Moving to Jacksonville, Recommendations To Live! (Orlando, Jacksonville Beach: apartment complex, crime rate, home)

[masssachoicetts]

I am 26 and my 26y/o s/o is entertaining a job offer in Jacksonville, for a higher wage than in NJ.

Where are you coming from?
North New Jersey. However, I have lived in Florida for 10 years (Orlando). Originally from Boston

Why are you moving?
Many reasons:
1. Amazing job offer.
2. I have a neurological condition where I become extremely sensitive to the cold, so weather a little bit?
3. Lifestyle. I can't stand NYC. I want access to beaches and a city with decent restaurants.. nothing fancy. I have lived in Greensboro NC, and thought that amount of city was fine enough.
4. It is SO expensive here in NJ. I pay 2k for a 670sqft apartment in suburban NJ, and have an hour and 20 minute commute.
5. Traffic. I barely can leave my home from 7AM to 7PM. It takes me 30 minutes to go 4 miles sometimes. Commuting 2 hours each way sometimes when traffic is heavy/NJ transit fails.

Where will you be working?
Either in Downtown, and/or various projects around Duval Counties.

Will you buy or rent?
Rent for now (Mar-Apr-May 2024), definitely will buy by 2025 once we save enough up for a 20% down payment (~100k)

What is your budget ?
If it is a one bedroom, under $1500. Want to save as much as possible.

What kind of place are you looking for ?
I would love to have a nicer apartment complex with a pool, and maybe over 700sqft and a balcony/patio.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ?
Me, my s/o and a 45lb Lab/German Shepherd Mix Dog.

Do you need/want good public schools?
Not now, no.

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
(examples: families with young children, young, mature, artsy, diverse, safe, close-knit, block parties, etc)
I would like to live in a neighborhood that has sidewalks. I would also prefer to be an easy drive to the beach. Just not over 40 minutes. Can I get close to the ebach without paying 2 or 3k for an apt? Ideally being in a community that is walking distance (under 20 minutes) to a restaurant or something. When I lived in Orlando, I was a 46 minute walk to Wawa and a 1 hour 8 minute walk to the closest sit down restaurant. That was unacceptable.
Like this would suffice completely: https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2612...8192?entry=ttu

List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)
1. Close-ish to restaurants or grocery stores. Under a 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk.
2. A very nice community and/or area.
3. Not too rural. Would like suburban/urban suburban.

Some additional points:
1. There are too many neighborhoods in Jacksonville! I don't know where to look. The Avondale/Riverside/Fox Hill neighborhood looks cool, but so does everything between Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach.
2. I am visiting in mid/late January, so any neighborhood/complex/food recs will be appreciated!
3. I lean a moderate democrat in some ways, s/o leans more conservative. We are gay, but do not flaunt it (you would never know). He votes red sometimes, we wouldn't 'bring our politics down to FL' with us. Again, I have lived in Orlando from 2010-2020, so I understand the frustrations of longtime residents.
4. I like sports and working out, especially walking. Beach is great for that. Really want beach town/beach in a 20 minute drive.
5. Crime? My biggest concern with Jacksonville from reading posts on here is the crime is high. One thing I do enjoy about NJ is that I live in a county with 950,000 people and it has had 2 murders this year. The crime rate is incredibly low. Is crime a worry?
6. Combined income will be about 170-180k in Jacksonville. However, our debt payments are about 1.6k per month (doubling up our debt payments, will pay off most by 2025).

[FL_Expert]

Congratulations on your move! I wish I could help, but I don’t know Jacksonville very well so I’ll defer to the locals.

[kyle19125]

Congrats on the move! Given your criteria I would suggest the rapidly developing Brooklyn neighborhood conveniently located between Downtown and Riverside. There's a couple of highrise buildings there that would provide a nice place to live with great amenities (both have their own leash-free Bark Parks) and are an easy walking distance (couple blocks) to The Fresh Market grocery store and around a dozen restaurants. It's about a 20 minute straight-shot across the Arlington Expressway to Atlantic Beach.


https://www.apartments.com/vista-bro...riptionSection

https://www.apartments.com/the-brook...le-fl/gkec1bz/

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by FL_Expert

Congratulations on your move! I wish I could help, but I don’t know Jacksonville very well so I’ll defer to the locals.

Thank You! Much appreciated. Looks like a great city and area

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Congrats on the move! Given your criteria I would suggest the rapidly developing Brooklyn neighborhood conveniently located between Downtown and Riverside. There's a couple of highrise buildings there that would provide a nice place to live with great amenities (both have their own leash-free Bark Parks) and are an easy walking distance (couple blocks) to The Fresh Market grocery store and around a dozen restaurants. It's about a 20 minute straight-shot across the Arlington Expressway to Atlantic Beach.


https://www.apartments.com/vista-bro...riptionSection

https://www.apartments.com/the-brook...le-fl/gkec1bz/

Oh great to know. I will look into these. Some great apartments here. I didn't even realize Brooklyn was this 'redeveloped' and on the up.

[gatorlyn]

Brooklyn or the Riverside area, as mentioned above. Because you're working downtown, and it just makes your Mon-Fri easier.

Beach access is less important, but it would be generally easy for you in the weekends (30 minute drive to the beach in the morning, watch the sunrise, walk to coffee shops or breakfast places, etc.).

Good to know that the compensation package is actually good, if not better, for you in FL. That's a first

[SEAandATL]

Personally I liked living in Ponte Vedra Beach. I'm not sure how expensive it has gotten but was relatively cheaper 10 years ago. Also in St. Johns County are Nocatee and St. Augustine. Pretty much everywhere south of Jacksonville is nicer, including San Marcos.

[remirosie123]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Congrats on the move! Given your criteria I would suggest the rapidly developing Brooklyn neighborhood conveniently located between Downtown and Riverside. There's a couple of highrise buildings there that would provide a nice place to live with great amenities (both have their own leash-free Bark Parks) and are an easy walking distance (couple blocks) to The Fresh Market grocery store and around a dozen restaurants. It's about a 20 minute straight-shot across the Arlington Expressway to Atlantic Beach.


https://www.apartments.com/vista-bro...riptionSection

https://www.apartments.com/the-brook...le-fl/gkec1bz/

I second this, have you seen that area, it is really looking great!! Downtown is also starting to come together hopefully, c'mon Jax move forward with Gateway Jax...