Thinking of Moving to Miami?
Discover what living in the magic city is like.
If you're thinking about relocating or moving to Miami and currently researching various cities around the state, you've landed in the right place. This page has been assembled to help you gain a top-level overview of the Miami area, what this multi-cultural city offers its residents in terms of lifestyle, amenities, employment and real estate. We also encourage you to reach out to Sandra Alonso, our Miami relocation expert as she is glad to answer any questions you may have about the area, including the Miami real estate market, housing costs and annual living expenses.About Miami, FL
Located in Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami is the cultural, economic and financial center of South Florida. The greater Miami Metropolitan area is the largest in Florida with a population of nearly 6.2 million people. Averaging 77' degrees year round and 248 sunny days per year, Miami is home to professional sports teams, the busiest cruise ship port in the world (Port Canaveral is #2), top-rated beaches and is commonly recognized as a "Top Place to Live" and a "Best City to Retire" by national raking publications. The City of Miami offers a strong employment market and has been additionally recognized by CIO Magazine as a "Fast Growing U.S. Tech Hub for IT" in the entire county.Miami Awards & Accolades
The Miami area commonly receives awards and accolades for its top-rated beaches, thriving business community, quality healthcare and high-quality of life for residents and tourists alike. View recent awards below.- 2025
- 2024
Top Reasons to Relocate to Miami
- Miami Offers Top-Rated Beaches
Miami offers tourists and residents alike the very best when it comes to the beach experience. Miami Beach's iconic South Beach, lined with art-deco style buildings and colorful awnings for outdoor eating, is commonly ranked as top beach in the state each year by publications such as TripAdvisor and Conde Nast Traveler. - Miami is a "Best City" to Retire In the U.S.
Miami was recently ranked as #2 on WalletHub's "Best Places to Retire" list for 2025. This study, which examined 180 of the largest areas U.S. metropolitan areas, was based upon 46 key indicators including retiree-friendliness, the annual cost of living and the number of healthcare facilities per person. View the Best U.S. Cities to Retire In Rankings.
# City, State Average Home Price Average Age 1 Orlando, FL $377,560 34.7 2 Miami, FL $580,176 39.7 3 Minneapolis, MN $310,928 32.8 4 Tampa, FL $371,329 35.5 5 Fort Lauderdale, FL $513,528 43.2 Average Home Prices as of Feb 1, 2025 - Miami is a Top Rated Real Estate Market
As a popular Florida retirement destination, Miami's real estate market has been appreciating steadily in recent years due to persons relocating to the area. At the start of February 2025, the median Miami home price is $580,176 which represents a 3.9% year-over-year increase. To find out exact housing and living costs, as well as the most popular neighborhoods people are moving into, contact Sandra Alosnso, our Miami relocation expert listed on this page. - Florida Has No State Income Tax
One of the largest benefits to living in the sunshine state is not having to pay a state income tax. In lieu of a state income tax though, the state of Florida earns revenues from the millions of tourists that visit the state every year (approx 120 million) through a 7% sales tax (state level) and a 5% tourist tax (county level) from revenues on rental properties and hotel visits that are for a perdiod of six months or less. Once you declare your Florida residency, you'll quickly appreciate all the tourists who pay your share of state taxes. - Miami is a Top City to Start a Business In
According to a recent study by WalletHub (2024), Miami ranked 5th in the nation as a "Best Large City to Start a Business in." This study, which comapred 100 large cities nationwide, analyzed multiple factors such as the current business environment and growth rate, access to funding and resources as well as actual business operating costs such as rent and labor. View City Rankings List - Miami Has Strong Employment Market
Miami's economy has been very strong in recent years with an unemployment rate of 2.2%, considerably below the national unemployment rate of 4.1% (Mar 2025). Top sectors in the Miami economy include tourism, financial services, agriculture, education, and healthcare. Largest employers in the greater Miami area include Miami-Dade Public Schools, Miami-Dade County Government, Baptist Health South Florida and University of Miami. - Miami Has Top-Rated Healthcare & Hospitals
The greater Miami area has several top rated hospitals including Baptist Health South Florida, Mercy Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. Recently, US News & World Report ranked Baptist Hospital of Miami as the Top 10 Best Hospitals in the state of Florida. View Florida Hospital Rankings. - Miami Has Endless Events to Explore
Miami offers residents an active calendar of outdoor events to attend year-round. Choose from food and craft beer festivals, musical performances, boat and car shows and film festivals just to name a few. Popular Miami events include the South Beach Jazz Festival, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Carnaval Miami, the South Beach Comedy Festival and the Miami International Boat Show. If you like attending sporting events, Miami is also home to the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Heat and the Miami Marlins. - Miami Offers a Year-Round Playground
With an average year-round temperature of 77' degrees and 248 sunny days each year, Miami is a top Florida city for outdoor enthusiasts. If you enjoy watersport activities, try kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) on Biscayne Bay, South Beach's Sunset Islands or at the Oleta River State Park. If you prefer recreation by land, Miami offers miles of biking, jogging and pet-friendly trails including Snake Trail, Rickenbacker Trail and along Virginia Key. If you enjoy observing the native sea life and wild birds, visit Crandon Park or Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. - Miami Offers Endless Dining & Cuisine Options
From casual, pet-friendly sidewalk cafes to fancy, five-star restaurants, the greater Miami area offers a wide variety of cuisines for all teates and budgets. There's also a growing scene of craft pubs and beer gardens to check out such as Lincoln's Beard Brewing, MIA Beer Company, District Brew House and Tap79 Gastropub. Many of these local pubs are pet-friendly, have live entertainment and some even offer corn hole, darts and foosball while you enjoy a fresh, locally-crafted brew.
