Lived here years ago would like to return in golden years! (Jacksonville: condos, houses)

[pinecone lady]

we are a family of husband , wife and young adult with Autism, we want a place to retire to, as we live in PA and the winters are severe and the medical doctors have been very disapointing to us. We also have no major medical center near us. My child would have an opportunity to get out more. She is not athletic or able to withstand the cold temps so we dont take advantage of anything here like skiing, hiking etc. We basically like to go shopping and would love to have a small home with a few little stores like a pharmacy or pizza place that we could walk to as we always used to until living here any ideas to share with us I would appreciate as long as they are not negative comments thank you all

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by pinecone lady

we are a family of husband , wife and young adult with Autism, we want a place to retire to, as we live in PA and the winters are severe and the medical doctors have been very disapointing to us. We also have no major medical center near us. My child would have an opportunity to get out more. She is not athletic or able to withstand the cold temps so we dont take advantage of anything here like skiing, hiking etc. We basically like to go shopping and would love to have a small home with a few little stores like a pharmacy or pizza place that we could walk to as we always used to until living here any ideas to share with us I would appreciate as long as they are not negative comments thank you all

What is your budget? Thinking maybe Mlbourne Beach or Indialantic might be a good fit. Both have a short strip with sidewalks with stores and places to eat, a block from the beach, You could walk almost anywhere from river to ocean in MB and they have a great city park which has activities to do sometimes etc.

On the mainland maybe close to downtown Melbourne, maybe in Bayside area of Palm Bay. Everything in Brevard County is kind of spread out but I am sure there are other areas that have walkable areas

[pinecone lady]

great ideas I am dremaing of being there again just we have anned to walk to a few stores if possibly I have not been able to drive at times in the past. we got scared away from Satelite beach in the 90s due to a hurricane and probably should have stayed how is the weather now? thanks!!

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by pinecone lady

great ideas I am dremaing of being there again just we have anned to walk to a few stores if possibly I have not been able to drive at times in the past. we got scared away from Satelite beach in the 90s due to a hurricane and probably should have stayed how is the weather now? thanks!!

We haven't had a hurricane for almost 10 years but when the worst hit in 2004 damage from winds, flooding went well into the mainland of a good share of Brevard County. We became a huge blue tarp city back then.
Hurricane Erin was pretty minor compared to the ones in 2004. Will we ever have another? It can and will happen again but no way to know when, After 2004 we moved off the river area to be father away and maybe not have so much damagel but I sure do miss being closer to the beach and river.

Near the Bayside shopping center they have been building affordabe houses-even during the time everything else stopped which are close enough to walk to Bayside Publix. That corner has a 7=11, a couple restaurants, a couple stores like Dollar General and a Dollar Store, a Walgreens, Mc Ds, a golf course, and wide sidewalks to get to the shopping center.

At Viera from most of the houses you might have to drive to the shopping center areas, but then the Avenue is walkable. From the condos you might be able to walk to the stores pretty easily though. You would also have a movie theater out there in addition to stores and restaurants. Publix would have to drive to but it is an awesome Publix.

For Downtown Melbourne area if you didn't want to live in Indialantic the homes are older and Melbourne Avenue has been known to flood pretty bad, but they have built some beautiful homes there on the creek now. I know there are some areas off Babcock St with newer homes but that might be too busy and a little longer walk.

West Melbourne/Palm Bay Rd and I95 area now has a shopping center built by the folks that built Viera's Avenue that has stores like Kohls, a movie theater, restaurants, banks etc.There is a bus stop there that could connect you to lots of other areas of the county. The adjoining shopping center has a Publix. But you would have to cross busy Palm Bay Road or Babcock Street to get there. There are traffic lights but I rarely see anyone crossing the street on foot.

But personally, I would move to the beach in a heart beat if I could get my husband to agree. He worries too much about hurricanes.

[TestEngr]

The beach has a lot of what you want, but it also can be destroyed by hurricanes. Much of this discussed already.

Understand Brevard is not where to go for major medical centers, oh sure people will chime in they got all the care they wanted. But Brevard county is not for major university type medical centers, UCF is a nearby upstart medical school that has no postgraduate medical education yet (no residency programs or super specialists just yet). So don't move to Brevard if you need a major university based medical center with sub specialized pediatricians and referral to detailed specialists or any of that. Try another place on that. It has good medical care over-all but not the high end university like, so if that is your consideration just understand that.

[pinecone lady]

thank you both I appreciate the insight and your time do you know where the largest major med center is? I think there is a Mayo clinic in Gainsville

[TestEngr]

Mayo has a large tertiary care medical center in Jacksonville.

U. FL has an academic medical center in Gainesville.

[pinecone lady]

TestEngr thank you we need major medical but not all yr long i hope Charleston SC where my grown child wants us to move has a big research center but it looks similar to the Hamptons LI beaches and upscale store my child even though a young adult is special needs and would rather be around very kid friendly things she also loves animals