4 July 2021 update:

We went under contract yesterday. We expect to close in 30 days, but won’t be moving until August 2022.

We got something in Silverleaf!!!

When we do, we’ll be looking to make new friends quickly, especially for our boy who will be age 7 and going into second grade.

Hopefully there are people in the area that have relevant interests.

My wife is into triathlon fitness, swimming, biking and running. She also likes reading a lot, doing puzzles and helping our son with schoolwork.

I’ll be 49 at time of arrival. I like lifting weights, running, computers, shooting, helping our son with homework and sports and want to get into deer and pig hunting in the area.

My wife and I both want to get into kayaking, golfing and tennis.

Anyone else in the greater Silverleaf/Shearwater/World Golf Village/etc areas?

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21 Feb 2021 update:

We're coming out to vacation during the first full week of April. I'm looking for good information on master community neighborhoods to shop for a new house while we're there.

Thus far I've researched and like (in order of preference):

Shearwater
Silverleaf
Beacon Lake
Gran Lake

Thanks for all that have helped so far!

See update at bottom of thread please.

Please see update on June 30 2021 below!

St. Augustine is the shit. We LOVE going up there!!!!!

Look at fernandina beach. Nice beach has a fort that's pretty cool and there is spots for a rv for camping a pier. It's more laid back but still within driving distance to jax or St. Augustine.

We booked a Vrbo for St Augustine.

We plan to do some house hunting for a possible move from WA. Amelia Island would make that a long drive to look at real estate.

The St Auggie beach area is much nice than the Jax beach area. (IMHO)

I'd try a rental oceanfront condo (or home) in Cresent Beach area (right S of St Auggie beach).

SR 206 takes you to the St Johns river area.

Good call. St. Augustine has always seemed a little more family friendly than Jax Beach, IMO. Good luck on the house search!

Thanks. I really like the master communities being built in St Johns County. Any arfcommers live in Shearwater, Silverleaf or one of the other ones?

Looks like St Johns is building out like crazy.

My brother lives in Shearwater and I live at international golf in Markland. Both of the neighborhoods are great and very family friendly. SilverLeaf looks like a really nice development but it’s going to be huge. I would also check out nocatee if you’re looking in St. John’s

@white_dc — thank you

Is he an arfcommer? Would he be willing to discuss the area via text message?

I had been looking at Nocatee, but that looks to be really high priced. Shearwater looks a little less pricey.

Thanks

You guys are pretty close to me. I am off SR16 near the outlets, across from Winward Ranch. You may want to look into Grand Lakes near here as well. It is just opening.

@Gatorade96 Thanks. Shearwater amenities look better, but we will check it out.

My short list of master communities to check out are:

Shearwater
Silver leaf
Beacon Lake
Gran Lakes

Any others to consider?

Preferred budget would be $450k-$500k, but might flex up to $600k.

There really isn't a whole lot to do in Jax beach as a family. The water won't be that hospitable for Spring Break so you have walking the beach, checking out the few shops around the pier (closed for repairs still, I believe), and restaurants. Of course you can always drive north to the zoo and catch a few other things in town.

I'd probably go with St. Augustine. Lots of shops downtown (St George St). You can take a trolly to explore and learn about the area. Alligator Farm is nearby. If you want to hit the beach, Anastasia Island. Family might like the lighthouse. I've never done it and it might be down for the covid but Flagler College is supposed to be very impressive as tours go. Go shooting at Saltwaters. Do a deep sea charter (we did one years ago out of Vilano Beach).

I think you can find a good bit to do. Visit O'Steens Restaurant (take cash).

Updated original post.

My wife and I are ready to relocate to Palencia but I’m having trouble finding a job down there.   As soon as I do we’re moving.

Another Master Community that is just opening on SR16 Grand Oaks. Also Beachwalk. It is across from Beacon Lake.

Silver Leaf is HUGE! Going to be over 10,000 housing units and mixed use areas. Lots of builders.

Sheerwater is 2,600 homes

Grand Oaks is around 1,000 units.

Nocatee, has 12,000 planned homes.  

Markland is smaller at 355 single home sites.

Palencia is 1,581 but has more acres and less homes.

Trail mark.

