Moving from Chicago to Jacksonville - need some help please (Miami: best neighborhoods, short sales)

[Chicago100]

Hello everyone. My husband has been offered an opportunity in his company that he can’t pass up. That means that we will be relocating from a Chicago suburb to Jacksonville. We will be meeting with a realtor and looking around in the Jacksonville area in the near future (I have never been there), however, I’d really like to gather as much information as I can before going down there to see what Jacksonville is like. We have two boys going into Kindergarten and 2nd grade. We are looking for great schools, tons of young kids (boys their age preferably), plenty of sports for the kids to play and great neighbors that like to do things together. We’d like a house that is approx. 3000 sq ft, 4+ bedroom (prefer 5 bdrm or 4 bdrm w/bonus/loft/den), 3 car garage and a pool or space for a pool. Depending on the sale of our current house, our price range should be $350,000 to $400,00 or slightly higher. The market is rough here too, so it is hard to determine exact budget at this time. Please let me know your opinions of the best neighborhoods and the name of sections of the larger neighborhoods if you know them. We don’t have CDD fees, so any info on them in each area is also helpful along with approx. HOA fees. His job is not far from University of N Florida (near 202 and 9A according to google maps). We don’t need to live very close to his office, but a reasonable commute for the area. I think we’re pretty set on St. Johns County already based on what he has heard and what I have read. Thank you so much for your time and help with this.

[projectmaximus]

Yeah, I was thinking Ponte Vedra (St John's County) as I read your post. Welcome to jax

[hlauburn]

Personally, I'd say stick with St Johns County for the best public schools.

Look into Nocatee in Ponte Vedra. There are a couple neighborhoods that would be in your size/price range - Austin Park, Willowcove. There is a CDD, but the amenities are wonderful (huge waterpark, gym, nature trails, parks, playgrounds...)if you think you'll take advantage of them. Tons of kids (all ages), great schools, and lots of opportunities for sports in the area.

The CDD fees vary, but we are in your price range, and we pay about $1800 a year for the CDD (paid as part of county taxes) and about $500 HOA dues.

9A is a short trip down Hwy 1, and within a year or so, they will finish 9B which will make 9A even more accessible.

[WNY-2-Jax]

Welcome to Jax. And welcome to St. Johns County!
Ponte Vedra and Nocatee are two great areas. Also look at Durbin Crossing and Julington Creek ( where I live). You should find plenty of options in all 3 areas. Here is a look at our new ( 2yrs) multi-million dollar fitness / aquatic center. Plenty of young families and outstanding schools in the area.

Julington Creek Plantation CDD

You can find lots of answers on that site..I hope that helps!

[fsu813]

The Chicago Sun Times recently featured an editorial about Jacksonville.

//www.city-data.com/forum/jacks...ksonville.html

They highlighted the historic neighborhoods that surrond downtown (Riverside & Avondale historic district and Springfield historic district) and the beaches.

Riverside Avondale Preservation & The Historic Springfield Jacksonville Neighborhood Resource

I suppose if your home town newspaper recommends them, you may want to look into them.

[underthesun7]

Jacksonville is not going to be what you expect in my opinion. Down town is very small, the only reason it is considered Florida's largest city is because the city controls the whole county. West palm beach is technically bigger, palm beach county being smaller, more developed, and having 500,000 more people. Anyways many people from Jacksonville have such an attitude and talk like its the greatest city in Florida. Definitely not. Meth and other drugs run wild, especially downtown and in the west. I think that's why sports writers who visit bash it so much. All of western jacksonville is disgusting. It is filled with trailer parks. I guarantee 80% of Jacksonville is on welfare. If you want my advice, try locating somewhere else. If you have to move there, then try to stay on the beach. The beach is a totally different Jacksonville, and the people are very laid back and pleasant to be around. It is also higher class, such as Sawgrass. Ponte Vedre and Nocatee are pretty nice.

[JimRom]

Originally Posted by underthesun7

Jacksonville is not going to be what you expect in my opinion. Down town is very small, the only reason it is considered Florida's largest city is because the city controls the whole county. West palm beach is technically bigger, palm beach county being smaller, more developed, and having 500,000 more people. Anyways many people from Jacksonville have such an attitude and talk like its the greatest city in Florida. Definitely not. Meth and other drugs run wild, especially downtown and in the west. I think that's why sports writers who visit bash it so much. All of western jacksonville is disgusting. It is filled with trailer parks. I guarantee 80% of Jacksonville is on welfare. If you want my advice, try locating somewhere else. If you have to move there, then try to stay on the beach. The beach is a totally different Jacksonville, and the people are very laid back and pleasant to be around. It is also higher class, such as Sawgrass. Ponte Vedre and Nocatee are pretty nice.

