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Hi everyone....New to the site and looking for information on Port St. Lucie.
Me and my wife are thinking about moving to PSL in a year. We are both 25 years old and have been living in Maryland all our lives but we want a change and I love the beach and water! My dream home would be in Key West but theres just no way to afford it. A co-worker of my wife said he was moving back to PSL in the summer time so we have been lookin into real estate in that area and the prices are amazing! For what our 20yr old 3 bdrm townhouse is worth right now we can buy a 4bedroom house in PSL that is 1-2yrs old and some are have not even been lived in.
Go into this with eyes wide open that Port St. Lucie is a better place for families than it is for singles. It is NOT a place for clubbing, etc. Most young people on the Treasure Coast go to the Palm Beaches to party - though they sort of kind of have "nightlife" in Stuart and Jensen, it too isn't exactly exciting.
That being said, based on your want to live closer to the beach, you have a variety of options East of US-1 in PSL which will get you close to the intracoastal, Savanna's state park, and the beach via Walton Roa (Search "34952") zip code. It's also where they're building the new "downtown" area, and there's a master-panned community "new urbanist" style called "East Lake Village" that is offering slash and burn price reductions right now on new homes.
Plus, for NOW, the center of commerce in the area is Jensen Beach, and living East of US-1 back near Walton Rd. will get you to Jensen Beach and Stuart quickly. (It remains to be seen what will happen as the "center" of Port St. Lucie shifts westward. My mother lives in Western Port St. Lucie and never travels to Jensen or Stuart anymore unless she absolutely has to. When you live in the Western part of the city, it's actually easier to hop on 95 and go South to the better shops and dining of Palm Beach Gardens than it is to Jensen Beach, time wise!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquakeeper
On this one real estate site it said there was around 5000 homes for sale in Port Saint Lucie. And just can't figure out why these houses are so cheap considering its southern florida the houses are so nice! Similiar houses in places like miami and ft lauderdale are way more and those area seem worse to live in.
I know its been asked b4 but why are the houses so cheap in PSL? Is it the hurricanes, the fact theres so many for sale, the neighborhoods? If we buy a house down there is it going to be worth alot less if we decide to sell later on down the road?
Overbuilding. Pure and simple. Too much speculation, and now nobody wants to buy for fear that they'll be paying too much.
But heck, prices 90% aren't likely to be "going up" anytime soon, so rent for a year so you can get a feel for all the areas of PSL, and check out some of the surrounding areas as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquakeeper
Me and my wife are planning a 3 day trip to PSL in April. A little 1yr anniversary getaway and a chance to check out the place we are thinking about moving to. What places do u guys suggest we check out while we here to get a feel for PSL?
Thanks guys and hope to get to know all of you on here
Chris
Port St. Lucie is huge (some 80 square miles or something similar). I have no idea how to tell you where to start to get a "feel" for PSL. Your experiences will differ depending on where you live. I would enlist a tourguide of some sorts. Pick up a realtor for a day, maybe (they shouldn't be busy these days anyway, lol). I'm not sure of your price range for a house, but areas you should check out are:
1) Tradition (Extreme South Western PSL)
2) East Lake Village (East of US-1 area I was mentioning before)
3) St. Lucie West
4) Southbend
5) St. James
6) Gatlin Blvd. Area
7) Becker Rd. Area
TRIMTZ you gave some good information to Aquakeeper but the tour guide remark was uncalled for! Being a Real Estate Broker is my profession (MY JOB). I have a family to support and bills to pay just like most people do. To infer that we should just drive people aound and be a tour guide since we are not busy right now wasn't a nice thing to say. lol How would you like to go to your job and work for 40 to 60 hrs a week, spend money on Gas (at these prices) and not get a penny for it. Some of this goes with the territory but seasoned real estate professionals know how to weed out the ones just using us for entertainment. Aquakeeper: Go to the Chamber of Commerce for information about the city. All the area's that TRIMT7 gave you are good ones. Look at your job situations and see where you are going to have to travel to on a daily basis. If you need to be on I-95 or the Tpk stay more west. The traffic can cost you an extra half and hour or more if you live east of US 1 and have to travel to WPB. Good Luck!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TriMT7
Go into this with eyes wide open that Port St. Lucie is a better place for families than it is for singles. It is NOT a place for clubbing, etc. Most young people on the Treasure Coast go to the Palm Beaches to party - though they sort of kind of have "nightlife" in Stuart and Jensen, it too isn't exactly exciting.
