The Top Guide for Miami Gardens

Find the newest homes for sale & real estate listings in Miami Gardens. In this competitive market it’s important to stay on top of the newest listings & to alert us on anything you would like to see. If you would like more information on any of these Miami Gardens homes for sale, just request information on the listing details page of the property. We can provide you with information that’s not available to the public including disclosures, past sales history, dates and prices of homes recently sold nearby, and more.

And, if you haven’t already, be sure to register for our website so that you can receive email alerts whenever new Miami Gardens homes for sale come on the market.

Top Guide to Miami Gardens

History, food, things to do, schools, community, and real estate in Miami Gardens  

To be fair, Miami Gardens doesn’t have the best reputation, and people aren’t exactly naming it the best city to live in, in South Florida. However, don’t overlook Miami Gardens completely, because it's more than what people say about it. It’s a rich, vibrant community with history and culture. And it’s filled with people who want to make a difference in their community and their world. 

Miami Gardens is located in Miami-Dade County, only 30 minutes away from the infamous and illustrious South Beach. As far as cities go, Miami Gardens is in a good location; it’s situated right between two major airports, being only 17 miles from the Miami International Airport and 18 miles from the Fort Lauderdale Airport. 

Today, Miami Gardens has roughly 105,000 residents. It’s the third-largest city in all of Miami-Dade County right behind Hialeah and Miami. And aside from its size, Miami Gardens is known for its culture. Its soul food is so good that it rivals anything that comes out of Atlanta or New Orleans for that matter. Plus, it’s home to the Miami Dolphins. 

However, Miami Gardens is also known for having a bit of a rough reputation, and granted, it could use some work. But with all of that said, Miami Gardens is the quintessence of a self-aware community. The residents and government of Miami Gardens know that it could be better. They know it has the potential to achieve great things, and by moving to Miami Gardens, you can be a part of the group that transforms it into the best place to live in, in Miami-Dade County.

Moving to Miami Gardens may not be the same glamorous experience as moving to Brickell or Coral Gables, but Miami Gardens does have a couple things. First of all, it has hope. And secondly, moving to Miami Gardens offers you the unique chance to really make an impact on a community and change it for the better. Plus, it‘s an affordable place to live. If you’re thinking about moving to Miami Gardens, contact the best realtors in Miami Gardens, the AV Home Experts with Keller Williams Realty. 

History of Miami Gardens  

Miami Gardens: from then to now

In general, Miami Gardens’s history starts out much like the rest of the cities and towns in South Florida. It follows the same story: uninhabitable swampland to undeveloped farmland to begrudging progress, and finally to the start of a neighborhood. However, Miami Gardens’s story starts to divulge from the South Floridian city archetype in the 1960s. 

Just like the rest of South Florida, Miami Gardens saw an increase in development with the post-WWII boom. But in the 1960s, Miami Gardens began to see an influx of upper and middle-class African Americans who were looking to escape from the poverty of Liberty City, Little Haiti, and Overtown. After the construction of I-95, cities like Overtown were economically devastated, and they began to deteriorate, so the Miami Gardens area was the place to move. 

Moving into the 1970s and 1980s, residents of the future Miami Gardens laid the foundations for a vision, a city where African American professionals could live, find a home, and settle down. Developers even offered African American teachers and professionals incentives to move to this burgeoning area.  

At this point in its history, Miami Gardens was only an idea, a few communities under the name of Carol City. But in the following years, more African American professionals moved into the area, and there began a push for the communities to incorporate under one name, one city. 

And finally, on May 13, 2003, Miami Gardens became an official city with a prospective future. With the Hardrock Stadium, Florida Memorial University, and St. Thomas University, it developed the infrastructure to become a bustling community, but its plans for progress soon fell through the cracks. 

Moving into the future, Miami Gardens hasn’t exactly achieved its original vision, but the roots are still there. And, Miami Gardens has room to grow. Its recent history may not be the best, but that is no reflection on its future and what it can become. After all, it only takes one person to make a positive difference in a community. 

Miami Gardens Community 

Get involved and learn more about the Miami Gardens Community  

So, you’re thinking of moving to Miami Gardens? Well, one of the best ways to introduce yourself to the area and the community is to educate yourself a little on the municipal government. Learning about a city’s government is the first step to seeing how the community operates. From there you can begin to get involved with the community and make Miami Gardens your forever home. 

In Miami Gardens, the mayor and six other council members make up the city council, and each council member serves four-year terms. However, Miami Gardens is a little different than other city councils in Miami-Dade County. On the Miami Gardens City Council, two council members are elected citywide, and the other four are elected through their individual, respective districts. The city council at large acts as the city’s legislative body, voting on ordinances and resolutions and establishing various city policies.  

In terms of voting power, the mayor’s vote is no more or less significant than any other council member. Shortly put, all members of the council have equal voting power. The mayor simply holds a ceremonial role as the head of the city and is expected to represent the city at various events. However, the city manager who is appointed by the city council runs the actual day-to-day functions of the city.  

The current Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris has lived in Miami Gardens for over 20 years. In 2012, Harris was elected as a council member, and he was reelected in 2016 for the same seat. In 2018, Harris was appointed the vice mayor of Miami Gardens, and finally, he was elected as Miami Gardens’s third mayor in 2020. Even though Harris hasn’t had a long political career, he’s spent most of his adult professional life serving Miami Gardens. Prior to becoming a council member, Harris was a senior juvenile probation officer for the state of Florida. He helped found the Department of Juvenile Justice’s “Success Through Empowerment Program” (STEP) which mentors at-risk youth and youth who have been involved with the criminal justice system. And in 2008, Harris was recognized for his efforts and dedication to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Harris has also been recognized by Legacy Magazine as one of Miami’s fifty most powerful and influential black professionals in business.

For more information about Harris or any of the other council members, check out the city’s website for their full biographies and contact information. To see Miami Gardens’s council members in action, check the city’s website for a schedule of upcoming meetings. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings are closed to the public except for the open public comment portion of the meeting. Participants must register to make a comment, before the meeting. And even though meetings are technically closed, residents can still live stream the meeting. To find out more information about how to watch, visit the city’s website.  

If you want to get even more involved, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in Miami Gardens. Go to Miami-Dade County’s website to see how you can help maintain various Miami Gardens parks. Volunteer with Engage 305 to foster a grandparent, help feed the homeless, or work with Habitat for Humanity. Also, check out the Community Improvement Organization, an organization that aims to improve living conditions for underprivileged members in the community. And, be sure to go to  Volunteermatch.org: it’s another great resource to stay updated on new and upcoming volunteer opportunities in Miami Gardens.  

Miami Gardens Real Estate 

Find the best homes in Miami Gardens 

If soul food and gambling sound up your alley, then you may want to consider moving to Miami Gardens. It’s a vibrant community with a rich history and culture. Yeah, it’s a place with room to grow, but the exciting part is that by moving there you can be a part of that growth. If you’re seriously considering moving to Miami Gardens, you have to get in touch with the best Miami Garden realtors, the AV Home Experts with Keller Williams Realty. They’re the best people to help you find a home in Miami Gardens and provide you with more information on the area. Call them today at (305)-680-3268.