Help finding family friendly area part 2 (Weston, Jupiter: houses, buy, new construction)

[anothersteve]

Well I don't think the 1st job is going to work out.

It looks inevitable at this point though that an old job I was furloughed from will soon take me to S. Florida. This job won't have the requirement to live so close, I'll only be going a few times a month. I'm wondering about the areas farther north and the schools, cost, etc.

I liked the Weston and surrounding areas. When I start going north of Palm Beach up towards Stuart, PSL, etc, where do I need to look that is comparable to Weston? Good family areas with good schools. How far north do I need to look to see a significant drop in price from the Weston area for similair houses? Will 400k buy waterfront property now?

Thanks

[compelled to reply]

If 400k means the ocean, no, you will not find waterfront property on the east coast of Florida for that price.

Basically, you want to start north of PGA Blvd and south of the St. Lucie County line. It starts getting cheaper around Port St Lucie but honestly, you get what you pay for. Martin County or Jupiter are way nicer. You have to go to...say, Vero Beach to get better schools AND lower housing costs. Brevard County is also very nice. But even if you only have to come a few times a month, the drive? Fuggedaboutit!

Nothing is really comparable to Weston, that part of Florida is very different. Weston is a totally planned community and you aren't going to find anything like that, that part of Florida north of PGA Blvd actually still has some breathing space!

[anothersteve]

I guess I didn't mean ocean front, more like canal front. Preferably leading to the ocean, we're boaters so.........

As always, thanks for the input.

[compelled to reply]

Canal Front? Well, I'm not sure honestly. But you can get ocean access canal for 500k (even a little less) this far south so I'm sure you can do it for 400k up there.

Almost all of Martin County has good schools, by the way. Just go on GreatSchools.net to pick out the good ones from the bad ones, and check the district website for maps/etc. I personally would not put kids in a school rated lower than "8" out of 10 in Florida. I know test scores aren't everything but FCAT is a basic skills test so anything lower than a "7" should be a warning sign unless there are a lot of disadvantaged students.

[keymarcus]

You can't go wrong with the So Martin County and North Palm Beach County areas. I am not a big fan of Port St Lucie area. Yes, you can get some waterfront for that in this market, but I am not a Realtor so.... I've lived for a few months in the Weston area and it is too far from the water for me. I live a block from the river here in Tequesta and within a mile or two to the beaches, depending on whether you fly or drive. I just can't see moving to Florida and then being 40 minutes from the beaches. It is not terrible expensive nearer the coast (think Weston and Wellington are pretty much up there). I love other people to discover the area. It is pretty much built out (due to natural barriers like the State Park, the river and the ocean/waterways) and most new construction will be in Southern Martin County to the west on Bridge Road.

[charlesforcucci]

I was a realtor in Weston for about 3 years and the closest areas I can recommend close to the Weston vibe would be maybe Palm City. Newer homes, larger square footage, and excellent schools. I live in Jupiter, which is beautiful also, and anything canal front with ocean access in Palm Beach County is going to be about $500k plus. Those properties are fixer upper 2/2's. If you would like for me to keep you updated with properties in Palm Beach or Martin County, let me know.

[Bette]

Waterfront - some in the 400's (high 400's)