[moma1031]

if job not an issue (hubby works from home) and you had your choice of location in FL given the following criteria, where would you look to move:

- schools are very important (12 and 9 yr old) I know St Johns is #1 but would consider other top districts
- close drive to international airport (within 40 mins)
- palm trees and warm weather
- good restaurants and higher end shopping centers
- close to a city and water (within 20 mins)
- price range 250-300K or $1700/rent

We are looking into St Johns but friends also recommended Boca Raton, Delray Beach, & Venice Beach. Any feedback would help as we are about to make a road trip to scout out areas to rent/buy.

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by moma1031

if job not an issue (hubby works from home) and you had your choice of location in FL given the following criteria, where would you look to move:

- schools are very important (12 and 9 yr old) I know St Johns is #1 but would consider other top districts
- close drive to international airport (within 40 mins)
- palm trees and warm weather
- good restaurants and higher end shopping centers
- close to a city and water (within 20 mins)
- price range 250-300K or $1700/rent

We are looking into St Johns but friends also recommended Boca Raton, Delray Beach, & Venice Beach. Any feedback would help as we are about to make a road trip to scout out areas to rent/buy.

Stuart, Palm City, Jupiter

[Fl1150]

Wellington
Sanford
Longwood
Altamonte Springs
South Tampa
Lutz
Lithia
Weston
Parkland

[JayGatsby]

Coral Gables might be my choice. Jupiter and Delray Beach come to mind too, but you said you want to be close to a city and the city for those two is West Palm Beach... WPB is kind of small imo, but it might be big enough to satisfy you. Ft Lauderdale and Miami aren't all that far either.

[StreetSmarts]

St Johns Co.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by moma1031

if job not an issue (hubby works from home) and you had your choice of location in FL given the following criteria, where would you look to move:

- schools are very important (12 and 9 yr old) I know St Johns is #1 but would consider other top districts
- close drive to international airport (within 40 mins)
- palm trees and warm weather
- good restaurants and higher end shopping centers
- close to a city and water (within 20 mins)
- price range 250-300K or $1700/rent

We are looking into St Johns but friends also recommended Boca Raton, Delray Beach, & Venice Beach. Any feedback would help as we are about to make a road trip to scout out areas to rent/buy.

I would recommend Palm Harbor/East Lake/Oldsmar FL

The schools in all three are excellent (A+ rated), there are tons of activities for kids (check out Oldsmar especially with it's amazing range from hockey/ice skating to bmx bikes), it's within 30 minutes of Tampa International which is consistently voted one of the best airports by business travelers, has the palm trees and warmer weather that St Johns doesn't have (Jacksonville doesn't have the palms growing naturally being too far north and can get quite chilly in the winter), good restaurants and higher end shopping at Countryside Mall (minutes away) or International Plaza (20-30 minutes), close to the larger city of Clearwater (a few minutes) or 30 minutes or less into Tampa, about 15-20 minutes to beaches voted best in the US consistently (Clearwater Beach, Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Beach) and plenty of desirable housing in your price range.

[Restrain]

SW Florida, North Port. You are close to Sarasota, Siesta Key, etc. Sarasota Co schools are good, you can buy a 3/2/2 with pool for appx $180-200K. And being on the west coast, much lower hurricane threat.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by moma1031

if job not an issue (hubby works from home) and you had your choice of location in FL given the following criteria, where would you look to move:

- schools are very important (12 and 9 yr old) I know St Johns is #1 but would consider other top districts
- close drive to international airport (within 40 mins)
- palm trees and warm weather
- good restaurants and higher end shopping centers
- close to a city and water (within 20 mins)
- price range 250-300K or $1700/rent

We are looking into St Johns but friends also recommended Boca Raton, Delray Beach, & Venice Beach. Any feedback would help as we are about to make a road trip to scout out areas to rent/buy.

The one downside of St. John's County......you have to go in knowing you will need winter coats. They have a lot more frost and freezes during the winter than areas South of Daytona/Orlando areas. In the non tourist areas it is still a lot more old Florida than it is here farther south. The people who decide to leave South Florida have not inundated the area, yet.

Comparing with my friends in St. Augustine, it costs a little less on a daily basis up there, too.

[StreetSmarts]

winter coat needed in SJC and Northern FL? Good! Not that I agree that it gets that much colder there than here in Central FL. Old FL much better than New Jerse... I mean New Florida.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by StreetSmarts

winter coat needed in SJC and Northern FL? Good! Not that I agree that it gets that much colder there than here in Central FL. Old FL much better than New Jerse... I mean New Florida.

LOL, I refer to it more as Florgia (Florida/south Georgia hybrid) which is a nice option in my opinion for those looking for more of an "old Florida vibe".