Moving to Orange Park (Jacksonville, Plantation: renting, crime, house prices)

[asics5kxc]

Yes, I'm finally graduating from the frozen tundra of Buffalo, New York and moving south. I've been down 'scouting' the area many times and have decided that I like Orange Park the best. Of coarse I'm still open to other possibilities. I have about a year.
So, here is what I was wondering. What are the good areas and bad areas or Orange Park. What streets are the safest for me, my girlfriend and my doggy. Also are there any other nearby towns that have advantages to OP. I live in Buffalo so am not used to rampant crime and would like to live where there is not as much. However, I am also used to house prices being around $40k lol.
I've already read a bunch of threads and if you're just going to tell me that the Jacksonville area has a murder every 15 seconds then don't bother responding. Turns out there were no murders in OP in 2008 when I did actual research. Anyway thanks in advance.

[Joe 4520832257]

Orange Park proper actually has pretty small city limits (only about 9,000 people) but we tend to call that entire corner of Clay County "Orange Park" for lack of a better term.

I guess it depends whether you are moving to Orange Park itself, or Blanding Blvd, or even Fleming Island.

Personally, I'd also look at the Southside. Unless you are working in Clay County or at NAS Jax, then I think the Southside is equal to (and usually superior than) Orange Park in most ways.

[titaniummd]

Depends where you work. You want to be close. Consider St John's County, Fleming Island (32003) or Middleburg. In Jacksonville, look at the Southside, the Beaches (Jax Beach) or San Marco.

$40k will buy you a trailer or a used RV.

[joninclay]

There are some areas in Orange Park that I wouldn't want to live in, but there are others that are just heavenly. Especially Fleming Island and Oakleaf Plantation.

I live in Middleburg, and it's a friendly rural town. Parts of Middleburg are "trailer park" areas (and no, I'm not trashing those). Others are newer subdivisions (The Retreat, many homes in the Ravines, etc.).

Check them all out.

[Mrs. Patriot T]

The only thing you can compare Fleming Island and Oakleaf in is maybe the amenities offered in the large developments. Dollar for dollar I would much rather Fleming Island Plantation to Oakleaf Plantation. Eagle Harbor and its counterpart in Oakleaf are very well planned developments by East West Partners and both are wonderful communities. Eagle Harbor is better established because it has been around longer and has a wider range of pricing options. It would certainly be my first choice for buying or renting.

[NavyRet]

You also have the Lake Asbury area, which is an up and coming community complete with new home developments, parks, schools and shopping.....and....and a GREAT PIZZA PLACE, although I forgot the name of it (it's right by the school)

[wilsonc]

Originally Posted by asics5kxc

I've already read a bunch of threads and if you're just going to tell me that the Jacksonville area has a murder every 15 seconds then don't bother responding. Turns out there were no murders in OP in 2008 when I did actual research. Anyway thanks in advance.

The Jacksonville area does not have a murder every 15 seconds, its the *city* of Jacksonville they has all the murders. And even then, its only certain parts of Jacksonville. You have to remember, Jacksonville is 875 square miles in size (largest city in terms of size outside Alaska). We may get 3 murders all year in the whole of Clay county (where Orange Park is located).

[Dirty Dave]

In my opinion Orange Park is overcrowded and not the best place in Jax. You'd do much better to look at living in the southside or even St. Johns County. Not sure what your feelings on commuting are. Part of the problem is that it's a VERY heavy residential area (Orange Park) but it's on the west side of the river so every day around 8am and then at 5pm the two major roadways across the river, I-295 and I-10 are backed up for miles. I for one wouldn't want to deal with that.

[tercel95]

I just moved to Fleming Island a couple weeks ago from MD and I love it here... It is like the ultimate suburb with tons of places to eat and shop but without being completely urban. It is like something out of a movie... The commute to work is a bit rough but nothing like the DC/Metro area and I feel like it is completely worth it to live in Fleming Island... Southside is also very nice. There are tons of choices on where to live in JAX, I would figure out where you are going to work and let that help dictate where you will live...

Make sure you have a job BEFORE you move here, that is the best advice I can give you...

[spaceguy]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Patriot T

The only thing you can compare Fleming Island and Oakleaf in is maybe the amenities offered in the large developments. Dollar for dollar I would much rather Fleming Island Plantation to Oakleaf Plantation. Eagle Harbor and its counterpart in Oakleaf are very well planned developments by East West Partners and both are wonderful communities. Eagle Harbor is better established because it has been around longer and has a wider range of pricing options. It would certainly be my first choice for buying or renting.

Flemming Island is land locked I mean there is only one road leading to Inter state I-295 through 17 where as you can use Blanding, 103rd street, wilson street to go to I-295 and Chaffe Road to I-10.

Oakleaf has brand new elementary and middle schools and new high school is coming up in 2010

Oakleaf is literally on the border of Jax . If you just come out of oakleaf and you are in Jax. Jax airport is just 30 mts from Oakleaf

With amenities all comarable to Flemming Island I prefer Oakleaf for its location