Older ranch homes in Venice (Delray Beach, Vero Beach: landscaping, maintenance, to live in)

[michgc]

I visited Anna Maria Island for the first time last summer. Cute little town, but then I looked at the real estate prices. GULP! As quaint as it was, it seemed more of a vacation-type town rather than one to live in year-round. Venice seems to tick all of the boxes for everyday amenities and needs (as well as wants).

Even if we don't ultimately decide to move there, I hope Venice maintains its small-town feel. Do you think distance from a major airport helps keep it from being overrun by tourists? It seems like Tampa airport is just far enough away that it would make it inconvenient for some people. And the Sarasota airport seems fairly small. Do you think there's any truth to that? Or am I off base? I frankly haven't flown in years, so I am not really "up" on trends in flying, but I was thinking about visitors and how they would get here.

[newtovenice]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

I totally agree with newtovenice. I lived in Boca when it was less populated than the City of Venice is today, and going back to Boca almost makes me cry.

I used to go to Delray Beach way before Atlantic Avenue took off, back when Boston's was about the only place to have a cold one. The growth along Atlantic Ave was really nice initially, but it got out of hand really fast. I predict that the same will happen to Downtown Venice.

Problem is, we are running out of quaint coastal villages to exploit and destroy. When America's are all gone, it will be small coastal villages in central and south America. Playa Del Carmen is already nearly ruined.

Loved going to Boston's until the Marriott took it over. It went from dive-y bar with character and good live bands, good crowd (plus good breakfast on the weekends before hitting the beach) into an expensive tourist trap. Then they added the tiki bar and revamped the upstairs, ugh. Overpriced, crappy food and the redid the bar so that it did NOT face the ocean. Awful. That was a few years ago, haven't been back since. Maybe it's improved? Dunno.

Boca is just a sprawling suburb. Traffic traffic traffic, and season is almost unidentifiable it's so populated by FT residents.

[PBToast]

I saw that HGTV episode too! I was laughing at the "story". They wanted an investment.



Back to Venice, we are planning to buy there eventually and have been coming down for years.
It's a great town, but when you talk about all this future growth, how does the beach figure into that??? It does not have the BIG, let alone sugar sand, beaches of other areas. There is a steep drop off and you can't really stand way out in aqua blue still water like you see in other gulf areas. I love Venice, and accept the beach the way it is, but the surf is much rougher, at least in May when we are there. This year a great deal of the sand was washing away and there was a 6 foot high "cliff" forming as you walked toward the jetty. Trying to get down to the water was tricky.


Looking at the map of Delray I see a very wide white beach. I have to wonder if Venice could really be turned into that same kind of beach town?

[beach43ofus]

michgc,
Yes, Venice has retained its quaint coastal town status because it's a bit remote. Major airports are a ways off, and maybe just as important, I-75 being built, and taking so much North-South traffic further away from its Village which is nearer the coast along Tamiaimi Trail (US 41). Vero Beach is very similar in that the Interstate (I-95 in that case) channelled traffic further away from its coastal village core. Vero Beach, much like Venice, is almost devoid of family tourism.

For many years Venice been known as a retirement community, and that doesn't attract families. I also think the long row of high rises along Venice's beaches, near its core, harmed its appeal to potential tourists. Just think what Venice could have been had they (local Government) kept more of the coastline visible, and accessible, to visitors. The long row of 1940's-50's vintage high rises are eye pollution.

Nonetheless, the Venice area's Northward, and Eastward population growth will be bringing more people to its main street shops and restaurants, and as more people are exposed to it, more will want to live walking distance to it.

I wish the City of Venice could undo just a few of those outdated high rise condo's along its coast to open up the view. Wishful thinking for sure. That area is a deadzone, so people have to go further South to the Pier to enjoy a view of the water, and ample beach access. The City and County Government members of the 40's and 50's were horrible planners, and were focusing too much on short term profits. They are long gone, so there's no holding them accountable for that deadzone.

[michgc]

beach43ofus,

Thanks for all of your insight. Can't rep. you again. Funny that you mentioned Vero Beach. That is another town we are going to check out on our trip. But so far out of all the towns we have visited (Venice, Delray, Sarasota, Naples, Jupiter, etc.), Venice has most of what we want in a price we can afford and it also just "felt right." I am much more familiar with the East Coast, though, as we have been visiting my parents there for about 20 years so I really want to cover every base before we make a final decision. We still have a few years. Thanks again.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by michgc

beach43ofus,

Thanks for all of your insight. Can't rep. you again. Funny that you mentioned Vero Beach. That is another town we are going to check out on our trip. But so far out of all the towns we have visited (Venice, Delray, Sarasota, Naples, Jupiter, etc.), Venice has most of what we want in a price we can afford and it also just "felt right." I am much more familiar with the East Coast, though, as we have been visiting my parents there for about 20 years so I really want to cover every base before we make a final decision. We still have a few years. Thanks again.

