Sebastian? (Tampa, Melbourne, Port Orange: bank owned, 2009, apartments)

[Js81]

Again, thanks for the replies. I'm DEFINITELY all for the small town feel - that's EXACTLY what we want. BUT, I want to be fairly close to some decent "stuff" - how far realistically is it to Vero/Melbourne? I don't mean exit to exit on I-95 - I mean from a "typical" house to some popular spots (shopping, movies, etc. - we don't go clubbing or anything like that ).

Also, what would be the chances of a teacher and an R.N. getting a job IN Sebastian? If we're BOTH gonna have to drive, we'd probably just try to live somewhere else - however, if its only one of us, Sebastian still looks promising.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Js81

Again, thanks for the replies. I'm DEFINITELY all for the small town feel - that's EXACTLY what we want. BUT, I want to be fairly close to some decent "stuff" - how far realistically is it to Vero/Melbourne? I don't mean exit to exit on I-95 - I mean from a "typical" house to some popular spots (shopping, movies, etc. - we don't go clubbing or anything like that ).

Also, what would be the chances of a teacher and an R.N. getting a job IN Sebastian? If we're BOTH gonna have to drive, we'd probably just try to live somewhere else - however, if its only one of us, Sebastian still looks promising.

Close, Vero is 10 miles. They both have big hospitals. The Sebastian one has alot of advertising so it seems pretty well known as an outsider.

Vero has outside modulars on the elementary school and was doing alot of construction last summer so my pov was it's booming even though people say it's all old people IT"S NOT.

I guarantee you you'll LOVE Vero Beach. Just google the images online. You possibly will love Sebastian but for me, it's a big subdivision with one main road, Route One and I would never live there unless I was on the WATER, which is gorgeous. And limited. It has a tiny "park" on a corner on the Intracoastal across from a busy gas station on Rt 1, REALLY REALLY not even a park just a little corner thing with some bbq grills. Cute but not inviting to me and always crowded.

It has a nice public pool deal up in the highlands area west of Rt 1.

VERO on the other hand has a 50 acre fantastic wooded park on water with jogging trails, a mall art museum and theater on the Intracoastal and about 5 beach access "parks" nicer than the Sebastian one and you can at least sit in a place and have a coffee or drink on the beach without having to walk to a GAS STATION and take it back to your bench in the Sebastian "park".

Vero is the ultimate in a small city with only 17000 people and things like the mayor having "breakfast with the mayor" on Saturdays in the park and he gives you a mug ha ha. He was very cute last year and even went on the radio to discuss his colon cancer lol. Vero/Sebastian has a local radio broadcast with people discussing schools, and other local topics that's cute too. We have all the stores including Target out west by the mall and some east on Rt 1. I still drive 15 minutes to Target even though I moved east from there.

I guarantee you anything you need to buy you'll drive to Vero unless you can get all your stuff at the Walmart, which is possible...but gets really boring after awhile. And I'm not even a shopper but having just moved here I had "needs". Even food. OUR Walmart is a superstore with grocery, I dont recall the Sebstian Walmart having food. I might be wrong.

17000 isn't alot in 34 sq miles. spread out over barrier island and mainland.

You have to be here to understand it. You cant chose something by imagination LOL.

My first choice was Sebastian because I'm a wildlife lover and the barrier island has Pelican Island the first Wildlife Rehabilitation state park in the country. I was SO determined to live in Sebastian. Until I got here and flew down several times to really nail down a place....

You cant live ON the beach without BIG BUCKS and you cant SEE the beach due to growth of mangroves and stuff....so you're NEAR it but still out of my price range.

On the INTRACOASTAL, which I love too, you can get an affordable condo or a single in a high price range.

Put Tequesta on your list my other favorite small village with plenty in it and near it. IN Martin county.

Take a trip here in summer to check it out. There are three or so nice places to stay in Sebastian and you can drive down to Vero quickly or stay in Vero and go up to Sebastian either way.

[Js81]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Vero is the ultimate in a small city with only 17000 people

Vero is only 17k? I would have never imagined that - it seemed bigger when I've been there. That sounds like the perfect size to me. As I said before, my hometown here in KY is only about 6k - while I want bigger, I don't want HUGE.

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

You have to be here to understand it. You cant chose something by imagination LOL.

