i don't think that's a matter of one's opinion. pretty certain is a cold hard truth.
Tell me about Melbourne, FL (anyone here live around there?)
- Thread starter dmm5157
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Made my first trip to the area for work Sunday/Monday, quick trip for a work meeting. I took a short drive around Viera and Satellite Beach areas.
I tried leaving from my office and taking routes that would be similar to my daily commute. The area around Murrell Rd was really nice, which is adjacent to our office. Drove around Suntree country Club, hit or miss with some mix of decent houses in there. The drive across Pineda causeway to Satellite Beach was not quite what I was expecting. Not sure I'd love that drive every day. Being that Patrick AFB was right as you cross over the water, felt more like Cape Coral area on West coast, which didn't wow me. Nothing against that, but just wasn't what I was expecting. I didn't make it much past Satellite High School before I turned and came back up Patrick Drive.
It's certainly a quiet area. I drove around at 2pm to 4pm, no traffic at all. Easy driving, easy to move around.
I'll be back in 5 weeks, will drive more of the island and get a little further south to see what the rest looks like.
I tried leaving from my office and taking routes that would be similar to my daily commute. The area around Murrell Rd was really nice, which is adjacent to our office. Drove around Suntree country Club, hit or miss with some mix of decent houses in there. The drive across Pineda causeway to Satellite Beach was not quite what I was expecting. Not sure I'd love that drive every day. Being that Patrick AFB was right as you cross over the water, felt more like Cape Coral area on West coast, which didn't wow me. Nothing against that, but just wasn't what I was expecting. I didn't make it much past Satellite High School before I turned and came back up Patrick Drive.
It's certainly a quiet area. I drove around at 2pm to 4pm, no traffic at all. Easy driving, easy to move around.
I'll be back in 5 weeks, will drive more of the island and get a little further south to see what the rest looks like.
Did you take Pineda exit from I-95 to the beach? There are some high end subdivisions going in there, but I would like to be on the island. There is also a new subdivision that spans from A1A to the river road. I think that it is near Eue Gallie. Once you get a little further south from Patrick, it gets nicer and you have anything from Gated Subdivisions to older Florida homes with terazzo floors and those louvered windows.
Maybe best to go with a realtor? Steve Munich has been very good helping my friend buy a couple of properties there.
Maybe best to go with a realtor? Steve Munich has been very good helping my friend buy a couple of properties there.
I took N Wickman down to Pineda and then back again after driving around North Satellite Beach.
Being that I had a good drive back home, I didn't have a ton of time to drive around.
Possibly. I wanted to scout before wasting a realtor's time. I might make those arrangements when I come back next month to get a better feel for the area. Might try to take the wife with me to have her do the scouting. She's more critical than I am about this stuff.
The last two or three years I've spent a decent number of weekends in Melbourne as my mom lives over there now (I live in Orlando) and we've been helping her out with certain things.
I am not sure at this point in my life that I would like to live there full-time but I really like visiting. It's definitely slower paced, but that can be a good thing I think. Over the last year or two, we've found some nice spots to eat, some decent bars, and some low-key areas on the beach (unlike Daytona, New Smyrna, Cocoa, etc.) where there's not a ton of people around.
From my point of view, the population consists of either locals who have been there for a long time, families with younger kids, or retired people. As I'm not a parent and still go out, Orlando seems a better fit for me right now, but I really enjoy relaxing over on the coast for weekends. Traffic is much much lighter and you're right by the beach. It's smaller than a city but still sizeable enough that you have the average chains that are everywhere else.
I am not sure at this point in my life that I would like to live there full-time but I really like visiting. It's definitely slower paced, but that can be a good thing I think. Over the last year or two, we've found some nice spots to eat, some decent bars, and some low-key areas on the beach (unlike Daytona, New Smyrna, Cocoa, etc.) where there's not a ton of people around.
From my point of view, the population consists of either locals who have been there for a long time, families with younger kids, or retired people. As I'm not a parent and still go out, Orlando seems a better fit for me right now, but I really enjoy relaxing over on the coast for weekends. Traffic is much much lighter and you're right by the beach. It's smaller than a city but still sizeable enough that you have the average chains that are everywhere else.
Yeah, in a lot of ways the area seems like a bigger version of Tallahassee that is closer to the beach and much closer to other bigger cities. Being so close to Orlando is a huge advantage from a travel and entertainment standpoint.
Being that my oldest is a year away from starting grade school, this is just about ideal time to make the jump from that perspective.
I would actually hop on the freeway from your office and go down to the Pineda exit and shoot strait over to the beach and skip that area of Wickham Road. It's a little longer but shaves off 5 to 10 minutes.
