Malibu Bay

Nestled in the northeast corner of Homestead, Malibu Bay is a guard-gated, master-planned community that offers convenient and secure suburban living.

Say you love Miami but don't necessarily want to live there, whether due to the cost or the traffic. Homestead suburbs, especially Malibu Bay, are ideally situated for that predicament. You'll find this community right off Ronald Reagan Turnpike, practical for commutes to Miami and anywhere else due north or south. "This area's located at a perfect spot where you can access the turnpike in a few minutes — no inside roads, no traffic," says Saud Rai, CEO of Skywalker Group Realty of Keyes Company and Homestead resident. "So, a lot of people here work in Miami. How long the commute is depends on how heavy traffic is, but without traffic? You can get out of Homestead and into Miami within 15 minutes." Additionally, Malibu Bay sits next door to Baptist Health Homestead Hospital, a local major employer.

As for homes, this neighborhood is a resort-styled community composed of Spanish- and Mediterranean-inspired residences originally built in the early 2000s. "It's well-maintained, and the security is top-notch. You're close to all of Homestead's new development, too," Rai says. Single-family properties here come in a variety of builds. From quaint, single-story ranch-style houses to six-bedroom, bilevel estates with double garages — you can find it all in Malibu Bay. Prices for these homes start in the low $400,000s and go up to the mid $600,000s. For $510,000, you can land a four-bedroom, three-bathroom, 1,921-square-foot ranch-style home with a two-car garage on a 6,000-square-foot lot. As for multifamily homes, including town houses and condos, prices range from $240,000 to the mid-$400,000s. All of Malibu Bay, including the Monterey subcommunity, is managed by an HOA, and residents have access to the neighborhood's clubhouse. "They do holiday events at the clubhouse," Rai says, "Like for St. Patty's, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. The kids and families love that."

Campbell Drive runs through Malibu Bay's south side, providing folks with a quick and easy route to nearby commercial areas with pharmacies, banks and grocery stores. Fast food options are aplenty as well, but if you want to dine in somewhere, head to El Coquí Is Here for some mofongo or other authentic Puerto Rican entrées. Another option is Taqueria Morelia, a neighborhood favorite with traditional Mexican dishes like huevos rancheros, flautas and tortas. "We have big chains as well as small, independent mom-and-pop restaurants," Rai says. "You really don't need to go out of Homestead to look for anything. We have everything."

Local students can start school at Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy before graduating from Homestead Senior High, which has magnet programs in veterinary science, nursing and hospitality management. Alternatively, the city is also home to some respected charter schools that students can attend, such as Somerset Academy's Homestead locations and the Charter School at Waterstone. Educating students from kindergarten through fifth grade using Project-Based Learning, the Charter School at Waterstone encourages students to apply knowledge and skills learned to in-class projects and real-world experiences.

While no public parks are immediately within the neighborhood, a handful are within a 5-mile drive, including Mayor Roscoe Warren Municipal Park. This recreational hub is a popular spot to play volleyball on the sand courts; it also totes picnic-perfect lawns, playgrounds, soccer fields, basketball courts and a dog park so your four-legged friends can enjoy the South Florida sunshine.

"Homestead is the bridge between Miami and the Florida Keys," Rai says. "To me, the quality of life in Homestead is better than Miami since you're not fighting traffic and you don't have Miami prices. People used to say Homestead was too far away. Now? Everything is here." Convenient for day-to-day life and not too far from Miami, this is Malibu Bay.