Moving to Miami Springs, FL

A Curtiss-era town with older houses

Miami Springs was developed in the 1920s by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss and his partner James Bright. Curtiss gave parts of the town a Pueblo Revival look, flat roofs, stucco walls and rounded parapets, and a number of those buildings still stand, including the restored Curtiss Mansion. The city golf course, the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club, sits near the center.

Most of the housing came later. Census data puts the median year built at 1958, and 63.2% of homes are detached houses. Another 23.8% are in buildings of 10 or more units, mostly older apartment-style condos, and about 1.0% are mobile homes.

The population is about 13,726, with a median age of 44.2 and 18.6% of residents 65 or older. Census data shows essentially no seasonal homes, 0.0%. Everyone on your street likely lives there all year.

What houses cost and why the range is narrow

The typical single-family home is about $753,527 on Zillow, up 3.0% over the past year. By bedrooms:

• 2 bedrooms: about $599,167
• 3 bedrooms: about $756,241
• 4 bedrooms: about $897,660
• 5 or more bedrooms: about $1,114,348

The lower third of the market ends around $550,709 and the upper third starts around $927,076. That is a tight band for South Florida, and it reflects how uniform the housing is: similar-age houses on similar lots. Even a two-bedroom house costs close to $600,000. Going from three to four bedrooms adds about $141,000.

The typical condo is about $237,727, down 1.9% over the past year. Condos are the only real way into the city under the lower-third line.

If you go that route, remember the buildings are old too. Ask the association for its budget, reserve balance, insurance policy and the last year of board minutes. For buildings of three or more habitable stories, ask for the milestone inspection and the Structural Integrity Reserve Study, which Florida now requires on a 10-year cycle, and check whether any special assessment is coming. A resale condo buyer can cancel within 7 days, not counting weekends and legal holidays, of receiving those documents. Lenders will review the building too, so have yours look at the condo questionnaire early.

Living next to the airport

Miami International Airport borders the city, and aircraft noise is the first thing any buyer here should test. How loud it is depends on the street, the runway in use and the time of day. Visit the house more than once, including early morning and evening, and ask the seller directly about noise. Check whether the house has impact or laminated windows, which also cut sound.

The same location is a real advantage for people who work at the airport, fly often, or commute to Doral, the Blue Lagoon office area or downtown Miami. The Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) and the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836) are both close by. Few single-family neighborhoods in Miami-Dade are this central.

Nearby cities for comparison

• Hialeah: about $443,765
• Miami Gardens: about $474,495
• Doral: about $548,839
• Miami: about $583,705
• Miami Springs: about $732,192
• Coral Gables: about $1,571,133

Hialeah and Doral sit right next door and cost much less on Zillow's all-homes figure, partly because they have more condos and townhouses in their mix. Zillow's city-level figures for those two do not separate houses, so compare specific listings before you assume the house gap is as large. Buyers who want an older house with a yard, near the airport and the center of the county, and who do not want to stretch to Coral Gables prices, tend to end up comparing Miami Springs with parts of Miami and Doral.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Central location near the airport and major expressways
• Mostly single-family streets with a fully year-round population
• Steady prices: up 2.9% last year after 38.8% over five years
• A town with its own identity, golf course and older architecture

Cons:

• Aircraft noise on many streets
• Older houses, with a 1958 median build year
• Prices well above Hialeah and Doral
• Few options under about $550,000 except condos

What newcomers should check before buying

The house's age. Expect a 4-point inspection and a wind mitigation report for insurance. Look at roof age, cast iron drain lines (scope them), electrical panel and wiring, and window protection. Florida's building standards changed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and most houses here were built long before that.

Permits. Additions, garage conversions and enclosed porches are common in houses of this age. Compare the city's permit records with what you see.

Historic properties. If the house is one of the Pueblo Revival or other early buildings, ask whether it is designated and what that means for changes.

Flood. Check the FEMA zone for the address and get a flood quote even if the lender does not require one.

Taxes. Florida has no state income tax. Property tax resets to market value when you buy, so ignore the seller's bill. File for homestead if this is your permanent home: up to $51,411 off assessed value in 2026, with future increases capped at 3% or CPI.

If the noise test goes well on a few streets, a shortlist built around those streets saves a lot of driving.