Featured Apartment:
Miami - 3 bedroom and 3 baths, family kitchen with eating area and large entertainment room. The kitchen has loads of dark maple cabinetry for storage, walk in pantry, five burner gas stove, island with veggie sink and loads of granite. The master suite has large walk in closet and bath has a large soaking tub, over-sized shower and 2 vanity sinks. View More Listings -->
Renting an Apartment in Miami
What You Should Know
Miami is a major city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. It is
the county seat of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a gamma world city with an
estimated population of 404,048. It is the largest city within the South Florida
metropolitan area, which is the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern
United States with 5.4 million people. Miami and its surrounding cities make up
the fifth largest urban area in the United States. As of 2005, the United
Nations estimates that the Miami Urban Agglomeration is the fourth largest in
the United States, and the 44th largest in the world.
Miami’s importance as an international financial and cultural center has
elevated Miami to the status of world city. Because of Miami’s cultural and
linguistic ties to North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean,
Miami is many times referred to as “The Gateway of the Americas”. Florida’s
large Spanish-speaking population and strong economic ties to Latin America also
make Miami and the surrounding region an important center of the Hispanic world.
Miami is also home to one of the largest, most influential ports in the United
States, the Port of Miami. The port is often called the “Cruise Capital of the
World” and the “Cargo Gateway of the Americas”. It has retained its status as
the number one cruise/passenger port in the world for well over a decade
accommodating the largest cruise ships and the major cruise lines.
As of 2007, Miami is undergoing a massive building boom that ranks second
worldwide (and first in the United States) for the most buildings under
construction that will be over 492 feet (150 m), with over 24 of such buildings
currently under construction. Miami’s skyline also currently ranks third in the
U.S. behind Chicago and New York City (and 18th in the world) according to the
2006 Almanac of Architecture and Design. Including other nearby neighborhoods
and cities, the Miami area has over 80 highrise towers under construction, such
as the Biscayne Wall in Downtown Miami, a row of skyscrapers being built along
the west side of Biscayne Boulevard. Miami currently has the five tallest
skyscrapers in the state of Florida with the tallest being the Four Seasons
Hotel & Tower.
At only 35.68 square miles (92 sq km) of land area, Miami has the smallest land
area of any major U.S. city with a metro area of at least 2 million people. The
city proper is home to less than 1 in 13 residents of the South Florida Metro
Area. Additionally, 52% of Miami-Dade County’s population doesn't live in any
incorporated city. Miami is the only major city in the United States bordered by
two national parks, Everglades National Park on the west, and Biscayne National
Park on the east.
Miami is one of the country’s most important financial centers. It is the major
center of regional commerce, and boasts a strong international business
community. According to the ranking of world cities undertaken by the
Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network (GaWC) and based on the
level of presence of global corporate service organizations, Miami is considered
a “Gamma World City”.
Because of its proximity to Latin America, Miami serves as the headquarters of
Latin American operations for more than 1400 multinational corporations,
including American Airlines, Cisco, Disney, Exxon, FedEx, Microsoft, Oracle, SBC
Communications, Sony, and Visa International. Several large companies are
headquartered in or around Miami, including but not limited to: Alienware,
AutoNation, Bacardi, Brightstar Corporation, Burger King, Carnival Cruise Lines,
Citrix Systems, DHL, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ryder
Systems, and Spirit Airlines. Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami
are among the nation’s busiest ports of entry, especially for cargo from South
America and the Caribbean. Additionally, downtown Miami has the largest
concentration of international banks in the country. Miami was also the host
city of the 2003 Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations, and is one of the
leading candidates to become the trading bloc's headquarters.
The Port of Miami, the largest container port in Florida, as well as the “Cruise
Capital of the World” and “Cargo Gateway of the Americas”.
The Port of Miami, the largest container port in Florida, as well as the “Cruise
Capital of the World” and “Cargo Gateway of the Americas”.
Tourism is also an important industry: the beaches of Greater Miami draw
visitors from across the country and around the world, and the Art Deco
nightclub district in South Beach (in Miami Beach) is widely regarded as one of
the most glamorous in the world. However, it is important to note that Miami
Beach is not a part of the city of Miami. Even major TV networks sometimes
forget this, as when Good Morning America visited Miami Beach and Charles Gibson
thanked the mayor of Miami (but he was standing next to the mayor of Miami
Beach). In addition to these roles, Miami is also an industrial center,
especially for stone quarrying and warehousing.
Miami is the home to the National Hurricane Center and the headquarters of the
United States Southern Command, responsible for military operations in Central
and South America.
Miami has also served as host venue for legendary legal proceedings, most
notably the $145 Billion verdict leveled against the nation’s five largest
cigarette manufacturers. This case was a class action on behalf of all afflicted
Florida smokers and their families, represented by a prominent and successful
Miami-raised husband and wife legal team, Stanley and Susan Rosenblatt.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004, Miami had the third highest
incidence of family incomes below the federal poverty line in the United States,
making it the third poorest city in the USA, ahead only by Detroit,
Michigan(ranked #1) and El Paso, Texas (ranked #2.) In 2002, Miami had the
highest poverty rate. Miami is also one of the very few cites where its local
government went bankrupt, in 2001.
Miami is also one of the least affordable places to live, with the median
percentage of housing costs as a percentage of income was 42.8%; the national
average was 27%. Miami ranks twelfth among least affordable cities for home
ownership.
In 2005, the Miami area witnessed its largest real estate boom since the 1920s.
The newly created Midtown Miami, having well over a hundred approved
construction projects is an example of this. As of 2007, however, the housing
market has crashed and more than 23,000 condos are for sale and/or foreclosed.
The Miami metropolitan area foreclosures are up 82 percent from a year ago, and
the Miami area ranks 8th worst in the nation in foreclosures.
In August 2007, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development attempted
to take control of Miami-Dade County’s housing agency, citing mismanagement of
housing programs and a poor record keeping of the agency’s finances. These
attempts are halted, pending a ruling on a preliminary injunction request by the
county; non-binding mediation has also been mandated over the issue.
Miami is served by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which is the largest school
district in Florida and the fourth largest in the United States. As of February
15, 2006 it has a student enrollment of 414,128. The district is also the
largest minority public school system in the country, with 52% of its students
being of Hispanic origin, 25% African American, and 6% non-white of other
minorities. M-DCPS is also one of a few public school districts in the United
States to offer optional bilingual education. Miami also has several Catholic
and Jewish private schools throughout the area.
The city ranks second-to-last in people over 18 with a high school diploma, with
47% of the population not having that degree.
Colleges and universities in the city proper:
* Florida International University Metropolitan Center in Downtown Miami
(Public)
* Miami-Dade College (Public)
* Miami International University of Art and Design (Private)