Southside? & Military Question (Atlantic Beach: real estate, houses, neighborhoods)

[divanicki75]

Hi all!

From reading what a poster wrote on a different thread here, Southside sounds where I'd like to live... what is considered "Southside".

Also, everything that seems to be in our budget and looks nice is near NAS. I might be getting a job at NAS, but it's more likely that I'll be getting a job at Mayport. What's the commute REALLY like between the NAS area & Mayport? We'll be moving here from Charleston, SC, where traffic is pretty bad, but I have decided that I don't want another hellish commute. I want to work, live & have the kids school be close together this time around. Hubby will be stationed in KB, and is prepared to do the commute, so that isn't an issue.

Thanks!!

[DuvalGatorGirl]

i haven't done a morning commute from NAS Jax to Mayport, but i've driven from the Mayport area to NAS Jax an endless amount of times, and it's about a 35-40 minute drive without rush hour traffic. it's a pretty long and blah drive. you should give a look at the 32225 zip code, this area is considered east arlington/intracoastal west. it's a short drive to Mayport and relatively easy access to the freeway (9A/295) for your husband.

on a side note, we used to be stationed at KB, then at Bangor; now enjoying shore duty in Hawaii.

[fsu813]

The "southside" is very vague, and cvers a huge swath of area. basically anything East/ SE of Downtown (beyond San Marco) can be considered the "southside", until you hit the Intracoastal waterway or St. Johns County.

If commute is big deal to you, living on the "southside" will ensure you have longer commute (there's a lot more traffic).

[Robyn55]

Don't think you'll want to live on southside if you're working at the NAS or Mayport and your husband is working at KB (which is King's Bay - right?). I would definitely wait you find out whether you'll be working at the NAS or Mayport before you decide where to live. And - if you have a choice - pick Mayport. It's easier to get from the Mayport area to KB than from the NAS. Robyn

[Ryde41]

If you go to Craigslist - search under real estate for "Mayport" many of the ads say 'convenient to Mayport'. It will give you an idea of some of the neighborhoods available.

[divanicki75]

THanks all!

[wb3690]

Hi, we're at NAS and live out in Oakleaf.

I will say it just depends on your willingness to drive. We have a neighbor who works at Mayport and drives from Oakleaf. It's a LONG drive IMO.

We do have several friends who live all over and work at NAS......but most seem to live in clay county. some live in St. Johns, but most seem to live in Oakleaf/Argyle/fleming Island.

I do have one friend who lives in St. Mary's Georgia and her husband took orders to Mayport. It's a decent drive, BUT they had already bought a home up there....she said the gas is expensive though.

good luck!!!

One of my very best friends just bought a beautiful house in Atlantic Beach. he'll be working at Mayport for now and after that tour probably retire at NAS. For them the distance wasn't a big deal as buying in the neighborhood they wanted......she grew up there and they wanted to retire up there.

[jmcalli]

In July I started working at NS Mayport. For my previous CONUS job I commuted an hour each way so I wanted a place closer to work. I just moved into a house about 5 miles from NS Mayport, just west of the Wonderwood Bridge and so far I'm glad I did.

It takes me 5 minutes or less to reach the morning traffic clot on Mayport Rd., then I wait in line as traffic crawls through the gate. At the main gate it can be a 15 to 20 minute wait at 6:15 AM. There are two other gates that are usually faster but it still takes time waiting in the lines. From my house to clocking in at my work, through the Hanna Park Gate or the North Gate, is usually no more than 20 minutes. On Sunday, with no traffic, it's about 7 minutes from my house to my job, through the main gate.

I like living in this area because just about everything I want is here. The NEX and Navy commissary, Home Depot and Lowe's, malls, beaches, restaurants, etc., are minutes away. I've had to drive to the southside several times (for my real estate closing, etc.), and I congratulate myself for not having purchased a home there. It's just too far from Mayport for a daily rush hour commute and I'm probably saving $200 a month in fuel costs.

I spent my first couple of weeks here looking at houses in numerous areas. For me, location to my job edged out most of the other factors in choosing a home. You should investigate zip 32225. Check out the Ft. Caroline area and consider the beaches if you like that lifestyle.

[cyrece]

My customers truly decide to wait until they know where they are going to be stationed because the commute between the two can be timely. Southside and Northeast (Oceanway-a common, less expensive route) within about 15-20 minutes to Mayport.

Also, I have had a couple purchase in the Bartram/Greenland area which they thought of as a southern midpoint.

[divanicki75]

Thanks all! My friends on another board (jacksonvillemommies.com) had suggested that I shoot for Mandarin b/c it's not too bad of a drive from either or Argyle, but I had also considered Ft. Caroline because there's a Catholic Elementary School there...