Florida living

[ShokWaveRider]

I was looking at RE taxes in a lot of Florida counties, I guess we in St. Johns are somewhat of an anomaly, our seem quite reasonable, not sure how it compares to Putnam and Duval.

 

[bearkeley]

Scuba --
I'm curious about your impressions of the Stuart/Saint Lucie area. Did that area seem to be getting too crowded or over-built??

Our Dear Daughter has settled in Coral Springs down by Ft Lauderdale, but that area is way too busy for our liking. We'd like to be a little north of that area, and wondering just how far up the FL Turnpike you have to go to get a little elbow room. Ocean Beaches are not important to us at this stage of life.

We've been looking at the Active 55 communities in PSL or even Melbourne. There are some nice homes in our price point.

I will say that on our last drive thru FLA, we were impressed by how CLEAN it is. We drove the length of the state.....300 miles and not a scrap of litter anywhere !! These people in CHS will throw everything out of their cars.....the junkiest vehicles will toss fast food wrappers out the window.

We travelled down the east coast from Maryland to the Keys and on the west up to Boca by boat three times and chose North Hutchinson Island in St Lucie (same island as Vero). We love how undeveloped it is, surrounded by local and state parks. Worth a closer look!

 

[FiveDriver]

We travelled down the east coast from Maryland to the Keys and on the west up to Boca by boat three times and chose North Hutchinson Island in St Lucie (same island as Vero). We love how undeveloped it is, surrounded by local and state parks. Worth a closer look!

Thanks for your response, Bearkeley.....I think other folks are also following this Florida thread.

We don't necessarily want to live on the Oceanfront (we've been close to the Atlantic Ocean and taken it in for many years). At this stage of life, a Community Pool that somebody else maintains is sufficient .

What is the current status of the Nuclear Generation Plant on Hutchinson Island?

 

[bearkeley]

Thanks for your response, Bearkeley.....I think other folks are also following this Florida thread.

We don't necessarily want to live on the Oceanfront (we've been close to the Atlantic Ocean and taken it in for many years). At this stage of life, a Community Pool that somebody else maintains is sufficient .

What is the current status of the Nuclear Generation Plant on Hutchinson Island?

We agree on the pool - we travel half the year so love the convenience of a condo. Vero / Wabasso area is not on the ocean and has a similar feel. We are on the north island, so power plant is not close.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

For those looking to build in Florida, here is a list of good Florida builders for 2023 (Updated) in no particular order. I have followed a professional contractor who posts on CD for a while that occasionally posts on this subject. Scuba: Notice GL Homes in NOT on the list. It is always recommended to check what lawsuits are pending on a prospective builder before you make a final decision.

Aurora Builders
Breeze Homes
Century Complete
Colour Homes
Cottage Home Company
DF Luxury Homes
Dostie Homes
Drees Homes
John Merrill Homes
Kingsouth Construction
Legacy Builders
TerraWise Homes
Trademark Homes
BeneBuilt Homes
Pulte Homes
Del Webb
Beckon Homes
Austin Painter Construction
Southern Builders & Interiors

As always, you should try to hire a 3rd Party private inspector.

 

[Dtail]

For those looking to build in Florida, here is a list of good Florida builders for 2023 (Updated) in no particular order. I have followed a professional contractor who posts on CD for a while that occasionally posts on this subject. Scuba: Notice GL Homes in NOT on the list. It is always recommended to check what lawsuits are pending on a prospective builder before you make a final decision.

Aurora Builders
Breeze Homes
Century Complete
Colour Homes
Cottage Home Company
DF Luxury Homes
Dostie Homes
Drees Homes
John Merrill Homes
Kingsouth Construction
Legacy Builders
TerraWise Homes
Trademark Homes
BeneBuilt Homes
Pulte Homes
Del Webb
Beckon Homes
Austin Painter Construction
Southern Builders & Interiors

As always, you should try to hire a 3rd Party private inspector.

One of the more popular builders, Lennar, also not on the list to note.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

One of the more popular builders, Lennar, also not on the list to note.

Unfortunately, they do not have a great reputation, similar to KB etc., as they are considered budget builders by this contractor and prone to cutting costs, and as a result corners wherever possible. He always says "Just check the pending lawsuits and complaints" I am sure some folks are happy with their homes, but a lot are not. Also, his advice of hiring an independent inspector as opposed to the one the builder uses is good advice too.

 

[FiveDriver]

If Pulte is ON the List, and Lennar is NOT -- I have some concerns about the List.

