This Miami Influencer Had Serious Apartment Issues & Her Story Hit Home With New Renters

It's no secret that downtown Miami apartments for rent are pricey and, for this reason, Miami influencer Jocelyn Castillo was ready to be a unit owner... until things took a turn for the worst.

She shared her story on TikTok and quickly found out she wasn't the only one dealing with serious apartment issues in the South Florida area. She says her direct message inbox and comment sections took off!

It all started back in 2019 when Castillo rented her apartment and shared the space with her social community. She said monthly rent in her downtown Miami neighborhood ranged from $1,500 to $3,000. WOW!

After her inbox flooded with inquiries about the rental unit, the influencer decided it was time to put down a payment to own the unit around October 2021. Her landlord left her hanging for two months and then agreed to a contract deal in January of 2022.

Just before February was when Castillo saw challenges ahead.

In her TikTok video series, she says the landlord pulled out of the contract and DOUBLED the rental price on her apartment since SO many people are moving to South Florida.

"I grew up in Hialeah. Moving to Edgewater felt like a big achievement for me," says Castillo, "and seeing that so many of my friends are either moving out or canceled their plans to live here, own here sucks! It’s making the Miami community feel like living in Miami is unattainable."

Castillo felt defeated and lost. She had to negotiate a two-month extension to give herself some time to look for another apartment or condo. When you think of Miami apartments for rent, "cheap" is not the word that comes to mind.

Fortunately, she found a condo that she was able to close on, but it didn't come without a little competition!

"I found mine, but I had to compete hard with other buyers. It’s been the most anxious I’ve ever been," says Castillo.

Castillo has been sharing everything she's learned on her social media channels and is transparent with her community on what to do when you're shopping around for your first apartment in the Miami area. You can bet, she also has her puppy with her!