Advice on condo's in St Augustine Beach

[otterhere]

Bumping up... I, too, am seeking a condo around St. Augustine, preferably oceanfront, to rent out and use occasionally now, then eventually to live in full-time, but there doesn't seem to be much to choose from. I mostly see new construction SFHs on the real estate pages. Crescent Beach seems nice enough, but far away from the action with no public transportation available. As a senior who, looking ahead, may not always be able to drive, that's concerning! Other areas to consider? Anyone have anything new to add to this old thread?

[Florida2014]

I was going to suggest Crescent simply because there isn't a lot around that area for now. Might be a good investment and hey, my opinion is that's the best beach in our area. White sand for miles and as long as you're not parked in the parking lots you can drive on the sand a find a spot with few others around you. There have been new developments going up near Crescent off CR 206 and I'm sure it's a matter of time before it's built up more.

[ssclulow]

Otterhere, I'm now 72 and have lived in the St Augustine area both on Anastasia Island near the beach and on the mainland for almost 25 years,. I would not recommend buying a condo in the beaches areas until you are ready to live here at least 6 mos of the year. The area is over-saturated with condos that rent short-term ( especially in St Augustine Beach) and the taxes & Condo fees and upkeep / maintenance are extremely high. Insurance companies are raising their rates up to 3x what the premiums were prior and many insurers will not insure properties near the beach. If you want to come for several visits a year, find a place to rent. Buy when you are ready to move here permanently. No matter where you purchase, when you are unable to drive, you will have a problem procuring transportation to go where you need to go. Ubers are expensive and hard to schedule, and walking to grocery store and doctor's appointments can be a very hot, dangerous (crossing streets with fast moving and/or mega-traffic) experience even if only a mile away due to very long distances between traffic signals.

[Thundarr457]

You have to be extremely careful because flooding is becoming more of an issue. I notice on the radar when the storms come through they always seem to drench St Augie. As the previous poster mentioned, rent first you will be way ahead of the game.

[socalbee]

Originally Posted by ssclulow

Otterhere, I'm now 72 and have lived in the St Augustine area both on Anastasia Island near the beach and on the mainland for almost 25 years,. I would not recommend buying a condo in the beaches areas until you are ready to live here at least 6 mos of the year. The area is over-saturated with condos that rent short-term ( especially in St Augustine Beach) and the taxes & Condo fees and upkeep / maintenance are extremely high. Insurance companies are raising their rates up to 3x what the premiums were prior and many insurers will not insure properties near the beach. If you want to come for several visits a year, find a place to rent. Buy when you are ready to move here permanently. No matter where you purchase, when you are unable to drive, you will have a problem procuring transportation to go where you need to go. Ubers are expensive and hard to schedule, and walking to grocery store and doctor's appointments can be a very hot, dangerous (crossing streets with fast moving and/or mega-traffic) experience even if only a mile away due to very long distances between traffic signals.

+10 I would second this. Condo fees are for the most part prohibitive for most, and they are all old and the transient occupants. It is really a rental holiday Mecca rather than residential.

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by socalbee

It is really a rental holiday Mecca rather than residential.

That's the impression I'm getting, LOL. Maybe I'll just make it my favorite vacation spot instead.

[socalbee]

What we really need here in St. Augustine, withing 5 miles radius of the downtown center, are nice New upscale town homes with nice amenities in a nice location. Builders seem to be building too far inland and too far north for our liking. The neighborhoods going up now do not seem really nice (Some by Dell Webb have potential). We drive around them all the time, as we are looking to downsize. They all have 3 or 4 cars in the driveway, cookie cutter homes that look as if they have been slung together.

We need some good Concrete construction townhome developments, with good solid HOA deed restrictions, 2 or 3 car garages and a decent clubhouse and pool.