Yea, Sat Beach can be a bit underwhelming when you get back into those neighborhoods. It's quite a bit nicer futher South. I like it here for the ease of access from the freeway stand point and the fact that there are no hotels or chain restaurants. It truly is a residential beach town.
Let me know the next time your in town, I'm no realtor but I can hop in the car with you for a couple of hours and give you a guided tour.
I had a buddy in town from Austin this weekend, Friday afternoon we went kite surfing.... Had drinks at a brew pub and a bbq at my house... Saturday we went on the boat all day, wakeboarded, went to a river bar for boat drinks, took the wives out to a nice dinner on Saturday, then out for a cocktail, Sunday Brunch on on the beach.... not a bad place to live really.
Not the swankiest town in Florida, but no crime either, just sort of old Florida.
Yea, Sat Beach can be a bit underwhelming when you get back into those neighborhoods. It's quite a bit nicer futher South. I like it here for the ease of access from the freeway stand point and the fact that there are no hotels or chain restaurants. It truly is a residential beach town.
Let me know the next time your in town, I'm no realtor but I can hop in the car with you for a couple of hours and give you a guided tour.
I had a buddy in town from Austin this weekend, Friday afternoon we went kite surfing.... Had drinks at a brew pub and a bbq at my house... Saturday we went on the boat all day, wakeboarded, went to a river bar for boat drinks, took the wives out to a nice dinner on Saturday, then out for a cocktail, Sunday Brunch on on the beach.... not a bad place to live really.
Not the swankiest town in Florida, but no crime either, just sort of old Florida.
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Free...I took some kitesurfing lessons in the Dominican Republic last year. Stayed at Kite Beach in Cabarete. I plan to return and pick it up completely. The instructor had me dragging through the water and flying the kite out a couple of hundred yards and back a couple of hundred. I had a helmet with a radio where he could give me instructions.
I would have had a board the last day, but the wind was cranking as in FUKITZNUKIN (old school term), so I chose to windsurf on my final day rather than get beat up trying to learn something new.
I would have had a board the last day, but the wind was cranking as in FUKITZNUKIN (old school term), so I chose to windsurf on my final day rather than get beat up trying to learn something new.
That's here this Friday, we launched from my boat.... interesting indeed. It's pretty good kiting here a few months a year.
Larry Rippenkroeger-esque. All that is missing are the gorilla gloves, zinka face, and a bad boy billy wbeater.
Looks like a good time. Wind was whippin this week. Oh, dmm, there are a few noles down this way, so some gamedays are accompanied with bourbon,cigars and backporch bsing.
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http://www.remax.com/realestateagentoffice/indialantic-fl-32903-amandagonnella-id28635898.html
This is who we used. She grew up in the area and has kids the same age as us so she had a good idea what we were looking for.
A brother of an employee of mine owns a lot of property and a few restaurants on Melbourne Beach. He's about to start construction on a giant indoor market much like Eatily in NYC that should be a nice place to visit for food and such in the future.
I'll add my two cents on the areas I'd recommend.
Beachside versus mainland: I'm biased since I'm a beach guy. Beachside tends to have lots of local small businesses and restaurants. Beachside schools are mostly good. Mainland businesses tendbto be more big box and chain oriented. Beachside tends to have older houses that need updating. Mainland has no discernible difference from any other mid-sized town in America.
Beachside from north to south:
Satellite Beach - pockets of nice/new, pockets of old, best access to I-95 from beachside. Good family to old people ratio. Most of the bars/restaurants are right up on A1A so walking/biking can be a bit sketchy.
Indian Harbour Beach- basically Satellite Beach extended south.
Indialantic - I think stands out for pedestrian/bike friendliness. Has broad pathways alongside the main secondary roads. Lots of bars/restaurants that you can get to without seeing a car drive over 30 mph. Walking access to the beach is NOT as good though, since there are only two crosswalks on A1A in the whole town. I see lots of people playing frogger to get to the beach.
Melbourne Beach - basically a surfer's version of Mayberry. The beach and ocean really start getting beautiful from here and south. Commutes to work start to get long from here.
South Beaches - mostly old people since nobody wants to commute to work or school from here.
Mainland:
Viera - modern day Mayberry. Tons of families. Chain restaurants. Golf cart lifestyle. Good schools. New houses. Where most young families live. This is where you should live if you are mainland, but make peace with the fact that you won't get to the beach often (true for all mainland).
Suntree - nice, but I've heard of families moving from Suntree to Viera because their aren't enough young families in Suntree.
West Melbourne - Viera's redneck cousin. Lots of people and traffic. The people that live there love it, but it's so damn crowded. The elementary school has like 12 classes of kindergarteners.
