The vibrant oceanfront city of Miami Beach is a culturally rich haven for those seeking the good life.
For decades, Southern California reigned supreme as the country's top destination for affluent homebuyers. Whether for professional pursuits, a personally driven relocation, or to secure a second or third home, the sunny, picturesque coastline that stretched from Los Angeles to San Diego had few peers. Until now.
Thanks to a changing real estate climate favoring bold and adventurous home buyers, the country's business and celebrity elite are making investments along a stretch of ocean and sand nearly 2,800 miles east in Miami Beach.
A one-of-a-kind resort city along Florida's southern Atlantic coast, Miami Beach is more than a beachfront playground for VIPs. This sunshine-filled South Florida gem also draws affluent, under-the-radar buyers—young professionals seeking opportunity, established families aiming for a fresh start, and older buyers making the most of their twilight years. Additionally, individual and institutional investors want to make their mark on this extraordinary barrier island.
So if you find yourself in one of the above groups, are primed for a dramatic change of scenery, or are ready to put California in your rearview mirror, read on. Below we explore why you should trade Southern California for Miami Beach.
America's Most Glamorous Oceanfront Enclave
A 10-mile-long barrier island east of Miami between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Miami Beach has long served as the younger, more energizing upstart to its sibling city across the bay.
Considerably smaller in both size and population than its prominent metropolitan neighbor, Miami Beach packs plenty of glamor and appeal into its 18-square-mile footprint (more than half of which is water). Whether it's the arts, the outdoors, or the social interactions, there's a scene for every desire. A few of the highlights include:
● Approximately eight miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean
● Over 40 parks and outdoor recreational facilities
● More than 30 museums, galleries, and cultural institutions, including an expansive public art display
● Three world-class golf courses
● 15 major resort properties, including those from The Ritz Carlton and the Four Seasons, and more than 20,000 hotel and resort rooms
● Numerous festivals, concerts, and visual and performing art programs throughout the year.
Add to that an impressive roster of world-class shops, restaurants, bars, and an abundance of swanky nightclubs and Miami Beach is positioned as one of the country's preeminent cultural and entertainment destinations.
Fully embracing the live-work-play mindset of today's class of high-earners and high-end homebuyers, Miami Beach offers a lavish lifestyle. You can dine, dance, and dwell to your heart's content without leaving the island.
An added bonus is the city's South Florida location and subtropical climate, guaranteeing year-round warm weather to partake in the city's numerous pursuits.
A Global Community Living The Good Life
A modern, internationally renowned destination, South Florida is a diverse hub home to many of the world's most celebrated cultures. At its heart is the city of Miami, the Gateway to the Americas.
Most notable is the distinctive Latin culture that informs much of the area's food and arts scene. Little Havana is the most well-known of the region's cultural enclaves, representing the lively and energetic soul of the Cuban community who've called South Florida home for decades. With a roster of bars, cafes, and restaurants that serve as a direct extension of the island nation, you won't find a more authentic expat scene anywhere else.
The influences, however, span the globe—from the Caribbean to Central and South America, from Europe to the Middle East and Asia. While no surprise that, in addition to Cuba, citizens from Brazil, Venezuela, and other South American nations represent a healthy percentage of the area's foreign-born population, a large contingent hail from less obvious places, including Great Britain, Spain, and numerous Southeast Asian countries.
This vibrant, multicultural influence also encompasses Miami Beach, which, in addition to its international flavor, supports thriving LGBTQ and Jewish communities.
The city's spirited dining and nightlife scenes often take on the form of a global party. No fewer than 30 different international cuisines are represented on Miami Beach. And depending on your choice of after-hours haunt, you could find yourself conversing with someone from Argentina, Dubai, Lithuania, New Zealand, Singapore, or all five at once.
Including 15 historic sites, 14 local historic districts, four National Register Historic Districts, and a history dating back over 150 years, Miami Beach boasts a collection of cultural attractions unprecedented for a city its size.
Favorites include the captivating, candy-coated pastels of the Art Deco architecture along Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, the eclectic, celeb-laden see-and-be-seen dining in the heart of South Beach, and the luxe oceanfront resorts that stand sentry up and down the city's 10-mile coastline.
Miami Beach's culturally rich, international influence—and its proximity to the even more cosmopolitan Miami—also bodes well for investors. Beyond a posh space to call your own, the broad mix of foreign and domestic visitors, each with an appetite for the barrier island's opulent resort lifestyle, translates to a captive, big-spending audience in constant need of short- or long-term housing.
