Feedback on St Johns country schools and gated communities (Jacksonville: new home, neighborhood)

[islandtimect]

Looking for input on schools and gated communities that'll work for our price range and family. Looking roughly btw Jacksonville and St Augustine. Would like an upscale, family-oriented community, and if there are Asian families that would be great (our daughter was adopted from China). Looking for a gated community so we can meet other families and because of Florida's reputation for crime. Our price range for a home is 600k to 700k. We are NOT golfers but own a boat. Besides PVB, where should we look? We'll look at keeping our boat at a yacht club/marina or if there are gated communities with marinas.

Our daughter is in elementary school and gifted/talented, but is accustomed to a small school (200 students) and a class size of around 20. There seem to be LOTS of great public schools - Ocean Palms and PV Rawlings in PVB, and the creeks - Julington, Timberlin, Cunninhham in St John and St Augustine. What are class sizes in these schools? Also considering Bolles or Palmer Catholic Academy. Our daughter is very unhappy about moving, as all our family is here in CT and we don't know anyone in St Johns. But hubby has wanted to move to FL forever and it is a great time to sell his medical practice.

thanks,
marie

[Robyn55]

First off - what kind of boating do you do? If you look at your marine maps - you'll see that although PVB has access to the ICW - we're about midway between the inlets in JAX and St. Augustine. Pretty long trip either way to open ocean. Friends of ours who are into open ocean boating have wound up in Queens Harbour (which is in Duval County). Much closer to the ocean by boat. There is always the possibility of buying a "dry" lot in PVB - and putting your boat into a marina elsewhere. Robyn

[ssclulow]

If you want a smaller school you will ned to look at private schools. St. Johns county public schools are excellent, but they are large.

[Robyn55]

And class size is up in the air. The new constitutional amendment (of a few years ago) is phased in 100% this year. It limits average school class size to 18 in grades K-3, 22 in 4-8, and 25 in high school. But there's a constitutional amendment on the November balllot (at least as of today I think) that would increase allowed class sizes to 21 in K-3, 27 in 4-8, and 30 in high school. Robyn

[donisanasfan]

As a very happy home owner in Coastal Oaks I would strongly recommend checking out our community here in Ponte Vedra. I know there are several families that have moved down from Ct. We are zoned for PVPV for elementary school and Nease for High School which are top rated schools. You daughter would love our water park, and all the activities that Nocatee has for children. Coastal Oaks also has our own pools, club house and fitness center. We are gated and in your price range. Good luck with your search.
http://www.nocatee.com/ParksRecreation/waterPark.aspx (broken link)

[luvingme23]

i like how you think that gated community = meeting other families and keeping out crime. i live in a gated community and it does nothing but add to your homeowners fees and give a lot of grief. that's my 2 cents. i know it's not that helpful. good luck.

[donisanasfan]

your right.......that's not very helpful......yeesh

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by luvingme23

i like how you think that gated community = meeting other families and keeping out crime. i live in a gated community and it does nothing but add to your homeowners fees and give a lot of grief. that's my 2 cents. i know it's not that helpful. good luck.

What community do you live in and what problems do you have? Don lives in Coastal Oaks and likes it. I live in Marsh Landing and like it. If you don't like where you live - tell us where it is so we can take a look and perhaps tell people to steer clear of it. Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by luvingme23

i like how you think that gated community = meeting other families and keeping out crime. i live in a gated community and it does nothing but add to your homeowners fees and give a lot of grief. that's my 2 cents. i know it's not that helpful. good luck.

Think I answered my own question. This is what you wrote recently:

<<TheRandomEvent, i live on Greenland. most of the NEW homes will start around 200s. thus they are just running at a tad over your pricerange. but yes they are negotiable. i know of 1 community where the original developer went bankrupt. Lennar took over and is asking 200s. however, i think that community will be most likely to get a negotiation because they are just restarting to build and they only have like 5 houses occupied. the more these developers sell the harder it is to bring down the price. Also, EricBoyd's agent advice is good advice as well even for a new home.>>

If this info is current - doesn't sound like the kind of neighborhood the OP is looking for. Robyn

[luvingme23]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

What community do you live in and what problems do you have? Don lives in Coastal Oaks and likes it. I live in Marsh Landing and like it. If you don't like where you live - tell us where it is so we can take a look and perhaps tell people to steer clear of it. Robyn

it's not that i don't like where i live. i just don't think the gate adds anything at all. i may have miscommunicated. i lived in nongated as well as gated. and the gates seem to just add a false since of security and prestige. i might suggest a nice documentary called "United Gates of America". it may illustrate my point a bit better. but this topic isn't really a debate about gated communities so i will not go further. i just want you to misread. but if you think mandarin isn't a spot the poster will like then that's another story. btw, i'm pretty familiar with this entire city with the exception of the residential areas of the beaches and residential areas by old former military base west of I-295. but the same what areas are good to live question is asked multiple times a day in the jville thread sooooo.....

btw, where did our sticky go?