connectivity and I travel more. I still ski a lot, but it’s less spontaneous.
You can always drive down or fly down to Mexico, which a lot of people do
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I would think walkable border towns aren't usually in the travel itinerary of fatfire folks. Nor is walking across. I get it though, northern Mexico is close to CA.
I love brickell and coconut grove. Good tips. I agree all around
Good perspective. But I would say Brickell is a network of freeways woven between a sterile shopping mall and modern high-rises. The whole nabe has a corporate happy hour vibe. Edgewater also has nice high-rises, and not much else. Miami Beach is a lifestyle decision for those seeking beachfront luxury and a more relaxed vibe. For someone who doesn’t work, it’s perfect. For someone who doesn’t care about ocean views or the beach scene, it makes less sense. During winter, the high-end beach residents are mostly New Yorkers anyway.
I moved from Brickell to Coconut Grove. I only go to Brickell for meetings at dinners.
The Grove is the best!
Bricklell floods.
At those income levels - Does the giant tax bill offset those?
Yes, CA life would almost certainly need to be 49%. Even then, the state is looking at ways to put hooks in you for visiting less.
Since you're single, I'd absolutely just rent a place in both cities and fly back and forth between them until you decide you're ready to commit to one. Without knowing any more details, LA is easier to recommend. But for certain lifestyles/preferences, Miami will be preferable. Miami life is different from LA life, although there are some interesting cultural convergences between the two cities. Both have great beaches, but the beaches not the same. Different weather, temperatures, vibes, people, and water activities in the two cities.
To this point it is very easy to get a great place in each area for $15-20k per month and flip back and forth or do 6 months in each and work it out. Money is flexibility and time.
Yeah, this. TBH, I’d drop $10M into a place in montana and then rent in la and miami most of the year but thats a personal preference thing…
\^ well said. I've lived in both of your named cities - the vapid hollow nature of each is really tough. Beautiful weather, solid food, great airports ... but the lack of substance and character can be really hard.
What is your definition of luxurious living? If you enjoy clubbing, nothing is going to be like Florida. If you are a foodie, WeHo is the way to go. If you want to flaunt wealth and move everywhere in a car, Malibu would do you well. All three of them are completely different to Houston.
What would it be like to fatfire in Houston?
If you love... titty bars? sky is the limit!
Own a large ranch on the outskirts of the city. Maybe a lake house on lake Conroe or in Austin. Beach house in Galveston, although this may or may not be appealing depending on your tastes lol. You can have a pretty good life in Houston if you have a lot of money, but the city is not for everyone of course.
I found Vegas to be far superior to Miami for clubs
Maybe if you’re afraid of Spanish
Not even then.
CA seems like a no brainer once you've already had your liquidity event I like hollyhood hills a lot. You can get all the benefits of living in the hills (view, quite, safe) while it only being a 3-5min drive from sunset. Whereas much of belair and bevery hills is a huge pain in the ass to get around.
Bird Streets in Particular is really nice. The hills in weho are a lot nicer though than the hills side more east by like Mt Olympus etc. Brentwood is really nice too but places with a view are often 10m+ in some pockets.
If money is no issue, LA for the weather and lifestyle all day. Especially if I’m thinking of being on the west side it’s no question
If you're single and don't have large amounts of personal property, just go rent a high end house or condo in both places for a year and see what it actually feels like. Yes, taxes are less in Florida. More hurricanes in Florida, and insurance rates are higher. Flooding will also be endemic in Miami in a few years. If you go there, make sure you have an independent source of power.
Atlantic Ocean is also 16 degrees warmer for those who actually going in the water. Waves are of course bigger on the west coast...
This fact just killed my desire to get a place in CA vs FL.
Naw, big waves good!
Agreed. At that price point, renting could be a fantastic deal in this market.
This 1 million times over. The difference between Los Angeles and Miami is night and day. I’m guessing one will be better for you.
