Where to live? Help!

We are in the middle of our window of time to figure out a place to live.
We will be in this rental until the end of March.
We haven't had much luck finding a house to buy, we may just have to build.
But where? And how close to the Gulf or bay is "too close"? I worry about flooding. (I can't worry too much about hurricanes or I'd lose my mind.)

Some of our alternatives:

- build in my husband's affordable housing project (right in town, but it would not be our "dream" house, and we aren't getting any younger)

- build on a lot that might be a bit close to 98, but convenient town location and there is a bay view

- build on a lot near Windmark (no guarantee we'd get to use all the amenities)

- buy a house on the Cape or Indian Pass (need to be careful with the flood zone)

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Call some insurance companies and ask for there requirements to be covered. e.g.- will they insure you in a flood plane? Will they insure you within 500' from the Bay? Will they insure you within 2000' from the Gulf?, etc

Personally, I would stay off the Cape because the road gets washed out with most big Hurricanes that come into the Gulf.

Thanks SJ. Good advice!
Yes I talked to someone else who mentioned the road washing out.

Thanks SJ. Good advice!
Yes I talked to someone else who mentioned the road washing out.

Another thing I'd look into, talking about roads, is road NOISE. You mentioned in option #2 about the lot having a bay view, but somewhat close to 98. That's one busy road! Could you easily make a left turn onto 98 from that lot (or its access road) or would you be waiting forever? Would you hear the traffic?

For a permanent residence, My goal would be 20' above mean sea level as a minimum acceptable elevation. I seem to remember the road between PSJ and the Cape being very low, with a little bit higher elevation north of town. If your husband's employer doesn't have surge zone flood maps, the county planning office will. The lowest I'd build at would be in a category four surge zone.

Another thing I'd look into, talking about roads, is road NOISE. You mentioned in option #2 about the lot having a bay view, but somewhat close to 98. That's one busy road! Could you easily make a left turn onto 98 from that lot (or its access road) or would you be waiting forever? Would you hear the traffic?

On that topic, Cil, you are aware that St Joe is having the road moved further north in that area, eh?

<<<On that topic, Cil, you are aware that St Joe is having the road moved further north in that area, eh?>>>
Oh yeah. That would make a huge difference. That's the lot in the vicinity of Windmark. I didn't even include 98 in that description, it should be gone from there by mid-summer.

The lot I described being *near* 98 is in PSJ. For better or for worse, it is a huge lot. Distance-wise, 98 is about two long blocks from it; (it is hard to describe because there is open park space between the lot and 98, plus another street of houses). I went over there at noon and just hung out, observing the noise. Visually you don't see it much, and in auditory terms it didn't bother me, which is interesting because at another house, it did indeed bother me--but at that place I could see the traffic, there was nothing but open space between the house and 98. Could be a connection there. Is 98 perhaps less busy here? There is no problem with making a left turn or that sort of thing.

The husband is way ahead of me and has been looking at maps and insurance charts and stuff.
Thanks for the input, you guys, I appreciate it.

The lot I described being *near* 98 is in PSJ. For better or for worse, it is a huge lot. Distance-wise, 98 is about two long blocks from it; (it is hard to describe because there is open park space between the lot and 98, plus another street of houses). I went over there at noon and just hung out, observing the noise. Visually you don't see it much, and in auditory terms it didn't bother me, which is interesting because at another house, it did indeed bother me--but at that place I could see the traffic, there was nothing but open space between the house and 98. Could be a connection there. Is 98 perhaps less busy here? There is no problem with making a left turn or that sort of thing.

The husband is way ahead of me and has been looking at maps and insurance charts and stuff.
Thanks for the input, you guys, I appreciate it.

With a large lot you might have the room to plant a good sound barrier hedge. Are the winds predominantly from the south and west there?

I don't know where the winds are at that lot near 98.
::shrugs shoulders and feels like an idiot::

I don't know where the winds are at that lot near 98.
::shrugs shoulders and feels like an idiot::

Ya know, you just gotta know which way the winds blow! :rolling:

I was just thinking that it might make more of a difference if the winds often carried the traffic noise away from the lot area. :idontno:

This is all interesting, Cil, so you'll have to keep us informed about how the house hunting/building goes! Another thing I was thinking about was how soon you and your husband will be empty-nesters. That should definitely determine how big a house you want get, but it's a tricky one, because how you use the house will be different next year than even in the next five years.