Seriously Thinking....Jacksonville! (Orlando, Orange Park, Green Cove Springs: extended stay, real estate market, apartment complexes)

[LoveBoating]

So, after doing a considerable amount of Internet research, we are seriously thinking about a move to Jacksonville. We, married male/female, are 60 years old and looking for more excitement in life than the Charlotte,NC area could ever give us! We love boating/fishing and it looks like the St. Johns River is right for that. We also love the weather, that we have been monitoring for quite awhile. The rest of Florida is just too hot/humid for us. The job situation there looks definitely better for me than here. Wife is currently employed, but isn't bothered at all with quiting and moving (she has a Bachelor's Degree in Business/Accounting with very little problems getting a job). We are currently looking at apartments south/south west of Jacksonville.
We haven't got the money to fly there to check things out......just move there. We are looking at a move in January or early February.
Ok, now any recommendations from anyone who lives in the Jacksonville area. Only thing, just PLEASE don't recommend that we "visit before moving".....CAN'T DO!!

[riveree]

Just to clarify, you're looking for what kind of recommendations? Do you mean for apartments in Clay or St. John's counties? You mentioned you're looking to live "south/southwest of Jacksonville".

[LoveBoating]

We are currently looking at apartments in Clay County and surrounding area. We are looking for BOTH recommendations and comments......good and bad (but, mainly good). We don't have anyone living with us, it's just her and I so that definitely makes a move easy.

Originally Posted by riveree

Just to clarify, you're looking for what kind of recommendations? Do you mean for apartments in Clay or St. John's counties? You mentioned you're looking to live "south/southwest of Jacksonville".

[Keith-n-Jax]

Thats going to be tough to move some where with out visiting. I wouldnt recommend it, but as you said you cant. I work in Clay county,but live in Duval, theres really not much difference. I know theres some nice areas in Clay, but hopefully some else will answer those questions. If water is what youre looking for you are comming to the right place. Jax imo is just as hot/humid as the rest of the state. We just have a cooler fall, colder winter, cooler spring. There just very short. You can expect frigid days along with warm days in the winter. Florida winters are short even a North Florida winter. NE Flordia beaches are better imo,,not over run by tourist and more family oriented. Good Luck!!!!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

We are currently looking at apartments in Clay County and surrounding area. We are looking for BOTH recommendations and comments......good and bad (but, mainly good). We don't have anyone living with us, it's just her and I so that definitely makes a move easy.

You might be able to rent a condo or a house, which would open up more options.

There are some apartments in the Orange Park area of Clay county, but they tend to be a bit older (1980's, early 1990's). If you'll be working in Jax, OP would make one of the easier commutes from Clay county since I295 is right there. The very new construction is in the southern end of the county in Fleming Island/Green Cove Springs area, but I don't know what apartment options you'd have there.

With the real estate market as it is, a condo or single family home might be very affordable for you right now and you'd have a lot more options for neighborhoods. Clay is a very family-focused county, so you'll find more single family homes than anything else.

[LoveBoating]

We were in Orlando in August for a couple of days and it was pretty darn hot and humid. After coming back home, we thought that we really didn't want to move to Florida at all, but after checking a few other "interesting" (but not for us) places to move, we pretty much decided on Jacksonville. One thing for sure.......we want to move away from here (Charlotte area)! You folks have your Air Show, Christmas Boat Parade, waterways for boating and beaches. What else could a 60 yr old couple want?? Plus, your weather would be good for my hip replacement and my shoulder aches from rotor cup surgery. A lot of folks our age move to Florida for a number of reasons, one big one is to get rid of all the muscle/bone aches-pains we get!

Originally Posted by Keith-n-Jax

Thats going to be tough to move some where with out visiting. I wouldnt recommend it, but as you said you cant. I work in Clay county,but live in Duval, theres really not much difference. I know theres some nice areas in Clay, but hopefully some else will answer those questions. If water is what youre looking for you are comming to the right place. Jax imo is just as hot/humid as the rest of the state. We just have a cooler fall, colder winter, cooler spring. There just very short. You can expect frigid days along with warm days in the winter. Florida winters are short even a North Florida winter. NE Flordia beaches are better imo,,not over run by tourist and more family oriented. Good Luck!!!!

[LoveBoating]

One of the apartment complexes were are looking at is called The Preserve @ Cedar River-Willow on Confederate Point Road.
Anyone heard of this complex? If were not able to visit Jax before moving there, which is very likely, we will most likely stay at a Extended Stay America or Suburban Extended Stay before getting an apartment. That is what we did when we moved to Colorado/Denver area and done the same thing when we moved here to NC. We were only at an Extended Stay here for a week before finding an apartment.

[BornInFL]

I agree, no matter where you are in FL, it is just so darn hot. I thought Northern Fl would be different from the rest, and it may be a tad, but not a whole lot.

[mawipafl]

I do think you will like Jacksonville. It seems like you've done your homework. If you can move and stay for a bit at a residential hotel, you could then spend quite a bit of time driving around to see what area/neighborhood feels right for you. The Jacksonville area is huge with a lot of differences in each square mile!

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by BornInFL

I agree, no matter where you are in FL, it is just so darn hot. I thought Northern Fl would be different from the rest, and it may be a tad, but not a whole lot.

It's not just Fl thats hot, it's the whole south. Even here in Atlanta, it's warm most of the year. We get maybe 3 cool months but the rest of the year is hot.