Port St Lucie Florida

[tonytenmile]

Anyone here live in Port St. Lucie Florida? I would be interested in your thoughts on the area as we are considering relocating to the area.

 

[bearkeley]

We are in the same county, but live on a barrier island on the beach. PSL is popular for those wanting to live in the suburbs / shops / golf and have easy access to the beach and river. Lots of new development and popular with snowbirds. I would recommend you compare average temperatures with homes closer to the coast.

 

[Samething]

PSL is a nice place to live but like most other cities it has some great areas and some not as nice areas. I’m an avid golfer and there are a lot of nice golf courses here. If you like the beach there are nice ones here too. Boating and fishing are great here. Just to the south there is Stuart FL. Cool little city with a active downtown area and outdoor live music on the water on the weekends. The southern part of PSL is nice. Not very developed but a 20 minute drive to anything you’re looking for. New home construction is going like mad here. Lots of undeveloped land available. I came from the Tampa Bay area and it is nice to be able to drive without risking life and limb. Definitely a more laid back atmosphere. Housing prices are on the rise here just like the rest of the country. Our property taxes are among the highest in the state.
After 6 months my evaluation is if you are careful where you buy you get a tremendous value for your housing dollar. The 300k house I bought here would be 450k+ in TB and most likely older construction. Golf, the pool and boating a great lifestyle for me. PLS is kind of like red hair stepchild of the area. Businesses have not caught up to the population growth. Of course we have all of the franchise restaurants here but most of your nicer restaurants are in Stuart @ 30 minutes away from where I live in the extreme southern section of PSL. If you go a half mile south of my house it’s all undeveloped property. If you have the budget look in Martin country just to the south. Way more expensive but super nice.
If you’re looking in PSL look in the Traditions, St. Lucie West and Becker Road areas. The Sandpiper area is nice too but they are older homes. Stay away from White City of anything North of there.
Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

 

[firemediceric]

I live in Indian River County, which is one county to the north of St. Lucie County. I am often in PSL for w*rk related stuff. My girlfriend w*rks in PSL. I w*rk in Brevard. Although there are some nice housing developments and enclaves in St. Lucie, there is not a chance I would choose to move there. The infrastucture has not kept up with the population growth. Before you purchase a home there, spend some time on US-1, PSL Blvd/Prima Vista Blvd and see how you feel about the traffic.

A lot of movement from people in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade Counties moving up to the Martln/St. Lucie areas. The demographics of the area have shifted. On a related note, I have some "collectibles" that I insure. The insurance broker, who is based in Massachusettes but used to have a condo on Hutchinson Island, knows the area well. With my living in Indian River County, insurance coverage was not a problem. The broker told me that if I lived one county to the south (St. Lucie) they would not provide coverage to me. He went on to say that as the demographics of South Florida are moving north, the time may come when the underwriter will refuse to offer me a renewal on the yearly insurance.

 

[Dtail]

I live in Indian River County, which is one county to the north of St. Lucie County. I am often in PSL for w*rk related stuff. My girlfriend w*rks in PSL. I w*rk in Brevard. Although there are some nice housing developments and enclaves in St. Lucie, there is not a chance I would choose to move there. The infrastucture has not kept up with the population growth. Before you purchase a home there, spend some time on US-1, PSL Blvd/Prima Vista Blvd and see how you feel about the traffic.

A lot of movement from people in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade Counties moving up to the Martln/St. Lucie areas. The demographics of the area have shifted. On a related note, I have some "collectibles" that I insure. The insurance broker, who is based in Massachusettes but used to have a condo on Hutchinson Island, knows the area well. With my living in Indian River County, insurance coverage was not a problem. The broker told me that if I lived one county to the south (St. Lucie) they would not provide coverage to me. He went on to say that as the demographics of South Florida are moving north, the time may come when the underwriter will refuse to offer me a renewal on the yearly insurance.

How has the demographics changed and why would that affect the insurance?

 

[firemediceric]

How has the demographics changed and why would that affect the insurance?

Crime has increased.

 

[MichaelB]

Crime has increased.

Perhaps you can provide a link or data source for that?

 

[firemediceric]

Perhaps you can provide a link or data source for that?