Vero Beach came in 2nd, Santa Rosa Beach 3rd in our 15 year search. Venice won, but not the City of Venice, but Venice mailing address. In Vero, we were only interested in 32963 (barrier island off Vero). We spent a lot of time visiting & researching it. Aesthetically, it was #1, but older than Southern Sarasota County, & limited nightlife. We're young retirees, and 32963 was 70+.

I went to College in Boca (FAU undergrad), so spent many nights partying in Delray along Atlantic Ave. My best friend is still there, so I visit often. I never considered that area due to overcrowding & traffic.

I just moved ot of Sarasota after a 1 year test drive in Palmer Ranch. Loved it there, but we felt it was overpriced, or maybe just more than what we wanted to spend. We saved $170,000 by buiding in Venice instead, and we were paying cash, so 170 large is even larger when you're counting it off in Hun's.

Jupiter is where a very close relative lives who bought a fixer upper for $700K, put $200k into it, and now comps say its worth $1.2M.

Another close relative is a retired PGA golf pro who lived in St. Lucie West for 20 years, and just moved to Venice mainland due to low cost vs. barrier island, and wanted to rent not own. Spent time there too.

My wife lived in Orlando, I lived in Bradenton, Tampa, and St. Pete many years ago.

I dont thing there are many people who know ALL of Florida as well as we do. I traveled central FLA in my 1st job, so I know the center of the State too all up and down 17 and 27.

We're least knowlegable about Jax, Talahassee, and North of Tampa to Cedar Key, but we've been to those areas, and I had business in those areas for years. We're weak on the Space Coast, but went there for travel baseball a few times, and had good friend just South in Palm Coast where we also looked.

Been to the Keys, but don't remember much about them due to too many Marguerita's.

We LOVE Florida. We're starting our off-season overnight trips next week after our company leaves. Naples (love the downtown strip & the Mercado further North) is trip #1. I hope Rocky Patel's Burn cigar bar is still there across from the Blue Martini Lounge. Boca Grande (Bush family's hideaway), then Anna Maria Island (up near Bean Point) are next. Never been to Fantasy Fest in Key West, but we might be too late on booking place for that. If so, the Hilton Head Concours D'Elegance car show is plan "B".

I could keep writing about Florida until my 1st Novel is done, but our company just returned, so gotta go.
Sorry if any typo's of grammer,but no time

[michgc]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Vero Beach came in 2nd, Santa Rosa Beach 3rd in our 15 year search. Venice won, but not the City of Venice, but Venice mailing address. In Vero, we were only interested in 32963 (barrier island off Vero). We spent a lot of time visiting & researching it. Aesthetically, it was #1, but older than Southern Sarasota County, & limited nightlife. We're young retirees, and 32963 was 70+.

I went to College in Boca (FAU undergrad), so spent many nights partying in Delray along Atlantic Ave. My best friend is still there, so I visit often. I never considered that area due to overcrowding & traffic.

I just moved ot of Sarasota after a 1 year test drive in Palmer Ranch. Loved it there, but we felt it was overpriced, or maybe just more than what we wanted to spend. We saved $170,000 by buiding in Venice instead, and we were paying cash, so 170 large is even larger when you're counting it off in Hun's.

Jupiter is where a very close relative lives who bought a fixer upper for $700K, put $200k into it, and now comps say its worth $1.2M.

Another close relative is a retired PGA golf pro who lived in St. Lucie West for 20 years, and just moved to Venice mainland due to low cost vs. barrier island, and wanted to rent not own. Spent time there too.

My wife lived in Orlando, I lived in Bradenton, Tampa, and St. Pete many years ago.

I dont thing there are many people who know ALL of Florida as well as we do. I traveled central FLA in my 1st job, so I know the center of the State too all up and down 17 and 27.

We're least knowlegable about Jax, Talahassee, and North of Tampa to Cedar Key, but we've been to those areas, and I had business in those areas for years. We're weak on the Space Coast, but went there for travel baseball a few times, and had good friend just South in Palm Coast where we also looked.