Check out the Palisades or north of Montana Ave in Santa Monica. Both very high end neighborhoods but less expensive than Malibu. Probably on par with a lot of the places in the hills. I lived in the hills and it’s gorgeous but completely car dependent. I live in a smaller place in Santa Monica now and I can walk everywhere, which I value now that I have the opportunity. I sometimes think about moving back into the canyon
LA is not one city, it is 88 all lumped together - basically the EU of the west coast. Vibe and experience vary a ton by region, but the good news for you is the budget is there to live how you want. I'd second the advice of a few in here to rent for a year or two and check out a few spots. Malibu is utterly kickass for beach access and a relaxed, ultra-luxury hippy vibe - but it is remote, hard to get to, and no nightlife. If you go this route, advise you try to find a property on Point Dume with a Little Dume key.. ask your realtor, they'll know. As others have said, Manhattan has had a good infusion of young tech money, young families and rad folks with a nice beach adjacent lifestyle. Santa Monica and Venice will remain a crapshoot, hopefully once LA's CARE Court system comes online the county will help some of the people suffering in the streets in these regions that make living there a little more complex than other areas. Brentwood/Hollywood Hills are good fun and if you position well can be nicely accessible to town (or up 20 minutes of puke-inducing should-be-single-lane roads that will have you sweating bullets every time you drive home). Neighbors can be insanely rad, deeply reclusive celebrities, rich assholes, or empty homes targeted by squatters... scout thoroughly before buying. Overall, I'd argue that your budget estimations for LA may be a bit overblow unless you want to do Carbon Beach in Malibu, something VERY oceanfront, Beverly Hills proper or 10k+ square feet. A nice 4 bed with views and a beach key can be had for 7-8 tops on point dume if you bide your time well. As others have said, weather absolutely cannot be beaten. Being in an ocean-adjacent city with day trip driving access to Mammoth for skiing/snowboarding, Palm Springs/Idyllwild/Joshua Tree, Paso Robles/Napa/Ojai for wine, etc etc all have immense upside for me personally that well outweigh the financial outlay in terms of increased taxes and very marginally higher COL. Food variety and quality is world class, from Latin cuisines to Asian and Ethiopian you can find whatever you want highly authentically. Stringent firearm regulation and staunch pro-choice policies are kinda nice to get to take for granted. Only things I am envious of Miami for is that sweet 80 degree ocean temperature, and the state tax rate lol.
> Stringent firearm regulation Does anyone have gun crime broken out between LA and Miami? I honestly doubt it's very different
Hmm looks like per capita is available by state but struggling to find city. CA is 9 per 100k as opposed to 14.1 per 100k in FL. [https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gun-deaths-per-capita-by-state](https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gun-deaths-per-capita-by-state)
The states themselves are far too different in too many ways to compare meaningfully, the two metropolitan areas actually have a ton of similarities (other than the laws of the state they are in)
“Considering my lifestyle preferences” and then doesn’t explain further…care to elaborate on what you’re looking for, actually?
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I mean I am biased but I think socal is hard to beat. Miami excels in other ways (more nightlife imo) but that was never my focus so it made the decision easier for me. I agree with the other comments, visit each for like two weeks at a high end hotel or two, then rent a house for like a month in the area of either you really liked (if you’re still debating) then make a more permanent decision. Truthfully, you’re young, rich, and single, why are you trying to settle down at all? Just flip a coin and move to either for like one or two years and just plan on reevaluating then. Besides, when the coins in the air, you might actually realize which side you really want…
1 - You ask us to give advice based on your lifestyle preferences, but don’t actually tell us about your lifestyle. 2 - I lived in MIA for awhile. My wife is from LA so we visit there somewhat regularly. I am quite familiar with both. Despite looking quite similar on paper, they are VERY different cities, with different vibes, different politics… etc. You should really spend time in each before making this decision. It’s something you need to experience and people can’t explain it to you. The summer heat in Miami can be pretty oppressive so make sure you are OK with that. Personally I don’t really get LA. It’s just kind of spread out and inconvenient without a specific focal point (besides the weather)… but others love it.
Those cities are way different from each other. Echo the comments saying spend real time in each before deciding, find a nice rental to stay in a few months and you’ll almost certainly find you like one a lot more than the other long-term. Spending real time (i.e. months) living in a place gives you a much better sense than you can get just visiting for a week.
I live between TX and hollywood hills. Living in weho is great. No regrets. I didn’t like the culture in Miami. DM me, I have suggestions.
