Master Planned Communities in St. Augustine? (Sebastian: new home, landscaping, safe neighborhoods)

[macalan]

We are looking at St. Augustine as possible retirement places, and are coming down in March for a quick "look-see". We're only trying to get an impression, to see if we like it enough to come back.

I'm getting overwhelmed looking at all the possibilities. Alot of them (Palencia) have a nice web site, and no prices. Time is short, so we want to make the most of it.

Our wish list:

We don't want to be "out in the boonies" in a nice development where we have to drive 20 minutes to get to anything, especially as we age
We'd prefer a master planned community that had some amenities - shops, restaurants, exercise facility, pool, tennis
We'd like a community that has some trees and landscaping
Of primary important is safety, sidewalks and night lighting, as we have a dog we walk late at night
We want to be close to St. Augustine - after all, that's the reason we are moving
We really dislike cookie-cutter, one house lined up after another type places
We like smaller, more intimate communities
Our housing budget is 250K - 3BR/2Ba, preferably one floor
We need a community that allows a 6' privacy fence and we need a smallish (8K sq ft) yard for our dog
We want to be near the "necessities" - grocery, pharmacy, vet, shopping, hospital
Ideally we'd like a mixed age (and mixed use) community - we are youngish - mid 50s and early 60s
We'd like a high percentage of homeowners vs renters


We have no children, so schools are not an issue.

Could someone please explain what St. Johns is? Is that part of St. Augustine?

Are there any communities that meet our criteria?

[Peter the Brit]

Firstly you will not find a planned community within 20 minutes of St Augustine The nearest to that is Palencia which meets most of your requirements but there are mainly cookie cutter houses in there
St Johns County covers St Augustine and some of South Jax noted for its excellent schools.
Feel free to pm me for a telephone number and I will happily talk to you.

[skooba]

You could take a look at Old Sebastian Point. It's just outside of downtown St Augustine (on the north side of it) and should meet most of your criteria. If you want to be closer to the beach, check out Sea Grove, it's on Anastasia Island (250k is doable, but most homes there go for 280-350)

[ssclulow]

macalan: I can't think of any housing community within 20 min of St. Augustine that would meet most of your desires. In the price range you are looking at, the few communities I am aware of with sidewalks and allowing 6' privacy fences, have one house lined up after another that all look somewhat similar in appearance. Palencia is the only master planned community near to St. Augustine and I think it would ber very difficult to find a single family home there close to your price range.

[BlueCat1105]

The original poster outlined our wish list to a "T" other than the fact that we don't much care whether we end up in a cookie-cutter or master planned community. We just want a decent house for the money. We too are looking to come down for a look-see in March, want a nice fenced yard for our two small dogs in a good area. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Peter the Brit]

Old Sebastion Point like so many other new communities are cookie cutters which the poster was avoiding. It would certainly suit Blue Cat 1105 as would so many other new developments springing up in ST Aug
I suggest Blue Cat that a little more of a wish list and we can point you in the right direction as well

[macalan]

OK, thanks for the info. Just trying to get the lay of the land.

What are the nicest "cookie cutter" subdivisions?

Are there nice, looking safe neighborhoods that are not master planned communities that are safe, close to St. Augustine "town" and have sidewalks? If so, how would I search for these on realtor.com - zip code, subdivision name?

Is there a hospital and a 24 ER vet in St. Augustine?

[Peter the Brit]

Flagler Hospital is in St Augustine
Almost all new developments are in safe neighborhoods and have sidewalks
I would be happy to search the mls for you and send the better neighborhoods or if not the zips are 32080 and 32084
I would also look at new home web sites by Lennar New Atlantic Richmond and Mattamy Homes

[macalan]

Is Ponte Vedra an option?

How is it different than St. Augustine?

[Peter the Brit]

PV has no history like St Aug It is a planned community though but best you read the threads on here about PV as some love and some hate it For my part it is neither one thing nor the other and lacks the charm and character of St Aug