Moving To JAX?

[Viper]

There isn't much difference between the locals beaches except Jax Beach has more local entertainment than the others as well as having the pier but you deal with a much larger crowd there than the others.

[afh]

what are the good beaches in Jax (similar to Hamptons NY and Monterey CA)? just want to get an idea...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have beaches in St Johns County and Nassau County as well, but some of those are exclusive to the multi-millionaires that live there. If you want to go to clubs, bars and nice trendy restaurants and clothing shops, Jax Bch is your spot. There are some very good, upscale, independently owned restuarants at the beaches in the county to the north and south of Duval County and more keep opening every time you turn around. If you want to buy one of the many mid-rise condos that are being built at the beaches, Jax Bch is your spot. If you want multi-million dollars homes, you can go up one county or down one county. There exclusive commuities with homes right on the beach. The only way you're getting on one of those beaches is if you lived in one of those homes.

Jax Bch nightlife was very popular during the Super Bowl. P-Diddy and Donald Trump rented some of the homes on the beach in St. John's County. That should give you an idea. Jax Bch traffic is a pain in the ass. Myself and people I know love to party at Jax Bch, but if you live on the other side of the river, it can be a drive. If you're a single guy, you're going to be in for a treat as far as women are concerned. They're beautiful and not just at the beaches. All over the metro. Best looking women I've seen since living in Miami.

[jax]

what are the good beaches in Jax (similar to Hamptons NY and Monterey CA)? just want to get an idea...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ha ha ha.

i grew up in the hamptons

jax beaches are nice - but have a very different feel. parking is free! but- a bit hard to find. it can be done though. not as many european women who still think its ok to go topless here though. can you imagine the conservative freakout that would cause here?

totally different feel, but ... its still sand and water you know? plus the water is actually warm.

if you want a beach where you want to 'see and be seen' and do all that other hamptons bs, i don't have an answer for you. actually i do, drive down to palm beach, fl.

[frag24]

thanks!

question to those Oakleaf Plantation residents, Do you have to pay a separate bill for the waste collection or is it part of the monthly fee being assess on the community?

[frag24]

Anybody there?

-do you think its advisable to have your home inspected "newly built"?

-do you happen to know anyone who has a good reputation (home inspector)?

thanks

[scongro]

^^^

I didn't - my logic was that home inspectors are there to inspect for code things, like electrical, plumbing, etc. They really don't care that Centex Homes has no clue how to cut a proper mitre joint, or to hang drywall.

[frag24]

http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming....thAtlantic.html

check this out.

have you heard of any flooding in the are highlighted?

the site shows those are that are below sea level.

[daniboi81]

I am looking at possibly moving to Jacksonville or Atlanta in the next year or two. There are a few questions I had about Jacksonville and possibly differences between Jax and Atlanta.

I live in Grand Rapids, MI and I know that there are many job opportunities down in the south...plus I'm getting tired of the cold winters we have up here.

-What/Where can I get a decent townhome for around 900 - 1200 per month? What's the overall cost of living like?

-How often do hurricanes hit the Jax area head on?

-How gay friendly is the area? What are the best neighborhoods/suburbs to live in?

Would anyone recommend Jax over Atlanta?

-What are some good sites to see if visiting Jax?

If anyone recommends Jax over Atlanta or vice versa, could you tell me why?

Thanks much

[bobliocatt]

-What/Where can I get a decent townhome for around 900 - 1200 per month? What's the overall cost of living like?

Basically, just about any place in town, outside of the Beaches. While home prices and rent are currently rising, Jax is still pretty cheap, compared to similar sized metros.

-How often do hurricanes hit the Jax area head on?

About as often as they hit Boston. Jacksonville is the westernmost metro on the Atlantic seaboard and hurricanes normally miss its funky location. I believe the last storm to come through Jax was back in the 1960's.

-How gay friendly is the area? What are the best neighborhoods/suburbs to live in?

Since, I'm hetrosexual, I can't say for sure, but I would assume its just as friendly as any other typical metro of 1.2 million residents. I would also assume that the best neighborhoods for gays are Riverside, Springfield, Murray Hill and the beaches. I'm sure some other Jax residents can give you more, in depth info.

Would anyone recommend Jax over Atlanta?

