Florida waterfront property

[allied85259]

Does anyone know of an area on the east coast of Florida where waterfront property (sailboat friendly) can be had at a reasonable price? How about Georgia or the west coast/panhandle of Florida? Thanks in advance.

[Shanachie]

"Reasonable" covers a lot of territory. You need to be more specific.



Decent waterfront property runs into the seven figures in southeastern Florida and the Keys. You can still find waterfront on the west coast for under $1 million, occasionally as low as $500,000, but it won't be a prime location and may be vulnerable to hurricanes.


If price looms important, your best best is to look for condos either with association slips you can rent or owner-owned slips that you can buy or sublease.


Even then, your definition of reasonable needs to be at least 350K or so for a not-very-large unit.


There is a mad scramble for waterfront because marinas are overcrowded and expensive and tens of thousands of people want places to park their little powerboats so they don't have to trailer them.

[nolakennedys]

Like the above poster said, "reasonable" is pretty vague. There are some areas where you can get waterfront older properties in the high 500s. Tidal influence and hurricane prone they may be though. Perhaps look on the st johns river too.

[Jammer]

Depends on what you mean by waterfront and what you mean by reasonable.


There are places on canals that are fine for a smaller powerboat or maybe a beach cat or daysailor. Draft is limiting, and some have low bridges.

[Polar Opposite]

Check out Hernando Beach, Hudson, and New Port Ritchie on the Gulf coast. All three have waterfront "canal" neighborhoods that are relative bargains.

[Shrew]

Take a look at Realtor.com and start scrolling up and down the coast. Space Coast has some properties in the $600K range, though they are smaller and typically need some work.

You'll need to define what you consider 'Reasonable'.

[Captain Bill]

A couple of years ago we bought in Punta Gorda Fl. You can get a manufactured home on the water for somewhere in the 200s in some sections with stick built homes going for about 350 to over a million. Sailboat water somewhat depends on the size of the sail boat. If you draw more than 6 feet you'll probably only be able to leave or come back on a spring high tide. In my canal system the entrance is only about 4 feet at a normal low water. In Punta Gorda Isles to the west of us you can probably get away with 6 feet if you use the west entrance to the canal system and are careful to check the depths to the particular canal you are on. Charlotte Harbor is a wind driven system and a good cold front can make it difficult to get in or out. There are times when I cannot leave my canal even at local high tide.

[John_Trusty]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Depends on what you mean by waterfront and what you mean by reasonable.


There are places on canals that are fine for a smaller powerboat or maybe a beach cat or daysailor. Draft is limiting, and some have low bridges.

To add to this ... for east coast, you have to remember that Atlantic Ocean access is limited by inlets, which seem to be about 40-50 miles apart between barrier islands. Which inlets are accessible depends on your draft, and the only deep water ones are Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Ft. Pierce, Canaveral ..., so look carefully at a chart if your intended vessel is over 3 ft. draft.

[Davy J]

Originally Posted by Polar Opposite

Check out Hernando Beach, Hudson, and New Port Ritchie on the Gulf coast. All three have waterfront "canal" neighborhoods that are relative bargains.

Only head to this area if your boat draws about six inches........

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Polar Opposite

Check out Hernando Beach, Hudson, and New Port Ritchie on the Gulf coast. All three have waterfront "canal" neighborhoods that are relative bargains.

New Port Richey

[Polar Opposite]

Originally Posted by Davy J

Only head to this area if your boat draws about six inches........

It's not for really deep keels, for certain. Mine draws 4.75, and my last one was 5.25. There's a Westsail here that draws nearly 6', but I think he can only get out a couple of times a year.

[flightlead404]

Buy something in south florida a couple blocks from the ocean and then wait a few years