Country club lifestyle?

[ShokWaveRider]

You definitely wouldn't recognize Jacksonville now. I've been here since 1993 and it has changed immensely since then.

Mike

We agree, we avoid it like the plague, if Costco was further south we would never go there.

Here is some advice.... Go South my friend, go south.

 

[Cut-Throat]

You definitely wouldn't recognize Jacksonville now. I've been here since 1993 and it has changed immensely since then.

Mike

Yes, when we wintered on Amelia Island in 2011, we often went into Jax... It actually seemed to decline since when I lived there in the early 70s.

 

[Teacher Terry]

We have lived in 3 HOA’s and only one was horrible. When we moved into town from the suburbs we wanted to live in a older neighborhood walking distance to downtown. Some of the homes were rundown but have sold and updated. The neighborhood is popular with millennials and retirees. The people are friendly and I have gotten to know a lot of people from walking the dogs. I don’t miss the HOA.

 

[kgtest]

I don't know why and to this day I almost feel like it was a second life I had...but I've had these very vivid dreams of a Pueblo style new construction home overlooking the desert mixed in with a golf course. The road is windy up to the home..it has a 2 car garage and huge high ceilings.

I feel like a part of me needs to fulfill that vision, but I'm open to just renting for a month or two!

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

We have a Florida condo. Financially solvent Private gated country club. 24 hour security. Championship golf course. Gorgeous clay courts. Pickleball courts. Amazing resort style pool...along with a condo pool. Huge poolside grill and 3 restaurants with 10 outdoor HD tv’s. State of the art workout facility. Everything is pristine.

We love every second of being here. In the winter (Jan-April) my place rents for $3,200 a month. I have rented it the past 4 years to the same couple while waiting to retire. Then we go down most of April and most of November. I have a list of people wanting to rent it.

We have condo fees/HOA and country club fees which cover the costs of gatehouse attendant, security, golf course, tennis, restaurants, grounds etc. Never a security concern or someone wanting to paint their house hot pink etc.

Our main home is also on a golf course with a HOA. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
To each his own. It’s what I want. Especially for a winter place I can come and go without any concerns.

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

 

[PatrickA5]

My last neighborhood was really nice for about a decade. I always wished it had an HOA to keep things looking nice. Towards the end, it seemed like you were a nobody unless you had a 25 year old fishing boat parked in your driveway (or worse - yard).

Our current neighborhood has a fairly active HOA. I wish it was more strict than it actually is, but at least the neighborhood still looks attractive. We'll move when the campers and boats start showing up in driveways.

 

[athena53]

When I lived in a condo the retired old ladies would walk around the property looking for people that are out of compliance.

Ah, yes- my sister refers to that crowd as "the biddy committee".

But to go back to the OT, I echo the caveat about golf courses- everything I've read says that few members of the younger generation of homeowners are interested in golf.

 

[Scuba]

It would be nice to be able to split time between the two, I enjoy visiting Palm Springs but the heat during the summer can be a oppressive.

We love the heat. It’s the coastal winters and springs that we don’t like. I agree, if we had unlimited resources, it would be great to share time between both, plus travel 3-4 months per year. However, that lifestyle would mean we’d be paying for 2 places, both of which would be vacant 6 months per year on average. Doesn’t make sense to me to do that, and we don’t want to cut back our travel budget so we can comfortably afford two homes.

 

[Scuba]

We did a home swap in Poway in May/June for many years and experienced the Gray in May and the Gloom in June. But Poway burned off by 1030 and stayed sunny until 4. But La Jolla was 65 degrees and cold&gray in mid-afternoon. You have to see it to believe it!

I agree! It’s August now and the sun isn’t coming out until late morning or early afternoon. May Gray and June Gloom are still alive and well. We hate it.

 

[Scuba]

Will you be able to adhere to the ridiculous HOA rules, and possibly a deal with power trip leader. If you don't golf, why put up with the regulations of a gated community ?

We live in a condo now and are used to living in an HOA. Our experience is that the rules benefit all by keeping the property looking good and a nice place to live.

 

[MarieIG]

View attachment 32345View attachment 32346

That certainly looks lovely!

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

That certainly looks lovely!

Our tennis and PB courts

 

[CardsFan]

We love every second of being here. In the winter (Jan-April) my place rents for $3,200 a month. I have rented it the past 4 years to the same couple while waiting to retire. Then we go down most of April and most of November. I have a list of people wanting to rent it.

OK, After seeing the pics, my questions are: How far from the ocean? Are dogs allowed? And how do I get on the waiting list?

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

OK, After seeing the pics, my questions are: How far from the ocean? Are dogs allowed? And how do I get on the waiting list?

20 minutes from the gulf beaches. I wanted to be inland enough for some hurricane protection. 10 minutes from Region SW beautiful airport. So convenient! Dogs 60lbs maximum. Homes and condos are always available. People pass away, people get older and decide to move back north to be close to family, executives move etc.