Lennar built our home here in South Carolina. No issues with nail pops or out of plumb & square walls. Doors are hung correctly, and the windows are all impact resistant. As far as I can tell, no corners were cut on materials or labor.

Local Builders will seemingly be more conscientious about their subdivision, because a bad review will affect their next subdivision.

 

[Scuba]

Do you have an actual address for this development? I cannot seem to find an exact location and all the address' are Port St. Lucy, not Stuart. How close to the beach is it?

It has been raining cats and dogs here in NW. Fla. for the last few days.

It is in Port St Lucie, about 40-45 minutes from the beach. It’s in an area called Traditions.

https://www.glhomes.com/valencia-walk-at-riverland/

 

[Scuba]

Great article, thanks. I would love to see each Cat 3 - 5 location. The article doesn't even mention West Central Florida where we live. My wife is one major hurricane from packing our bags. Irma missed us in 2017, and Ian in 2022. Even though we weren't directly hit by either one, we were always in the cone of uncertainty and both were Cat 5's 2 or 3 days out squarely headed for us as the target until they drifted south. That added a tremendous amount of stress.

I looked up Sarasota the last major hurricane to directly hit was a Cat 3 in 1944. Tropical storms and minor hurricanes have happened with some regularity.

 

[Scuba]

Scuba: I am surprised you liked Valencia Riverside, not from an Amenities perspective, but from a location to the beach perspective. Seem like a long way on the map, on the wrong side of 95 and very close to it.

You are right, I’d like it much better if it were closer to the beach. However, the amenities blew us away. Very impressive. Not sure how often I’d want to leave!

 

[Scuba]

We will probably go and look at Valencia Riverland for their stay and look deal, but upon further investigation, I am not sure it is for us.

The RE taxes in St. Lucy county are very high for what one gets. We currently have a 3300sqft home and for the same in St. Lucy county. would be almost another $5k a year. We do not think that is worth it, as St. Johns' county is one of the richest and well managed counties in Florida and taxes are 50% less.

But $99 for 3 days looking is a good value.

We did the “Stay & Play” package and really enjoyed it. We had already visited with our realtor and they left us alone to enjoy the experience. No high pressure sales tactics at all. We had two meals in the on-site restaurant, played pickleball and ping pong, toured the fitness center, checked out the pool, and just enjoyed the vibe.

 

[Scuba]

Yeah, RE Taxes vary widely throughout the Sunshine State, and should be checked out before any purchase.

67 counties, varying Millage Rates....

https://www.floridaforboomers.com/highest-and-lowest-florida-county-property-tax-rates/

Good to see! Thanks. Sarasota County is on the lower end.

 

[Scuba]

Would like to know more about the "Stay and Play" package at $99.



Are you limited to the Valencia subdivision only ? Or can you explore the whole area?



Do they force you to sit thru a "Sales Pitch" at some point ??

We had already visited with our realtor, so we were left alone to explore the amenities, go through the models again at our leisure, and just explore the surrounding area. You check in around 4-5 pm, stay 2 nights, and check out by 10 am, so you really only have one full day.

 

[Scuba]

For those looking to build in Florida, here is a list of good Florida builders for 2023 (Updated) in no particular order. I have followed a professional contractor who posts on CD for a while that occasionally posts on this subject. Scuba: Notice GL Homes in NOT on the list. It is always recommended to check what lawsuits are pending on a prospective builder before you make a final decision.

Aurora Builders
Breeze Homes
Century Complete
Colour Homes
Cottage Home Company
DF Luxury Homes
Dostie Homes
Drees Homes
John Merrill Homes
Kingsouth Construction
Legacy Builders
TerraWise Homes
Trademark Homes
BeneBuilt Homes
Pulte Homes
Del Webb
Beckon Homes
Austin Painter Construction
Southern Builders & Interiors

As always, you should try to hire a 3rd Party private inspector.

Thanks for sharing this. Interestingly, the only builders we’ve encountered from this list are Del Webb/Pulte/DiVosta (all the same company). Taylor Morrison is big in this area. Have also seen several Mattamy Homes and Lennar/WCI communities. GL and Neal Communities and Kolter are the others we’ve seen.

 

[Scuba]

Unfortunately, they do not have a great reputation, similar to KB etc., as they are considered budget builders by this contractor and prone to cutting costs, and as a result corners wherever possible. He always says "Just check the pending lawsuits and complaints" I am sure some folks are happy with their homes, but a lot are not. Also, his advice of hiring an independent inspector as opposed to the one the builder uses is good advice too.

