Edgewater vs Downtown Miami: what should family buyers know?

Edgewater suits most families better on space: its new towers on our file are built around large homes on the bay. Anantara Residences Miami offers condominium residences of three to six bedrooms, From $1,800,000, and Villa Miami sells only half floor and full floor homes of three to five bedrooms, From $5,750,000. Downtown Miami suits the family that wants a hotel's services in the building and a city at the door: Waldorf Astoria Residences runs to four bedrooms with a kids club, From $3,300,000, while Delano's released collection stops at three bedrooms, From $760,000.

Before touring, decide how many bedrooms you need today and in five years. That one number removes half the list.

Edgewater:

Anantara Residences Miami. Price point: From $1,800,000. Delivery: no date on our file. Unit mix: about 100 condominium residences of three to six bedrooms in quarter, half and full floors, plus about 120 resort residences of one and two bedrooms and about 50 hotel suites. Position: a two acre bayfront site, 50 stories. Brand: Anantara, part of Minor Hotels, its first residences in the United States.

Villa Miami. Price point: From $5,750,000. Delivery: no date on our file. Unit mix: about 70 homes, every one a half floor or full floor; Villa Mezzo half floors of three to four bedrooms, about 2,940 to 2,970 square feet, and Villa Piano full floors of four to five bedrooms, about 5,900 to 5,960 square feet, plus duplexes. Position: 700 NE 29th Street in East Edgewater, with bay frontage on two sides and the Baywalk at the door. Brand: Villa, under licence from Major Food Group.

Downtown Miami:

Waldorf Astoria Residences Miami. Price point: From $3,300,000. Delivery: no date on our file. Unit mix: about 360 residences, from furnished junior suites to one to four bedrooms. Position: a 100 story tower in Downtown Miami. Brand: Hilton, under licence of the Waldorf Astoria name.

Delano Residences. Price point: From $760,000. Delivery: no date on our file. Unit mix: about 421 residences; the released collection runs studios to three bedrooms, with larger homes expected in later releases. Position: Fourth and Biscayne. Brand: Delano, with Ennismore and Accor.

Faena Residences Miami. Price point: released on request. Delivery: approximately 2028 or 2029. Unit mix: one to four bedrooms plus River Lofts. Position: the Faena District on the Miami River. Brand: Faena.

Edgewater, on our file. Anantara's condominium residences start at three bedrooms and reach six, and Villa Miami's smallest homes are half floors of three to four bedrooms. Every Villa Miami home has two terraces, one facing sunrise and one sunset, and ceilings of 10 to 11 feet.

Downtown's family-sized choice is the Waldorf Astoria, with up to four bedrooms and a kids club among its amenities. Delano is better read as a home for a couple or a single parent today, until the developer releases its larger lines. Faena's four bedroom homes are years away.

Space outdoors, water and a room of their own. Anantara gives over about 30,000 square feet to Thai inspired gardens, about 25,000 square feet of amenity space private to residents, and a full floor, about 30,000 square feet, to its Vitality Center. Villa Miami lists a floating pool vessel on the bay, a Technogym fitness centre with yoga, Pilates and boxing studios, a screening room and a game room.

The Waldorf Astoria lists a kids club, a resort pool with cabanas and a private residential pool deck. Delano lists two resort pools, one on the bay deck and one in the sky.

Outside the door, Edgewater has Margaret Pace Park on the bay, and Downtown has Maurice A. Ferre Park beside the art and science museums. Walk both with the children before deciding.

It depends on the family. Waldorf Astoria, Delano and Anantara all combine residences with hotel rooms or suites, which brings restaurants, room service and staff, and also guests in shared spaces. Villa Miami has no hotel; its restaurant, dock and helipad sit in commercial parts of the building sold separately, so their operation is not guaranteed, per the record on our file. Ask each building how lifts, entrances and pools are divided between owners and guests, and read the answer in the documents, not the brochure. Our Villa Miami vs Anantara page runs that pair.

Schools decide most family moves, and they depend on the school's admissions, not on the tower. Neither neighbourhood is chosen for a school by itself; the drive to the school is what you test. Our relocating family guide explains why many families end up in Coconut Grove or Coral Gables instead, and relocating to Miami with a family covers timing.

Edgewater suits the family that wants three or more bedrooms on the bay, gardens and a calmer street. You give up the city's core on foot. The Design District is a few minutes west of Villa Miami; our Design District and Wynwood page covers its new buildings. See the Anantara dossier, the Villa Miami dossier, our Edgewater zone page and the Edgewater buying guide.

Downtown suits the family that wants a hotel's services and the museums and arena nearby, and can live within four bedrooms. You give up room to grow at the lower price points. See the Waldorf Astoria dossier, the Delano dossier, the Faena note, our Downtown zone page and our branded residences in Downtown comparison.

Before you tour, ask each developer for floor plans by line with current availability, and request the documents listed in our page on what a pre-construction buyer should request. The desk sets the visits so the children see the pools and you see the plans.