Looking for love in South Florida? Keep looking, it's not easy

South Florida singles share their difficulties finding love

MIAMI – We've all heard the infamous breakup line, "It's not you. It's me."

Well, as it turns out, if you're living in South Florida, it may really not be you!

A study conducted by WalletHub rated the best and worst cities to find love and several cities in South Florida find themselves at the bottom of the list.

Felicia Martin, a working professional in the corporate world, said while success comes easy, love is a different story. 

"Because guys are natural providers," Martin said. "They like to come in and save the day, but when your day doesn't look like it needs to be saved, they're kind of like, 'What does she need from me?'"

Dating in South Florida is so tough, it gave Martin the idea to start hosting mixers to get people to meet each other.

"I went to a couple of speed dating events and found that men don't really go," she added.

Martin said she does not want anyone to feel like they've wasted their time at her events, whether or not they find love.

"Truly, what dating is, is making sure you do really well with your time," she concluded.

But there's definitely no shortage of singles in South Florida.

Take a look at the popular "Bachelor" franchise that's featured many of South Florida's eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. From Trista Rehn, the first-ever Bachelorette, to Corinne Olympios, who became known as the bad girl of her season.

Recent contestant Josiah Graham, an attorney at Kelly/Uustal in Fort Lauderdale, has dived back into the dating scene, but he said South Florida seems to be a breeding ground for people who only care about looks and money.

"The biggest problem, with some women I see, is that they're concerned about money. You know, how much you make. What can you bring to the table? How much can you spend? Or what kind of car (are) you driving? Where do you live?" Graham said. 

WalletHub's survey measured three main components when trying to determine which cities were the best to find love. It looked at economics, fun and recreational activities, and dating opportunities.

The website surveyed 182 cities with Miami coming in at No. 49 and Fort Lauderdale at No. 86. All the way at the bottom of list: Hialeah at No. 179 and Pembroke Pines almost in last place at No. 180.

Overall, the survey found that South Florida did not have a wide range of dating opportunities and that dates came with a high price tag.

Recent college graduates Hannah Colson and Jasmin Curtiss said, from their experience in dating, they're not surprised with the results.

"Someone could be looking for marriage, someone could be looking just to have fun, and if you're not on the same page, it's not going to work out," Curtiss said. 

The two young professionals have tried some dating apps, like Bumble and Tinder, but said most guys they meet just don't want to commit.

"I almost think it's impossible to really find a guy out at a bar or even anywhere," Colson said.

Recent college graduates Jasmin Curtiss (left) and Hannah Colson say they've tried dating apps in their quest for love in South Florida.

It turns out the study may be on to something. April Davis, owner of LUMA Matchmaking, has been in the matchmaking business for almost 10 years. She's originally from Minneapolis and said she definitely deals with a different clientele in South Florida.

"There's not really the, kind of the, Midwestern vibe or the Southern vibe where people want to settle down and get married younger. It's more so people who are looking to have a good time," Davis said. 

Davis said the main problem is that there are too many options and many South Floridians heavily focus on a person's outer appearance. 

"They're constantly looking for the next best thing," she added.

Despite the obvious dating challenges, Davis said South Florida isn't a lost cause. She has matched many successful people, some even resulting in marriage. 

"I would say, just give people a chance and try to see who they are inside and not just on the superficial and outside," Davis said. 

So, no need to lose hope South Florida. After all, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince, right?


About the Author

Jenise Fernandez joined the Local 10 News team in November 2014. She is thrilled to be back home reporting for the station she grew up watching. Jenise, who is from Miami and graduated from Florida International University, also interned at Local 10 while she was in college.

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