Relocating to Jacksonville from NYC (Orlando, Neptune Beach: new home, buyer, best schools)

[rtt]

That was a treat, Riveree. The decorating was distracting, though. Realtor needs to tell them to tone things WAY down.

[bonnielass]

Originally Posted by jjparkny

I've been asked to relocate Jacksonville for 2 years with the option to stay longer. I am 42 married with 2nd and 3rd graders. Orlando is the only place we've visited in Florida. If you were me, where would you live and send your kids to school if money was no object?

Thanks in advance for you help and suggestions.

Definitely San Marco or Old Ponte Vedra Beach and send my kids to Bolles. San Marco would be more convenient when they are in high school though. But I guess money is no object so I can afford the gas .

[jsimms3]

Everyone mentions Bolles, great school, have a cousin that goes there. There are others, too, like Episcopal, Bolles' main competition, St. Johns Country Day, which is not my favorite campus or location, BUT I actually have noticed more of their kids getting into Ivey Leagues and top notch schools than either Bolles or Episcopal (and it is A LOT cheaper), also Bishop Kenny and Stanton/Paxon magnet public schools. Bolles and Episcopal though are considered the upper standard for private schools in Jacksonville and both are known somewhat up and down the east coast (they both are similar to a northern style private school). Housing without money considerations: all the neighborhoods mentioned with the addition of Avondale riverfront or Ortega, both are neighborhoods where 90% of the kids go either to Bolles/Episcopal, or boarding school up north, (slight exaggeration , probably more like 60-70%, but draw your own conclusions on those neighborhoods based on where the kids go to high school, they are really nice, established, old money, connected neighborhoods). Jacksonville surprisingly will probably allow you many options. The neighborhoods mentioned previously are definitely nice, too, and on the more active side of town (and the beach side )

[rtt]

Not sure about St. Johns Country Day having better college placement than Bolles or Episcopal. Once in awhile you'll hear that maybe someone went to Duke.

[rtt]

When you're evaluating schools and looking at college placement keep in mind that oftentimes its not that the students can't get into the top colleges from a certain school as much as they don't want to go too far away from home.

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by rtt

When you're evaluating schools and looking at college placement keep in mind that oftentimes its not that the students can't get into the top colleges from a certain school as much as they don't want to go too far away from home.

schools don't place kids into colleges, kids are prepared by schools to meet requirements for acceptance. All ivy league schools are not full of private or prep school kids and private and prep school kids go to schools other than ivy. The thing about private schools is that they usually provide a better education and environment for learning than many public schools do, the privates are not encumbered by the many nonsensical politically motivated feel good things that the public schools are mandated to waste time on.
the bottom line is that the kid not the school that determines what college they wind up in

[dizliz0925]

Originally Posted by riveree

If money truly is NO object, I would find one of the last remaining riverfront teardowns in 32207 (preferably in Granada) and build a one-of-a-kind custom home. Please build it green .

Seriously, that's where I'd live if money was no object.

Definately in the San Marco area (which is 32207) You will like San Marco Square. I am from NY (Mid-Hudson Valley) and have family in the City. When I took my wife to the City for the first time and we went to SoHo, she said 'ohh....it's like San Marco'. I told her it was the other way around

You may Also looke at Avondale (which is where we live). A little more diversity, but we'd move (and probably will) over to 32207 in the next 5 years.

For Catholic schools try San Jose Catholic Elementary, which feeds into Bishop Kenny.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by rtt

That was a treat, Riveree. The decorating was distracting, though. Realtor needs to tell them to tone things WAY down.

You can help me re-do the place as soon as I move in .

[riveree]

Originally Posted by rtt

Not sure about St. Johns Country Day having better college placement than Bolles or Episcopal. Once in awhile you'll hear that maybe someone went to Duke.

I don't know how they compare, but I see the list for graduates of SJCD every year, and aside from the ones who want to stay home and go to UNF, they end up in very good schools and they all go on to college (I think it's 100% of the graduates each year).

The colleges also court the students as they are making their choices for college application, as I'm sure they do at Bolles and probably at some of the others mentioned.

[5FLgirls]

Rtt and Riveree: I did a double take when I originally saw the place. The exterior is an exact replica of a house we fell in love with in Deerwood. As for the decorating -- get ride of the wallpaper, throw on some paint and it'll be worth the hefty price tag!! What's up with the yard?? No view???