Thinking of retiring to Northeastern FL (Jacksonville, St. Augustine: homeowners association, insurance, condo)

[FlyTeach]

You may have seen my similar post on the GA forum.

We are planning to move (retire) from TX to a location that is nearer to our son who is in the Army stationed near Savannah, GA.

We are considering the Jacksonville, FL area. Is that a reasonable place to retire?

Our 3200 sq ft home is paid for and worth about $250,000. What will that buy around Jacksonville?

Also, I am a flight instructor, and plan to continue that as long as my health will allow, so I am wondering about towns near small airports?

Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks,

FlyTeach

[FLPL75]

fly tech there are 2 small fields one in jax craig field and there is also one in St Aug but I don't know the name
you could get either a single family home or a condo for that price .

karla

[Angelrocks]

Go to St. Augustine, Florida. I saw some beautiful homes that are about 3,000 for 245k. It's in the western section of St. Augustine, so I hope you like living out in the country. If you go toward the city, the homes cost more. Jacksonville may be somewhat more expensive. I am not sure...You may have to check out www.zillow.com and see what you can find for 250k. Probably more like 2,000 square feet. What you should do is go down there and see which area you like better. St. Augustine is the only city in Florida I am aware of that doesn't experience direct hits from hurricanes often. So, your homeowners insurance will be dirt cheap, compared to other parts of Florida. That's if you can even find homeowners insurance. I have to get Citizens insurance (which is the insurance of last resort). Florida has a huge insurance problem. Most people can't get any homeowners insurance so they have to get Citizens (which is a governement funded homeowners insurance). I think in St. Augustine you can actually choose from different homeowners policies (aside from Citizens). St. Augustine is a very nice place to live.

Where I live, many people pay about $5k a year for homeowners insurance and for a 3,200 square foot home... people have to pay at least 12k to 15K or more just on property taxes alone. In Saint Johns County (St. Augustine)...if you can get that 3,000 square foot home for 245k that I saw when I went up there, I would think your looking at about 5 or 6k a year in property taxes. I don't know what your used to in paying for property taxes, but where I live many people don't want to spend an extra 1k to 1.2K a month on property taxes and insurance. St. Johns is a little cheaper so hopefully you can afford the extra 6 to 8 hundred dollars a month in property taxes and insurance. As far as Jacksonville is concerned I would have to check that out. I believe in Duval County (Jax) would be around 4.5k a year for property taxes on a 250k home. But, your going to need hurricane shutters!

Keep in mind that in St. Augustine you don't really experience any direct hits from hurricanes (last direct hit was over 100 yrs. ago). I got an estimate, for hurricane shutters and it was for 10k (my house is 1,600 square feet). I would imagine a 3,000 square foot home would be much, much more. So, I got used hurricane panels. which only cost 2.5K. Does they same job...just much less expensive! If it's too hard to put on used panels your going to need to get the good shutters, unless you buy a home with shutters already. Make sure you take into consideration just how much property taxes, homeowners association fees, insurance, and hurricane shutters will cost you before you make your final decision.

[HistoricHomeOwner]

Originally Posted by FlyTeach

You may have seen my similar post on the GA forum.

We are planning to move (retire) from TX to a location that is nearer to our son who is in the Army stationed near Savannah, GA.

We are considering the Jacksonville, FL area. Is that a reasonable place to retire?

Our 3200 sq ft home is paid for and worth about $250,000. What will that buy around Jacksonville?

Also, I am a flight instructor, and plan to continue that as long as my health will allow, so I am wondering about towns near small airports?

Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks,

FlyTeach

HI! I have the perfect perfect house and the perfect town! The home is a beautiful victorian home that is listed on the state historic register. It was built around 1886 but has been restored! The plumbing, wiring, central heat/ac and insulation were replaced. The roof was redone with metal sometime in the 70's and an elastomeric coating was put on, per state and federal historic guidelines, in 2003.

The town is 30 minutes north of downtown Jacksonville (closer to Savannah). Best of all the town has an airfield. There is an FAA Center in the town and many of the employees have planes. We just left there today and my 6 year old daughter was screaming about the pretty red plane.

It's a thought!

[HistoricHomeOwner]

Originally Posted by Angelrocks

Go to St. Augustine, Florida. I saw some beautiful homes that are about 3,000 for 245k. It's in the western section of St. Augustine, so I hope you like living out in the country. If you go toward the city, the homes cost more. Jacksonville may be somewhat more expensive. I am not sure...You may have to check out www.zillow.com and see what you can find for 250k. Probably more like 2,000 square feet. What you should do is go down there and see which area you like better. St. Augustine is the only city in Florida I am aware of that doesn't experience direct hits from hurricanes often. So, your homeowners insurance will be dirt cheap, compared to other parts of Florida. That's if you can even find homeowners insurance. I have to get Citizens insurance (which is the insurance of last resort). Florida has a huge insurance problem. Most people can't get any homeowners insurance so they have to get Citizens (which is a governement funded homeowners insurance). I think in St. Augustine you can actually choose from different homeowners policies (aside from Citizens). St. Augustine is a very nice place to live.

Where I live, many people pay about $5k a year for homeowners insurance and for a 3,200 square foot home... people have to pay at least 12k to 15K or more just on property taxes alone. In Saint Johns County (St. Augustine)...if you can get that 3,000 square foot home for 245k that I saw when I went up there, I would think your looking at about 5 or 6k a year in property taxes. I don't know what your used to in paying for property taxes, but where I live many people don't want to spend an extra 1k to 1.2K a month on property taxes and insurance. St. Johns is a little cheaper so hopefully you can afford the extra 6 to 8 hundred dollars a month in property taxes and insurance. As far as Jacksonville is concerned I would have to check that out. I believe in Duval County (Jax) would be around 4.5k a year for property taxes on a 250k home. But, your going to need hurricane shutters!