You cant live ON the beach without BIG BUCKS

I plan on doing plenty of research. We're in the VERY EARLY stages of considering this right now, so I'm just trying to get a few target areas. We're looking at the Daytona area as well - I've vacationed there for years and love it, but don't know if I'd want to live there. Well, I wouldn't live in Daytona - more like Port Orange/Edgewater (south side) or Ormond Beach (north side). I really like the Daytona area - how do you feel it compares to the Vero area?

It's sad that anything waterfront is so crazy expensive - I'd love it! Problem is, well, I'm a teacher... not gonna happen. lol

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Put Tequesta on your list my other favorite small village with plenty in it and near it.

**Heads to Google right now...** Thanks for the suggestion!

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Js81

We're looking at the Daytona area as well - I've vacationed there for years and love it, but don't know if I'd want to live there. I really like the Daytona area - how do you feel it compares to the Vero area?

It's sad that anything waterfront is so crazy expensive - I'd love it! Problem is, well, I'm a teacher... not gonna happen. lol

**Heads to Google right now...** Thanks for the suggestion!

You'd be surprised. I almost bought a condo on the Intracoastal in Sebastian for 115,000. Smallish 1/1 but still....direct ICW open view, pelicans all over the place. THAT INCLUDED A FREE BOAT DOCK for boats under 20 feet. I still regret not making that purchase but the HOAs had problems. IMO.

I didn't because the other two buildings in there were in disrepair. So I came here.

I LOVE CRAZY TOURIST TOWNS also!

I can live alot of places.

I drove up and down from Daytona to here and always on the water never inland so I can't say.

Daytona has it's benefits for sure. It reminds me of what I'm used to at the NJ shore in Wildwood for example.

I am confident that when the time comes you'll be able to afford something near water between Daytona and Tequesta. There's a ton of remote MILES while you're driving down the beach road....little enclaves you'd never think of. Even north of Daytona. But Vero Beach's motto is "Where the tropics begin" so weather wise this is the start of the real heat, here and Sebastian imo.

I dont mind cooler though.

Vero has condos from 30,000 to 25 million. (yes the cheaper ones are 55+ but still....)

You'll find what you want and I say if it's water you want then you'll make it happen.

I moved on water BUT YOU CANT SEE IT because we have a 50 acre nature park as part of our association and I"m not too sure how I feel yet.

I suspect I will regret buying here and sell it and move to WATER, my first requirement that I should have listened to my inner list of stuff instead of thinking like everyone says "you get bored with the water" because having lived here off and on all my life and my mother's place in TEQUESTA (Broadview Condos an awesome small neighborhhood on a wide section of the Intracoastal)....i NEVER get tired of water.

You'll do it. A teacher makes what I made, as a phone company person. Same with a nurse. But I only had one income. Just live cheap for now. LOL

[Js81]

Last night I was browsing around realtor.com and I found a 3 bed, 2 bath condo that was on A1A in Daytona just across the street from the ocean for $179k. I couldn't BELIEVE it was that cheap - and it had ocean views from several rooms! But I just don't want a condo... I need grass to cut and yard work to do.

EDIT: Here's that link!

[runswithscissors]

This photo represents what I love about Sebastian (besides the state park on the barrier island).

I problem is, if you wanna call it a problem ...this is about it, about a quarter mile like this where you can actually sit.

(this is the Intracoastal)

google reflections on the river to see the Sebastian condos I almost bought...not at all dumpy, very nice community....especially for the cheap prices.....there are 6 buildings 3 direct ICW front. I almost bought in the middle building but the two next door had mold and no reserves in the HOAs (each building is sep HOA).

There are private sales there not on mls that I had a connection to from a resident realtor who didnt list them. They also have "villas" that are awesome not direct water view....they have HUGE SCREENED PATIOS but were about 20,000 higher and I really wanted the water. Not a big row of "villas" (that means attached one story houses here in FL)....they only have two to four units attached and none of them feel like "interior" because of the huge patio door with the huge outside screened patios. They must have been over 30x30 ipatios f I had to estimate and several people put in ground concrete pools out there.


http://jamasters.smugmug.com/photos/82967857-L.jpg

[Js81]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

This photo represents what I love about Sebastian (besides the state park on the barrier island).

Looks nice... I'm looking for somewhere that would have places to walk (myself and my dog) and relax. How's the beach access near Sebastian and Vero? To me, there's nothing better than a lazy day at the beach with a good book. Are there any places in the area where I could take my dog (black lab) to the beach? She LOVES to swim...

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

google reflections on the river to see the Sebastian condos I almost bought...