Been to the Keys, but don't remember much about them due to too many Marguerita's.

We LOVE Florida. We're starting our off-season overnight trips next week after our company leaves. Naples (love the downtown strip & the Mercado further North) is trip #1. I hope Rocky Patel's Burn cigar bar is still there across from the Blue Martini Lounge. Boca Grande (Bush family's hideaway), then Anna Maria Island (up near Bean Point) are next. Never been to Fantasy Fest in Key West, but we might be too late on booking place for that. If so, the Hilton Head Concours D'Elegance car show is plan "B".

I could keep writing about Florida until my 1st Novel is done, but our company just returned, so gotta go.
Sorry if any typo's of grammer,but no time

Thank you again for all of your insight! I have been loving reading your posts! I've been traveling via Google Maps for the last hour or so - looking at Vero and Stuart. i still like the set up of Venice better from what I am seeing. But I will check them out in person when we are down there. It's not too far from my parents in Delray. Hadn't heard of Santa Rosa Beach but wasn't really considering that part of Florida. We've driven a lot around Florida since we drive down every year - sometimes twice - but have never been to the panhandle yet. I need to check it out one of these days, but not our next visit. Thanks again for all of your comments!

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by PBToast

I saw that HGTV episode too! I was laughing at the "story". They wanted an investment.



Back to Venice, we are planning to buy there eventually and have been coming down for years.
It's a great town, but when you talk about all this future growth, how does the beach figure into that??? It does not have the BIG, let alone sugar sand, beaches of other areas. There is a steep drop off and you can't really stand way out in aqua blue still water like you see in other gulf areas. I love Venice, and accept the beach the way it is, but the surf is much rougher, at least in May when we are there. This year a great deal of the sand was washing away and there was a 6 foot high "cliff" forming as you walked toward the jetty. Trying to get down to the water was tricky.


Looking at the map of Delray I see a very wide white beach. I have to wonder if Venice could really be turned into that same kind of beach town?

DelRay is on the Atlantic side
Different geographical construction

There are all sorts of reasons why the beach at Venice is not like the Panhandle/PCB which has great sand in many but not all areas....or St Augustine -- Atlantic side---or even Siesta Key which has much broader beachside...

[beach43ofus]

For the most part, the width of the sand is relative to the last time they replenished it. 25 years ago, Siesta Key was no where near as wide as it is now. There are some beaches that replenish naturally, so are wider, and stay that way, but they are rare. Maybe Daytona?

They had better start soon on Lido Beach's replenshment, or St. Armands Circle will become St. Armands semi-Circle!

[michgc]

I wanted to post an update. We took a trip to Florida and drove all over (except the panhandle) to scout out potential towns for the next phase of our life when our kids are out of school in a few years. We'll be in our late fifties. We like walkable towns/cities. We visited Mt. Dora, Dunedin, St. Petersburg, Venice, Vero Beach, Stuart, Jupiter, Coral Gables, and Lake Worth. We've been to Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, Ft. Myers, and Delray (where my parents live) and lots of places on the east coast on previous vacations. We stayed in St. Pete on the west coast and Boca on the east coast - we're actually still in Boca.

Mt. Dora was a cute town but too far north and too far inland for my desire.
Dunedin was very nice. We liked it a lot.
We took our second trip to Venice (first visited two years ago). And again, we fell in love with it. For a city on the west coast, we liked it better than Dunedin.

On the east coast, I wasn't impressed with Vero, and neither was my husband.
We drove through Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce but didn't care for them either.
We liked Stuart and may explore it more on future trips.
We've been to Jupiter several times in the past but looked again with an eye toward moving there. It's a nice town but you really have to drive everywhere.
I had been to Coral Gables a few years back and on a lark, I thought we'd look there. Pretty, but it did not do it for us as a place to retire to. Too crazy with traffic and people and a hike from the beach. After 22 years in DC, we are looking for something less busy.
Lake Worth gets a bad rap for crime (deserved, I think), but the downtown was walkable and has cute Key West style cottages. But unless it cleans up its crime, it won't be a good fit.

So after all of that searching these past two weeks and on past trips, we keep coming back to Venice. There's just something about it that's like no other place in Florida that we've visited (and can afford!) We visit Florida fairly often, and my daughter is looking to go to college there (she's a junior in high school), so we will be back and stay in Venice next time we come.

I will be keeping up with this board and may ask questions as they come up. You all have been so helpful! Thanks!