[BLHUTCH4]

Any one have any ideas I though Orange Park maybe? Just my wife, dog and me. Also shoul I rent or buy what type of market at the moment.

[Floridian]

I would recommend Bartram area - easy access on I-95 South to St. Augustine. Bartram is a developing area with lots of new condos.. they may have apartments. If you prefer Orange Park, traffic is heavy on AM from 295 to I-95 South. I am also recommending St. John's county - I-95 exit CR 210.

[BLHUTCH4]

Thanks I'm coming from West Virginia so property cost is the main concern for me. Do you know if inside St. Augustine is expensive and what does H.O. insurance look like in those areas?

[LM1]

Originally Posted by BLHUTCH4

Thanks I'm coming from West Virginia so property cost is the main concern for me. Do you know if inside St. Augustine is expensive and what does H.O. insurance look like in those areas?

Anything in eastern St. Johns county has gotten out of the realm.

This part of Florida is seeing some of the most explosive growth in the entire US, with St. Johns being the 9th fastest county for percentage growth in the entire US, with the border county to the south, Flagler, being #1 in the entire United States (as of 2005, I think). As such, the prices have gotten absurd.

For a halfway decent, modest house in the St. Augustine Shores development or *maybe* St. Augustine South, expect to pay $175K if you are patient. Par is about $200. Forget about the City of St. Augustine Beach, North City, anything on Anastasia Island or in the historic district. You're lucky if you can find anything under $300K in those places. In many cases, modest houses in those areas start at 1/2 Million.

Even the very cheapest housing in St. Augustine in "gray area" neighborhoods or very far out still brings $150K and up. The new construction along the US1 Corridor between St. Aug and Jax starts in the mid 200's. If you can deal with living in a trailer, you can probably get in for under $100K, but even that will take a bit of looking. 1 acre building lots in Flagler Estates that sold for $2000 in 1995 are selling for $20,000 today.

As far as HO insurance, our policy was just cancelled by Allstate due to "increased risk from Hurricanes" (we live within eyeshot of the ocean, so that's why).

The most depressing part about it all is that not even 10 years ago, you could still buy a house in St. Aug Beach or Anastasia Island- really nice areas- for under $100K. We paid about $90K in 1995 for our place that today, I could have buyers lined up, begging to pay $400. My friend just sold his house in Hastings that he paid $36,000 for in 1994- for $145,000.

I'm in the process of leaving St. Aug.
It's a great place to visit and maybe if I had never seen what it used to be, I might like it today, but having known the town during a better time- before a kajillion people lived here- I can't take it anymore.
St. Augustine in the year 2006 is 10 pounds of **** in a 5 pound bag.

[Mike98WS6]

Why not try Palm Coast, I'm moving there and it's not too expensive to live there. Plus it's not far from St. Augistine.

[LM1]

The Palm Coast to St. Aug commute can be a bear.
I know a lot of people who tried it, and a lot of people who got sick of it awfully fast. Once you add in local traffic to your interstate time, it's usually 45 mins to an hour, on a good day. Add a hitch or two, you're into the 1 1/2 hour realm.

Commuting from P/C to St. Aug was really popular about 5 years ago when St. Augustine Real Estate prices blew up, but you could still get a decent house in Palm Coast for under $100K (not the case anymore)
Of course, those real estate prices are precisely the reason who Flagler County (Palm Coast) is the fastest growing county for sheer percentage in the entire USA.

In a couple more years, barring a catastrophic collapse in the Florida housing market, Palm Coast prices will be where St. Aug is today. By that time, St. Aug will be approaching Southern Florida pricing.

[dizliz0925]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not move to Orange Park!
Traffic there is a nightmare! All there is is traffic.
I've live in Jax 17 years, and my wife and I HATE going to OP.
A few areas to consider....
-South Mandarin area
-Julington Creek/Northern St. Johns County.
-County Road 210 area in St. Johns (This area is really booming)

BUt PLEASE NO Orange Park (I can't stress this enough!)

[bambam92]

Of course ALL the realty listings have been artificially inflated by the county and realtors alike. Still, there are a few good buys in the South Western parts of st johns county which is close to everything.

Flagler Estates is a good place to start looking. God ONLY made so much Land and in FE, the lots are 1 1/2 acres in size (a lot of land I know as I mow it every week)..

There is also a Planned developement (Mariposa). Mariposa will be located right here in FE around the corner and will have Swimming pools, Rec and fitness center, and lots more. SR 13 has just been re-paved (very nice) and a new extension to SR 305 is in the works. SR 207 has recently been made into a 4 lane which is also very nice.

FE really has NOT TRAFFIC to speak of, however; to get a Job, you would need to drive the 15-20 miles to St Augustine, Palm Coast, or the 10 miles into Palatka - ALL of which have job opportunities and great shopping.

Moderator cut: advertising

We had the option to BUY a property very close to I-95 (Interstate) which is only a couple of miles outside st augustine, but the lots were close together and only some 80x120 in size.. Here in FE our lot is some 180x360 which gives us PLENTY of room for a nice Dog Kennel (for my doggies), a very large work shed, Plenty of room to have all my friends over for a cook out, and a nice sized BUFFER between us and any potentially NOISY (or Nosy) Neighbors.

IF you enjoy your peace and quiet (like I do), and would LOVE to own a nice sized piece of LAND to put your home on, this is probably STILL the least expensive option you will find in this area of Florida.

Hope to see ya here sometime;
John
--

[SouthFloridaNative]

HMMM..I think the reason for this "big boom" in that part of Florida was because of all the people fleeing South Florida. I know many many people that fled to North FL b/c it was so much cheaper. Last year you could sell your house down here and buy a bigger house/more land for cash up there. I think the prices there are a bit far fetched now..it feels more like Georgia up there...nothing like the tropical Florida in the South.

[LandShark99]

BamBam, John:

Tell us where the jobs and shopping is in Palm Coast? I live here. I shop in Daytona, Jax, Orange Park anywhere else. (I just moved from Orange Park and yes the traffic is the pitts AND they don't know how to drive.)