Sandra Alonso
Realtor®Your Miami Relocation Expert
305-613-3376
Please mention Moving to Florida Guide when calling so I can track my marketing efforts. Thanks!
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The Miami Real Estate Market
Market outlook, trends and relocation advice by Sandra Alonso
The demand for Miami real estate, which spans new high-rise developments, second homes, and income-producing properties, remains steady from both domestic and international buyers amidst the now higher interest rate environment. While inventory levels in February of 2025 have risen to a more healthy level of 5.2 months, vs 1.4 months as was during the market peak, this is still historically low. The median Miami home price is now $580K which represents a 3.9% year-over-year increase.
As Miami-Dade County continues to attract buyers from Latin America who seek a cultural city, buyers from California and New York who seek tax benefits, as well as buyers from many top companies who are relocating their HQ's or regional offices to South Florida, these factors continue to keep the housing market very strong, even over other Florida markets, amidst the higher interest rates.
As Miami-Dade County continues to attract buyers from Latin America who seek a cultural city, buyers from California and New York who seek tax benefits, as well as buyers from many top companies who are relocating their HQ's or regional offices to South Florida, these factors continue to keep the housing market very strong, even over other Florida markets, amidst the higher interest rates.
Miami Housing Market Outlook
My outlook for the Miami housing market in the year ahead is a continuation of the same consistent buyer demand as Miami continues growing into a large financial hub for many banks and financial companies and is now 2nd only in size to New York City on the east coast for the largest concentration of financial institutions. In terms of home price appreciation, I expect it to be much more moderate in the year ahead as the market is rebalancing from the unprecedented level of accelerated market appreciation it experienced over the past few years.View market trends and relocation advice
Market Trends I'm Observing
- Many residents continue to move out of central Miami to more suburban areas such as Kendall, Doral, and Homestead for more affordable housing options.
- Developers are transforming old warehouses into mixed-use spaces which are now emerging as hot spots to live. Wynwood, Little River and Allapattah are some of these areas.
- Investors continue to capitalize on high rental yields in areas such as Brickell, Wynwood, and Edgewater.
My Relocation Advice
For those seeking to relocate to the Miami area, whether for a career, retirement or a fresh start, my advice is to know your budget, timeline and any specific housing needs and/or concerns you may have. Having been raised in Miami and living here all my life, I have a vast understanding of Miami's evolving real estate market and cost of living, its neighborhoods, local schools, job opportunities, as well as local amenities which allows me to guide individuals or families to make well-informed decisions tailored to their needs.Miami Relocation Reviews:
Read what Sandra's past clients are saying.
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"Sandra has been my agent multiple times and let me tell you… she’s the real estate professional you want to have by your side. If you're looking for a seasoned and experienced realtor in Miami, Sandra is the one you need. She has consistently exceeded my expectations and I am confident she will do the same for you. Thank you, Sandra, for your exceptional service and dedication!"
Juan D.
Past Client -
"My wife and I are extremely happy with the help Sandra provided in finding our forever home. What we really loved about her is that no matter how many times we visited homes, and didn’t find the right one, she always kept a positive attitude and let us know that our home was out there. Sandra made herself available at all times, especially the weekends which were very helpful for us. Sandra’s customer service is unmatched!"
Jorge G.
Past Client -
"Sandra is very communicative every step of the way. She is extremely pleasant, listens to you concerns, and is very attentive to the needs of the client. She possess high level of professionalism and integrity. Definitely would recommend her!"
Terri
Past Client -
"Sandra's prowess as a negotiator is nothing short of remarkable, consistently navigating the intricacies of real estate transactions with finesse. Her ability to orchestrate successful deals is a testament to her skill and dedication. She operates with the utmost integrity, always prioritizing the equitable interests of all parties involved, resulting in a sale that is not only profitable but also fair to everyone concerned."
James
Past Client -
"Sandra helped us sell our family home. She was patient, full of helpful advice and has her finger on the pulse of the Miami market. She didn't hesitate to get her hands dirty or even doing some heavy lifting when we needed. Thank you Sandra for all the hard work and the support during this process."
Rebecca S.
Past Client
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