That being said, based on your want to live closer to the beach, you have a variety of options East of US-1 in PSL which will get you close to the intracoastal, Savanna's state park, and the beach via Walton Roa (Search "34952") zip code. It's also where they're building the new "downtown" area, and there's a master-panned community "new urbanist" style called "East Lake Village" that is offering slash and burn price reductions right now on new homes.
Plus, for NOW, the center of commerce in the area is Jensen Beach, and living East of US-1 back near Walton Rd. will get you to Jensen Beach and Stuart quickly. (It remains to be seen what will happen as the "center" of Port St. Lucie shifts westward. My mother lives in Western Port St. Lucie and never travels to Jensen or Stuart anymore unless she absolutely has to. When you live in the Western part of the city, it's actually easier to hop on 95 and go South to the better shops and dining of Palm Beach Gardens than it is to Jensen Beach, time wise!)
Overbuilding. Pure and simple. Too much speculation, and now nobody wants to buy for fear that they'll be paying too much.
But heck, prices 90% aren't likely to be "going up" anytime soon, so rent for a year so you can get a feel for all the areas of PSL, and check out some of the surrounding areas as well.
Port St. Lucie is huge (some 80 square miles or something similar). I have no idea how to tell you where to start to get a "feel" for PSL. Your experiences will differ depending on where you live. I would enlist a tourguide of some sorts. Pick up a realtor for a day, maybe (they shouldn't be busy these days anyway, lol). I'm not sure of your price range for a house, but areas you should check out are:
1) Tradition (Extreme South Western PSL)
2) East Lake Village (East of US-1 area I was mentioning before)
3) St. Lucie West
4) Southbend
5) St. James
6) Gatlin Blvd. Area
7) Becker Rd. Area
Look around on the Florida posts. Most people lOVE Florida when things are good, but when the money is low and things get bad the grass is always greener some place else! Florida is not a cheap place to live... We pay a good price for this beauty. Port Saint Lucie is a beautiful city. I have watched it grow since 1989 and it is amazing how different this place is now than then. Check out both coasts and see where you feel at home. You will know. As soon as I came to this area and saw the beautiful beaches and the great weather in the winter I didn't want to leave. Take your time and check out the different area's of Florida. Sebastian, Palm Bay, Vero all the way to the Palm Beaches is just beautiful. Sorry I scared you!!!
[quote=rssoley;2566683]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wendyb0077
Just curious of how people are feeling about Port Saint Lucie. I am a Real Estate Broker.
Your comments cause me to wonder if I am doing the right thing in looking for property in Florida? Pleas see my q's posted earlier today "Visit Southwest Florida..."
I think moving to Florida will be fun but we are just worried about if we would get bored down there easily? I mean does going to the beach, fishing, boating, and the warm weather get boring to you locals? I think it would be great to be able to do all that stuff and be a few miles from the beach and clear waters. Closest I have is a 3hr drive to ocean city MD with green water and jelly fish everywhere! I love to snorkel and swim and would definatly be getting my scuba certification so I can do some diving. I would like to get a boat and be able to go out for trips to enjoy the waters and to do some fishing.
I think with my wife working in Ft. Pierce that she would like to stay close to areas like Jensen Beach and places to the north. Do u think it would be easier for me to try to find a job as a cook or chef in Jensen Beach, Stuart, or will I have to go more like West Palm Beach?
