Need honest opinions please - "kids" moving to JAX (Jacksonville: litigation, budget)

[MAI1229]

Good Morning. In need of serious opinions please!

My son and his girlfriend will attend FCCJ this Fall (Jersey kids this moment). They will attend for 2 years then transfer to UNF. FCCJ has 5 or more campuses. He and his girlfriend can attend the South campus (11901 Beach Blvd zip 32246), this fall but my son must attend the North campus (4501 Capper Road zip 32218) next Spring and entire second year for his specific degree. "Kids" will rent an apartment/studio and will also work.


Need your opinions:

Safe Apartments starting at $600 for studio/1 bedroom
Close to job opportunities
Safe neighborhood (I know I'm repeating myself, but this is my "baby")

The Kids are living in the suburbs now, and I prefer them to visit and enjoy the urban setting, but not live there this first year. Both kids have vehicles, so mass transportation isn't a concern.

I plan to visit as often as I can afford, but I also need to sleep at night knowing my son and his girlfriend are safe and yes, somewhat independent. I honestly value everyone's opinion, as you are my eyes and ears! I plan to pre-qualify the kids for their lease agreement by mid May, secure their Apt and move them in by July 1st.

Thanks soooo very much! I appreciate this.

MaryAnn

[riveree]

The best place for them is to be right there by FCCJ - in 32246.

There are plenty of apartments in the immediate vicinity in various price points and various quality. It is suburban (dense suburban). They will have all the shopping and entertainment they'll need right in their backyard. They'd be less than 15 minutes to the beach - a major hangout for the 20-something crowd. There are plenty of retail and service jobs in the immediate vicinity. It is a safe, family-friendly area with a young feel and the kids will not have to travel far for anything (the less driving, the better, right? ).

$600 is on the low end for Jacksonville apartments, but I would suggest looking online to see what is available and if the budget can go higher ($700-$750), you'll probably see more availability (realtor.com is a good site to look at rentals). If you need to expand the search, add 32224 and 32225 into your search (they are still close to FCCJ).

Once you pick out a few apartments, list them on this thread (names and addresses) and request feedback on those specific ones.

The 32218 location is not where you'd want them to be living .

[MAI1229]

Riveree - I knew you'd resond - thanks so much! And... you'd be "proud". I called a realtor (alot has happened since I reached out to the board) and told the ERA lady this "yes, I'm looking to rent or buy, etc., etc., etc. must be in zip code 32246 and parts of 32224. Carol (the ERA rep) replied "ohhhh well... very nice areas....okay..... but you won't find anything nice within your budget". Anyway... I will do what any other parent would do... so:

Rent Condo/Twnhouse/Apt - $750 tops
Purchase Condo/Twnhouse - $80K tops (saw a few gorgeous ones in Sutton, but they're involved in litigation, so cash only plus exhorbant assoc. fees, so I had to pass).

1 bedroom min.

The ERA lady sent me 5 condo's to rent and 5 or 6 condos to buy, but by the time I read her e-mail last night, I was completely wiped out.

I will post the names/addresses soon.

Should I stand firm on 32246 and 32224 close to 32246 and any particular part of 32225? Being close to the beach would be nice, but totally not a deal breaker. The kids need to stay focused and eventually enjoy everything down there as soon as they learn to effectively balance school/work/social life (I'm probably dreaming again).

THANK YOU!
MaryAnn

[bina33]

Try woodhollow. They have a website also. They are within your budget.

[HIF]

In today's paper is an ad for an auction of 38 units at the Esplanade at Town Center. It shows 1/1s for 95k. I know it's higher than you want and there would be a condo fee, too. But it says that the last asking price for the 1/1 was $209,900.... The 2/2 is 125k, last asking price $244,900.... maybe they could get a roommate?

Does anyone have any personal knowledge about this property? It looks beautiful.

Esplanade at Town Center Jacksonville Florida

[MAI1229]

Originally Posted by HIF

In today's paper is an ad for an auction of 38 units at the Esplanade at Town Center. It shows 1/1s for 95k. I know it's higher than you want and there would be a condo fee, too. But it says that the last asking price for the 1/1 was $209,900.... The 2/2 is 125k, last asking price $244,900.... maybe they could get a roommate?

Does anyone have any personal knowledge about this property? It looks beautiful.

Esplanade at Town Center Jacksonville Florida

Thanks! I wish this complex was in my budget and more importantly that I was physically in JAX to check it out.

[bina33]

I have a friend living at esplanade- they are renting for 850 a month. I tried there also but could only find for 950. The woodhollow apt website is this (I was busy ealier when I posted--now that I have more time I found it).
Find Jacksonville apartments and homes for rent in the GREATER JACKSONVILLE area at Woodhollow.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by MAI1229

Should I stand firm on 32246 and 32224 close to 32246 and any particular part of 32225? Being close to the beach would be nice, but totally not a deal breaker. The kids need to stay focused and eventually enjoy everything down there as soon as they learn to effectively balance school/work/social life (I'm probably dreaming again).

THANK YOU!
MaryAnn

32225 is still going to be close, it's just a bit further north, but an easy drive to FCCJ.

This map might help to visualize:

Jacksonville Zip Code (Zipcode) Map

All 3 of those zip codes - 32246, 32224 & 32225 - are very big areas encompassing a lot of residential options, so you should be able to find something I would hope.

These are being built right now:

Villas of Estancia

I have no idea of the pricing, but I would not expect it to be very high. It's on St. John's Bluff Road, just north of the Beach Blvd intersection. The commute to FCCJ would probably be 4 minutes...really, they could walk there if they had to.

You might want to contact them and see what a 1 bedroom runs, they might be under $100k and they might even be taking offers. It looks to be about 75% completed right now and it went up very fast, so they're motivated to make a deal, I would think.

[toops]

If they don't mind "dorm" life, there is a Melrose Student Apartment complex on Kernan Blvd that's close to both FCCJ on Beach and UNF (Mapquest - zoom out one bar to see FCCJ/UNF campus locations). They're about $500 - $600 a month, so much cheaper than apartments. It's in the middle of convenience - there is a Publix and Wal Mart on Atlantic Blvd. (go N to see Kernan & Atlantic intersection) and that area is full of restaurants and shops - plenty of employment opportunity. I don't have any first hand experience living there, so this is all word of mouth that it's a "dorm" style life in that it's mostly younger college kids living there - but that means they'll have great opportunities to make friends and know who they're living with/around, which means it'll also be safer.


The only other advice I can offer is to not go into 32225 - the Regency/Arlington area. I have a friend who lives there who I lived with for a year and it's not a very desirable place to live. She's looking to buy a house near the intracoastal west area (zip 32224) to get into a nicer neighborhood and be closer to work (out on the beach).

Good luck in your search!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by toops

The only other advice I can offer is to not go into 32225 - the Regency/Arlington area. I have a friend who lives there who I lived with for a year and it's not a very desirable place to live. She's looking to buy a house near the intracoastal west area (zip 32224) to get into a nicer neighborhood and be closer to work (out on the beach).

Toops, are you sure that's the zip code your friend lives in (32225)? This is Fort Caroline/Intracoastal West where Queen's Harbour (million dollar homes), The Woods, Kensington, etc. are located, and they are very nice neighborhoods. They are also just minutes west of the Intracoastal, so getting to the beach takes less than 10 minutes.

32225 is a big zip code, and there are some not so nice spots, but overall it's a nice zip code (as is 32224 & 32246 - they're all clustered together).