I am starting to look at buying a second home in Florida for winter warmth. What's the farthest South you can go in Florida and not regularly have the swell blocked by the Bahamas? I can look at a map, obviously, but I was just wondering if any one had any observations other than "it all sucks, so don't move down here and add to the crowd at my break." thanks.
I cant answer your question but I would get a place close to sebastian/spanish if I was you. Beautiful beaches, pretty undevelpoed, and the waves get good often. Hutchinson is a good call too....have fun
+1 Sebastian Inlet North, Ft. Pierce still gets some too, but it drops off starting there as far as consistency.
I would say northern Palm Beach County is the southern limit for Bahamian blockage. South of there the swell window gets pretty narrow. Believe me, I live in south Broward. It is also closest to the Gulfstream and the continental shelf so the water stays warm and has the least swell decay. I don't think anywhere rocked harder during Sandy than Pumphouse. However, if I were in your shoes, I'd look somewhere from Fort Pierce to Cocoa. That puts you in the middle of things and you can easily go an hour or two north or south depending upon conditions. Personally I like that the Sebastian area isn't so heavily developed (yet).
Here's my $.02., the furthest south you would want to go is Stuart, Hutchinson Island (Martin County) and as previously stated, hope you got some cash, you still get a really good east swell, but anything southeast, forget about it, you will be running north. And that's the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me bajeezus.
You can get a house for a fair price in Sebastian on the mainland, zip across the bridge and you're at the beach, Melbourne is cheaper and has some nice surf spots, property taxes cheaper in Melbourne too, than Sebastian and Martin County. Saint Lucie county is affordable. If you believe the news though, it's got a lot of poverty and crime. Welcome to Florida, aka Paradise
Melbourne Beach. Good value for the money and a decent area. Further north on the beach in Brevard gets pretty low end neighborhood wise, but cheap if that's what you want. Melbourne proper is OK, but put it this way, I used to live there and if I moved back to FL, it wouldn't be there. I wouldn't go anywhere south of Vero though if you want the best chance for waves.
Baja mexico is cheaper and better waves. I'd check brevard county. Looked at a school there and homes were cheap..er
I haven't looked in a few years, but a couple of years ago, I was looking at Melbourne and I was blown away at the housing prices. They had 4 bedrooms, with back yard and pool 2 blocks off the beach in the 120s-150s. I was shocked.
Needs work, but for $107K, you could fix this place up pretty nicely and throw a rock into the ocean from the front yard. http://www.trulia.com/property/3160323968-ALL-LOTS-1-2-4330-S-Highway-A1a-Melbourne-Beach-FL-32951
16th street in cocoa beach is the only place you should consider, i heard there's even a guy who gives away free boards! do not under any circumstances consider barefoot bay, as their private beach access is terribly overcrowded and the peak there is really mushy close out city kooks and longboarding elderly people and wavestorm kids ten abreast..........do you believe me?
For only 175,000 you can have this lovely place 15 miles from the beach http://www.mlsli.com/homes-for-sale/NY/Amityville/11701/address-not-available-from-broker-124828555
Home prices here are extremely low. With decent income and enough research, you can settle down in a comfortable home in close proximity to the beach in Central FL.
houses may be cheap, but I heard property taxes are high...and, if you're right near the beach, you'll need to clean the salt off your windows every week.
I have some family friends in Melbourne Beach and I've been going/surfing down there since I was a kid. Far enough from miami and disney, 1/2 hour from SEVERAL good surf spots- cocoa, sebastian, spanish house, indiatlantic, satellite beach, etc. If you are lucky you might get some out front. Doesn't have that rich douchey feel that south florida does, more of an obx type environment. I'd live there. Don't forget it's a "stand your ground" state with a "bong ban" and an exotic pet problem.
Thanks for all of the info. My dad was an engineer at NASA and I spent a lot of time in Cocoa Beach growing up in the 70's (60's too I guess, but i can barely remember those days). I've looked at Melbourne Beach/Sebastian and I agree it is very reasonable and nice. I just know that it stays a lot warmer in the Winter farther South. So, maybe I take a look at Hutchinson, too.
