Nocatee or St. John's Forest (Miami, Plantation: tax lien, low income, real estate market)

[donisanasfan]

sorry...a bit over the top there....but I lived in the area for 4 1/2 years and hated it. The way the truckers drive they will take out a family someday....the TA is a criminal magnet...if you don't believe me have a cop run a check on one of the many hitch-hikers standing out on the on ramp to 95. I'm sure they are just hitch-hiking because they care about the environment right? Lets face it... the only reason to buy in SJF are the great deals from all the foreclosures...and that is fine...but lets not pretend there is a real comparison between SJF and Nocatee.

[dspenc8888]

I agree with donisanasfan on some of the reasons for choosing Nocatee over St. John's Forest. I think for the money, Nocatee has a lot more to offer and the waterpark is going to be fabulous. I'm not real impressed with the CR210/I95 interchange (although they are currently making improvements), which is the main reason I chose WGV over South Hampton and SJF [Nocatee didn't exist when I moved here]. I haven't really noticed any real crime problems in that area, but if you are considering SJF, I would definitely check out the crime statistics with St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. If you want to be west of 95 or in a particular school zone, communities to consider are Durbin Crossing or Aberdeen. There is also a new community, Las Calinas, which does not have CDDs near Kensington, off of US 1, and it has amenities (HOA=$150/yr). See Beazer's website for info: Las Calinas | Jacksonville Homes For Sale | Beazer Homes
It really comes down to listing the amenities you want and rating them. Good Luck!

[StarFish35]

Love it in Coastal Oaks - places are not far away - all the shopping you'd ever need within 20 minutes. Flagship publix opens in nocatee feb 13 2010 - going to be amazing! If you like an active lifestyle - beach, boating, tennis, pools, b-ball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, parks, gym, walking, playgrounds - you can't go wrong in choosing coastal oaks..

[hbondra]

How much is it going to cost me to live in Nocatee for cdd and hoa, how insurance being closer to the beach on a house around 400,000. thanks

[donisanasfan]

My insurance was actually cheaper then when I lived further away from the coast due to the new home construction requirements. I was quite surprised but happy. The cdd fees etc run around 1500 a year which is a bargain for what you get. I was paying 1000 previously for about 1/10th the amenities.

[sjfmom]

I know this post is a year old, but others considering the move might be interested in more info from someone else. We've lived at SJF for a few years now. I agree that the left hand turn out of the community is difficult. But really, for safety, all it takes is a little patience. The exit is between two stop lights (one at St Johns Golf & Country and another at Russell Sampson) You can see both stop lights when attempting to turn. If you don't get impatient and try to squeak between two fast moving vehicles coming from opposite directions, it's not a death trap. Just wait a few seconds & the lights will stop traffic giving you a much easier and safer turn. In the mornings, traffic does back up but I have never, not once, not had the next car in line not let me in. They are very polite about it. Plus, there are two other exits to use to get out of the community (one of them at Russell Sampson with its own light and the other at the back of the community, turning onto a low traffic road).

As far as LPA goes, it is K-8 and I thought this was a disadvantage at first, but when my child started Kindergarten there I realized it was actually great. She will be in that school until high school. No change or adjustment to another school in middle school. The different age ranges use different parts of the building and even different buses. It is A rated also... and yes, PVPV / Rawlings is rated very highly but all my PVB friends tell me that their schools are becoming very overcrowded.

There is a fitness center at SJF, a great park, soccer field, tennis courts & a fabulous pool with beach entry and waterslide. This is great, but a huge source of frustration for me. It is always very busy WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE HERE!!!!!!! They use our park and our facilities like it is the local YMCA and I am so tired of it. My HOA fees are not insignificant & they pay nothing to use the same facilities.

The truck stops don't bother me that much... when passing them, again, you have to be a patient driver. Give them the room they need to maneuver, slow down if you have to & it is not unsafe. I do wish they were gone, though, because they are unsightly and a lot of unsavory practices do happen in those businesses although I've personally seen no sight of it.

Even though I like it here, I am trying to get my husband to move. It is just too far from everything! Every time I need to get something or go somewhere it is like a day trip. I want to move back to PVB... not sure I'd choose Nocatee though. We visited one of my daughter's school-friends at Coastal Oaks and it was like a ghost town.

If you have the option, there are some really great communities along Palm Valley in Ponte Vedra that I would check into.

[hlauburn]

Originally Posted by sjfmom

If you have the option, there are some really great communities along Palm Valley in Ponte Vedra that I would check into.

Thanks for the update. Do you happen to know any of the names of the new communities on PV?

Thanks!

[sjfmom]

Originally Posted by hlauburn

Thanks for the update. Do you happen to know any of the names of the new communities on PV?

Thanks!

They aren't new communities, but instead are very well-established. I was referring to Plantation Oaks, Payasada, Woodlands, Plantation at Ponte Vedra, etc.

[hbondra]

we just bought in Nocatee and cant wait, I love that its out a little, quiet and I love the amenities , water park and endless bike trails.

[donisanasfan]

Congrats! Where did you buy? I think you made the right choice. I like to think we are the smart ones . I think we will see this area become the most livable and beautiful in all of north Florida. Welcome to the neighborhood.