We are looking for houses in the under $200K price range and finding alot of nice homes in between $160-190K. What is the average property tax for a 200K home and what does insurance go for being so close to the waters and all that?
I guess we really need to get down there and be able to drive around the county to get a feel for where things are and the kind of location we need to find a place in. I don't want to get a realtor right now because I know its a waste of there time since we have no plans in purchasing a home untill next yr. The county we are in now 527 Sq miles so we are used to living in a large county. LOL
I moved here in 1990 and I love fishing, so I really enjoyed it. I haven't taken the time to do it lately, but the best thing is you do it when the weather is perfect and the fish are biting. Why not, you're not on vacation, you won't be leaving in a few days, so you pick the gorgeous days to enjoy the sun and the ocean.
Cook or Chef???? I think that should answer itself. I have a friend who is a female Chef and she's gotten good jobs from PSL to Vero, but its a tough road for a woman. Too bad she's not here to answer that, so I'll wing it....Check some of the more upscale places in Stuart and Palm City, if you're a Chef, Vero Beach, and lastly WPB (distance only). If you're a cook Denny's, Appleby's, etc. You know that answer.
You'll find a nice home in the range you're looking in, and you're very courteous and honest to not find a realtor when you're not yet in the market. Like the other comment made, you don't grab a realtor as a tour guide.
Wendy gave you some good info earlier... Another thing is getting a mortgage, you'll need a job, of course, in the same line of work, helps.
You may want to post a thread yourself re: Chef or Cook and get some feedback from the professionals in this area. People are very helpful on this forum.
Good luck and good Cheffing or Cooking....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquakeeper
Thanks for all the replys and comments.....
I think moving to Florida will be fun but we are just worried about if we would get bored down there easily? I mean does going to the beach, fishing, boating, and the warm weather get boring to you locals? I think it would be great to be able to do all that stuff and be a few miles from the beach and clear waters. Closest I have is a 3hr drive to ocean city MD with green water and jelly fish everywhere! I love to snorkel and swim and would definatly be getting my scuba certification so I can do some diving. I would like to get a boat and be able to go out for trips to enjoy the waters and to do some fishing.
I think with my wife working in Ft. Pierce that she would like to stay close to areas like Jensen Beach and places to the north. Do u think it would be easier for me to try to find a job as a cook or chef in Jensen Beach, Stuart, or will I have to go more like West Palm Beach?
We are looking for houses in the under $200K price range and finding alot of nice homes in between $160-190K. What is the average property tax for a 200K home and what does insurance go for being so close to the waters and all that?
I guess we really need to get down there and be able to drive around the county to get a feel for where things are and the kind of location we need to find a place in. I don't want to get a realtor right now because I know its a waste of there time since we have no plans in purchasing a home untill next yr. The county we are in now 527 Sq miles so we are used to living in a large county. LOL
Hi there, The North end of St. James Drive is very nice. It changes to 25th street to the North and that will take your wife into Fort Pierce to work. Ten minutes. Depending on where in Ft. P she has to go to. Now the taxes can be estimated by going on the St. Lucie County web site. Go under real estate and look for the tax estimater Property Appraiser - St.Lucie County, FL You would also be closer to the Fort Pierce Inlet. Yes, there are homes under 200K in NW PSL I wish I had a crystal ball to see if they will go up or down next year...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquakeeper
Thanks for all the replys and comments.....
I think moving to Florida will be fun but we are just worried about if we would get bored down there easily? I mean does going to the beach, fishing, boating, and the warm weather get boring to you locals? I think it would be great to be able to do all that stuff and be a few miles from the beach and clear waters. Closest I have is a 3hr drive to ocean city MD with green water and jelly fish everywhere! I love to snorkel and swim and would definatly be getting my scuba certification so I can do some diving. I would like to get a boat and be able to go out for trips to enjoy the waters and to do some fishing.
I think with my wife working in Ft. Pierce that she would like to stay close to areas like Jensen Beach and places to the north. Do u think it would be easier for me to try to find a job as a cook or chef in Jensen Beach, Stuart, or will I have to go more like West Palm Beach?
