Treasure Coast info needed! Please help! (Orlando, Port St. Lucie: homeowners association, low crime, house)

[klavr]

Need some info from all of you. We are in the process of moving back to Florida. I am originally from Broward and currently live in Northern VA about 40 min east of DC. We have excellent schools where we are and very low crime, well manicured neighborhoods and just a really great family community. I want to find something very similar down there. I have no desire to move back to Broward and want to move as far north as possible without being too far from friends and family down south. My husband and I have 3 children, 9,8 and 5. The obvious factors are important to us, low crime, and good schools, but we would also like a community feel with organized sports (particularly Little League), and we are hoping to get a house with a decent piece of land (1/4 acre or more), shopping and restaurants near by.

The places I am considering are Stuart, Jupiter, Palm City and Port St. Lucie and from what I have researched Palm City seems to really take the cake on schools. Is that accurate? I feel like I am really leaning towards this area, but I am worried it is TOO slow for us and that there really isn't much there at all. Is this area up and coming with shopping to eventually come in the area? Are there things to do and do they have community events, or would we need to go to Stuart for all of that?

The next area I am really considering is Port St. Lucie but the schools just didn't seem as good. Is that true, or would we be fine in the Tradition area? It seems like it is very nice out there.

I absolutely LOVE Jupiter, but I just don't think I can get what I want for the price we want to pay unless we go with Jupiter Farms and I am not sure that is for us.

I really don't know much about Stuart..

Obviously, we have to go down to check the areas out (we are going end of April) but I am trying to narrow my choices down. If any of you have any info on the areas I have listed, I would be so happy to hear about it. I am really wanting to know (in your opinion) what is the best up and coming area with low crime, good schools and great family community and the potential to really grow into something great. We are looking to get a 5 bedroom/4 bath with pool and want to stay under 650K.


Thanks in advance for your help.

Kathy

[PSLCarPool]

We have a 22, 16 and 2 year old. I know big gap! When we first moved to Port St. Lucie from Jupiter we found ourselves commuting back to Jupiter every week to meet with friends and other community events. Lately we have been able to stay locally and keep active with the amount of local events planned each week and find ourselves commuting very rarely. Our 22 year old currently goes to UCF on scholarship so I guess the schools in Port St. Lucie did something right to afford her that opportunity. We have not had any complaints with the schools at all and we are able to communicate with the teachers on a regular basis. We live in the Tradition/Gatlin area and would suggest that area with the amount of development going on and the easy access to the other areas you mentioned in your post.

Good luck researching! And feel free to ask any specific questions.

[klavr]

Thank you so much PSLCarPool!! This is great info! I actually would prefer PSL due to the fact I know the area pretty well, and it appears that it has really come a long way since I have lived down south. Also, I have some close friends that live there as well. They are in their twenties, with no kids, so they are not really good resources for me. lol

Do you have any suggestions on particular neighborhoods I should look into and are there any schools I should stay away from?

[CCis33]

Originally Posted by PSLCarPool

We have a 22, 16 and 2 year old. .

A 22 year old living at home is the new normal?

[CCis33]

While that's a fairly decent sized house, I think for around 650k during the hot season, you should be able to avoid the ghetto that is PSL. You should be able to find decent Jupiter lodging for that money. Personally, I wouldn't put that kind of money in the ground in S. Florida.

[PSLCarPool]

Originally Posted by CCis33

A 22 year old living at home is the new normal?

22 year old is in Orlando at College at UCF so no not living at home in our situation. But I would not judge other 22 year olds living at home to save.

[PSLCarPool]

Originally Posted by klavr

Thank you so much PSLCarPool!! This is great info! I actually would prefer PSL due to the fact I know the area pretty well, and it appears that it has really come a long way since I have lived down south. Also, I have some close friends that live there as well. They are in their twenties, with no kids, so they are not really good resources for me. lol

Do you have any suggestions on particular neighborhoods I should look into and are there any schools I should stay away from?

Mostly any community in the Tradition and St. Lucie West area is good and I would avoid most of the Fort Pierce area. The cons of living in the Tradition and St. Lucie West area is that it is 30 - 40 minutes commute to the beach so keep that in mind if you are interested in being closer to the beach. We did love being close to the Beach in Jupiter which was a 10 minute or less commute but found ourselves taking it for granted and going far less. Hey with a 650K budget you can buy a beautiful home in PSL and use the extra savings for lots of Beach vacations!!

[JimT7406]

To the OP, if you want to be in Jupiter and need a 5 bedroom, look up Egret Landings of Jupiter just north of Abacoa. They have several 5 bedrooms with a pool on the market in the $500's. Older community that is really nice.

[FlaLadyB]

Originally Posted by CCis33

While that's a fairly decent sized house, I think for around 650k during the hot season, you should be able to avoid the ghetto that is PSL. You should be able to find decent Jupiter lodging for that money. Personally, I wouldn't put that kind of money in the ground in S. Florida.

,


$650,000 for a house in this area. 5 bedroom homes in Martin .Co - which includes Palm City, Stuart, Jensen and Hobe Sound - start at $395,00 and go up from there. There are a number to choose from. Again, depends on where you want to be. Water makes a huge difference in price

In Port St Lucie- I would think for that pricing you would be in a gated community- anyhow they go from $250's up. Also depends on the square footage and WHERE you want to be.


Jupiter Farms- well, many/most homes are on well water and septic. That might not be what you are looking for. Also, dirt roads vs paved. You have to WANT to live in Jupiter Farms to be happy. Every home is different and you can have horses, etc there and many do. It's unique. I have clients there too.

DO you want to be in an HOA- homeowners association- or not? Huge difference when you are looking at that price and that number of bedrooms. Lifestyle choices too. Do you and your children have or will have dune buggies, and wave riders, boat, etc. Then no HOA for you. You need freedom and space.

With knowing only basics of your lifestyle.. basically what you want in a house size, it's more difficult to give you the answers you are looking for with any accuracy.

I used to live in Jupiter and loved it, but that was a number of years ago. Prices have escalated a LOT since then.

What your family likes to do for fun and entertainment also comes in to play. Your job/business and it's location does as well unless you are fortunate enough not to have to be in an office some place, and or travel.

exciting moving to a new area.....so many places you could go!

[Shellybug]

Hi! I am a lifelong Fort Pierce/Port Saint Lucie resident. I teach 6th-grade in Saint Lucie County. We are a huge district that does have its problems, but I know many excellent, hard-working teachers. There are pockets of good schools, but Martin County (to the south) and Indian River County (to the north) schools have a much better reputation. I would consider those areas if a priority is good schools. If you want the best schools in an affordable area, St. Johns county schools (Saint Augustine area) always perform higher than any other county in the state. In regard to getting bored and/or not having anything to do, the good thing about Florida is everything is very accessible via I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. We live in Port Saint Lucie and travel south to PGA (30 minute drive) and Orlando (1.5 hour drive) often. Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach have a lot to offer in regard to beach life (Tiki bars, beaches, live music, kayaking, etc). Stuart is quaint in regard to downtown small shops and the green market. Palm City is accessible to all of these, it's just a little further out west, but you can get around easily with no problem.

Just curious...My husband and I are looking to move out of the area and looked at Northeastern areas (and Western states). Is it the weather than brings you back?