Questions about subdivisions and builders (Plantation, Pensacola: 2014, rental, home builder)

[moondoggy51]

It's been a while since I've been on this forum but to update you all, my wife and I have decided to move from South Carolina to the Pensacola area and we need some additional help.

Our plan is to buy a home that is in the process of being built or one that was completed in late 2013 or 2014. We have concentrated our home search in what I'll refer to has the NW Pensacola/Cantonment area and the Pace area. Here are some subdivisions we are looking at:

BlackBerry Ridge - Pensacola
Keystone - Pensacola
Legacy Oaks - Pensacola
Forage Estates - Pensacola
West Ridge - Pensacola
Southwood - Pensacola
Huntington - Pensacola
Manchester - Pensacola
Millview Estates - Pensacola
Saverna Park - Cantonment
Indian Lake - Cantonment
Bently Oaks - Cantonment
Lakes of Carrington - Cantonment
Winner's Gait - Pace
Pace Mill Creek - Pace
Spencer Oaks - Pace
Terra Bella - Pace
Covington Woods - Pace
Thousand Oaks - Pace
Autumn Pines - Pace
Twelve Oaks Plantation - Milton
Whisper Creek - Milton

What I'm looking for is advice on which of the above I should avoid and why? If there are any subdivisions that I am missing that I really need to consider can you provide their names? Are there any of these that stands out above the others?

From what we have seen on Realtor.com, Trulia.com and Zillow.com it appears that there are 3 main builders which are Adams, DH Horton and Paragon. Can anyone provide me with any pros and cons on these builders? Are there any that I should avoid? Is there one that stands out above the rest? Note also that I'm assuming that there are smaller builders building homes but we cannot seem to identify who these people are and where they are building. If there are any builders that I should really look at can anyone provide me with the builders web site and/or contact info on them?

Previously, I was told that instead of Pensacola and Cantonment I should focus on Pace instead. Is that still a valid recommendation and if so, why?

Basically my wife and I are retired and we moved to South Carolina for the warmer climate and for golf and boating but we made a mistake as the area is just too rural and lacking in the amenities we are use to when we lived in Illinois. Since we've already made one mistake, we feel we cannot make another mistake so when it comes down to the subdivision and the home builder we want this to be our last move so any good advice, pro or con, will be appreciated.

[AustinTraveler]

You really ought to consider renting before committing to a house. You may not like the Pensacola area any better than South Carolina. Living there and vacationing there are two very different things. Also, if you want to be near boating I would think you would consider an area closer to the water than Cantonment.

Seriously, have you really done your research on Pensacola and have you visited often? I would hate for you to make another big move mistake.

[moondoggy51]

Originally Posted by AustinTraveler

You really ought to consider renting before committing to a house. You may not like the Pensacola area any better than South Carolina. Living there and vacationing there are two very different things. Also, if you want to be near boating I would think you would consider an area closer to the water than Cantonment.

Seriously, have you really done your research on Pensacola and have you visited often? I would hate for you to make another big move mistake.

We have spent at least a week in Pensacola every summer for the last 18 years (except the summer after Ivan) and we also have relatives in Pensacola area. Since we have spent so much time in the area we feel as if we know the area well enough to make a decision on whether we will like living here or not.

Also boating was something that we did only because where we used to live in Illinois didn't have a beach and the area where we live in South Carolina far from any beach also.

Yes, it's true that we could be making another mistake by moving to Pensacola but that's a risk one has to take sometimes. I think we learned a lot by moving from Illinois to South Carolina and that experience has already given us a good idea of what we really want. Based on what we already know and what additional research we've done already, we're pretty confident that we won't have a repeated mistake about the area in general. What we need now is advice on builders and subdivision as we're looking for a nice subdivision where people take care of their property and the houses are quality built. This is the advice I'm seeking.

[Patriot23]

Adams and DR Horton build throughout the Southeast. I currently live in Huntsville Al and they have a number of subdivisions in this area. My wife is a realtor here so we have experience with both. Adams and DR Horton build basic homes that are decent quality and very affordable. Do not expect granite or any fancy light fixtures, generally builder's grade for everything including flooring. Biggest complaint I have is that they use 2x4 for roof trusses. Also, neither is big on making any changes to their basic design but will let you pay for upgrades.

My mother-in-law bought a DR Horton home in Milton in Rustic Ridge Estates in Dec 13. House is about 1800 square feet and cost around $160000. All brick, trey ceilings in the living room and two of the bedrooms.

I have a rental home in Milton, in the Harvest Point Subdivision built by Henry Homes Pensacola Florida home builder - Henry Company. Quality of the home is about the same as the other two.

I will be retiring to the area as soon as I sell my house here in Huntsville. I would definitely recommend Pace/Milton over any area in Pensacola. Schools may not be important since you are retired, but Santa Rosa county (Pace/Milton) are much better than Escambia County (Pensacola/Cantonment) which will help for resale. Been planning on the move since 08, so I have been there many times and done the research.

Hope this helped and will be glad to answer any questions I can.

[debbiek311]

I've lived in the Pensacola area for 10 years now, 3 months before Hurricane Ivan, and love everything about Pensacola and Pensacola Beach areas. I would choose Pensacola or Cantonment over Pace or Milton. It's laid back here in Pensacola, and more country, rural heading towards Milton. I lived in California, South Florida, Atlanta for 14 years and now here. Just my personal opinion, and I feel you would love Pensacola on a permanent basis, too. There are many great neighborhoods, mixed in with not so great scattered here and there, as with most cities and communities. Take time to view the homes on the market and see what features you love and dislike. Drive through the subdivisions and take notes. I just know from living here, Nature Trail is beautiful and provides all the things you're looking for and so many more. You don't have it listed... is there a reason why?

[schallerpen]

Don't know. If you did it yet or not but it was just on the news developers are selling off their excess developed lots to habitat for humanity so it most definitely hurt those homes already built in those sub divisions housing here is in the toilet I have 121k in mine and can't get a bite at 87,500 so beware good luck.