Jensen Beach FL area

Hey what do y’all think about the Jensen Beach area to live/work? My son has a job opportunity at a restaurant there.

I’ve been to Stuart (love that area) and FT Pierce but not in between. Seems like there are some cheap housing options— saw an older remodeled mobile home in some kind of park for $49k. It had $500 in HOA dues however. That seemed high. I also saw a lot in a mobile home/Trailer community for sale with a big 39’ new travel trailer for like $70,000. The HOA fees were like $200 there. It was out on the barrier island with access to the intercoastal and the Atlantic beach.

IMO. Lots of draw. Lots of both inland and offshore water options. Not horribly affected by urban sprawl. Not close to an international airport though.

I am old school. Let him figure it out.

Also, whenever there are storms (wind, tornado, named storms, etc) in FL, it seems mobile homes receive most of the damage. I would not want one of my loved ones living in one. YMMV.

diver dave said:

IMO. Lots of draw. Lots of both inland and offshore water options. Not horribly affected by urban sprawl. Not close to an international airport though.

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Cool. Thanks.

Donsan said:

I am old school. Let him figure it out.

Also, whenever there are storms (wind, tornado, named storms, etc) in FL, it seems mobile homes receive most of the damage. I would not want one of my loved ones living in one. YMMV.

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Yeah I hear you on the old mobile homes. Def would have to evac and not try to ride anything out.

There are "cheap" housing options in every city or town. The question is, would you feel safe there, especially at night? The answer rules out a lot of those cheap housing options.

He might be better off staying in a residence hotel or motel for a few weeks or months to get a feel for the area and where he wants (and can afford) to live. And of course, does he like the job or want to move back.

As for the HOA fees, you don't say if that's for a month or for a year, but what matters is what you get for those fees. Pool, club house, golf course, all exterior maintenance including lawn mowing and landscaping? The other thing that matters of course is, does he care about those things.

Donsan said:

I am old school. Let him figure it out.

Also, whenever there are storms (wind, tornado, named storms, etc) in FL, it seems mobile homes receive most of the damage. I would not want one of my loved ones living in one. YMMV.

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Yeah I hear you on the old mobile homes. Def would have to evac and not try to ride anything out.

aboatman said:

There are "cheap" housing options in every city or town. The question is, would you feel safe there, especially at night? The answer rules out a lot of those cheap housing options.



He might be better off staying in a residence hotel or motel for a few weeks or months to get a feel for the area and where he wants (and can afford) to live. And of course, does he like the job or want to move back.



As for the HOA fees, you don't say if that's for a month or for a year, but what matters is what you get for those fees. Pool, club house, golf course, all exterior maintenance including lawn mowing and landscaping? The other thing that matters of course is, does he care about those things.

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Those HOA fees were monthly.

Great idea on staying at a res hotel until he gets a good handle on the area, crime, etc.

aboatman said:

There are "cheap" housing options in every city or town. The question is, would you feel safe there, especially at night? The answer rules out a lot of those cheap housing options.

He might be better off staying in a residence hotel or motel for a few weeks or months to get a feel for the area and where he wants (and can afford) to live. And of course, does he like the job or want to move back.

As for the HOA fees, you don't say if that's for a month or for a year, but what matters is what you get for those fees. Pool, club house, golf course, all exterior maintenance including lawn mowing and landscaping? The other thing that matters of course is, does he care about those things.

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I have a friend that lives in Port St Lucie in a manufactured home, retirement community that is dirt cheap, safe as any place, has all the amenities you could want and would blow your socks off compared to many places up north.

explains the PSL growth:

1970 330 —
1980 14,690 4,351.5%
1990 55,866 280.3%
2000 88,769 58.9%
2010 164,603 85.4%
Est. 2016 185,132 [4] 12.5%

psneeld said:

I have a friend that lives in Port St Lucie in a manufactured home, retirement community that is dirt cheap, safe as any place, has all the amenities you could want and would blow your socks off compared to many places up north.

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The OP was considering mobile homes/trailers. While they are manufactured housing, they aren't what is usually inferred by the term manufactured housing. You might want to ask your friend what standards his house was built to for withstanding winds. To be honest I have no idea but I would be surprised if any manufactured home built prior to 2005 could withstand anything much over 75MPH of continuous winds.

His community is hald and half....many older ( over 25 years old) true mobile homes, being replaced wirh whatever still meets the zoning code for that land use, but you can clearly see the differences just in appearance.

He has an older unit that survived all the storms with no more significant damage than surrounding stick built homes.

I am sure it was missed by all the super straight line winds microbursts and tornados.... but a lot of structures dont survive them well either.

And my point that a cheap housing option is just that, but more have survived for decades in Florida than have been destroyed. As to safety, no I wouldnt stay in one. But fir 24 hrs every once and awhile, inexpensive has its price, like living on a boat and unable to stay out of a storm path.

Venture Out is a predominately "manufactured home" community in Cudjoe Key, FL. It took a direct eye hit this year by a cat 5. Our family stays there every year in one of the "trailer homes', it even still has its wheels on. With a direct ocean view and dock. I thought that the entire area would be disintegrated by the storm, basically sheet metal everywhere. Yes, there was junk everywhere, but almost none were flattened and blown out to sea. I was very surprised.

Look at these

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...0&city=&rid=104&pbsint=&boatsAddedSelected=-1

Hate to say it, but he’s not meticulous enough to take care of a boat. And I don’t want to take care of another boat that has to sit in the water 24-7.

I don't think a boat is a good choice for a home unless you want to have (and use) a boat also. Maintenance is high and so is depreciation.