Vero Beach - Old Sugar Mill Estates (Jacksonville, Hollywood: for sale, real estate)

[vigo]

We're considering a move from Hollywood and would like a home in an older, established neighborhood with mature trees. We're not interested in golfing communities or cookie-cutter developments. We've done some research and found the Old Sugar Mill Estates neighborhood. Is this considered a pretty nice area? I checked street view on Google Maps and, while the homes are large and the lots are huge, there isn't much charm.

Could any VB residents give me some other neighborhoods to look at that might fit my criteria? We don't necessarily want to be on the beach because of the high insurance costs. We'd like to stay where the windstorm premiums are affordable.

[runswithscissors]

It's ok. I was just home this weekend I could have driven through for you lol. I personally would not live right next to 43rd st but that's just me. Define "charm". You should speak with floridaorbust she moved to a nice area north of the mall without the density of where you're looking.

I'd never spend 350 - 650 for that area, I'd be on the barrier island but....

There are tons of nice sections all throughout there but IMO nothing to draw me there. I'd stick near 58th and it's cross streets then go past 20th (rt 60) to the north side of the mall where there are hundreds of acres of open space, horse ranches, smaller developments and no traffic. Follow your map to 66th or 58th and Rt 60 and north. AVOID where it says Ryanwood nothing on 20th (rt60)....if you go out 66th it's totally open everywhere. If you go out 58th it's still open but not as farmy.


Not that we have traffic really, our lights are on yellow blinking already in June at night, once the snowbirds leave we hardly need traffic lights.

By the way. Waterway is the one I think with the hurricane safe room included which is pretty cool. They have poured concrete construction. Divosta I think.

It all depends on your wants. You can get into Waterway Village for the low to mid 200's up past 20th and get an inground pool and newer construction and not the same expenses of the Woodfield HOA I was told.....I know some people who took a loss to move out of Woodfield where I used to live to go to Waterway, I dont really know why though. They even offer this cute inground pool that's sorta a lap type deal meaning not huge with alot of maintenance.

If you live in Hollywood what are you calling "charm"?? That could be a euphamism for alot of things. Normally, meaning an older more "historic" type area or fake to look like that style.

The barrier island is loaded I mean loaded with charm, old and new, large or small. Have you even checked the insurance? Why not a "charming" condo or smaller house over there instead? There's a big selection.

ETA I just checked the prices and they seem to be starting at 174,000 jeeze.

That's where the professional baseball players rented when they stayed here until giving up the contract at our local baseball park. They have a "charming" model with alot of crown, wainscot, a full around the house porch from what I remember or just in the front maybe, I forget, southern style architecture and individual rooms like that type of house, not open concept ....I almost rented one but it was WAY TOO HUGE....also has a "courtyard" deal in the back with an inlaw suite type office or apartment I think in that model. Very nice. Pale Yellow and white compared to the other models mostly Spanish style. google BARBADOS SQUARE

BTW these are cookie cutter and not mature trees LOLOL.......you need to drive up here for that expedition. There are developments everywhere like that. Like I said stay closer to 58th.

The barrier island is LOADED absolutely LOADED with streets with mature trees. Some of them form a canopy right over the street and the entire block is shaded. It's gorgeous and I wouldnt live anywhere else in that price range of 350 -650 no way....I'd say even maybe 250,00 or 300,000 now...I havent looked lately I have a condo I just bought.

[vigo]

Now, see, I would probably love the barrier island - it sounds like exactly what we're looking for. But will we pay a big premium for insurance because of the proximity to the water? That's what we're trying to escape by moving north!

Thanks for your post, though - I'll print it out and take it with me when we visit Vero. The streets you mentioned don't mean anything to me now but when we get up there with map in hand, I'll be able to see what you're talking about.

By "charm", I guess I do mean historic homes or neighborhoods, unique homes, lush landscaping - but not fake!. I'll know it when I see it but it's hard to put into words. And we don't want a condo, that's for sure. A single family home with 3-4 bedrooms and a 2 car garage is a must.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by vigo

Now, see, I would probably love the barrier island - it sounds like exactly what we're looking for. But will we pay a big premium for insurance because of the proximity to the water? That's what we're trying to escape by moving north!

Thanks for your post, though - I'll print it out and take it with me when we visit Vero. The streets you mentioned don't mean anything to me now but when we get up there with map in hand, I'll be able to see what you're talking about.

By "charm", I guess I do mean historic homes or neighborhoods, unique homes, lush landscaping - but not fake!. I'll know it when I see it but it's hard to put into words. And we don't want a condo, that's for sure. A single family home with 3-4 bedrooms and a 2 car garage is a must.

Yes you'd love the island. It's the real Vero Beach.

OK the main road is 20th st aka Rt 60 going east to west to the mall from the beach.

Then at the mall the intersecting streets are 66th and 58th.

SOUTH of the mall there are SEVERAL "neighborhoods" that are older established with mature trees. Most of them have "names". Several are gated around here not necessarily an HOA just gated. The neighborhood you mentioned is in that area just it's at 43rd which is kinda busy right there but nothing "bad".

They are intersecting 58th and are numbered streets. 4th 8th 12th etc

These same streets intersect 43rd where that Sugar Mill place is and it may be lovely I just dont know it. But 43rd is iffy and about to be widened I believe. I would not live "in the middle" there.

If you look at a map you'll see what I mean.

Start at the beach seriously. Look at a map of it and all the streets running east to west from around the 17th street causeway all the way up to Indian River Shores (town) have mature trees and varied styles. Even northern type colonials.

