Living in Miami Lakes: A Neighborhood Guide From Our Home Base

Photo: Town of Miami Lakes, CC BY-SA 4.0

Miami Lakes is where The R&R Group is based, so it is the neighborhood we know street by street. It sits in the northwest corner of Miami-Dade, close to the Broward line, and it feels different from the rest of the county the moment you turn off the expressway: curving streets, mature trees, water behind the houses and a town center you can walk. Here is how we describe it to buyers who are seeing it for the first time.

A planned town built around water

Miami Lakes was developed by the Graham family starting in the 1960s, on land that had been a dairy farm. It was planned from the beginning as a complete community: neighborhoods arranged around a network of man-made lakes, greenbelts and walking paths between sections, and a commercial center at its heart. It became its own town in 2000, with its own council and its own local rules.

That planning is the reason people choose it. Streets curve instead of running in a grid. Many homes back onto a lake or a green space instead of another backyard. Landscaping is taken seriously, and most sections have a consistent look that owners and associations work to keep.

Main Street and daily life

The town center, known as Main Street, was designed as a walkable downtown: restaurants, cafes, shops, offices and apartments arranged along a few blocks with sidewalks, shade and parking behind the buildings. It is where residents meet for dinner, run errands and spend a slow weekend morning.

Beyond Main Street, daily life is practical. Supermarkets, pharmacies, gyms and medical offices are spread along the main roads, and most errands take a few minutes by car. The town runs parks with ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, open lawns and a community center, and the lake paths are popular for walking, running and cycling early in the day.

The homes

Housing in Miami Lakes covers several decades and several types:

• Single-family homes, from the original 1960s and 1970s ranch houses to larger homes built in later sections. Lakefront lots carry a premium.
• Townhouses and villas, often in their own gated or semi-private sections with shared landscaping and pools.
• Condominiums and apartments, including garden-style buildings and newer residences near the town center.

Many sections have a homeowners association, known locally as an HOA. Each one has its own fees, rules and approval process. Some cover landscaping, exterior paint colors, fences, boats and parking. Before you make an offer, we get the association documents and read them with you so there are no surprises after closing.

What to check before you buy

Miami Lakes is a mature community, and the things that matter most are the ones that come with age and water.

• Roof, plumbing and electrical. Many original homes are now decades old. Roof age and the condition of older plumbing and electrical panels affect both your repair budget and your ability to insure the house. We bring these into the conversation before the inspection, not after.
• Lake rules. A lake behind the house does not automatically mean a dock or the right to put a boat on the water. Rules on docks, boats and lake use vary by section and association, so we confirm them for the specific property.
• Flood zone and elevation. Being near water changes flood risk and insurance cost. Ask for the elevation certificate if one exists, and get a flood quote during your inspection period.
• Association health. For townhouses and condos, the budget, the reserves and any planned assessments tell you as much about the purchase as the unit itself.

Getting around

Location is the other reason people choose Miami Lakes. The Palmetto Expressway (State Road 826) and I-75 run along its edges, and Florida's Turnpike is close by. That puts Doral, Miami International Airport, Hialeah and the Broward cities to the north within a reasonable drive, depending on traffic and time of day. If your work is in Doral, at the airport or in Broward, Miami Lakes sits between all three.

Downtown Miami, Brickell and the beaches are farther, and the drive depends heavily on the hour. If you will commute east every day, we suggest driving the route at rush hour before you decide.

Is Miami Lakes the right fit?

The best way to decide is to compare what the town offers with what you want day to day. Miami Lakes fits buyers who want:

• Water views and green space without paying for the bay.
• A town center they can walk to for dinner or coffee.
• Quick highway access to the airport, Doral and Broward.
• An established neighborhood with mature trees and consistent streets.

It is less suited to someone who wants to walk to the beach or live in a high-rise with city views. For that, Brickell, Edgewater or Miami Beach are better starting points.

How we help in Miami Lakes

This is our home base, so we know which sections back onto which lakes, which associations move quickly on approvals and which streets hold water after a heavy rain. When you are ready, we can tour the sections that fit your budget and the way you live, and show you every home currently for sale in Miami Lakes. Start by telling us what you are looking for.