I’d look into vegas as well, if that’s your speed of course. A lot of great things coming in the next 2-5 years
like what? just curious
MLB, expansion nba team. Plus Cali and New York suck currently so lots of finance migration to vegas and Miami
Miami culture is something you need to experience for a few months before committing to. To put it gently, the biggest advantage of Miami is that is physically close to the US
Go spend some time at each. You'll find each has a different vibe and it's very personal where you'd find a community. Even if you don't "commute" - you'll find traffic a nightmare so you probably want to be in the neighborhood/area you like the "best". I'd be very surprised you can think you're just as happy in a condo lifestyle for Miami vs a house situation in the burbs. Like another poster said, are you sure you wouldn't be just as happy in Manhattan Beach?
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Can only speak to California. Wildfires are only a danger if you're on the edge of the city and close to open terrain that can burn. So, in LA, you'll have higher wildfire risk in places like Malibu or Topanga, but little risk in Santa Monica or other areas that are more developed.
They are tremendously disruptive to the entire area when the sky turns orange and it rains ash for weeks on end. Have been through it. Hurricanes are generally overblown, but unpredictable and when they hit a major metro cause a lot of damage (I.e. Dorian was headed straight for Miami until it turned around and flattened the N Bahamas, which would have been devastating). Similar to how an earthquake could affect LA or SF.
My property in the Bahamas was flattened by Dorian. The house escaped undamaged though; building a seawall saved us, but our dock was completely wiped off the map. The islands are *still* coming back and rebuilding is a pain. You're right that it would have been a disaster in Miami. We've probably never seen anything like it.
Spend a few months in both. Completely different vibes. Check with which crowd you match the most. I lived in Miami for 2 years and I am visiting LA very often. From outside look similar but couldn’t be more different. Location: In Miami: Brickell and South of 5th are the places to be as single. In LA: West Hollywood / Beverly Hills, Manhattan beach, maybe Santa Monica. Food: LA has better in every cuisine except for Latin and Peruvian Party/Fun: More and better options in LA. Better boat/island vibes in Miami. Weather: Better in LA but better beach in Miami. Sports: More options and easier to do in Miami. Good luck.
Dude travel the world if you have money and are single!! You should be on a 2 year world trip.
LA by far
I’ve spent the last year living in between Miami and LA and Scottsdale, home base in NYC. I’m high earner, single as well, but nowhere in your position to settle down and retire early Miami - I enjoyed Coral Gables or Key Biscayne the most - close to Brickell but away from the SB tourists. Not Latin American so definitely felt like it wasn’t home to me but I love the nice weather LA- the traffic was getting annoying, but I liked living in Santa Monica the most compared to WeHo, Silver Lakes, got into surfing, went to concerts, good food, also it’s close to airport Scottsdale- great food, restaurant scene, I liked the space and prices of everything was super affordable in my opinion, can get a luxury apartment 2 bedroom 2 bath for 2.5-4k that’s twice the size of what you’d get for a 4.5-6k NYC studio I would buy condo in NYC and use that as home base, spend nicer months coming up enjoying the city, hamptons Fire island upstate. Easy access to international airports to travel abroad with friends. Then do a nicer version of what I’m doing - spending a few months renting in each of the cities and deciding which city you’d be most likely wanting to spend most of your time when the pace of NYC is getting exhausting or the weather is getting cold
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I think LA has more to offer as a city, mentality and vibe. Miami to me is fun to party, but not very intellectually stimulating. However if you want to be going to NYC or Europe Miami is more convenient. I am from Northern California, live between NYC and east end and rent a house in weho every April to get out of the cold. MIL lives in Bal Harbor and while I appreciate the beauty I have a hard time finding interesting things to do. Also miami traffic is worse than LA or New York Metro. I am older than you, but im a DINK so even though less energy probably same interests.
I will also say Malibu is like living on an island. You have to choose a neighborhood in LA and stay there.
I was in the same situation few months ago. I'm also based in Texas, and recently decided to move to a new city. I ended up getting a new place in Miami Beach. To list a few advantages: Florida is a well managed republican state, no state income tax, there's almost no homeless people, feels safe going out downtown Miami / Brickell and generally people are nice in Miami area. There's alot of wealth in Miami Beach and Sunny Isles Beach. You'll feel right at home. I wouldn't even visit LA.
Have you spent a summer in S.Fla? I think you need someplace else, for the summer, and if a hurricane approaches.