FIND the Riverside Park. It's awesome and great to live around it on the island. It's on the Intracoastal.

Just drive up and down each and every street like for example Gayfeather Ln, Hibiscus (just saying them randomly).....

So what if you have to get a slightly cheaper house for the insurance payment? IMO LOL...

If I go home next weekend I'll write down my favorite streets as I'm driving around They all have houses up for sale. (I'm in Jacksonville I got a job there but still have my condo in Vero)

Anyway, you can't go wrong in Vero ...just telling you some "better" areas than some "other" ones...but nothings wrong with the area you asked about anyway. I'll go see it next weekend just for fun. I love house hunting.lol

[runswithscissors]

LOL I looked up a house listed as that neighborhood on mls on "13th LN" and did street view. All I can say is I hope google is wrong or just showing a crappy view. No way is that street worth even 350 let alone 650 like in the realtor ad. Butt ugly but to be fair, maybe just google...NOT representative of Vero. I see why you said no charm. That's an understatement ha ha. The big white house looks really nice then you look around and see almost no trees and the ones that are there are bleh then the other houses are partially bleh too...I swear at the beach you drive around going "ah look" and "omg look at these beautiful trees" hahahaha very different...

All around there though near sugar mill there are some really pretty neighborhoods. With random horse farmettes right in the middle of the block. I drove past one today I want to say it was on 4th but I forget which way I took. Around 4th near 58th....

...I like to change my rides around. I remember counting the horses saying omg how do 26 horses fit here so comfortably and still they have tons of acreage untouched.

I saw that sugar mill development's sign maroon and gold before but can't remember the neighborhood.

I'll go look next week when I'm home.

[verobeach]

Old Sugar Mill Estates is on the upper side of just okay.

[vigo]

Doesn't sound like what I'm looking for, then. Thanks for your help.

[vigo]

Just returned from our visit to Vero. Runswithscissors, you were 100% right about the barrier island. That's the only place I'd live in Vero. It was gorgeous, exactly what we were looking for. The mainland area was horrible, way too rural and farmy. Now I have to start pricing taxes and insurance for homes on the island.

We also visited St. Augustine/St. Johns County/Ponte Vedra and found a lot to like up there, too. The CR210 area and the Fruit Cove area were my favorites there. The newer developments weren't TOO cookie-cutter, and the established neighborhoods were full of beautiful oaks. Prices were much cheaper than Vero, so we have to weigh what is really important to us. Lots to think about...

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by vigo

Just returned from our visit to Vero. Runswithscissors, you were 100% right about the barrier island. That's the only place I'd live in Vero. It was gorgeous, exactly what we were looking for. The mainland area was horrible, way too rural and farmy. Now I have to start pricing taxes and insurance for homes on the island.

We also visited St. Augustine/St. Johns County/Ponte Vedra and found a lot to like up there, too. The CR210 area and the Fruit Cove area were my favorites there. The newer developments weren't TOO cookie-cutter, and the established neighborhoods were full of beautiful oaks. Prices were much cheaper than Vero, so we have to weigh what is really important to us. Lots to think about...

I knew you'd love it. But..the mainland isn't ALL rural and farmy, you mighta missed the "middle" which is between Route 1 and say, 58th st where the mall is. That part is all houses. The mall area is more "suburban" surrounded by the rural farmy LOL....That is NOT really Vero Beach per se, it's called Unincorporated Vero Beach....or as you get past say 43rd sorta suburban sprawl but not bad(ly).....as the years passed by the "town" grew west as in all the Florida communities such as FLL growing OUT west to the Everglades swamp. They just kept building out, creating more living areas and some turned into "cities" (small ones) like Tamarac and Weston.

I'm all about if I move to Fl I wanna be on water but tons of people don't feel that way, but I grew up in FLL and the NJ shore so I'm a water person.
Some people would be in heaven in the Keys and others would hate it and feel like they're in the desolate no mans land LOL. (I like it though)...

Really, the farmy area of Vero is really nice, too, though, peaceful, clean and has it's own vibe.

Moving here (Florida in totality) is an adjustment and I ALWAYS INSIST nobody should buy unless they know exactly what they like, because you can change your mind once you explore and get to know the feel of each area. But you already know that cuz you live here.

Floridaorbust was a good example of knowing what she wanted and I'm a good example of not finding the "right" place for me in my price range yet.

Have fun, though. I love neighborhood/house hunting. Comparisons are the best thing, like you did....drive all over and see what feeling you connect with. The actual "structure" of the house isn't suce a big thing, imo, just seeing stuff on real estate sites is so deceiving. Like you fly down here and find a mattress on the house next door's porch LOL....(not in Vero but it happened to me all over Broward last year which is how I ended up in Vero, just kept driving north....)

That was after some jerk scammed me out of 2400 for a rental in HOLLYWOOD right on the beach. Things have changed, right?

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

I'm all about if I move to Fl I wanna be on water but tons of people don't feel that way,

Sometimes it's not about where we want to be, but what we can realistically afford.

Sorry, I came back to edit so I don't sound argumentative. I agree 100% that the area of of A1A is beautiful. I also love Ponte Vedra. From what I understand, Vero is safer. I checked out houses near the beach in Vero and they were priced in the millions. I drove up and down the streets and stopped to write down the addresses of the homes with signs on the lawn. The least expensive home on one of those streets with the canopy trees was $875,000. Maybe we're not talking about the same area??