Moving to the Mississippi Coast (Gulfport, Biloxi: for sale, 2011, apartment)

[ADG96]

I guess, I could put an end to the different threads with each separate subject and put them all here.
I am moving to the Mississippi coast and am currently house hunting. I am really looking at St Martin or Ocean Springs. Schools are a big influence on my decision, which is why I've chosen this area. The biggest problems that I've run into are Katrina related issues. There is also one subdivision that seems to have a LOT of homes for sale and I've recently found some discouraging info online (Ocean Beach Estates).
From what my Realtor has told me, I can expect to spend $3000 a year for insurance, which is a buzz kill.
I've been looking at another neighborhood, Windsor Park, in St Martin. Can someone please provide me some input on this neighborhood?

Thank you all in advance for your help.

[teakes]

I don't know much about the specific neighborhood you asked about but I am on the Coast and can get some info on it if you are still interested.
As for the insurance - it is just awful here and will be for a long time. Mine is $5500 per year :-< Taxes are also insane around here.
Ocean Springs is beautiful and does have great schools so - good choice but don't discount the surrounding areas - I would stay out of Biloxi but Gulfport has the best schools in the state (Bayou View) and has some really nice neighborhoods right around the schools. Long Beach and Pass Christian are also nice but seem a little rural b/c they have not completely come back from Katrina yet. Might find property taxes and insurance a little more reasonable in these areas???? If you really want to save on those though you need to be north of I-10. If I can help you with anything specific please send your questions and I'll see what I can find out. Good Luck.

[caryberry]

I am interested in the comments regarding property taxes and insurances. I see an encouraging rental market that seems very reasonably priced in the coastal areas...how is the rental market been impacted by the rise in insurance rates? Is the rental market more impacted by the country's housing crash than the statistics? IMHO I think that housing market stats for areas impacted by natural disasters (i.e. the sisters, Katrina and Rita in particular) skew the bankruptcy and foreclosure numbers.

After Katrina took the house away - we decided that being a renter was a better choice for our family regardless of location. Being out west since 2006 has left me homesick for the gulf coast and I am ready to move home. Any information on the rental market (non-apartment) is greatly appreciated.

[cia191630]

I can tell you rentals go fast!!! I looked at the paper (online version) and craigslist...that's where I found my house...I still find the rates a little on the high side, especially when you go north of the interstate

[Camellia29]

St. Martin is nicer since Katrina-from what I hear. I've been away from MS about a year but keep in touch with friends. You should check out D'Iberville too. Ocean Springs is delightful and full of interesting people.

[ADG96]

We found a place in Ocean Springs. We did look at some places in St. Martin and you're right from what I can tell. Katrina didn't hit St. Martin as hard as other areas from what I could tell. A lot of homes for sale in that area claimed to not have received any flood damage. In Ocean Springs, I was hard pressed to find anywhere that didn't receive any flood damage, but on the flip side, most of the places we looked at were very recently renovated and very new looking on the interior. We got a home inspection to be safe.
I briefly looked at rentals, but from what I can tell, taxes and insurance make renting difficult for potential landlords (I guess after insurance sky-rocketed, renting wasn't nearly as profitable).
If you're looking, Gulf Park Estates was really nice. Ocean Beach Estates was nice, but I found some information online about some serious septic issues there. The city is working to fix it by putting the entire subdivision on sewer, but that won't be completely finished until 2011. I can't remember the neighborhood in St. Martin that we were in, but it was further south... It was really nice.

[zetaetatheta]

Originally Posted by ADG96

We found a place in Ocean Springs. We did look at some places in St. Martin and you're right from what I can tell. Katrina didn't hit St. Martin as hard as other areas from what I could tell. A lot of homes for sale in that area claimed to not have received any flood damage. In Ocean Springs, I was hard pressed to find anywhere that didn't receive any flood damage, but on the flip side, most of the places we looked at were very recently renovated and very new looking on the interior. We got a home inspection to be safe.
I briefly looked at rentals, but from what I can tell, taxes and insurance make renting difficult for potential landlords (I guess after insurance sky-rocketed, renting wasn't nearly as profitable).
If you're looking, Gulf Park Estates was really nice. Ocean Beach Estates was nice, but I found some information online about some serious septic issues there. The city is working to fix it by putting the entire subdivision on sewer, but that won't be completely finished until 2011. I can't remember the neighborhood in St. Martin that we were in, but it was further south... It was really nice.

Don't believe anything that you hear about an area not flooding. St. Martin lost a school. All coastal areas had flooding, can't avoid it with 20-30 ft surge.

I was a teacher at Biloxi High and it is a good school and my daughter went briefly to D'Iberville High--no problem. My children went to Woolmarket schools for elementary and middle school. North Woolmarket is, I believe rated the second best in the state. As a teacher I firmly believe school is what the parents make it, if you are involved, all schools are good.

My family is currently looking to relocate back to the coast from Colorado where we ended up after losing our house to Katrina. I will send you a link about insurance, it is high on the coast always has been. I pay 700.00 per year on a 500k home here in Colorado, before Katrina I paid 2300.00 per year on a 200k home, I am sure it is more and you may not be able to get underwritten.

If we move back, my family will probably live 10-15 miles north of I-10 this time and renting may be the way to go. Prices are good for buying but selling is hard due to such high insurance rates and the possibility no one will even cover you.

I do miss the coast and not sure I will be able to find work, the wife is looking at a job transfer.

Here is a link to insurance buzz: Mississippi Windpool Rates Going Down. Commissioner Chaney Makes Good on his promise to Coastal Residents « slabbed

[PjsMommy06]

Windsor Park is not a very good neighborhood. I lived in Sweet Briar Neighborhood(around the corner) for years, and my father still resides there, and heard nothing but problems about that neighborhood. Burglary, Break In's, Robbery, Ect... There has also been several shootings. That is one crazy neighborhood. I do not mean to upset you, or bum you out over it, but its the truth. There are so many nice, nice places in ocean springs, but Windsor Park is not one of them. As far as the schools, yea they lost 2 schools, they have the kids in trailers now.(my sisters still go to school there, they are 13 and 9.)
All the nighborhoods in Ocean springs are nice, there are a few by Walmart, and the Hospital that are really nice for the same prices. And not to mention Ocean springs schools are the best on the coast.
I hope I was helpful, and good luck with finding somewhere.

[ADG96]

I just saw yesterday that St. Martin lost a school. I knew that everywhere had problems, but I was just going off what I was seeing. We did decide against Windsor Park thank goodness. I am insurance shopping right now.

[supertrucker212]

ADG realize this, everything today is insurance. Don't get me wrong I feel for the victums of Katrina who were boned by their insurance companies. But I believe insurance in the area will stay high. I think its a little cheaper if you are north of I-10