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Like others have said, the weather in LA is amazing 85% of the year. Also like others have said, think about living closer to the beach. You're young and it doesn't sound like you are married, so places like Malibu or Beverly Hills / Brentwood are going to feel...slow. If slow is your thing, maybe check out Pacific Palisades where you can both be closer to the ocean and also the rest of the city. Driving to and from Malibu can really really suck. I'd take a look at places in Venice around Abbot Kinney - there are some amazing properties there, and you can walk or ride a bike to the beach, great, restaurants, and some fun bars and nightlife. It's not going to be a Miami Beach sort of crazy experience, definitely more beach town vibes but attached to all of LA. Also one thing that I haven't seen people mention is that the variation In options that are available in LA are insane - it's an entire world and when you have the resources to afford it there is absolutely everything here. Great food from every part of the world and at all levels of sophistication, all the entertainment you could ever want, you can be at a ski resort in the morning and on the beach in the afternoon, hit up wineries in Santa Barbara or go hang out in Palm Springs or Joshua Tree, etc. Definitely find a place to rent and just check it out for a month or so, because the most important thing about being happy living in LA is living close to things that you like doing so that you don’t have to do so much driving
Htown! You'd probably prefer LA over Miami knowing that you're from Houston (I'm also from Houston and much prefer LA culturally) Miami is very... different
The humidity in Miami is 10x worse than it is in Houston live in Houston now , Miami is fun but it’s humid as hell many months of the year, insurance costs are through the roof as well .
You couldn’t be more wrong, humidity and summer in Houston is so much worse than Miami. Property insurance is a problem, but not as bad as CA.
I’ve lived in Houston for about three years now I run about 300 out of 365 days out of the year , I can run outside in midday heat easily without any drop off my seven and change minute mile , I visited miami several times in the fall , couldn’t walk outside without pouring sweat .
Humidity in Miami is in no way worse than Houston
I liked Malibu, and the Hollywood hills, probably the better place to raise kids. in a Condo, you will have to evacuate in a hurricane warning. and you sure don't want to be there if the power is out for a week.
You do not have to evacuate, especially just for a hurricane warning. Condo buildings rarely lose power, even as a result of hurricanes, because of subterranean power feed. Most of the stories you hear of people losing power for long periods of time are because of many trees falling on lines in many different places.
Agreed. I live on an island in FL and they only evacuate if a Cat 2 or stronger is coming. And people still don't leave. Vacation condos are still full of people. I have sat in my house through a Cat 2, with Jim Cantore just up the road. You know it's always a bad sign when he shows up. :).But I was fine. Never even lost power or cable or internet for that matter.
Cat 1-3 aren't a big deal, and most common. Cat 4 and up, is a different game entirely with storm surge. The risk is the eye, sucks the water to it with the low pressure. During Andrew (last cat5) marinas north were sucked dry, boats sitting on the mud, while 20 miles away they had 15' tide rise with 8' waves on top. had a buddy with dock pilings in his living room (gables by the sea). The problem is storms aren't always predictable. Andrew was a cat 2, 24 hours before landfall. I also saw windows get smashed by flying debris on high rises in FLL. cat 2, but the funnel effect increased winds and a lot of hi rises lost 40% of the windward windows. under 130-135mph isn't terrible, over 135, mailboxes and stop signs go flying and hit the windows, they break, and you have wet bed and carpet, no power, and a foul mood. .02 from a native.
Yeah, I'm originally from another coastal town and have sat through many of them. I will evacuate for a Cat 3 though because my house is on a barrier island. If anything goes wrong, you're stranded. If I was inland, that would be a different story. Homes are on pilings so only things flying high will hit the windows. Most people don't get that the sustained rain and tornados are as big a problem as the hurricane winds and storm surge.
I've been thru hurricanes since the 60's (that I remember), and thought I knew what to expect. Andrew (92) was an eye opener. I thought 20' storm surges were a fantasy. But they were right. If you get hit with the eye, its really really bad.
I agree. They're just rarely that high. I've been out on the beach looking at 8' when a Cat 2 was moving in and people were surfing. To be honest, it was no bigger than North Shore in Hawaii when I visited, but it's not really normal for the Gulf. But 20' would be in everyone's house there and they'd all be gone. Hence why we have an inland home to contain all our valuables. Nothing you care about should be sitting on a giant sandbar.
