Where in the area can we live to best please four adults living in one house? (Jacksonville: for sale, apartment complex)

[RJ4713]

Here's the scenario. My brother and I are in our mid 40s - our parents are in their mid 70s. We need to know where we all could live together (at least for a while). My brother and I live Southside now (Gate Pkwy between Belfort and Southside Blvd), my folks are moving into the area from out of state.

Dad needs a good tennis community. Mom wants (and these are *her* words, not mine) good "old people" resources and community - which I think includes good health care (or at least it should).

Brother needs good part-time food service work during the day near home. I just want to be somewhere I can relax after the monster drive I'm going to have into work (Near Beach Blvd. and Spring Glen). Oh, and maybe a good gym where I can lift.

Right now, since we're looking to stay mid 300k for a house, we're looking Flemming Island and Oakleaf Plantation westside, Bartram Springs and St Augustine near there to the east.

I'm most concerned about health care for Mom and Dad and no one having to drive too far to get to a Publix or Target. Plus the normal things most families want - safe, relatively low crime, friendly neighborhood.

It has been hard getting good information for an older multi-generational household. Any insight into any of the pieces would be appreciated.

[runswithscissors]

What's wrong with where you live right now? My friend moved to CitiGate and it was nice. Don't know about tennis though.

Pick a hospital then move the search from there outward.

Perhaps Miramar near San Marco. It's nice there. A few hospitals not too far. TONS of shopping up and down Hendricks/San Jose and a new Publix and Wynn Dixie on University. I worked in that neighborhood as a dog walker for years by the Duck Pond San Marco border, very varied homes and many are renovated although you can't tell from the outside. LOTS of trees, near the river and very close to downtown if you want to do things.

Like this one:

3965 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville FL For Sale - Trulia

I don't know much about tennis but there are several public free courts in Avondale in Boone Park.

Or just rent two apartments in the same complex for a year.

This complex is decent while not super fancy and right there on Hendrix, too a little further down in Lakewood.

http://www.aspensquare.com/florida/j...ewood-village/

They could WALK to everything if you went to Riverside (contiguous to Avondale) right outside of downtown. Also with a hospital and healthcare nearby. THAT would be my first choice but limited selection in single houses that may suit you, though, it all depends on your preferences.

What about a duplex so you could rent half out if the ARRANGEMENT doesn't work out. There are a TON of them in North San Marco and probably Riverside, too. Of course it all depends on who's MONEY is buying the place because your parents may need to liquidate for Assisted Living or something any time soon, unfortunately.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by RJ4713

Here's the scenario. My brother and I are in our mid 40s - our parents are in their mid 70s. We need to know where we all could live together (at least for a while). My brother and I live Southside now (Gate Pkwy between Belfort and Southside Blvd), my folks are moving into the area from out of state.

Dad needs a good tennis community. Mom wants (and these are *her* words, not mine) good "old people" resources and community - which I think includes good health care (or at least it should).

Brother needs good part-time food service work during the day near home. I just want to be somewhere I can relax after the monster drive I'm going to have into work (Near Beach Blvd. and Spring Glen). Oh, and maybe a good gym where I can lift.

Right now, since we're looking to stay mid 300k for a house, we're looking Flemming Island and Oakleaf Plantation westside, Bartram Springs and St Augustine near there to the east.

I'm most concerned about health care for Mom and Dad and no one having to drive too far to get to a Publix or Target. Plus the normal things most families want - safe, relatively low crime, friendly neighborhood.

It has been hard getting good information for an older multi-generational household. Any insight into any of the pieces would be appreciated.

This plan overall doesn't make much sense to me. Because you'll wind up compromising on a place that really doesn't suit anyone.

FWIW - Fleming Island and Oakleaf are really "out there" in terms of being close to most things most seniors are looking for. Including comprehensive health care facilities.

Your current location is actually better IMO. There are senior rentals like the Carriage Club there (a couple of others whose names I forget). There are also 55+ sales communities - like Sweetwater. Your current location is also convenient to the Mayo Campus - and St. Luke's (part of the St. Vincent's system) and numerous doctors in the St. Luke's area.

Before I go on - is there any particular reason why all 4 of you have to live together? Robyn

P.S. A "good tennis community" is going to be hard to find here in the $300k price range - especially for a senior guy who wants a steady game (which most do). Note that Boone Park - mentioned above - isn't free these days. Although it is inexpensive.

http://www.coj.net/departments/parks...s-complex.aspx

I'm not that familiar with it these days - but never saw a lot of senior play when I used to play matches there. It's much easier for women to find organized play here than men. Most guys tend to be golfers.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

P.S. A "good tennis community" is going to be hard to find here in the $300k price range - especially for a senior guy who wants a steady game (which most do). Note that Boone Park - mentioned above - isn't free these days. Although it is inexpensive.

COJ.net - Boone Tennis Complex

I'm not that familiar with it these days - but never saw a lot of senior play when I used to play matches there. It's much easier for women to find organized play here than men. Most guys tend to be golfers.

Thanks for clarifying that! I had no idea because I used to walk a dog back in there, at Walsh off Pine Grove and saw people coming and going all the time with no staff ever around so I assumed it was free.

These were two stand alone courts at the east end of the park, not the west end entrance where the majority of courts are.

[RJ4713]

Yes, I like this area too, but yes, we all need to live together - that's not negotiable. The four adults consist of one autistic who is being driven crazy with all sorts of people he doesn't know moving in and out of an apartment complex, and one that doesn't drive anymore.