Rivertown.

Bannon Lakes.

Bonus is you will be able to hit the brand new Buc-ees!

When are you coming down?

I have a home on Amelia Island and it’s really great.  Business my have me relocate to SWFL but will keep my house in the island because it’s less than a mile from the Ritz, no HOA, lot is 2/3 of a flat acre.  

However that aside the island is quiet and beautiful and FB High school is quite good if you have kids.   It’s about 45-50 min ride from SJ because we hit the mall their on occasion.  The other great thing is you can drive in the beaches and park with all your gear.  

Good luck with your search.

@Gatorade96 in exactly 1 month, staying in St Augustine Beach Apr 3-11.

Those places have no land half a mil can get a great house with acreage in St. John’s county.

You gotta commute to Jax or summat?

OST.
I might be relocating to the area in a couple years time, depending on work.
We've already zeroed in on the St. Johns area due to the school district even though my commute would be 50 miles one way.

You’d be surprised how many people live in palm coast and commute to Jax. All the new zero lot line communities are built right next to 95, which moves a lot of traffic.

@RINO_Hunter - no both my wife and I are remote-enabled workers.

I'm not so worried about land. I want to reside in an area with good schools for my son and great amenities. The master communities that are being built are pretty attractive to our lifestyle. The idea of working from home, then kicking out poolside or playing some tennis for lunch break is appealing. That is why I like the looks of Silverleaf and Shearwater.

In the longer term, we'd look to acquire a beach property that we can rent out short term.

Our extended family has 1,000 acres in southern South Carolina, so I am not too worried about buying a large swath of land in Florida.

That gives me anxiety

This is true.

PVB down to St. Aug is pretty nice.

Why would anyone do that?

I ruled out St. Aug because I didn't want even that long of a commute. Driving from Palm Coast to Jax and back daily is an exercise in insanity.

Nocatee should have something in your price range.

I'd seriously consider looking in Vilano Beach. You can pay a relatively low monthly fee for access to the amenities at Seranata. It would probably be cheaper than your CDD and HOA fees at any of the master-planned communities, you would have access to the intracoastal and beach, publix nearby, etc. It's a fantastic spot.

Are there lots of kids in Vilano Beach? I want my kindergartener son to be in the same school system for grades 1 or 2 thru 12 (depending on when we would move).

Part of the appeal of the master communities is that I know there will be lots of kids.

Also, long term plan would be to buy a coastal property come next real estate downturn.

My wife and I are building on Vilano Beach. We have done a whole lot of reconnaissance and I have to say: there aren't a whole ton of younglings running around. Lots of of seniors and mid lifers lol.

We've got 5 kids under 10, so I plan on letting them start their own street gang to terrorize the HOA nazis and TP houses when they get older!

That’s my dilemma. We are older parents. My wife is 42 and I will be 48 in exactly 3 months. So, I am looking for something that we can have a boy grow into a man in as well as potentially be our retirement home.

I figure the master communities are the best bet. I can be a 60 year old and lounge by the pool all day or play tennis or pickle ball. We are targeting retiring from having to work inside of 10 years.

I've only been down here for 7 months now but I am in the Residential Construction Industry in Duvall/ St Johns so if I can be of any additional help send me a message.

what does Serenata cost per year? I heard it was pretty damn expensive but I've never seen a number. When you google it you need to contact them, which I really don't want to do because then they will pester me.

It’s a white people thing.

We fly in Saturday evening to Daytona Beach and will be staying at St Augustine Beach for a week.

I plan on checking out many of the master communities in NW St Johns County.

Problem is, wife insists she isn't moving (from WA to FL).

So, what I need help with is selling her on Florida.

Any pointers? She's active, likes doing running relays, triathlons, etc.

I've tried to sell the appeal of the amenities of the master communities to her...pictures won't convince her. Maybe seeing them?

Food. She's gluten/dairy/egg intolerant and thinks Portland area is the only area that can provide her with the food she likes to eat. I told her there is wide availability of seafood and keto/paleo options in the NE FL area. Any input?

Thanks !

All I can say look at long range weather forecast, cold front coming in

Enjoy your stay

It warms as the week progresses, forecast looks awesome!