Lennar also owns WCI, the more upscale brand. We visited one of the WCI communities the other day. Their business model is very interesting. The homes were in the $800K-$1.2M range, and we were told that buyers cannot customize ANYTHING at all. They said they were building out the entire community as spec homes with preselected floor plans and design packages. We were surprised by that at this price point. We liked the choices they put in the homes, but didn’t like that nothing could be upgraded or modified until after closing.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

You are right, I’d like it much better if it were closer to the beach. However, the amenities blew us away. Very impressive. Not sure how often I’d want to leave!

Unfortunately, the beach vibe disappears after about 5 miles. We do not actually go to the beach much, but like the way of life.

I am very interested in what area you finally choose.

 

[always_learning]

Unfortunately, they do not have a great reputation, similar to KB etc., as they are considered budget builders by this contractor and prone to cutting costs, and as a result corners wherever possible. He always says "Just check the pending lawsuits and complaints" I am sure some folks are happy with their homes, but a lot are not. Also, his advice of hiring an independent inspector as opposed to the one the builder uses is good advice too.

If Pulte is ON the List, and Lennar is NOT -- I have some concerns about the List.

Lennar built our home here in South Carolina. No issues with nail pops or out of plumb & square walls. Doors are hung correctly, and the windows are all impact resistant. As far as I can tell, no corners were cut on materials or labor.

Local Builders will seemingly be more conscientious about their subdivision, because a bad review will affect their next subdivision.

It sounds like it's regional for Lennar. In our previous state, they had an "OK" reputation because there was lots of competition.

In my current state (FL), Lennar seems to be the only builder for new builds in my area (everywhere we go in two counties, all we see are Lennar signs) and I'd rather live in a tent than buy one. Horribly under-sized ac units that die just outside of their warranty, doorbells with no electrical wiring (so, just doorbells stuck on the wall), crown molding falling off, sinks falling off walls, etc. There are other things mentioned on my local NextDoor group and lots of talk about lawsuits.

Currently, I'm in a Minto home and we are utterly thrilled with the quality. The home is now 10 years old and looks like it was just built. The inspector we hired before closing was impressed, too.

Minto has really good reviews, so I'm not sure why they aren't on the list shared above. However, I did print the list for future reference, so it's helpful to have since I only know about Minto and Lennar.


Hey, Scuba, keep the updates/reviews coming. I'm enjoying this thread.

 

[FiveDriver]

It sounds like it's regional for Lennar. In our previous state, they had an "OK" reputation because there was lots of competition.



Hey, Scuba, keep the updates/reviews coming. I'm enjoying this thread.

I will say that in larger subdivisions of 300 - 400 homes, the 'Builder' will employ many different Crews -- there are several Framing Crews, Drywall Crews, Electrical and Plumbing etc. Not all of these guys are the A-Team. Mr Lennar or Mr DR Horton do not swing a hammer in these subdivisions. If your home has Butch's Drywall Team......there may be a difference in quality. It's up to the Job Site Super to make sure that quality is being maintained. The 'Blue Tape' walk-thru will not catch everything.

I spent the last 12 years of my work life doing RE Appraisals for the VA. I've seen a hundred homes by the various Big Name Outfits and by the local Builders. The local Builders usually have a better product.

Here's a recent survey of Real Estate Agent's opinions on the builders in their areas. Note that there are a lot of local builders on this list before you start seeing the Big National Names.

https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2023/01/05/americas-most-trusted-homebuilders-2023/

And by all means, keep up the updates and reviews on Florida Living Please.

 

[523HRR]

Moved to Naples 5 years ago and love it. Great restaurants, beautiful beaches, golf Mecca, terrific boating, many cultural events…

 

[Scuba]

We went to Naples today. First time we’ve ever been to downtown Naples or the beach there. Just beautiful. Very clean, upscale and well-manicured. Valencia has a new construction 55+ community there that is very nice. Surprisingly, in the city park downtown, we saw several people who appeared to be homeless sleeping on park benches. We have not seen many homeless in the last month anywhere in FL.

I wonder if Naples is a little too nice? What I mean by that is that I’m a low maintenance gal. I like to run errands in a T shirt and gym shorts. Yesterday I went to Publix after a day on the beach in my beach cover up. I usually don’t wear makeup and my hair is usually up in a ponytail. I like living in a place where bathing suit cover-ups and flip flops are acceptable attire.

