Jacksonville

[Dsnymouse]

There is a chance we may be relocating to Jacksonville, FL. Was wondering if anyone could give me ideas on "family friendly neighborhoods" & good schools. Not downtown but more suburb. Would like new construction w/ amenities (pool, playground,etc). Any helpful ideas I'd greatly appreciate them.

Also how close is WDW drive wise?

 

[Stasieki]

We just moved last year from Jacksonville. We lived there for 6 years and LOVED it!!!!! We loved our neighborhood (new construction). It was Bartram Springs off of Racetrack Road (southside, close to St. Augustine). I really liked the location. It took us 2 hrs to get to Disney (with no Orlando traffic), maybe a little longer. It is online - just can't recall the website, but can do a google search. They have all the amenities and a new elementary school is opening in the neighborhood this year if you have kids. You can get a great deal in there right now. We, unfortunately, like many others, had to "walk away" from our home. We got transered, tried to sell for 2 years. My house built in 2006 was $330,000. It is being listed by the bank right now for $205,000. I can't believe it. It is a wonderful, totally upgraded 2,500 SF home. If you do move, and are interested in this neighborhood after researching, let me know. Our street was the best street in the neighborhood if you like a little socializing. We would always do block parties (for Halloween and such). And, I had the BEST neighbor in the whole wide world - still very good friends. Lots of fun, nice people. You will love Jax - let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Dsnymouse]

Stasieki - Thanks for the post. I had read about Bartram Springs but it wasn't positive stuff. They say crime is really bad due to a fairly new casino? Did you experience any of this?

Sorry to hear you had to walk away from your place. This darn economy is so messed up! Hope you are happy in your new place and things are looking up.

Thanks for the advice, I appreicate it.

 

[laceemouse]

Jacksonville is my husband's home town and we lived there for many years but left in 1999. It used to be a very cheap place to live, then prices went way up after we left. Then the bubble bursted all over Florida and now prices are going down, you should be able to get a good deal.
As far as schools, you need to look at individual school scores. It is a county wide system, so a HUGE school district, and schools vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. If your kids are in elementary you need to look at which middle school and high school your neighborhood goes to also, if not for your kids in the future you do need to worry about re-sale.
Jacksonville is the largest city in the US land wise so if it were me I would start by looking at where the job is and try to find something close. People say the traffic isn't bad there but rush hour anywhere is bad and with the city being so spread out you could easily have an hour plus commute to work and I wouldn't want to do that, EVER! We have moved many times and that is why we NEVER get new construction, it is always so far away from everything and I don't want my dh in the car 2 or 3 hours a day. There is no mass transit there either.
Orlando is about 2 and a half hours away. We loved being that close to Disney when we live in Jacksonville!

 

[Stasieki]

That is strange about the crime review. We didn't experience any of that and would probably know since I am still great friends with my old neighbors (just met them last week in Atlanta). There is a video poker place on Racetrack Road, but it is very tame and only open on weekends. There are a few of those places in Jacksonville. It closes early and it is kind of funny. The only people that went there were business professionals and older folks, that I saw. My old neighbors husband would go. I am actually a scaredy cat and felt very safe there. People looked out for one another. The only thing I recall is "teenage" pranks over the summer, like toilet papering. There were never major crimes - I lived at the beach before there and you would get more muggings and such there. My work was right behind the neighborhood so I was always there. The school is just opening this school year, but I heard they got a great principal from another A school in Jax. Another great place was Eagle's Landing. There is a disser on here that lives there. She has a trip report going right now - her name is karajeboo. That was another big neighborhood we were looking - just too far from our work (it is on the west side). Do you know what part of town you all will be working in? Jax is huge - land wise.

PS - my oldhouse is listed on realtor.com. Do 200,000 to 300,000 and 4 bedrooms - it is 14510 Millhopper Road. No inside pics - had triple crown molding, hardwoods, etc. My old neighbors have been keeping up the yard so doesn't look like a bank sell. Also, the SF was 2,500.

 

[laceemouse]

There is a chance we may be relocating to Jacksonville, FL. Was wondering if anyone could give me ideas on "family friendly neighborhoods" & good schools. Not downtown but more suburb. Would like new construction w/ amenities (pool, playground,etc). Any helpful ideas I'd greatly appreciate them.

Also how close is WDW drive wise?

Funny, I see you are in Texas now! We live in Plano. Florida is much prettier than Texas, but we prefer the gulf coast. The beaches in Jacksonville are brown, not the sugar white sand you get on the gulf side.
We miss Florida and plan to retire there, but we will be in Pensacola Beach, we already bought our retirement home there and are renting it out until we can move there.
Jacksonville is pretty nice but has a bad reputation in many respects. Nobody lives downtown, but the burbs are almost all part of Jacksonville, not like DFW where each burb has it's own schools and government and stuff. Jacksonville is very different from that, or Chicago, or DC (the other places we have lived.)

 

[Dsnymouse]

Lacee - Thanks for the post. Since this is all new & in the "working" stage we don't know where my Dh office will be. He hasn't even received the job just at the interest stages. Thank for help with schooling information, great tip to check out middle and high schools. Hope this will be our last move.

Stasieki - Thanks I will check out your home and check out the other neighborhood you mentioned. We live in a community with amenities and Love it!

Thanks again

 

[Dsnymouse]

Lacee - We are 20 mins from the DFW airport, close to Denton. We have lived her for 16 mnts. We came from Phoenix then Colorado - I am sick of moving. While Dallas is not my favorite, I am hoping this next move will be our last. Hoping Jacksonville will be a nice place to call home. I fell in LOVE with Colorado and hope to eventually own a second home there. It is a place of beauty. Thanks for all your help.

