St. Augustine or Sarasota/Ospry area, comments (Jacksonville, Gainesville: relocating, realty)

[seeker283]

Want to relocate to Florida, looking for all opinions on these two areas.
40's couple, no kids, upper middle class (160K combined)

We want the gated community, golf, water views and nice restaurants, we will be renting the first year or more untill we decide if we like it.

So... because we can find the above amenities in many cities we need to consider some other options such as town crime rate, stability, traffic and general atmosphere, weather. We don't want to be stuck to far out in the burbs.

We are relocating from a major, diverse city, prefer not to say which now.

Thanks

[Karla with a K]

seeker
i am in Jacksonville
You might look at "The World Golf villiage" in St Augustine.
I know there are "higher end" gated communites located there.
Karla
Here is what I found on google
Moderator cut: link

[logybogy]

Definitely St. Augustine. First of all, it's much more affordable than Sarasota. Also, most importantly for the future, Hurricanes are very rare on the northeast florida coast.

Sarasota is too close to South Florida. When you purchase a home there, you'll be killed with homeowner's insurance premiums.

[Edvard]

I would stay away from Sarasota.
The homeless winos. The insurance rates. The crime (going up fast as a result of our liberal crackpot judges that won't jail anybody for any reason). The snowbirds are so bad you can hardly stand to go out of your house or office from Nov-May.

If you need any work done on or around your house stand-by with guards and interpreters. And the contractors probably won't show up any how so line up 3 or 4 of them for the same day.

I work in Sarasota and live in North Port, and NP is just starting it's slide. I grew up in Venice, Sarasota area used to be so nice. I moved out of SRQ about 5 yrs ago when I saw where it was headed. Leaving NP as soon as the market picks up a bit.
Look somewhere North of Gainesville. S Fla is overcrowded and the crime issues are just beginning. Great deals on land in Columbia County.

[seeker283]

Fellow members...

Thanks for the info , the fact that all three of you have the same opinions really helps. I'm planning a 5 day Thansgiving trip so I 'll be checking out St. Aug and surrounding areas first hand!

Thanks

[logybogy]

Yes, Columbia County Florida is very affordable. It's about 45 minutes north of Gainesville, straight shot on I-75. Very pretty "Old Florida" area. What Florida used to look like before it was paved over with concrete. The biggest city is Lake City, but the star attraction is the location.

It's within a half hour drive to numerous gorgeous springs. If you can, I suggest making it out to Ichetucknee Springs State Park.

Also check out the small towns around Gainesville and Ocala. They are all very affordable compared to anything you'll find on the coast, especially when it comes to insurance premiums. Anywhere near the water in Florida you are going to get blasted pretty badly.

High Springs, Micanopy, Newberry, Hawthorne are all within a 30 minute drive to all the shopping and restaurants you want in Gainesville. Gainesville has more high end shopping and restaurants and tends to have more stuff "to do" as it's home to the University of Florida so there are lots more lectures, museums, sports, performing arts shows than Ocala. But they are both very nice.

For a gated golf community, I'd look at Turkey Creek in Alachua. It's just north of Gainesville. I can't get the link to work on this board but copy and paste and it should work.

http://www.bosshardtrealty.com/turkeycreek/index.php

[Edvard]

http://www.leoaffairs.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8644 (broken link)

These are the guys you classy Sarasota residents are paying to watch your backs. Balkwill has you folks well-protected

You would soil your undies if you knew what they do for off-duty cash flow. But what do I know? It has it's good and it's bad, like anything else.... but if someone wants the TRUTH, I won't withold that from them.... no matter how badly it may sadden someone who already pays to stay there.

I gotta go cash some of your checks now Keep em coming!