I recently found out that my husband is being transferred to Jacksonville FL. I have lived in Chicago my whole life so this will be a change. My one concern is since I’m not familiar with the area I would hate to move there and be in a horrible school district/neighborhood. We are actually considering renting for awhile to familiarize ourselves with the area before we buy again. I have been in the same home for 16+ years and am dreading moving. The thought of moving again after a year in Jacksonville does not sound thrilling.
I currently have a son 9, daughter 7, and one due next month. I’m a little nervous about the neighborhood too because my son will be traveling Mon-Thurs. He’s never had to travel for work before. Besides, I have to quit my part time job and find another school attend. Yes, after many years I’m back in school too. Ughh!!! Thank god I have a wonderful husband and father to my children. He is definitely worth it.
Yes! If you can, try to find something in St. Johns County- its just south of Jacksonville and the northern part is really nice-easy commute to Jacksonville. ST Johns County has the best schools in the state. Feel free to ask me anything!
I live in Jacksonville and Katie is correct St Johns County does have the best school system. Depending on where your husband works it could be a long commute. There are some good schools in Duval County too. My mom does real estate. She would love to help you find somewhere to live. PM me if you want her contact information. She's done real estate in Duval and St Johns county for close to 25 years.
I lived there for my last few years of high school and ten years after that. It has changed a lot since I left, but the previous responses are good. St. Johns County, east of the river, is good.
There are pockets of good stuff around, but Mandarin or on into St. Johns County is where I would probably concentrate my search, if we were to move back.
My SIL recently returned there from California. She commutes to one of the hospitals downtown and her husband is at the hospital furthest south--almost in St Johns County. They live in the mandarin area.
I will tell you this, though. You can pretty much do away with most of your cold weather gear. LOL It is a rarity to get much actual winter. And for us down here, "winter" means a few weeks when it drops NEAR freezing overnight, and the daytime highs still hover in the 50s or higher.
I remember the last snow in Jacksonville... it was in 1988 or '89 a few days before Christmas. And it barely stuck on the ground for a day, and then was gone. The city closed all but one bridge because of it.
LOL
L.:
I do not, however, my cousin does. She moved there from here in DC. Before DC she was in Montana.
She has an 11 year old daughter. Send me a PM and I will get you two hooked up.
I live in Orange Park which is a town just south of JAX. Jax itself has good/bad areas. We were told before we moved here to stay out of Duval county because the schools, property tax and utilities were bad. We live in Clay county and have been here for 2 1/2 yrs. There are other towns within clay county too that are nice. My hubby works on base in Jax and isn't not a bad drive. We are still 30 mins to the zoo, Everbank field ( monster Jam and football happen there) and 30 mins or less to different beaches.
St Johns area is nice but a very long drive depending where you are going to in Jax.
Please feel free to PM me on here if you'd like more info on any area to live.
S.