Keep in mind that in St. Augustine you don't really experience any direct hits from hurricanes (last direct hit was over 100 yrs. ago). I got an estimate, for hurricane shutters and it was for 10k (my house is 1,600 square feet). I would imagine a 3,000 square foot home would be much, much more. So, I got used hurricane panels. which only cost 2.5K. Does they same job...just much less expensive! If it's too hard to put on used panels your going to need to get the good shutters, unless you buy a home with shutters already. Make sure you take into consideration just how much property taxes, homeowners association fees, insurance, and hurricane shutters will cost you before you make your final decision.

Not to burst your bubble, but I have lived in the Jacksonville Metropolitan area for the past 35 years and i have never once seen a hurricane hit here. Before I was even thought of in 1964 we had a direct hit from a Cat 1 hurricane and her name was Dora (winds around 76 mph). And the hurricance that hit before that went north of us about 75 miles to Brunswick, Georgia at a Cat 3 in the year 1896. Nothing too significant to speak of in terms of frequency or strength, maybe a few downed signs and trees.

Jacksonville's average of being hit by a hurricane is about once every 90 years. In the last few seasons, with all of the hurricanes that have hit Florida, Jacksonville suffered only from the tropical storm force winds (75 mph or less) as a pass thru effect, no direct hits. I have seen NorEasters worse than that. Sorry, but I felt the need to defend! No hurricane shutters necessary here! Overall Jacksonville and its surrounding areas are considered low risk when it comes to hurricanes.

The property taxes on my homes have never exceeded $3,000.00 per year. I have two in the area. One (Clay County) is worth about $280,000.00 which is the one that costs about $3,000.00 per year in property taxes and $2,200.00 in homeowner's insurance (Liberty Mutual Insurance). The other home (Nassau County) costs $2,200.00 in property taxes per year and about $3,000.00 per year in homeowner's insurance (Citizen's Insurance). It was built in 1886 and is insured at a replacement value of $390,000.00. Just thought I would inform since I live in the area.

[FLPL75]

Originally Posted by HistoricHomeOwner

Not to burst your bubble, but I have lived in the Jacksonville Metropolitan area for the past 35 years and i have never once seen a hurricane hit here. Before I was even thought of in 1964 we had a direct hit from a Cat 1 hurricane and her name was Dora (winds around 76 mph). And the hurricance that hit before that went north of us about 75 miles to Brunswick, Georgia at a Cat 3 in the year 1896. Nothing too significant to speak of in terms of frequency or strength, maybe a few downed signs and trees.

Jacksonville's average of being hit by a hurricane is about once every 90 years. In the last few seasons, with all of the hurricanes that have hit Florida, Jacksonville suffered only from the tropical storm force winds (75 mph or less) as a pass thru effect, no direct hits. I have seen NorEasters worse than that. Sorry, but I felt the need to defend! No hurricane shutters necessary here! Overall Jacksonville and its surrounding areas are considered low risk when it comes to hurricanes.

The property taxes on my homes have never exceeded $3,000.00 per year. I have two in the area. One (Clay County) is worth about $280,000.00 which is the one that costs about $3,000.00 per year in property taxes and $2,200.00 in homeowner's insurance (Liberty Mutual Insurance). The other home (Nassau County) costs $2,200.00 in property taxes per year and about $3,000.00 per year in homeowner's insurance (Citizen's Insurance). It was built in 1886 and is insured at a replacement value of $390,000.00. Just thought I would inform since I live in the area.

I agree with HistoricHomeOwner, I have lived here 15 years 5 of those at the beach and you don't need shutters. The one time I had to "evacuate" was when they thought Hugo was going to come close (99) and the funny thing is I went to Orange park . we lost power where I was staying but never lost power at the beach.
karla

[Erin1264]

Check out the municipal airport in Fernandina Beach. You could live in Yulee.

When I lived there, I met a lot of retirees who moved to Northeast FL to escape the overpopulated retirement areas in the South.

The pp's are right - Northeast Florida's geography is such that it rarely gets hit by the hurricanes.

I think you'd like the area - it would be a good place to retire. Great weather, gorgeous area! If you come to scout the area, make sure you check out Amelia Island!

[GotPuggle]

well 250K in the Jax or St Augustine area will get you probably about 2500 sq ft or so. Depending on what neighborhood you go to. If you go to Orange Park you may get more bang for your buck. Check out Localism.com and look up Duval and Clay county. The people on their can usually give great info.

[riveree]

For proximity to Savannah, it's a 2 hour drive from Jax, a 3 hour ride from St. Augustine, so that might affect your decision.

St. Augustine is beautiful. The taxes are a bit higher since the millage rate is higher in St. John's county than Duval (Jax), but the cost per square footage for homes are fairly comparable.

$250k can buy you a home in either city, but it's likely to be much smaller than your current home of 3200 square feet...call it "downsizing" - ha!

Since you're retiring (no daily commute), that opens up a lot of possibilities.

[FLPL75]

Originally Posted by riveree

but it's likely to be much smaller than your current home of 3200 square feet...call it "downsizing" - ha!

lol I call it less cleaning

karla