We are looking for houses in the under $200K price range and finding alot of nice homes in between $160-190K. What is the average property tax for a 200K home and what does insurance go for being so close to the waters and all that?
I guess we really need to get down there and be able to drive around the county to get a feel for where things are and the kind of location we need to find a place in. I don't want to get a realtor right now because I know its a waste of there time since we have no plans in purchasing a home untill next yr. The county we are in now 527 Sq miles so we are used to living in a large county. LOL
Last edited by Wendyb0077; 01-20-2008 at 05:05 PM..
It's "safe" to estimate 2% of your purchase price in taxes, though taxes usually end up being on 50k assessed value less than what you paid for the property, because the assessor *usually* undervalues and then you get homestead exemption.
Not sure about property insurance..... it really depends on a host of factors about the location and the house itself.
Boating never gets boring. Get a small boat or jetskis, and enjoy! It's a great way to spend an afternoon. I know several chains are going in St. Lucie West in the near future - Carrabas, Bonefish Grill, and there are plenty of restaurants along the US-1 corridor between Ft. Pierce and South Stuart, so I guess it would be a matter of hitting the ground and searching!
I think moving to Florida will be fun but we are just worried about if we would get bored down there easily? I mean does going to the beach, fishing, boating, and the warm weather get boring to you locals?
Yes. Boating bores the hell out of me. I haven't been to the beach in, well, at least 10 years, and then that was just for a couple of minutes. The weather in the winter is okay when it's cool, but the summers are hot (although no hotter than up north) and long (it's hot from April to November. You will be sick of the heat by September.)
One thing to keep in mind is that living here is different from vacationing. During your off time you have to do all the things that you do now-grocery shopping, mowing, getting your car fixed, errands, chores, etc.
There is plenty to do, of course. Golf, tennis, fishing, shopping, shooting, whatever. There are also lot's of people doing the same thing.
Just don't go into this all wide eyed thinking it will be cheaper to live here or some such nonsense. It isn't. It's also quite stressful now, due to the large population, traffic, and congestion.
Wendy as a very experienced realtor , I have many doubts about relocating from upstate NY cold .... :0))
And buying the house in PSL , 959 Grand Reserve BLVD in the Vinyards .
Price is 390.000 dollars and I do not know as they built the BIG Boulevard close by , if it is an investment or a loosing of money.
It would be first home and for me real money to invest ...
What can I do ?
Thank you , indeed ..
Thank you for your nice words. I e-mailed you comps of the Vineyards for you to make an informed decision. Check your e-mail. Good Luck! Wendy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marghe
Wendy as a very experienced realtor , I have many doubts about relocating from upstate NY cold .... :0))
And buying the house in PSL , 959 Grand Reserve BLVD in the Vinyards .
Price is 390.000 dollars and I do not know as they built the BIG Boulevard close by , if it is an investment or a loosing of money.
It would be first home and for me real money to invest ...
What can I do ?
Thank you , indeed ..
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TRIMTZ you gave some good information to Aquakeeper but the tour guide remark was uncalled for! Being a Real Estate Broker is my profession (MY JOB). I have a family to support and bills to pay just like most people do. To infer that we should just drive people aound and be a tour guide since we are not busy right now wasn't a nice thing to say. lol How would you like to go to your job and work for 40 to 60 hrs a week, spend money on Gas (at these prices) and not get a penny for it. Some of this goes with the territory but seasoned real estate professionals know how to weed out the ones just using us for entertainment. Aquakeeper: Go to the Chamber of Commerce for information about the city. All the area's that TRIMT7 gave you are good ones. Look at your job situations and see where you are going to have to travel to on a daily basis. If you need to be on I-95 or the Tpk stay more west. The traffic can cost you an extra half and hour or more if you live east of US 1 and have to travel to WPB. Good Luck! 
Don't be afraid of Florida!