We really like the Sarasota area also. The beaches nearby are amazing, similar to Caribbean beaches. It’s a bit less expensive than Naples, but not as uniformly perfect. Naples is warmer in the winter by 3-5 degrees, and we like warmer weather. Sarasota is said to have a leg up on Naples when it comes to cultural activities. Also Sarasota is close to Tampa and St. Pete. Naples is a couple of hours from the Miami airport which has a lot more flights than Tampa does to international destinations. Lots to consider.

 

[COcheesehead]

We went to Naples today. First time we’ve ever been to downtown Naples or the beach there. Just beautiful. Very clean, upscale and well-manicured. Valencia has a new construction 55+ community there that is very nice. Surprisingly, in the city park downtown, we saw several people who appeared to be homeless sleeping on park benches. We have not seen many homeless in the last month anywhere in FL.

I wonder if Naples is a little too nice? What I mean by that is that I’m a low maintenance gal. I like to run errands in a T shirt and gym shorts. Yesterday I went to Publix after a day on the beach in my beach cover up. I usually don’t wear makeup and my hair is usually up in a ponytail. I like living in a place where bathing suit cover-ups and flip flops are acceptable attire.

We really like the Sarasota area also. The beaches nearby are amazing, similar to Caribbean beaches. It’s a bit less expensive than Naples, but not as uniformly perfect. Naples is warmer in the winter by 3-5 degrees, and we like warmer weather. Sarasota is said to have a leg up on Naples when it comes to cultural activities. Also Sarasota is close to Tampa and St. Pete. Naples is a couple of hours from the Miami airport which has a lot more flights than Tampa does to international destinations. Lots to consider.

We have good friends in Naples. First night there we ran over to Publix. We were one of the few people not shopping on porta-scoots. Not slamming them, but I need vibrancy where I live too. Mid size college towns seem to fit us well.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I have to agree with Scuba's Naples observations, that and the homes we liked and could afford ~$1m were a ways from the beach. It also just does not fall into the category of our idea of a beach town vibe, some like that. Our town has folks wandering around the beach areas and the local Publix in their swim clothes and light covers all the time. St. Auggie beach is not a super upscale beach community, but it is far from some of the run-down beach towns we have been to. It is not really commercial either. All the action is in Downtown St. Auggie which is about 3 miles from St. Auggie Beach. We have no issue with that. Plus, when we went to Naples a year after hurricane Irma there were still lots of tarps on roofs. Not very reassuring for getting stuff fixed promptly. And again, that part of the West coast always seems to get the worst of the poor weather.

We also are leaning away from massive, or potentially massive developments 55+ or otherwise like the Villages etc., that have over 100,000 homes.

Not to mention the insurance costs for the SW coast.

 

[Retired Expat]

We are of a similar age and chose to be snow birds for the next 10-20 years. Half the year in New England and half the year in Uruguay. Actually more than half as we like it, there are big tax savings and COL savings too. Weather is relatively mild. Is winter now and temps are in the 50’s or warmer most days..

I have family in Florida, lived and worked there at one point and have no desire to live there again, but of course when old, I mean older, may eat those words!

 

[Lagniappe]

We went to Naples today. First time we’ve ever been to downtown Naples or the beach there. Just beautiful. Very clean, upscale and well-manicured. Valencia has a new construction 55+ community there that is very nice. Surprisingly, in the city park downtown, we saw several people who appeared to be homeless sleeping on park benches. We have not seen many homeless in the last month anywhere in FL.

I wonder if Naples is a little too nice? What I mean by that is that I’m a low maintenance gal. I like to run errands in a T shirt and gym shorts. Yesterday I went to Publix after a day on the beach in my beach cover up. I usually don’t wear makeup and my hair is usually up in a ponytail. I like living in a place where bathing suit cover-ups and flip flops are acceptable attire.

We really like the Sarasota area also. The beaches nearby are amazing, similar to Caribbean beaches. It’s a bit less expensive than Naples, but not as uniformly perfect. Naples is warmer in the winter by 3-5 degrees, and we like warmer weather. Sarasota is said to have a leg up on Naples when it comes to cultural activities. Also Sarasota is close to Tampa and St. Pete. Naples is a couple of hours from the Miami airport which has a lot more flights than Tampa does to international destinations. Lots to consider.

I lived in Naples from 2016 until December 2023. Downtown is definitely "too perfect" at times, but venture a few blocks north and you get to much more of a quiet beach town vibe. I lived a 10 minute walk from the Gulf and five minutes from Doctors Bay, and walked to Publix in my beach clothes all the time. It is definitely an older town, my walking group was me and a bunch of very fiesty octagenarians. Don't count out RSW airport, I was surprised at how easy it was to fly in and out of. The restaurants were amazing as well.