Looking for my piece of peace (Jacksonville, Miami: real estate, houses, neighborhood)

[finnjammer]

I too am looking around the south Florida, up and down, west and east. I am a single 58 year old woman, my own work from home, so does not matter where. My 18 year old son is taking college classes from home also. We are both excited to move to FL from Chicago. He wants to live in Florida and find his niche. I want an established beautiful neighborhood with palm trees everywhere. None of the newly built boxvilles. Absolutely no HOA. Need to actually feel like its home. Beautiful beaches, but not crowded freeway style kind. Ideally would be great to have a boat dock at the backyard to get to the IC waters quickly (not at the back of a smelly canal with speed restrictions). Otherwise a larger yard is a must with mature landscape, minimum half acre, prefer more. Must have pool and eventually need 5 bedrooms to accommodate all kids for holidays maybe. For my son we need to be somewhere where there is opportinity, diversity and younger persons. I do not want to live within old people community either. So we are wondering where is a lively, safe, beautiful place to live. Some recommend east side, some stay its a horror, some recommend west coast, some say its for old people. We are going next week to spend couple of months visiting places and try to figure out what is what. Anybody care to share some ideas please, thank you kindly, Helena

[wizrap]

Answers will depend on your budget.

[Troubleshooter]

I would have more peace if you divided that into pieces with paragraphs. It's very hard to read.

[BobHoward]

What is your price range? Minimum half acre, on deep water, with pool and 5 bedrooms? South Florida is the most expensive part of the state. Again, what's your price range? What feels like "home" to you? South Florida looks very appealing, but generally speaking, it's congested, rude, and not at all relaxing, if that matters to you. For your son, it's not a good place to build a career (which is the primary reason I left), unless you're in real estate. I have little experience with the west coast, but my impression is that it's the polar opposite of South Florida - dull in comparison, with cold water in the winter, and particulary miserable summer weather.

[kidyankee764]

South FL (Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Dade Counties) will be the most expensive for what you want - think seven figures. The west coast is beautiful and you can probably get what you want for under $1m. It’s more of a slower pace, more aesthetically pleasing, nicer beaches, etc. It’s a bit too quiet for me, though.

Generally, Tampa to Naples is filled with Midwesterners, whereas Palm Beach to Miami is filled with Northeasterners. The feel of each area mimics that, IMO.

[blueherons]

Budget?

What you are describing in South Florida will start at around 1.5 and go up.

[Rick In Madison]

It's been a while since I lived in Florida; so take this with a grain of salt.

I would suggest areas in or around Jacksonville and down to the Cape. Maybe old parts of Panama City and the surrounding areas.

In the end; I don't think you will like the south Florida lifestyle or expense- (not just in dollars).

[Gypsy3n8]

Check Merritt Island, FL area.

[BNBR]

Check out some of the islands and waterfront homes in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

5+ bedroom house with pool, in an outstanding neighborhood with palm trees and no HOA, in a younger/happening area, with a huge yard, on the IC but not on a canal or with speed restrictions...

For what you are asking for, I'm assuming you have a budget of $10M+, right? Even then that whole speed restriction thing makes it extremely difficult. Maybe a private island in the Bahamas with a go fast boat or helicopter to get to Fort Lauderdale? Or one of the houses on the bay in Miami... Tough one. I was thinking maybe around the Venetian Islands in Miami, but the yards just aren't that big. Could you up your budget closer to $30 million to buy the house next door and demo it to make some yard space?

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Budget?

What you are describing in South Florida will start at around 1.5 and go up.

Can you show me a $1.5M home in South Florida that's waterfront but not on a canal, has a large yard (really, really difficult to find this one), 5+ bedrooms, no HOA, lots of palm trees... $1.5M gets you a decent 5 bedroom house with a small yard and most likely low fixed bridges on a "smelly canal"... What OP is describing is fiction in South Florida, essentially, unless she happens to have a spare $30M laying around.