Nice looking place. Great lagoon view, too. Now I'm beginning to wonder about moving anywhere near Florida - I'd end up head over heels in debt... with a new boat.

[MB2]

... I'm looking for somewhere that would have places to walk (myself and my dog) and relax. How's the beach access near Sebastian and Vero? ....nothing better than a lazy day at the beach with a good book. Are there any places in the area where I could take my dog (black lab) to the beach? She LOVES to swim...

OK...the only thing I can say is, to actually GO to the BEACH (Ocean), you would have to go to Wabasso, and head over the bridge....and is (depending on your location in Sebastian) maybe a 15 to 20 minute ride (if that!)
And, if you just want to head to the river....well...it's right in front of you here in Sebastian.
There is PLENTY of opportunity to head to the river, or the beach....AND take your dog.
A word of caution (as a dog owner myself): Be very careful when coming by ANY body of water here in FL, especially lakes....due to alligators ! (But, I am sure you are aware of that already)
My dog jumped into a lake once to swim.....just to have a BIG alligator pop it's head up right behind him ! Well, my heart was somewhere in my knees......lol....scared the living daylight out of me !

Nice looking place. Great lagoon view, too. Now I'm beginning to wonder about moving anywhere near Florida - I'd end up head over heels in debt... with a new boat.

LOL....join all the others living here, with being in debt up to their eyeballs.....LOL.
I know many, many people have boats here in Sebastian (even if it's just a little one for fishing ), and it's like the "way of life" here.

[pharmlivin]

still considering it as a matter of fact...the HOA statements looked o.k. nothing really bad I would say...I think insurance issues plague all of those iCW communities since the hurricanes. We do love the homes with the big patios...they are nice(need updating) and the location is beautiful. There are also some beautiful brand new condos up a little north of capt Hirams which they can't seem to give away...not sure what the problem is there but they seem spacious and well built. Not the greatest looking community but nice and right across the street from the ICW. The people in and around Sebastian seem very friendly. If you enjoy the serenity and beauty of nature Sebastian is a great place. Seems a bit undiscovered as of now.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by pharmlivin

still considering it as a matter of fact...the HOA statements looked o.k. nothing really bad I would say...I think insurance issues plague all of those iCW communities since the hurricanes. We do love the homes with the big patios...they are nice(need updating) and the location is beautiful. There are also some beautiful brand new condos up a little north of capt Hirams which they can't seem to give away...not sure what the problem is there but they seem spacious and well built. Not the greatest looking community but nice and right across the street from the ICW. The people in and around Sebastian seem very friendly. If you enjoy the serenity and beauty of nature Sebastian is a great place. Seems a bit undiscovered as of now.

Maybe we define "ok reserves" differently. The middle building facing the ICW had reserves. The two buildings on either side were in bad shape money wise I think close to zero reserves....and the building on the right had the top unit with the roof caved in you could see the sky. And 5 units had mildew if not mold. I say it was mold because I am sensitive to it and could not even breathe from the doorway and didn't even go INSIDE it was so strong. The realtor had to hold her nose LOL and it was HER LISTING. What a dope, taking people there she hadn't been there for months apparently and apparently the electric is OFF.

I didn't go in the one on the left but the budget told me what I wanted to know.

The middle building had reserves and no mildew units that I knew of but if the other buildings have no reserves then who knows what the master association is going to do.

When I looked north of Hirams the only condos I saw facing the ICW were in the 200,000 s and I wanted to spend less, in fact I wasn't going to buy at all until next year.... until the election, I changed my mind. I was actually looking for a rental and because my agent was in Vero I ended up here after searching south for 6 months I just made the decision.

By comparison, this HOA had 1.9 million in reserves when I bought here in January, and just resurfaced both pools and surrounds, put in brand new fencing for the hogs, fixed the nature trail from hog damage and repaired the "butterfly garden", fully painted each building outside, and now I see new sod going in.

Seems to me the least Reflections could have done was repair the roof of a condo they're trying to sell for TOP DOLLAR at that! I forget the unit number it was the top floor on the right building on the right side, not even a direct ICW view, it was a broken view where you had to look at the single houses in front to the right....

Keep looking.........try Vero Beach where I live Grove Isle we're on the ICW too but you cant see the water because our 50 acre nature park is in between the condos and the water but you walk out to the water on a formal path and dock through the nature trail....where we have a nice dock with picnic tables and stuff. We also have a boat launch but no boats allowed to be stored here.