 

[laceemouse]

Lacee - We are 20 mins from the DFW airport, close to Denton. We have lived her for 16 mnts. We came from Phoenix then Colorado - I am sick of moving. While Dallas is not my favorite, I am hoping this next move will be our last. Hoping Jacksonville will be a nice place to call home. I fell in LOVE with Colorado and hope to eventually own a second home there. It is a place of beauty. Thanks for all your help.

Hey, my oldest is almost done with community college and will probably be at UNT next January.
We love the people here, our house and our church. We have been here 3 years, I know what you mean about moving, we have done it so much!
I have never been to Colorado but would love to visit, I hear it is gorgeous. But for me, I know I am more of a beach person than a mountain person, so Florida is going to be our final home. We are hoping to have tons of grandkids who want to come visit grandma and grandpa at the beach
And of course, we will have to take them to Disney World

 

[rparmfamily]

I wouldn't live in Duval County, I highly recommend St John's or Clay County. Schools are awesome out there, and the subdivisions are very nice.

I never went to the beaches in Jax, and they aren't brown, the sand is white and hard packed, but the best beach IMHO is Anastasia Island in St Augustine.

 

[Dsnymouse]

rparm- What cities/area's are St. John's & clay county in?

What are CDD fees?

 

[Stasieki]

Ahhh - the good ole CDD fees. Some people love them and some hate them. I liked them. These CDD subdivision are getting very popular in Florida. It stands for Community Development District. Basically, it means yoru amenity "dues" are built into your taxes. It is like an HOA but a government unit. So, your property taxes are higher, but your HOA dues are very minimal, but you have great amenities. Hope that helps.

St. Johns is probably the best county for public schools. It is on the other side of Racetrack Road from where Bartram Springs is (Racetrack is the cutoff from Duval to St. Johns. Have you seen Nocatee? It is a new live, work, play community really close to the beach and in St. Johns. Just a little more pricey - not sure what your price range would be?

 

[Stasieki]

Ahhh - the good ole CDD fees. Some people love them and some hate them. I liked them. These CDD subdivision are getting very popular in Florida. It stands for Community Development District. Basically, it means yoru amenity "dues" are built into your taxes. It is like an HOA but a government unit. So, your property taxes are higher, but your HOA dues are very minimal, but you have great amenities. Hope that helps.

St. Johns is probably the best county for public schools. It is on the other side of Racetrack Road from where Bartram Springs is (Racetrack is the cutoff from Duval to St. Johns. Have you seen Nocatee? It is a new live, work, play community really close to the beach and in St. Johns. Just a little more pricey - not sure what your price range would be?

Also... Eagles Landing is in Clay Co (the huge subdivision) and Nocatee, Julington Creek, and Palencia are in St. Johns. Of course, there are others - those are just the big names. It is all Jacksonville, except Nocatee in in St. Augustine.

 

[flagirl1981]

Nease High School which is located in St.Johns county was just rated one of the top 100 high schools in the nation. I think it is close to Ponte Vedra, just south of Jacksonville beach. I used to live in Jacksonville for a while, but would try hard not to live in the city limits again.

 

[Stasieki]

Nease High is a great HS. That is a St. Johns School. I think Nocatee, Palencia, maybe Julington Creek would be in that district. There are a few more new subdivision off Hwy 1 (Pillips Hwy) that would be in that district. One is right by Palencia, can't remember the names, but would be great choices. I will ask my old neighbors the name. St. Johns is known for very good public schools, if it is still the same.

 

[soccerchick]

Dsis lived there for 5 years. She was off Bay Meadows road to the east side of 95. About 15-20 minute ride to Ponte Vedre. Her neighborhood was very nice - Hampton something. Schools weren't great though. If they'd stayed, my nephews would have gone to private school when they got to that age or they would have had to move to St. John's. One of our favorite things to do was to visit the Jacksonville Zoo. They have really made a lot of nice improvements there over the last several years.

 

[Dsnymouse]

Soccerchik - Thanks for the post. I am getting lots of great ideas on where to look when we contact a realtor.

I appreciate all your posts - knew my dis friends could pull me through this.


If anyone might know of these subidivions chime in: Wynnfield Lakes, Victoria Lakes or Waterleaf. All Duval schools, but rated A schools.

Thanks!

 

[rparmfamily]

Clay County schools are good. The areas of Orange Park including large planned communities like Fleming Island Plantation, Eagle Harbor and Oakleaf Plantation are all very nice and have full features like golf courses, YMCA's, schools walking distance, shops, pools/water play areas, etc. There are lots of other subdivisions in the Orange Park area (zips 32073, 32065, 32003,etc) but those are the main ones.

 

[SLK1]

My brother recently moved from Jax to Richmond, VA. They really liked Jax. They lived in the Ortega Forest area, which, to me, was in a run-down area of town. It seemed very depressing to me. The neighborhood was very old, and although most of the homes were kept up nicely, it just wasn't my cup of tea. And, because they were in Duval County, they had to put their girls in private school. Once they got to high school, it was The Bolles School and cost a fortune. Again, not my cup of tea! I heard St. John's County was very nice.

 

[Dsnymouse]

rparm - Thanks for the information on Orange Park, will look into those area's.

SLK - We had hoped to move into new construction, but thanks for the area information. I will keep that in mind.