How Did You Go About Your Move / Monthly Vacation Rentals (Plantation: 2014, apartment complexes)

[NextExit40Miles]

On our first trip down to SJ we spent a little over a week at the Hampton Inn at Bartram. The stay was great but next time we'd like to stay longer - maybe a month or so - and give ourselves more time to look around. That and try to cut the cost down somewhat, nightly rates can add up fast. Are there monthly vacation rentals available in the area ? We don't mind having to travel a bit if necessary, but within reason.

Also this will be our first out of state move, and we're curious as to how others went about it. Did you travel back and forth much ? Use a realtor ? Search for homes online ? Rent first ? Any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks...


Here's a Google Maps listing of new construction we've been using, maybe others will find this helpful.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...308740231&z=11

[Scottamemnon]

Originally Posted by NextExit40Miles

On our first trip down to SJ we spent a little over a week at the Hampton Inn at Bartram. The stay was great but next time we'd like to stay longer - maybe a month or so - and give ourselves more time to look around. That and try to cut the cost down somewhat, nightly rates can add up fast. Are there monthly vacation rentals available in the area ? We don't mind having to travel a bit if necessary, but within reason.

Also this will be our first out of state move, and we're curious as to how others went about it. Did you travel back and forth much ? Use a realtor ? Search for homes online ? Rent first ? Any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks...


Here's a Google Maps listing of new construction we've been using, maybe others will find this helpful.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...308740231&z=11

I am a firm believer in renting before you buy, so you can better know the area. We moved here from the Northeast 6 months ago and renting has been a blessing. I still do not know where I want to buy after this time and my rental has been awesome. A 3 bedroom in a brand new development(unit never lived in) with pool and gym access. Some apartment complexes let you break the lease by paying a 1 month penalty. If you can get into one like that it will probably be a lot cheaper than a vacation rental. I would not discount renting for a year though. Long distance moving is stressful, having the time to decompress and explore is a blessing.

[Florida2014]

We rented first. I did not want to be rushed into a decision and settle on a home due to timing and we did not know the area well enough to make a purchase "cold turkey." We took a long weekend trip down and met a realtor who helped us look at rental listings from various neighborhoods, she had a great sense of what neighborhoods to look at and which ones to avoid. We secured our rental while still here and then went back home and prepared for our move. That was our only trip to the area. These boards were somewhat helpful but frankly, I don't know the people who are offering advice and what may seem like a nice area to them may not seem to nice to us.

Once here and having rented for a few years we were ready to purchase. The timing was such that we ended up buying the very house we were renting so the realtor did a GREAT job of steering us towards the right neighborhood and house. I would advise securing a realtor who wouldn't mind showing you rentals. They aren't that common as their commission isn't great but in all likelihood you would use them again when you're ready to purchase. Good luck.

[jbean1234]

When my family moved here in 2010 my husband had already been living here and exploring for 6 months and I had been back and forth a few times so we weren't afraid to choose a neighborhood and our realtor was fantastic; fortunately it worked out great for us as we love where we live. We built a new home and rented a condo at the beach for a few months while it was being built.

Having said that, dozens of new communities have been (and continue to be) developed since then so there are many more options and choices than we had. I am a realtor and I always tell my customers that if they have the option of renting for a while first it would help them really get to know the communities they like and don't particularly like. Some people can't rent - they will lose their company's relo benefits - or don't want to have to move twice so chose not to. If you do decide to rent long-term while you decide where to live keep in mind that if you have children in the public school system, unless you end up buying home within a very close geographic area of your rental home your kids are likely to have to change schools when you move to your new home.

There are vacation rentals and furnished short-term rentals in the area and you are wise to consider them if you are staying for longer than a week or so. I have customers who have also used Airbnb successfully while they were either searching for a home or were between moves. Feel free to PM me if I can help.

Best of luck!

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by jbean1234

Some people can't rent - they will lose their company's relo benefits - or don't want to have to move twice so chose not to. If you do decide to rent long-term while you decide where to live keep in mind that if you have children in the public school system, unless you end up buying home within a very close geographic area of your rental home your kids are likely to have to change schools when you move to your new home.

This is a good point and in our case, our child was too young for school yet (age 3) so we had a few years to worry about school districts. If you fall into either of these categories, I would schedule a few weeks here to do a very, very thorough search with a realtor to find the perfect home. If that doesn't work for whatever reason, I would look into a short-term rental somewhere and try and time your move during the summer when you don't have to worry about schools, then you have a few months to decide.

In the grand scheme of things, buying a home in Julington Creek Plantation vs., say, Aberdeen.....isn't going to be a life altering decision. But buying in Ponte Vedra Beach vs. Heritage Landing might be.

[M division]

Rented for a year. Zero regrets with this decision

[Scottamemnon]

With the way the area is growing, nothing is guaranteed in your kids school assignments unless you are in a low to no growth area. The big 4 counties have announced plans for what, 40+ schools over the next 5 - 10 years here? We had a 7 year old when we moved going into 2nd grade. We chose Bartram Park because there were lots of options for rentals at decent rates, the area is safe, retail is nearby, and the elementary school is excellent (Bartram Springs). Now the Middle school she is zoned to isn't the greatest, but with the growth in the area between E-Town, Wells Creek, and all the smaller KB developments going up, I doubt the current assignment will last long. Even if it does, all those new houses will drive the scores up at her school as it will likely change the economic demographics of the school greatly. We have 3 years to see what happens. Then there is School Choice to consider which may allow you to keep your children in the school even if you move, depending on its capacity.

[NextExit40Miles]

Thank you for your replies, they were very helpful.

We do agree that renting would probably be the best choice. Having spent a week or so in SJ, we realized there was far too much to cover in just a few days. Renting would probably afford us the time to better know the area and not feel rushed or pressured into making a decision. Though having to make that second move is something we would love to avoid.

On our next trip we'll look into securing a rental as well as speak with a few doctors. One of the problems we're facing is finding doctors that will accept our medical insurance. Coming from NY we have GHI, which from what I've read is not accepted by many doctors there. If anyone does know of any doctors that do accept NY GHI please let us know.

Thank you all again for your help and advice...

[Florida2014]

Here is some good news relating to your move from NY: you won't need to unpack any winter clothing!

[NextExit40Miles]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

Here is some good news relating to your move from NY: you won't need to unpack any winter clothing!

We're looking forward to it...