If you had the choice where would you live on the treasure coast? (Palm City: rent, condos)

[Synergy1]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Stuart is even SMALLER than Vero Beach city proper city limits with 12 sq miles versus Stuart with about half the sq miles.

Vero Beach's MSA is 2,000 sq miles. Several miles which are farmland, estates and horse country.

Stuart falls into Port St Lucie's MSA have fun with that. Yes alot of kids that's for sure. And filled with foreclosures. 20 minutes west INLAND across a bridge. Filled with housing developments.

Mindy, both places are fine. You can't move anywhere blind. I suggest you book a flight asap and see where you'll be working then do the drives and see all the towns and the schools.

Very good advice "runswithsissors". We lived in Philly suburbs for a very long time before moving to PSL 4 yrs ago. We do not work because we retired early because we just saved and saved. Now we are having fun spending our retirements....We too are living rather well but the price of our home in PSL dropped from our build of over 400k to under 200k. We are not worried because we love where we alive.

Vero and Stewart are both nice areas and we placed a down payment on a new Vero Beach home but after a few days of investigation it seemed that building a very large home in a gated community was not for us former city folks.

Your advice seems to be right on the money. Thanks

[mindy_bogue]

Psouth did you not get the part where I said that I knew someone so I got the job its not like I just applied somewhere with no education. Im a Medical Consultant there hard to find. Also I said im not just moveing to Florida for the job I lived in Orlando for a few months and love Florida but Orlando was'nt my city. I had plans to move here years ago I travel constintly and want to settle down so when I made enough money to do it easily I started looking and found this job and she told me about Vero Beach. Its not like im moveing just because I hate snow or whatever if it was that I'd just move back to Vegas where were from but I decided on Florida because its a nice place to live for MY lifestyle and the job im in actually pays more in Florida because of the economy then it does in alot of places. I dont think you understand that im not like a clubbing partying young person. I work CONSTINTLY and when im not working im with my son rideing bikes and going to the beach. I like quite and I like not haveing a huge party scene in my backyard, if I do go out its to a restaurant with a bar not the latest club. I do understand where your comeing from and most people my age do those type of things but its just not for me.

[stevep111]

As a retired Military person I can tell you that moving sucks. I have lived all over the country and have found few places where my lifestyle fits in. My last duty station before I retired was Miami. I told my wife that the only reason I was still in Miami was her. If we ever broke up she would not have to worry about me sticking around because I was gone. Skid marks and a trail of tickets going north on I-95. Miami may be great for some but not for me.

You have to find a place that fits your lifestyle. I love Vegas, go there a couple of times a year and even thought about moving there but it did not fit my lifestyle. PSL does and that is why I like it. I can't wait to move there full time.

People have their opinions and that's ok. I don't think you should have to justify your decision to live where ever you want. After all we are in America. Aren't we?

[mindy_bogue]

Exactly Stevep111 I think alot of people look at people moveing to Florida like they have 500 bucks and a van lol, I think my decisions through. I've been all over this country and I know what places just fit me. Its funny how people just make judgments when they really dont know anything about a person. I dont really mind I take everything with a grain of salt and hey if it aint the right place for me then I can always move on to the next place thats the way I like to look at it. Thats why for the 1st year of liveing anywhere I never buy a house I always rent.

[stevep111]

That is a good strategy because it gives you time to look around and find the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood.

[justNancy]

I've lived in FL for a long time but I'm also going to rent a temporary residence for a month or 2 to get to know a city if I move to the east coast. Every part of FL is different. This is the best time of year to visit Florida, since there are a lot of off-season rentals. It rains almost every afternoon, but most of the day it's sunny.

When I lived in MA & NH, although most towns had their good & bad sections, Florida has them on the same street. No, I'm not being sarcastic. You will often see multi-million dollar homes next to run down shacks, RVs and apartments. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not wealthy or snobby. I lived in a mobile home park for many years too, so I'm certainly not passing judgment on people who live in trailers. I'm only pointing out that FL is so transient and has such a mix of people, lifestyles and incomes, that you really need to familiarize yourself with a neighborhood to get a feel for it. Some people prefer the rural sections where you can have horses and lots of privacy and others enjoy a gated community. There's no one-size-fits all here ..that's for sure!

[mindy_bogue]

Ya I seen that alot in Vegas I lived there for a long time so I understand the ghetto right next door to the million dollar homes effect. We had alot of transients there too. Dont worry I dont think thats snobby at all your telling me what you think. What part of FL do you live if you dont mind me asking justNancy? Were looking at places in Vero Beach. I've gotten a nice feel from Vero Beach from talking to people who live there and researching the heck out of it lol. What area are you moving to do you know yet?

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Synergy1

Very good advice "runswithsissors". We lived in Philly suburbs for a very long time before moving to PSL 4 yrs ago. We do not work because we retired early because we just saved and saved. Now we are having fun spending our retirements....We too are living rather well but the price of our home in PSL dropped from our build of over 400k to under 200k. We are not worried because we love where we alive.

Vero and Stewart are both nice areas and we placed a down payment on a new Vero Beach home but after a few days of investigation it seemed that building a very large home in a gated community was not for us former city folks.

Your advice seems to be right on the money. Thanks

Small world, I'm from Buck County outside of Philly too. I rented in Woodfield just like the HOA you mentioned. People paid 385,000 in 2005 and in 2008 couldn't get over about 220,000. And the HOA fees will go up when the builder releases it to the HOA residents in the future. A great HOA though if it's your bag.

That being said I'd live in most of these HOA's here before a random street non HOA because of the market. Each neighborhood is at risk of deteriorating from unscreened renters and people in financial distress that can't maintain their properties more than in an HOA where they intervene if necessary.

[Jeffn]

We almost bought in Jupiter and at the 11th hour picked Zero, err, Vero Bch. Jupiter was more akin to S. FL soullessness although far from it. And we met someone up here in NY who from Vero that moved to Jupiter and is hating the decision since the fall of FL real estate-wishes she was able to sell and head back to Vero.

We're moving there in a few months lock stock and barrel, elderly folks along with us. We'll update you once we're there full time and not just snowbirding it.

[P-yeah]

Fort Pierce would be out for me. Not because it has bad areas. There are nice areas of port fierce also. But Fort pierce utilites are way overpriced. I have customers who live there and they show me their bills and I just can't believe it.

I think Vero has some utility issues as well. I currently l live on the st. lucie martin county line. I go north for 6 months since I can no longer take the summers in Fla. (I grew up up north without the need for AC). I like Jupiter a lot. But the real estate is more expensive there.