Year round outdoor conditions, many elite level athletes come here exactly for that. Expect her times to drop due to flatter terrain and sea level elevation. She can easily add ocean swims and beach runs. Lots of GF, Vegan options in most restaurants in those communities. Gulf shrimp, Atlantic Spiny Lobster, Snapper, Dolphin, I could go on and on. Cuban coffee, Starbucks all over as well as local options. Larger Master communities have lots of the original electric vehicles (golf carts). Weekend trips to Hilton Head, Charleston, Savannah. Lots to do in other areas of Florida as well. The Nations Oldest City has tons of cool historical spots. Did I mention year round athletics?

Oh, Buck-ees just opened.

Why would anyone even want to live in a “Master Community”? I’ve never even heard that term before.

The PNW is amazing. Scenery. Hiking. 5 hours from HI. Quick trips up to AK and Vancouver.

I can’t believe this is a serious thread lol. You wanna live surrounded by HOA nazis where it’s 80° with 100% humidity and a dew point of 77° at night?

My buddy moved here from Idaho, got heat exhaustion, and went back in <9 months.

I hope your wife reads this. She needs to see she ain’t the crazy one!

Yeah I mean... Why would anyone want to leave a state that literally has Nazis running them?? HOA Nazis? Don't live in an HOA!

Oregon and Washington are long past the shit heap status with their ultra progressive governments. Were we not paying attention this past summer??

Ok, so we know FL is not for you, good thing there are 49 other states for you to choose from. Does it get hot here? It’s called the SUNSHINE STATE fora reason! I personally prefer warm humid weather over cold dry conditions. I can hop in the pool, or the beach or go inside my air conditioned house if I want to escape the heat. People in Texas freezing inside their house? Nah not for me. Sorry your buddy couldn’t cut it while literally millions of school aged children play happily inside and out almost year round. My 8 year old plays outside almost daily.

HOAs also aren’t for everyone but anyone living down the street from a nightmare house would probably love a HOA. Also the communities with HOAs here tend to have well kept houses, and loads of amenities like pools that resemble water parks, well maintained recreation facilities and a clean, safe neighborhood.

Just be happy you are in the PNW if it works for you.

Before I even begin to dive into this - do you have a birth certificate issued by the State of FL?

Wife liked Silverleaf.

She might be thawing.

I cooled a little to the idea because of prices, but we could still afford it.

Still going to take some work. Wife really doesn’t want to leave the PacNW, but I can’t figure out why.

1) They are geared towards families and the ones in SJC, FL are being built amongst great schools. They have an appeal to those raising kids. Some of the amenity centers are pretty alluring from the point of view of being social focal points for the community. I also like that there will be lots of kids my son's age for him to become friends with.

2) Sure, the PacNW is naturally stunning, but one gets to spend maybe 1%-5% of their life amongst the scenery. The other 95%-99% you have to spend where you live. The governors out here are completely insane. They continue to roll back places because of COVID-19 "cases". The fabric of the community is dissolving because of the small businesses going out of business. There are also extreme restrictions on what you can do as many places are closed. Kids have to wear face diapers to school. Everyone is supposed to wear face diapers outside, my son even has to wear one for his T-ball practices and games or else the teams aren't allowed to play. Hawaii sucks compared to the Yucatan peninsula and the offerings in the Caribbean. I also like SJC, FL because of how red it is. We live in a purplish county in SW WA right now. It's trending more blue. The entire state of WA (and OR) are becoming more blue. It is not a good trend. The city of Portland has completely collapsed and is not somewhere one would want to visit anymore. Seattle is there also, or close. The colleges/universities (Pac-12 and others here) are becoming nothing more than progressive indoctrination centers. I don't want my son to go to a higher ed place out here.

3) I grew up in GA. I know the summers suck, but that is what the beach and pools are for, not to mention air conditioning. How about October-May in Florida? The PacNW in winter is dreary. With the COVID-19 closures (which will continue as long as shit-stains like Inslee and Brown are governors), there's almost nothing to do during the cold, rainy, gray/cloudy time from Nov-Feb/Mar that is outdoors.

