Would St. Augustine be boring for 30-something parents?

[murfslaw]

Originally Posted by charlino

Thanks everyone for your replies! After doing more research, we have steered our focus toward Tampa Bay - specifically Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Clearwater, and Palm Harbor. How different is St. Augustine from those towns? We're planning our next visit out to Florida later this summer to scout out towns in person.

Before the JAX/St Augustine bashing starts by the Tampa is great folks you should do a search on this forum for St Augustine vs Tampa.

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by rwbil

Maryland close to Baltimore.

Way too remote for me. Cookie Cutter Houses with small lots. But I was close to I-95 and 210, not the city. I hate everything being so far. After kid graduated from high school I moved to Mandarin.

Where is Mandarin? Do you like it there?

[rwbil]

Originally Posted by FrankieDNY

Where is Mandarin? Do you like it there?

It really come down to what you like. Mandarin is as far South as you go in Jacksonville without being in St. John county. It is a Huge area. Zip codes 32223, 32257, and 32258.

It is close to stuff and approximately 30 minutes to beach. I can get to Walmart, Several Grocery Stores, Target, Auto Stores, and tons of Restaurants within walking distance or biking distance, though both are dangerous on San Jose.

Mostly not HOA, mostly middle income and above. Mostly non gated. It is like cities up North. Mostly non cookie cutter, can get some land and even depending on the rules you can have chickens and fresh eggs each day.

Being it is technically in Jacksonville crime will be higher than in some gated community in St. John's County.

I guess you have to make a list of the top 5 things that are most important. Maybe start with you non negotiable items first. So if for example I must be within walking distance of a beach is a non negotiable then Mandarin is out.

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by rwbil

It really come down to what you like. Mandarin is as far South as you go in Jacksonville without being in St. John county. It is a Huge area. Zip codes 32223, 32257, and 32258.

It is close to stuff and approximately 30 minutes to beach. I can get to Walmart, Several Grocery Stores, Target, Auto Stores, and tons of Restaurants within walking distance or biking distance, though both are dangerous on San Jose.

Mostly not HOA, mostly middle income and above. Mostly non gated. It is like cities up North. Mostly non cookie cutter, can get some land and even depending on the rules you can have chickens and fresh eggs each day.

Being it is technically in Jacksonville crime will be higher than in some gated community in St. John's County.

I guess you have to make a list of the top 5 things that are most important. Maybe start with you non negotiable items first. So if for example I must be within walking distance of a beach is a non negotiable then Mandarin is out.

Great information and reply thank you! I also think some visits will be beneficial this way we can see for ourselves.

Thanks again!

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by charlino

Thanks everyone for your replies! After doing more research, we have steered our focus toward Tampa Bay - specifically Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Clearwater, and Palm Harbor. How different is St. Augustine from those towns? We're planning our next visit out to Florida later this summer to scout out towns in person.

All places are different. For example - Clearwater is the home of Scientology.

Scientology town Clearwater where members pay $100k to learn super human powers | Daily Mail Online

Some people - including me - find it a little weird. If you're a Scientologist - you'll fit right in.

I suggest spending reasonable amounts of time in the areas you're considering. You'll be able to cross off some places in an hour - but others will perhaps be worth a second or third or more trips. It's good that you're visiting in the late summer. Which is when we get our worst weather (in the whole state). Robyn

[Zinka]

Originally Posted by charlino

Thanks everyone for your replies! After doing more research, we have steered our focus toward Tampa Bay - specifically Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Clearwater, and Palm Harbor. How different is St. Augustine from those towns? We're planning our next visit out to Florida later this summer to scout out towns in person.

Do you work in some universally "work anywhere" type profession (or work remotely) or are you coming to Florida hoping to find work? Or just financially independent? You seem to have a degree of discretion in picking your location that is unusual for most people.

It's hard to make money here yet I'm constantly seeing young families move here hoping that they can work retail or as servers, only to get eventually pounded out by the sunshine tax and head back to Ohio.

[charlino]

I work remotely for a company who's workforce largely works from home and is spread out across the country. So my job would be coming with me.