Moving from Iowa to Jacksonville,FL Please Help.. Where in JAX should I move (Springfield: apartment)

[nagivijay]

Hello Everyone , I'm moving to Jacksonville,FL from Iowa along with my wife and 9 month old for work. I am an IT guy and will be working in downtown Jacksonville, FL ( Water Street) starting form November. I am looking for an safe neighborhood where I can rent an apartment or a condo or town home ( 2+ bed , 2 Bath). I can afford to pay up to 1200$ per month for rent.

I have done some research on this forum, I found mixed responses. One thing I found on this forum is everyone saying south side is the safest place, but did not find a city name or a community name. I want to be within reasonable driving distance of work, groceries, movie theaters, a playhouse, museums, etc - say, 20-30 minutes.

Any recommendations on neighborhoods that would fit what I'm looking for?

Ethnicity: Asian
Work Place : Downtown Jacksonville
Budget: 1000-1200$ per month for rent
Family : 3 ( 2 adults, a little one )
Looking for : Apartment / Town home / Condo
Place to Live : ............? Please suggest


Thanks for all the help.

[judeK]

Originally Posted by nagivijay

Hello Everyone , I'm moving to Jacksonville,FL from Iowa along with my wife and 9 month old for work. I am an IT guy and will be working in downtown Jacksonville, FL ( Water Street) starting form November. I am looking for an safe neighborhood where I can rent an apartment or a condo or town home ( 2+ bed , 2 Bath). I can afford to pay up to 1200$ per month for rent.

I have done some research on this forum, I found mixed responses. One thing I found on this forum is everyone saying south side is the safest place, but did not find a city name or a community name. I want to be within reasonable driving distance of work, groceries, movie theaters, a playhouse, museums, etc - say, 20-30 minutes.

Any recommendations on neighborhoods that would fit what I'm looking for?

Ethnicity: Asian
Work Place : Downtown Jacksonville
Budget: 1000-1200$ per month for rent
Family : 3 ( 2 adults, a little one )
Looking for : Apartment / Town home / Condo
Place to Live : ............? Please suggest


Thanks for all the help.

Look in the San Marco, Riverside, or Avondale areas.

[projectmaximus]

Anywhere (except for perhaps the most rural outskirts of town) will be a reasonable drive to groceries and movie theater. For work, museums and playhouses you may want to stick to the urban core (mainly Riverside, Avondale San Marco). Cummer Museum is in Riverside, Museum of Science and History and Museum of Contemporary Art are both downtown, SunRay Cinema is in Riverside, TheatreJax is in San Marco, Florida Theatre and Five and Dime Theater are in downtown.

You ought to be able to find a 2/2 for under $1200 in all those places, just depends on how great the amenities are that you seek. Also fyi, if you are Indian, the largest population is on the Southside near Baymeadows, where you will also find the most Indian restaurants and grocery stores.

[tacosman]

You would be happiest in the area around st johns towncenter. It's suburban sprawl, not too terrible a drive to downtown, and has everything you want in terms of movie theatres, grocery stores, etc(no museum but jacksonville is not a museum place anywhere).

The other suggestions(riverside, san marco, etc) are not good for what you are looking for. For 1200/month you're going to be able to rent a decent condo(not luxurious but decent and clean) for your small family that is 100% safe and close to all the stuff you want. For 1200/month in san marco, you're not going to get that.

It's an easy decision for you- look at the area within a 1.5 mile radius of st johns town center. Avoid san marco, riverside, avondale, etc because you aren't going to get what you are looking for there.

[marcopolo]

I had to spend a week in JAX recently, and St John's Town Center impressed the heck out of me. Not that a week is long enough to really get a feel for a place, but this was cool.

[nagivijay]

thank you all for your valuable suggestions, I will look around St John's town center. Thanks all the help

[02blackgt]

If having a lawn/backyard is not a must I would look into the Strand downtown. It is a high rise condo/apt building. $1200 may be slightly less than rent but I know I was looking at renting a 1bdrm there for $1200 on the dot. You would be able to walk to work in 10-15 min if you wanted, and would also be very very close to all three of Jacksonville's fun historic areas (Riverside, Avondale, San Marco, and Springfield). I too work downtown in the Wells Fargo Center and will be moving into there from the town center actually at the end of my lease.

[MissPettigrew]

I used to live in The Links on Sutton Park Drive South--rent for 2BR/2B was about $1200 a month-had a screened in porch looking out on a pretty duck pond, storage room, pool, gym, tennis courts,car wash etc. Very pretty area too-every store imaginable nearby....could even walk to the end of Sutton Park Drive to Starbucks.