Palm Bay - many parts are fine, but it's so stigmatized that I'd avoid it just for the resale problems you'll have. Got crushed in the housing bubble. The schools don't tend to be good.
Beachside versus mainland: I'm biased since I'm a beach guy. Beachside tends to have lots of local small businesses and restaurants. Beachside schools are mostly good. Mainland businesses tendbto be more big box and chain oriented. Beachside tends to have older houses that need updating. Mainland has no discernible difference from any other mid-sized town in America.
Beachside from north to south:
Satellite Beach - pockets of nice/new, pockets of old, best access to I-95 from beachside. Good family to old people ratio. Most of the bars/restaurants are right up on A1A so walking/biking can be a bit sketchy.
Indian Harbour Beach- basically Satellite Beach extended south.
Indialantic - I think stands out for pedestrian/bike friendliness. Has broad pathways alongside the main secondary roads. Lots of bars/restaurants that you can get to without seeing a car drive over 30 mph. Walking access to the beach is NOT as good though, since there are only two crosswalks on A1A in the whole town. I see lots of people playing frogger to get to the beach.
Melbourne Beach - basically a surfer's version of Mayberry. The beach and ocean really start getting beautiful from here and south. Commutes to work start to get long from here.
South Beaches - mostly old people since nobody wants to commute to work or school from here.
Mainland:
Viera - modern day Mayberry. Tons of families. Chain restaurants. Golf cart lifestyle. Good schools. New houses. Where most young families live. This is where you should live if you are mainland, but make peace with the fact that you won't get to the beach often (true for all mainland).
Suntree - nice, but I've heard of families moving from Suntree to Viera because their aren't enough young families in Suntree.
West Melbourne - Viera's redneck cousin. Lots of people and traffic. The people that live there love it, but it's so damn crowded. The elementary school has like 12 classes of kindergarteners.
Palm Bay - many parts are fine, but it's so stigmatized that I'd avoid it just for the resale problems you'll have. Got crushed in the housing bubble. The schools don't tend to be good.
That all seems about in line with what I've observed in my 5 trips so far. I'm leaving today heading that way for work.
What about Merritt Island? I'm seeing a bunch of nice and big places in there for less than the southern areas.
I would tend to agree with Beachside versus Viera for families with younger kids. I would love to have a place on Merritt Island on South tropical Trail, but I don't think that's in the cards until the kids don't need to be lugged around to school, sports, and friends house which are certain to be miles away and never convenient when you're only dealing with two bridges spread miles apart.
I've never lived in Merrit Island, so I don't know every nook and cranny, but it generally has a good reputation. South Tropical Trail is basically it's own thing... I think the middle and high schoolers go to the schools in Satellite Beach?
The main part of Merritt Island is probably most like a less crowded West Melbourne. Growing up, the people who I knew from Merritt Island were proud of it and liked it. The people there tend to get out to the beach a lot too, not sure why moreso than other mainland areas but there must be something to it.
I don't understand how anyone could draw an analogy between Mayberry and Viera.
This. Viera did not exist 40 years ago. A "city" created by developers. Not exactly quaint or charming.
I guess it's that I don't think the masses of modern day people would actually appreciate Mayberry. People these days tend to gravitate towards McMansions and chain restaurants. In my mind, Viera is the Everytown, America that Mayberry was in the 1950's.
No McMansions in Viera. Think retirees and middle class (middle management and lower) working people. You know the ones developers feed on.
Wow, congrats! Just after you did all that work on your house too. Must be a good job.
Those of us that have lived here for 17 years and raised three successful kids kinda like it here.
To clarify, I'm not saying Viera is good or bad, just that it's nothing like the fictional Mayberry town.
Thanks. Yeah, in my line of work, being in Tallahassee is going to hinder my future growth.
Going to miss it here, but looking forward to the change of scenery.
Doubles, South Patrick Drive. Brevard Seminole Boosters game watching locale.
Yes, moving up to take a spot that we would have had to hire up for. I'll cover the southeast, including Port St Lucie, Port Everglades l, Port Tampa Bay and PortMiami.
Sounds good!
My only defense is that I thought it somehow made sense when I typed it.
Ok, looking for daycare and pediatrician recommendations now. On waiting list for Jelly Bean but need some other good options as well.
To be honest, I'd think twice before letting someone named "Jelly Bean" administer health care to my children.
If you want to drive down to Vero Beach you can take them to my pediatrician! Good ol' Dr. Wiji.
http://www.verobeachpediatrician.com/medical-team/physicians/asoka-wijetilleke-md-faap
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