I KNOW what I'm asking is hard to accommodate, especially for mid-300K - thus the original post.

I am looking for somewhere where there is a good sense of community, senior community especially, and where there are fitness and other facilities within the subdivision.

If there's anyone who is living in one of the places I mentioned currently (or has recently), OR if anyone is living somewhere RIGHT NOW that has all that, I'd really appreciate the insight on the experience. I need current up-to-date information from actual present residents

Thanks!

[valleygal]

Queens Harbour and the Sanctuary are two communities that would be convenient for your job, lots of fast food service options for your brother and tennis for your father. They also have a gym and other amenities - and are close to hospitals and shopping.

[Robyn55]

Don't think you'll find much if anything in Queens Harbour for $300k. Robyn

[kayakita]

RJ, Why not check out the area called Mandarin Estates? It's just a block from the river, has some lovely older homes (with larger bedrooms that might nicely accommodate an adult family)) that have been very nicely updated with many desirable new features, spacious yards and gardens (some even have pools). It's located away from heavy traffic and yet there are many stores, restaurants, clinics and just about everything you need a short distance away.
There are nice places to take walks and a nearby park with tennis courts. Several of the properties are4 also in the mid 300K range. I think you would be quite happy there.

[KatieKatie1020]

Originally Posted by RJ4713

Here's the scenario. My brother and I are in our mid 40s - our parents are in their mid 70s. We need to know where we all could live together (at least for a while). My brother and I live Southside now (Gate Pkwy between Belfort and Southside Blvd), my folks are moving into the area from out of state.

Dad needs a good tennis community. Mom wants (and these are *her* words, not mine) good "old people" resources and community - which I think includes good health care (or at least it should).

Brother needs good part-time food service work during the day near home. I just want to be somewhere I can relax after the monster drive I'm going to have into work (Near Beach Blvd. and Spring Glen). Oh, and maybe a good gym where I can lift.

Right now, since we're looking to stay mid 300k for a house, we're looking Flemming Island and Oakleaf Plantation westside, Bartram Springs and St Augustine near there to the east.

I'm most concerned about health care for Mom and Dad and no one having to drive too far to get to a Publix or Target. Plus the normal things most families want - safe, relatively low crime, friendly neighborhood.

It has been hard getting good information for an older multi-generational household. Any insight into any of the pieces would be appreciated.

I live in Eagle Landing and it's a great community. I think you will meet most of your needs here, but probably not all. There's an excellent tennis pro and the courts are outstanding. We frequently host tennis matches at our courts and there's a great area for spectators.

The gym is awesome. We canceled our gym membership and rely exclusively on the communities facilities. My husband is a fitness fanatic and it meets all his needs. He bench presses there and meets all of his lifting/strength requirements. There are free weights and machines. The cardio equipment more than satisfies me and my daughters. This is not like an apartment gym with one or two pieces of equipment, it's the real thing. There's also an in-door basketball court and regular fitness classes like yoga, Zumba, and bootcamp.

The swim park meets the needs of just about everyone from babies to adults. Yes, there's a pool for very small children, with it's own little precious slide, there's a separate pool with a beach entry that has your typical MPC water park like slide, there's a third pool that has 2 diving boards and the community's dive team practices here, this pool is gigantic and there's also a large section set-up for laps where the swim team competes, and the fourth pool is a very peaceful adult pool.

The community is VERY social and if you have a desire to be neighborly, you will quickly get to know people if you spend time in any of the amenity areas or participating in any of the weekly/seasonal activities. It's not uncommon to find people here who have purchased and occupied more than one home in EL as their needs have changed, because they're so connected to the community.

There's also a few options for food service work. Within Eagle Landing there's a café which is typically staffed by teen residents in the community, there's also a full service restaurant at the Golf Club, and a cabana bar. It's a golf cart friendly community, so if your brother was able to get work in the community he could easily get there with a cart if he chose to. Outside of the community there are a few dining areas in the Oakleaf Town Center like Subway, Panera, McD's, Five Guys, Moes, Chik-fil-A, Zaxby's, Pizza Hut, Tropical Smoothie, Gators Dockside, a couple of other pizza places, 4 Asian cuisine places (ranging from Japanese, Thai, and Chinese), Bruester's Ice Cream, Chili's, LaNop, and soon to come this year, Firehouse and PDQ (chicken tender chain-I think).

There's a super Target in Oakleaf Plantation and a Publix 1 mile away from EL and also about 4 miles away. Super Walmart is about 5 miles away.

St. Vincent's Clay Hospital is also about 5 miles away. Right now it's new and beautiful, but it's by no means Mayo. Completely empty if you have an emergency and need to go in on Friday night at 11pm, so that's a plus. We expect to see that facility grow significantly in the coming years.

Where we will fall short on your list of objectives, is an older community, I think. While I'm not sure honestly, I don't think we have a large population of seniors in this community. The community primarily consists of either young families or families with college age kids, as far as I can tell.

Hope this helps.

[RJ4713]

Originally Posted by kayakita

RJ, Why not check out the area called Mandarin Estates? It's just a block from the river, has some lovely older homes (with larger bedrooms that might nicely accommodate an adult family)) that have been very nicely updated with many desirable new features, spacious yards and gardens (some even have pools). It's located away from heavy traffic and yet there are many stores, restaurants, clinics and just about everything you need a short distance away.
There are nice places to take walks and a nearby park with tennis courts. Several of the properties are4 also in the mid 300K range. I think you would be quite happy there.

Actually, we did just look at a house there - I'm glad you mentioned the tennis courts nearby.