I would, but ultimately it depends on what type of living environment you seek.

-What are some good sites to see if visiting Jax?

Five Points, San Marco, Kingsley Plantation, Hanna Park, Riverside/Avondale, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach Town Center are must see spots. St. Augustine, World Golf Village and Fernandina Beach are also places, just outside the city, worth checking out.

If anyone recommends Jax over Atlanta or vice versa, could you tell me why?

I would recommend Jax over Atlanta for several reasons.

1. The cost of living is significantly cheaper

2. Depending on the profession, you'll make a higher than average wage in Jax.

3. Jax is one of the few Oceanfront cities that have a major river running through town.

4. Its a skip and a hop away from popular tourist towns like St. Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, Orlando, Daytona Beach and Tampa.

5. Despite the difference in size, the core of Jacksonville is more urban than the core of Atlanta, outside of the downtowns.

6. Traffic is much more managable.

7. Jacksonville has more parkspace and riverwalks.

As I said earlier, ultimately it depends on what means the most to you. Metro Atlanta is about 3 times larger and has a much larger airport, more shopping options, a and a subway line. I chose Jacksonville over Atlanta, two years ago, because I love waterfront cities, the city has some amazing older urban neighborhoods, in the architectural field, you make more money in Jax, than you would in Atlanta and I'm not to far from my family in Central Florida.

[Captain Obvious]

I don't think I have anything different to say from Lakelander. But let me echo and support his comments ...

-What/Where can I get a decent townhome for around 900 - 1200 per month? What's the overall cost of living like?

You can live almost anywhere in town for 900-1200. There are even some decent sized apartments downtown for that price range.

-How often do hurricanes hit the Jax area head on?

Almost never. Hurricane Dora in 1964. We don't get hurricanes here, while South Florida and the Carolinas get hammered all the time.

-How gay friendly is the area? What are the best neighborhoods/suburbs to live in?

A gay travel magazine actually just named Jax as a gay-friendly "small city" destination. I hear there are lots of lesbians here. I know that sounds like a strange thing to say ... but you just randomly hear people mention that we have a high per capita lesbian population. Go figure...

[daniboi81]

Thanks for the information...a couple more questions I had thought about though...

-What is the crime rate like? Where are the most/least crime strucken neighborhoods?

-Can you give me any further links to townhome parks? or even single-family housing?

Thanks a bunch

[daniboi81]

What about alligators/snakes/spiders? How much of pests are they in the city and suburbs and whats the best way to control them?...I'm not a big snake fan at all.

[Captain Obvious]

Spiders eat mosquitos!! Learn to love spiders, seriously. If we have a spider web blocking a pathway, we gently move the spider somewhere else.

You'll only see a gator if you live on a creek, lake, or large retention pond. My parents have a 4 footer in the backyard right now, but like most gators, it swims away if it hears people. Unless a gator is a big 10+ footer, or clearly not scared of people, you shouldn't ever worry.

Most snakes around here are non-poisonous. They eat rats, so like the spiders, they are also your friends. The common poisonous snakes are Rattlesnakes and Cottonmouths (water moccasins) ... and they are pretty easy to tell apart from the non-venomous snakes.

[afh]

-How often do hurricanes hit the Jax area head on?

Thanks much 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jax doesn't get hit head but the area, just like the rest of Florida gets threatened alot.

[wolfdawg54]

If you want to live at the beaches, expect to board up from time to time. I live on the beach and put up the plywood four times last year.

[daniboi81]

If anything, I plan to live west of St. Johns river...for that reason primarily. Does anybody know any good websites where I can get further information about real estate in Jax and other information useful to relocating there?

Thanx.

[Captain Obvious]

^ It doesn't exactly work that way, though. While being at the beach is a worse hurricane risk, living 15 miles inland on the Westside offers no more meaningful advantage than living 10 miles inland on the Southside.

One of the biggest risks associated with storms is flooding (as we are recently reminded). Certain areas in any part of town might be in a worse floodzone than areas in any other part of town

Generally it depends on how far away from the river system you live (thus, the ground is higher). The interior of the Westside and Southside tend to be the least flood-prone. However, certain areas of the Westside are just as prone to flooding as certain areas of the Beaches ...

[frag24]

daniboi81-

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/paststate.html

http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming....thAtlantic.html

check out these sites. hope it helps.