Just a quick search tells me crime has actually decreased. https://www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/florida/port-st-lucie.html

That said, from my personal experience working with law enforcement and knowing people who reside there, I'm not seeing what the statistics claim. Apparently the insurance underwriter is not feeling the risk is as low as the ratings on the internet would claim.

If the OP chooses to move to PSL, I wish them the best.

 

[Samething]

That’s interesting. I received a small rebate from my auto insurance company when I changed address to PSL. Also my home owners policy is less expensive for a house a little higher in value here.

 

[Dtail]

Crime has increased.

So certain types of people moving up from South Florida are committing more crimes.....

 

[firemediceric]

That’s interesting. I received a small rebate from my auto insurance company when I changed address to PSL. Also my home owners policy is less expensive for a house a little higher in value here.

Compared to where?

 

[teejayevans]

I would recommend renting a place for a couple of months this winter and see if you like it. There’s lots of condos available for rent.

 

[Dtail]

I would recommend renting a place for a couple of months this winter and see if you like it. There’s lots of condos available for rent.

Renting for a few months in the summer is probably a better test, unless one is already used to the heat.

 

[Jerry1]

My ex-boss and a group of retirees from our company have retired down there and snowbird down there. The high level executives tended to end up in Naples. Those in PSL seem to like it. There are definitely complaints about how crowded it is in the winter (snowbird season). The ones that bought down there tend to have money and ended up on Hutchins Island. If I were going to buy down there, I’d take the advice of others and rent down there. I’d rent for a year if possible. Both seasons are markedly different. That will also give you time to understand the issues that the area has. Not sure how to evaluate crime. Generally, crime can happen anywhere to any one. In my couple trips down there, no one mentioned crime or being careful or staying out of any particular area. Of course that doesn’t constitute research.

 

[tonytenmile]

Thank you for all the replies. We are moving to Florida … just trying to determine where.

 

[Samething]

Tampa Bay area. More specifically Pinellas county.
Go Bucs!!

 

[Sunset]

Crime is an interesting thing, recently close to us, meaning within 2 miles, there has been a dramatic change in crime.

Some car jackings, and gang shootouts, and just regular drive by shootings.

Last year there was none of it.

So thinking of moving to FL, now has me wonder how does a person feel comfortable in the stability of an area crime wise

 

[Amethyst]

OK, I'll jump in - although not specifically PSL.

It depends on who you talk to (on to whom you talk? )

Chatting with a local gun shop owner at the gym, I learned he was seeing an uptick in gun sales and requests for private shooting lessons, due to recent home invasions near our house.

This man, who claimed to be retired NYPD, was specific about what "demographic" were doing the home invasions, and where they were from. And yes, they were Coming Up From Down South, and not very far down south at that.

Nobody in our neighborhood ever mentioned this.

Not sure how to evaluate crime. Generally, crime can happen anywhere to any one. In my couple trips down there, no one mentioned crime or being careful or staying out of any particular area. Of course that doesn’t constitute research.

 

[Koolau]

OK, I'll jump in - although not specifically PSL.

It depends on who you talk to (on to whom you talk? )

Chatting with a local gun shop owner at the gym, I learned he was seeing an uptick in gun sales and requests for private shooting lessons, due to recent home invasions near our house.

This man, who claimed to be retired NYPD, was specific about what "demographic" were doing the home invasions, and where they were from. And yes, they were Coming Up From Down South, and not very far down south at that.

Nobody in our neighborhood ever mentioned this.

My old home town has had dramatic increases in crime. Much of it associated with larger cities on either side "sending" their criminals for the ripe pickings. Property crimes with incidental violent crime are the bulk of the increase. YMMV

 

[38Chevy454]

Rhetorical question: is there anywhere in the US where crime has not increased recently? Seems crime is up everywhere, not just south FL.

 

[Amethyst]

The valid answer would involve lots of statistics. Everything else is anecdotal and subjective. If I am a crime victim (and I have been, unfortunately), I am going to feel as if crime and criminals are everywhere.

I have read that 2020 was a terrible year for violent crime, after an actual year-over-year decrease for the past 25-30 years.

Other than that: Any time the population increases, there is bound to be more crime, even if the %age of criminal actors remains the same. But you'd also expect there to be more good deeds and nice things happening, since there are more good people, too.

Rhetorical question: is there anywhere in the US where crime has not increased recently? Seems crime is up everywhere, not just south FL.