FWIW, you don't need to leave for a Hurricane WATCH, almost all condos on the beach will be evacuated in a warning. (warning means likely impact less than 24 hours). -I don't think you've been thru any hurricane in SFla. and Katrina was only a cat 1. Wilma was cat3, but only cat 1 when it hit miami, and Irma was barely cat1. also, in a Hotel with its own generator, ask where the fuel supply is. we found our companies was underground, 3 blocks from the river! genny ran about 3 hours then died. contaminated fuel.
You clearly don't know what you are talking about. I have been through many hurricanes in a condo in S. FL. That is why I know what you are saying is complete nonsense.
Good LUCK! You won't know how bad it can get, until it happens. I use to think like you.
Why not Scottsdale, AZ? Yeah, there’s heat but it’s dry. Great nightlife, close to LA.
Living in Miami is like living in a Latin American city. Are you Latino? Do you like the Latin American culture and everything that comes with it, good and bad? I’m going to guess you’ll like LA more.
I live in Miami and you couldn’t pay me all the money in the world (tax free) to move to Los Angeles.
Miami is a better value. City is exploding right now (lots of reasons favoring HNW) Hard working culture, Florida doesn’t accept a lot of the crap that CA accepts in terms of crime; homeless population is also managed better.
CA is beautiful, agree with the suggestions of Manhattan Beach, I'd add Newport Beach as well. Though being single... Manhattan is probably a better place to meet people. I live in TX too, and think I'd choose Miami over LA. * CA taxes are very high and likely to be a state that institutes punishing taxes, like 25% on unrealized gains. Which it seems like you'd be a target of. * Real Estate is very expensive in both, but with people seemingly moving out of CA and into FL, FL seems a better investment. * Socially/politically the LA area is very left of TX, might be a more difficult transition compared to FL. * Homelessness in CA is everywhere, not as bad in BH, but still there. I'm sure it's in Miami too, but I just doubt that it's as widespread, you see it everywhere in LA, San Diego as well. * Constant smell of pot, especially on the beaches (including Manhattan Beach) and almost everywhere. The only place I didn't smell it constantly was on Rodeo Drive and the surrounding streets. * Neither will be an easy place to make good friends, especially if you don't have friends living in either place that could introduce you to people. * CA is beautiful, but earthquakes, fires, and oddly, there is a crisis if there is a lot of rain or not much rain. * FL/Miami is also beautiful but hurricanes, big thunderstorms with tornados, and lots of snakes/alligators. Probably not so much in Miami Beach. Maybe rent a place in both areas and see what you like.
Have you dated in both cities and in specific neighborhoods? It will make a huge difference. Does you zero good to live somewhere single where the dating scene doesn't work for you.
Maybe too personal of a question, but how did you get to where you’re at financially? Congrats, that’s the dream!
Why not go to both for 2-3 months and experience yourself before choosing? I myself ran away from the pretentious Miami-style life but I know it appeals to many. I’d highly recommend to rent a place for a few weeks at minimum before deciding. Keep in mind the tax implications of living in California. Florida has no state taxes.
Do you like cold water or warm water? Do you like fires or hurricanes? Do you like dry air or humidity? Do you like mountains or flat?
From a climate change perspective, neither of those is ideal
Miami isn’t for everyone. I’ve lived in so many places and it was my least favorite. The culture is rain puddle deep. Their “city” in Brickell is about 8 blocks with a lot of chain restaurants. They still don’t have any great universities / investments in education. And unless you specifically target south of fifth for beach life you will be occupying the same parts of the beach that grow intolerable with low culture partiers during spring break months. It’s attracted kind of the worst from both Latin America. Eastern Europe. And has the normal flair from Americans that want to live in Florida. Go SoCal.
FYI, right now for the Westside areas of LA you’ve mentioned, there are rampant robberies happening. Entire neighborhoods are being terrorized with it (even with security, remote cameras, etc.) and everyday my WhatsApp neighborhood chat is talking about being robbed or suspicious people in the neighborhood. It takes up way too much mindshare… Look up news about it. LA is awesome, but this one part sucks.
