Getting Serious about finding a Home

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by hlauburn

Maybe in a "normal" situation when someone is moving to a completely new area and they plan to spend awhile and they can swing it, renting would be a benefit. But in missmag's situation, where they will only be here a few years and they really don't have to worry about selling when they move again, 6 months renting is a big commitment to make, especially with kids. You either have to have to have your kids move schools a few months into the year, or end up buying a house in the same school zone, and that pretty much defeats the purpose of renting to get a feel for the area.

We got a good feel for the area in 2 trips, and with schools being a top priority, a lot of places ruled themselves out. I'm sure there are a bunch of great areas to live in, but when you start deciding what your requirements are (good schools, close to work, new construction vs older established), the city suddenly gets a lot smaller.

Let us know how your trip goes!

You mean to tell me that if they have to move in 2 years - and the house is worth $50k less than what they paid for it - the feds will pay them for that loss? Sheesh (if it's true). We'd be better off finding one of our many local unemployed for that position - whatever it is.

Also - as a resident of St. Johns County - I know that school districts are subject to change every year - and I don't understand why we bus kids from Nocatee to Rawlings - when Ocean Palms is closer. Seems to me that it's important to be "penny-wise" these days (because all local budgets are a mess) - and wasting gas when we bus kids to school is probably one of many places to start.

FWIW - I think I went to about 6 different schools growing up (the area was growing a lot in terms of population) - and somehow I made it to Cornell and Harvard LS. Of course - helicopter parents didn't exist then. Robyn

[hlauburn]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

You mean to tell me that if they have to move in 2 years - and the house is worth $50k less than what they paid for it - the feds will pay them for that loss? Sheesh (if it's true). We'd be better off finding one of our many local unemployed for that position - whatever it is.

Also - as a resident of St. Johns County - I know that school districts are subject to change every year - and I don't understand why we bus kids from Nocatee to Rawlings - when Ocean Palms is closer. Seems to me that it's important to be "penny-wise" these days (because all local budgets are a mess) - and wasting gas when we bus kids to school is probably one of many places to start.

FWIW - I think I went to about 6 different schools growing up (the area was growing a lot in terms of population) - and somehow I made it to Cornell and Harvard LS. Of course - helicopter parents didn't exist then. Robyn

I don't know what loss of sale the govt makes up for, but our company will make up for an up to $25,000 loss. And I don't see how renting for 6 months is going help that. Who knows what the market will be 4 or 5 (not 2) years from now.

And I completely agree with you about elementary schools! What were they thinking?! You have to pass OP on the way to PV/R, and it looks like twice the distance. There must be some explanation, and I'd sure like to know what it is.

I also suspect PVB people don't like to co-mingle with the "lowly" PV people, and I can't imagine that Nocatee people are OK with their kids being bussed (or driven) 25 minutes away, but it looks like that's the way it's going to be for awhile.

[donisanasfan]

Actually it's simple from my understanding....Ocean Palms just can't handle the extra kids. Also, as a Noactee resident , being zoned for PVPV was one of the reasons we chose to buy here. Ocean Palms did not impress me as much as PVPV, though I think both are fine schools.

[donisanasfan]

By the way, I just read that post about the "Government" making up the difference if magnolia takes a loss on their home. All I can say about that is #$@@****##!!! .....that would have been profanity if I had been prone to be rude and actually printed it. I am always floored at the freaking waste of other peoples money! The "government" has no money! I mean come on......people in the private sector work their rear ends off and pay obscene amounts of taxes , and yet people have no problem backing up their collective wheel barrows and just taking it in. I'm not picking on you Magnolia ( and if you choose smartly and buy in Coastal Oaks, I swear you'll see I'm a nice guy), but that kind of crap has got to stop .Government jobs and benefits should be the most frugal of all, as they are operating on the backs of the American people. Guaranteed 30 day buy out....PLEASE

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by donisanasfan

Actually it's simple from my understanding....Ocean Palms just can't handle the extra kids. Also, as a Noactee resident , being zoned for PVPV was one of the reasons we chose to buy here. Ocean Palms did not impress me as much as PVPV, though I think both are fine schools.

I looked up the St. Johns County school concurrency documents - and that seems to be the case (Oceans Palms is overcrowded - and Rawlings isn't). Guess that's because there hasn't been much new development in the north part of Ponte Vedra Beach in recent years (no place left to build). Also guess it's cheaper to bus some kids from Nocatee up here than it is to build another new school. Robyn

[hlauburn]

FWIW, the plan of SJC is to eventually build a new K-8 school in Nocatee. There is no projected date, but they did tell there will have to be 400-450 kids that age in Nocatee before they build (and of course, the $ to do so). I think I remember reading Nocatee now has 1000 families (homes), so I would think they'd be getting pretty close to that number.

Hopefully, it will happen within the next few years.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by donisanasfan

By the way, I just read that post about the "Government" making up the difference if magnolia takes a loss on their home. All I can say about that is #$@@****##!!! .....that would have been profanity if I had been prone to be rude and actually printed it. I am always floored at the freaking waste of other peoples money! The "government" has no money! I mean come on......people in the private sector work their rear ends off and pay obscene amounts of taxes , and yet people have no problem backing up their collective wheel barrows and just taking it in. I'm not picking on you Magnolia ( and if you choose smartly and buy in Coastal Oaks, I swear you'll see I'm a nice guy), but that kind of crap has got to stop .Government jobs and benefits should be the most frugal of all, as they are operating on the backs of the American people. Guaranteed 30 day buy out....PLEASE

Your reaction was about what mine was (and I guess if we were talking FTF - we'd find out whether a guy can cuss better than a girl ). I think taxes and government spending will be a very big issue in this year's Florida elections. One thing that newcomers may not realize is that a lot of long term homeowners here are actually seeing property taxes going up - although property values and services are going down. That's a result of the SOH (Save Our Homes) amendment - which limits the amount of annual tax increases on your homestead house (assessments can only go up 3%/year or the amount of the CPI - whichever is less). At this stage in the real estate cycle - if you bought a long time ago - your assessed value is probably still less than than the appraised value. So your assessed value can keep going up every year until it meets the appraised value.

BTW - I don't think Magnolia was really clear about the government buy out. 30 days - but at what price? And if the government gets stuck with the original price - and the fair market value is a lot lower - what does it do then? Dump on the market at any price? Rent out to a group of college kids?

FWIW - I do know that some private companies have relocation packages for higher level employees. And I have no problem with them doing whatever they want to do - as long as they're companies that haven't been bailed out by taxpayers.

And to Magnolia - don't know if I'm cosmopolitan (guess that depends how you define it) - but I am pretty conservative - and I am actually more liberal than most of the people who live in this area. BTW - what does your husband do that the government is willing to spend so much money moving you around so frequently? Robyn

[mississippimagnolia]

BTW - I don't think Magnolia was really clear about the government buy out. 30 days - but at what price?

I honestly don't know what kind of loss they will take. We've never had to worry about that. We've bought and sold four homes. Never lost money. We've never made a lot either. Usually just enough to help out with the purchase of another home. The goal of the relocation program is to ease the burden of employees who have to move. I doubt they would cover a huge loss. We are expected to be wise with our financial decisions.

Not going to comment on the rest.