Looking to buy 6 Months - How to stay informed

[Kris Shea]

Hello, I hope this sort of post is allowed here.  I'm a longtime Miami resident looking to buy my first home in about 6 months.  Have I gotten my act together at the worst possible time?  I feel like I am a bit too early to start working with an agent, but maybe I'm wrong.  How would anyone suggest I start educating myself about market trends and pricing down here?  I look at Zillow almost every day but I don't really feel like I'm getting much out of it since everything on there now will be gone in a few weeks and I feel guilty to take an agents time to look at listings.

To give a little more context for anyone still reading I expect I'll have about 100k for a down payment by April, but I am looking to keep all my payments under 2k a month (assuming 30 year mortgage + taxes + insurance + condo fees).  I have a long term job in Coral Gables and am used to commuting.  I'd like to buy something east of I95 and don't mind driving up to 45 minutes in the mornings.  I think I'm priced out of single family homes anywhere decent, and seems like I can barely afford a 2 bedroom in Brickell. Kids are in my 5 year plan so I'd like to be near a good elementary school.  Is the beach really so bad now?  I know that crime has gone up but I think a lot of residents have had enough and it seems like there is some momentum to do something about it.  I've seen the occasional 2 bedroom pop up by North Beach Elementary.  

Thanks to anyone who reads this, am I being unrealistic?