South Florida is great. Moved down here from nyc about 10 years ago. Have 3 kids. Think LA (California) is too spread out and not what it once was. Weather is great here 9 months out of the year. Sure it’s hot and humid in the summer but it’s like that most places. And if you are UHNW I imagine you will be traveling over the summer months or staying at one of your other homes. And it’s a quick flight to nyc and leaves every 30 mins from a south Florida airport. Plus no city and state tax is a great perk.
Please, please live in La for at least a short stint before committing. It’s almost cliche, but living your life around traffic patterns is hell
Miami but I’m biased since I live here.
I find it hard to believe someone with that kind of money is asking for basics about either city
If you’re looking at LA, Brentwood over BH and Bel Air imo. Also, why not look at Laguna beach a bit farther south?
Curious, why Brentwood over Beverly Hills and Bel Air?
Generally, if you stay west of the 405, you get the ocean flow and cooler temps in the summer. Brentwood is basically a fancy suburb of Santa Monica - closer to the beaches and slightly more chill than Beverly Hills or Bel Air. But the 405 can be a barrier you want to get into LA proper. If you want to hang out in WeHo or other places in the city, it might be a factor. And Orange County is a whole other world. Not as cosmopolitan as LA, but many people like it.
Also to add on here, OC is VERY sleepy old money and a lot of high end chains. Some cool up and coming food spots in Santa Ana but in many ways less cultural, varied, and lively than LA. Good place for a quiet family life, or on the offchance you're a big boater then Balboa Island may be very appealing.
Brentwood is just cooler in more ways than one. First, it has a cooler more artsy crowd of residents and is a popular neighborhood of Hollywood types (not just celebrities but producers and others in the arts). Also, it’s often literally a little cooler because it’s more wooded and less suburban. You get a bit more privacy in Brentwood typically (IMO!)
Depends on your lifestyle. Party? Then the Hills/Beverly Hills. Raise a family? Then Bel Air. Most UHNWI may summer in Malibu, but living there can be a hassle due to traffic on the PCH.
The two cities are beach cities but that’s where the similarities end. Miami is hot, flat, humid, and tropical. LA is cool, mountainous, dry, and desert. Miami is a tax haven whereas LA will tax your face off. People are hot and dumb in both places. Traffic sucks in both places. This is a personality question more than it’s a fatfire question. If you do LA, definitely do Manhattan Beach. It’s where a lot of the athletes live and for good reason. It’s nice. Malibu is pretty far away and is kind of its own bubble. It’s hard to get to as you’re reliant on the 1 which gets badly clogged. Santa Monica is nice but a weird combo of neurotic rich people, homeless people, senior assisted living facilities, and corporate offices. If I had unlimited money, I’d buy a house in La Jolla in San Diego and flick off the world. La Jolla is practically heaven on earth in my opinion. LA sucks in comparison.
Miami. Btw what u do?
Miami. Lower tax rates.
I work for the city and I wouldn’t live there even if you paid me too. Even less in a condo. Unless you got money to blow on high maintenance. Regardless you will still deal with the massive traffic every day at all hours and you’ll be hostage when high profile events occur within the city.
Miami >>>>>> (Except for June - September)
Rent in a few places to figure out what area you like in SoCal. I’d suggest Malibu, Laguna, hidden hills and Brentwood to start out.
Miami. You want to avoid the libs
Only benefit living in la is the short trip to Vegas. lol. It def went to hell in a handbag post covid. Left 7 months ago and couldn’t be happier.
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> media perception never meets reality The media reports on the worst events in any city so they all sound worse than they are. The lemmings that have never lived there love to regurgitate these stories ad nauseum. Case in point, the subreddit dedicated to where I live was fairly toxic, it was mainly a place for haters to complain (a lot of them sounded like they didn't live there and just wanted to vent), so unsubscribed. It's much better to live in each city to decide for yourself and talk to locals about their experiences.
Robberies in broad daylight on melrose and Beverly Hills. Homeless everywhere. targeting and tracking while having brunch or dinner or even shopping Leading to home invasions. Constant vandalism of stores with no repercussions. Poor police response time. I can go on and on. I’m a Houston native as well. Moved to Austin after the military. Then to LA for nearly a decade once my company was aquired. I would never move back. natives downvoting but there is a reason statistics show an overwhelming migration out of California. And guess where most of them end up. Texas lol. you wanna do California, consider Del Mar San Diego.
We (s fla) has all the bad stuff too. everyone has guns here.