Waterfront Living At Its Absolute Finest
A bustling social scene featuring eclectic dining and an electric nightlife. A fascinating cultural exchange that places the world at your fingertips. An unapologetically lavish lifestyle that is a surprisingly wise financial investment (more on that below).
An attractive list, but Miami Beach's greatest appeal stems from its outstanding real estate offerings. Providing home buyers and property investors an incredible variety of options; whatever your ideal waterfront nirvana may be, there's a place for you on this magnificent stretch of Florida coastline.
Featuring three distinctive communities fronting the Atlantic side of Miami Beach—North Beach, Mid-Beach, and South Beach—there is a clear choice of lifestyles afforded to island residents. Know your preferred lifestyle, and the ideal home will naturally fall into view.
North Beach
Offering boutique shopping, a range of restaurants from ultra-refined to exceptionally relaxed, and a close-knit sense of community, North Beach is picture-perfect, upscale residential living. Less tourist-driven than Miami Beach's southern districts, this is the quieter side of the barrier island. Homes include luxury high-rise condos overlooking the Atlantic and traditional, yet equally as grand single-family homes.
Mid-Beach
Mid-Beach brings together the best of the North and South Beach neighborhoods—a buzzier version of the former and a more relaxed alternative to the latter. Running approximately four miles of the Miami Beach coastline, Mid-Beach is where you find some of the city's grandest and most historic condo residences. Equally as walkable as its siblings, Mid-Beach is arguably the most tropical part of the city, with an abundance of beach-adjacent green space to go along with the uninterrupted stretch of sand.
This is the place to seek out high-end, well-appointed luxury condos and apartments. Begin, and end your search between where Indian Creek Drive and Collins Avenue meet, then meet again, and you won't be disappointed.
South Beach
South Beach is the pulse of the city. Immensely walkable, living in South Beach places you at the doorstep of some of the country's best dining, shopping, and nightlife. If the brochure you're holding features Miami Beach's Art Deco architecture or its nighttime neon glow, it's a picture of South Beach staring back at you. Famous South Beach neighborhoods include South of Fifth (or SoFi), Miami Beach's shimmering, upscale dining district and Flamingo/Lummus, the city's iconic cultural heart.
Biscayne Bay
The city's water-bound geography along Biscayne Bay allows it to play host to a unique lifestyle that redefines waterfront residential living. Dredged from the floor of Biscayne Bay, high-end island neighborhoods run up and down Miami Beach's western shores. Adjacent to North Beach is the gated streets of Biscayne Pointe. Further south, the luxurious confines of La Gorce and Nautilus sit directly west of Mid-Beach. And just off the southwestern shores of South Beach are Star, Palm, and Hibiscus Islands along MacArthur Causeway and the Venetian Islands accessible by Venetian Way.
Featuring exclusive, ultra-luxe compound living, the most spectacular properties across these island retreats include well over 10,000 square feet of living space, private docks for personal watercraft and luxury yachts, and direct access to Biscayne Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
Lavish, Extravagant, And A Financially Wise Move
Miami Beach's glitzy, high-energy nightlife, vaunted international flare, and rarified real estate listings generate plenty of headlines. And deservedly so.
For many deep-pocketed buyers, the whole point of venturing into Miami Beach real estate is to secure a status- and portfolio-defining property.
That said, just beneath the surface of any high-profile Miami Beach property deal is another, more compelling reason to call the oceanfront enclave home—Florida's impressive array of financial benefits.
The Sunshine State has no state income tax, one of only ten states in the country with this sizable financial perk. There's also no need to worry about estate, inheritance, or intangible goods taxes. Florida's sales tax sits at 6%, with Miami Beach one percent higher—among the lowest in the country.
In fact, for those strongly considering a shift in coastal addresses, the financial incentives of moving to Miami Beach make it the clear choice to remain in California. Consider that among the top 1% of earners in California—those making an average of $2.16 million, the state's effective tax rate is 12.4%. In Florida, the numbers for the top 1% are $2.34 million and 2.3%, respectively.
It's no accident that the state of Florida is a favorite landing spot for those wanting greater financial freedom.
Discover Your Next Real Estate Opportunity With Serhant.
Ready to make the trade of a lifetime and invest in a new home or addition to your portfolio in the celebrated island enclave of Miami Beach?
Whether you're relocating from Southern California, points in between, or even further afield, allow SERHANT. and our revolutionary approach to buying and selling luxury real estate be your partner in purchasing Miami Beach property. Combining trusted, traditional brokerage services with innovative strategies and client-first focus, our team brings their expertise to your real estate search to ensure you find the right property for you, your family, or your portfolio.