Interesting point of view... wrong for the most part, but interesting. I travel all over Jacksonville with my business, and for the most part it's not too much different from any other city. Yes, it has it's share of crime, drugs, and welfare, but no moreso than the vast majority of other cities in these economic times. I don't find the people here to be any more rude than other cities that I've lived in, and they're less rude than the residents of the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area where I lived in the 90's.

Having moved back to Jax from St. Louis, MO a couple of years ago, I've got an idea of what Chicago is like (visited there often, for work and pleasure), and Jacksonville isn't that much different. Yes, it's hotter, and yes, you'll find a more diverse culture, but for the most part the attitude is friendly.

[islandtimect]

The recommendations for the places mentioned in St Johns county west of the intracoastal will fit what you are looking for and your price range. Right now the inventory of homes isnt as high as it was a few months ago. There are many short sales and foreclosures, so make sure that when you do make an offer, don't offer to high. The realtor we used, Mandy Morrow of Keiler Williams, was awesome and worked her butt off for us.

[underthesun7]

Originally Posted by JimRom

Interesting point of view... wrong for the most part, but interesting. I travel all over Jacksonville with my business, and for the most part it's not too much different from any other city. Yes, it has it's share of crime, drugs, and welfare, but no moreso than the vast majority of other cities in these economic times. I don't find the people here to be any more rude than other cities that I've lived in, and they're less rude than the residents of the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area where I lived in the 90's.

Having moved back to Jax from St. Louis, MO a couple of years ago, I've got an idea of what Chicago is like (visited there often, for work and pleasure), and Jacksonville isn't that much different. Yes, it's hotter, and yes, you'll find a more diverse culture, but for the most part the attitude is friendly.

You think Chicago is like Jacksonville!!!!?? Are you crazy??? The only thing that could be considered an actual metro city isn't more than 10 blocks. Everything else in Jacksonville is stretched out and the boondocks. And the stadium is a joke. It is rated the worst stadium in the NFL. Miami is a metro city, it has a population of almost 6 million in a dense area. Chicago has over 9 million people in a metro area. Jacksonville is not a metro area even though you wish it so!! I don't think the people on the beach are rude, I like them very much. I often stay at the sea horse and have a great time playing quarter pool and walking the bar area there. However, off the beach, I feel like I am going to get robbed by rural trash.

[jwolfer]

Originally Posted by underthesun7

Jacksonville is not going to be what you expect in my opinion. Down town is very small, the only reason it is considered Florida's largest city is because the city controls the whole county. West palm beach is technically bigger, palm beach county being smaller, more developed, and having 500,000 more people. Anyways many people from Jacksonville have such an attitude and talk like its the greatest city in Florida. Definitely not. Meth and other drugs run wild, especially downtown and in the west. I think that's why sports writers who visit bash it so much. All of western jacksonville is disgusting. It is filled with trailer parks. I guarantee 80% of Jacksonville is on welfare. If you want my advice, try locating somewhere else. If you have to move there, then try to stay on the beach. The beach is a totally different Jacksonville, and the people are very laid back and pleasant to be around. It is also higher class, such as Sawgrass. Ponte Vedre and Nocatee are pretty nice.

Give me my crack pipe man! Drugs are everywhere. Lots of drugs on the beach. The lowest crime neighborhood (and one of the weathliest) in Jacksonville is on the Westside, that would be Ortega. And as other posters pointed out, another West Jacksonville neighborhood... Riverside-Avondale has received national and international exposure as one of the best neighborhoods in the US

What is nice about Jacksonville compared to other cities in Florida is the fact that we are not dependent on snowbirds or tourism. Is Jacksonville perfect... far from it. Every city has its problems. We have a lot to offer as a midsized city. Instead of saying except for the Beaches Jacksonville is a hellhole.... cross the ditch and explore the city a bit.

I do not think that the original poster is expecting a "New Chicago" but rather they are wanting some input to make their experience here the best they can.

Your view of Jacksonville is myopic. You are seeing what you want. Palm Beach County is the largest county in sqare miles in Florida. ( PBC is over 1000 square miles. Duval is 840 sq miles.)

What you are saying would be like saying "Palm Beach County disgusting it is all industrialized slums filled with crack-whores but Palm Beach itself is real nice." because I drove into Riviera Beach.