Family moving from midwest to St Augustine area, need help choosing neighborhood (St. Augustine: rentals, credit)

[Midwest runner]

Please help us choose a neighborhood/community for a potential move in June. We're a family of 4. The kids are 8 (girl) and 5 (boy). Initially we will rent a house and then look to purchase a home. We plan to come down to scout things out in a few weeks. However, we know this area is vast, so we want to narrow our search down. Ideally, we'd love to rent in a town/area where we'll eventually want to move to avoid moving school age children more than 1 school. The job will be located at the intersection of: I-95 and 16 in St. Augustine.

We're looking for:
*Commute under 30 minutes from I-95 and 16 in St. Augustine

*Budget: 200K (less is better) We're coming from the north where we've all taken hits on our property.

*decent schools

*family-oriented neighborhood with kids playing outside and riding bikes...

*safer area

*big box and regular type shopping w/in 15-20 minutes (closer is better)

*newer home - under 10 years or so (we'd prefer something more move-in ready as we're not very handy)

*single-family with garage (if possible)

*HOA is ok - trying to avoid ccd if possible

*activities nearby like pool, tennis courts, parks, and especially gymnastics team and dance for our daughter who currently competes (right now we have to drive 30 minutes to go to a pool and do much of anything. We'd prefer to be lessen that time).

*it'd be fun to be closer (w/30 minutes of beach). This is a want not a need.

TIA

[Peter the Brit]

I think where I live just off SR 16 HERITAGE PARK may suit as we have several rentals and are near the schools beach etc
Also like you I am a runner and we have paths and www.ancientcity.rr.org
we have pool trails tennis kids soccer and most impt of all we are near every thing you ask for

[Midwest runner]

Thanks so much for your quick and informative response, Peter the Brit. Most importantly, does this fit my price range when we buy of 200k? It sounds like there are house rentals and houses for purchase down the road?? I am very excited to hear about the running trails.

[Midwest runner]

I don't know why but for some reason, I can't get that link to work. Hmm. Not sure what the link is?? Help!

[Peter the Brit]

Yes just about under 200 k The town homes are under 200k but the single family homes a little more
https://community.associawebsites.co...cwDefault.aspx
If you want pm me as I am about to go for a run and I will see the advertised rentals and write them down for you
Also you may want to look at Royal St Augustine but there are not the facilities there that we have
Also look in Nocatee a few miles north of our junction on the I 95 where most people seem to be happy with the schools location and facilities

[Peter the Brit]

St. Augustine Running Club - Ancient City Road Runners

sorry my fault

Link to our running club and activities for runners in St Aug

[Midwest runner]

Thanks so much!!! I will pm you! Ironically, I met my husband in our local running club. We'll definitely want to hook up with fellow runners once we're down!

[Peter the Brit]

Well you have hooked up with a runner here Our club is very sociable and best way to get with us is to join us on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/37945903035/

[RSWATTY]

My family rented in Heritage Park for 2 years when we moved here. Great neighborhood, BUT it is zoned for some of the lowest performing schools in the County. The elementary school, Crookshank, has very low numbers, but my old neighbors were still pleasantly surpised by the school...they gave a lot of credit to the Prinicipal, who everyone raves about. However, the Principal is being reassigned to another school for next school year. The middle school, Murray, is the lowest performing middle school in the County.

We loved Heritage Park, but when it was time for us to buy a house we moved 10 miles north, and a major reason was the incredible public schools in the Northern part of St. Johns County. We moved the summer before my daughter started kindergarten, and she is going to a high performing school that we have been very pleased with. We now live off County Road 210, and while some of the neighborhoods are more expensive, there are a few smaller neighborhoods, about 5 to 15 years old where some of the houses can be found for under 200k. The area I'm talking about is a stretch of about 3 or 4 miles just west of Interstate 95 on both the north and south side of County Road 210. This area is a 15 to 20 minute commute from I 95 and SR 16

Dance and gymnastics are big. My daughter takes jazz, tap and ballet classes that we are very happy with. Lot of families with elementary aged kids here as well.

Grocery shopping is close, big box is a 20 minute drive. Very safe area.

Again, Heritage Park itself is really nice, it's just not zoned for the best schools, and it also has some sketchy, lower income areas not too far away. However, I must add that in the 2 years we lived there, we encountered no crime, and always felt safe even though surrounding areas weren't the best.

[Midwest runner]

Thanks for additional info. How close is your neighborhood to the beaches and are there HOAs or CDDs? What is the zip code there so I can investigate more? I'm trying to gather info.