[daniboi81]

Those links help...thank you.

I just want to know also...what are the areas of Jax that are more crime prone than others?

Thanks again

[frag24]

Those links help...thank you.

I just want to know also...what are the areas of Jax that are more crime prone than others?

Thanks again

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/

i go to this site for news. hope it helps.

[tiger23]

Best place to find a roomate in Jacksonville?

is it Craigslist?

I might be moving out there in Feb/March 2006

[deejayQ]

Captain Obvious is absolutely correct:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

^ It doesn't exactly work that way, though. While being at the beach is a worse hurricane risk, living 15 miles inland on the Westside offers no more meaningful advantage than living 10 miles inland on the Southside.

One of the biggest risks associated with storms is flooding (as we are recently reminded). Certain areas in any part of town might be in a worse floodzone than areas in any other part of town

Generally it depends on how far away from the river system you live (thus, the ground is higher). The interior of the Westside and Southside tend to be the least flood-prone. However, certain areas of the Westside are just as prone to flooding as certain areas of the Beaches ...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To illustrate that, take a look at some maps provided by the City of Jacksonville. Bear with me, it's a little complicated...

Go to: http://maps.coj.net/jaxgis/

Click on "Duval Maps" on the curved graphic just below the header. This will call up a new window (that takes a while to load--broadband really helps!).

Once the map of Duval County/Jacksonville loads, look in the lower right hand corner of the window for a box labeled "Visible-Active-Layers-Legend." On the list below it, find "Flood Zones." Click the square box beside it under "Visible" then at the bottom of that box click on "Refresh Map." As you do that, take note of all the blue squiggly lines-- the river and creek system Captain Obvious referred to. As the new map loads, note which ones become thicker with bordering lines, indicating greater or lesser threat of flooding along those waterways. You can zoom in on the map by drawing a box, then you can pan that box around and stuff. Pretty typical navigation. Click on the "Legend" link to get an idea what colors mean, or click back on the "Layers" link and double click on "Flood Zones" to open still another window explaining those colors. While you're there, this map will also show you other things; just scroll up and down the other choices where you found "Flood Zones."

The city's official web site has a ton of really great info. You just have to be patient 'casue the navigation to various pages isn't always intuitive and some pages download slower than others.

Click here: http://www.coj.net/default.htm

Sorry this was long, but I hoped to be informative.

-deejayQ

[frag24]

deejayQ-

that's cool, confusing though. did you see anything for Clay County?

[Rock2uf]

Hello all,

I'm considering directing my job search toward the Jax area, but I don't want a lengthy commute. Many people have told me that Riverside/Avondale is a fantastic area (though expensive). Is there any decently affordable housing in this area of town? I will need at least a small back yard for my dog. How are the elem. schools? Middle/High Schools?

Are there other areas of Jax worth checking out?

Pictures would be awesome.

Thanks in advance.

[bobliocatt]

Riverside/Avondale is Jacksonville's most well maintained historic urban neighborhood. Here's some pics to give you a better feel for the area. Its a large district and loaded with multi-family and single family residences at various rental and market rates, so if you're really interested in the area, you should be able to find something.

The area is just South of I-95, on the west side of the river, about a mile south of downtown. Riverside's largest commercial district, Five Points, is the most popular bohemian spot in Jax.

I'd also recommend San Marco, Springfield and Murray Hill.

San Marco

Originally known as the city of South Jacksonville (annexed by Jax in the 1930's), San Marco was laid out in 1925. Architectural styles here, include Tudor, Georgian, Colonial Revival & Mediterranean Revival, although the pics don't fully represent them. This neighborhood is about a mile south of downtown, on the east side of the river

San Marco Square

Springfield

Located immediately north of downtown, platted in 1868 and once known as one of the roughest spots in town, this neighborhood is in the flown blown process of gentrification. Primary architectural styles include Bungalow, Prairie, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival.

Murray Hill

Like San Marco, this neighborhood was once an incorporated suburb of Jacksonville. Today its a decent working class hood dominated with brick bungalows and a popular spot for young couples looking to get decent historic houses for much cheaper prices than in neighboring Avondale. Its located about 5 miles SW of downtown, along I-10 & the Roosevelt Expressway.