Want to go skiing? Sorry, we're already booked because we're allowed 25% capacity because of COVID-19.
If you do get a slot for skiing, wear a face diaper because of COVID-19.
Want to go relax by the fire at the lodge in the middle of a day of skiing? Sorry, closed because of COVID-19.
Want to eat a meal at a restaurant in the middle of a day of skiing? Sorry, take out only, eat it in the 20F outdoors, because of COVID-19.

Summer (2020) wasn't much better. Brown and Inslee are already rolling things back to a closed state as summer 2021 approaches.
Want to enjoy a meal at a restaurant? Sorry, reduced capacity, long waits because of COVID-19. If not closed altogether, because of COVID-19.
Want to rent a cabin or yurt at a state park? Sorry, not available because of COVID-19.
Want to go camping at a state park? Sorry, closed because of COVID-19.
Want to go swimming at a public pool or even your own HOA pool that you pay for? Sorry, can't because of COVID-19.
Want to go enjoy a park or school playground? Closed, because of COVID-19.
The list goes on and on.

4) I'm sure it takes a bit of time to acclimate.

5) That is why we took the trip in April. She didn't believe me that things were different in FL, nor the appeal of the master communities with their amenity centers. Post-trip, she has changed her view.

Good stuff man!

@byuind thanks! Where at Villano Beach are you building?

about a mile north of The Reef Restaurant on the Marsh side of A1A

We keep getting our asses handed to us on delays though... they haven't even broken ground yet and they were supposed to start in January. Something to do with county permitting delays or whatever. The builder just needs to man up and build it lol

St Johns County is notorious for being a huge pain in the ass as far as permitting goes.

You can't swing a dead cat in St Johns without hitting a building project right now.

I've heard horror stories from guys at work about the building department here and I've experienced them personally. They are masters of "Oh, we don't do that here, go talk to so and so in the next building over."

Have you seen your Clearance Sheet Application the county requires? I have mine in front of me. It's twenty pages.

I'm not saying your contractor is or isn't screwing you around, just that there are a lot of hoops to jump through before you can build here.

Small builders are probably having a tough time because the big developers probably have someone on staff dedicated to pushing papers in front of inspectors. I have heard the builders sold three years worth of projects last year alone. So the offices are backed up like crazy.

I was actually able to take t nice lady at the county yesterday in the land development dept. She was able to provide a whole lot more clarity. I guess the issue is twofold: the first is that the developer (not the builder) is the issue and they have submitted several small corrections to the plat to increase the size of a couple of the lots. This is apparently a big deal!

Second: all changes that they submit also have to go through an "overlay committee" which is basically fancy terms for some big ass HOA types who need to approve shit like landscaping and stuff, because it's off A1A.


So basically still waiting

We think we've found a house and might pull the trigger on an offer this weekend.

I have a question for those living in St Johns County right now:

The people you see moving to St Johns County, are they mostly red or blue? I want to make sure that if we move there, it isn't to a county that is being subject to lots of blue migration. Instead, I'm hoping for a good amount of red to keep St Johns County red for a long time.

Thanks!

If Little League baseball in Julington Creek is any indication I would say that on my son's team of 12 players, 6 were from out of state and moved in the last 2 years. All 6 were "republican" judging by our conversations over the season, and 4 were very much conservative like I would consider myself conservative.

I met lots of people during the season from all over the country and with the exception of one guy from Denver CO and one guy from Seattle none of them struck me as anything but conservative.

Now youth baseball does tend to lean conservative (whatever that means.) My kids don't play soccer which is probably where you would need to go to find a the minivan mafia.

I will also say that we hang out at the community pool almost every weekend and meet a ton of people form out of state like us. They get a few beers in them and start talking, and overwhelmingly they say they love Ron Desantis.

So Ron could be very right when he says the majority of people moving to Florida are registering Republican.

Hell, last week I met a couple from Los Angeles county who if you looked at them and stereotyped the way they dressed and the way they talked I would have said "watch out, Liberal invasion!" Then the dude pulls out a 1776 hat and puts it on....


So idk the truth but my experience is that people are fleeing to North Florida because it's free and they may understand that finally

With the exception of Jax, entire area is red, however some purple may happen with all the new transplants in 2021.
2020 map