St. Johns County buyers pay the same core categories as buyers in Jacksonville (Duval County): lender fees, Florida documentary stamp tax on the mortgage at $0.35 per $100 of the loan amount, title charges, standard Florida recording fees, third-party service costs, and prepaid escrow items. What changes in St. Johns County is what sits on top of those categories. Community Development District (CDD) assessments, homeowners association estoppel fees, and a builder contract that shifts costs onto the buyer are all far more common here than in older Duval County neighborhoods, and they change the math in ways every buyer should understand before writing an offer.


What closing costs does a buyer pay in St. Johns County, Florida?

St. Johns County covers…

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Jacksonville buyers typically pay lender fees, Florida documentary stamp tax on their mortgage at $0.35 per $100 of the loan amount, title charges, Duval County recording fees, third-party service costs, and prepaid items including escrow deposits. The exact total depends on your loan amount, lender, and contract terms.

What closing costs does a buyer pay in Jacksonville, Florida?

Jacksonville buyers pay several categories of costs at closing: Florida state taxes (including documentary stamp tax on the mortgage at a fixed statutory rate), lender fees, title and settlement charges, Duval County recording fees, third-party service costs like appraisal and inspection, and prepaid items including homeowners insurance and escrow deposits. Which…

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St. Johns County commissioners spent hours on September 1 arguing over 4,462 acres of land north of Nocatee — and walked out with no decision at all. Two votes failed. Nothing was approved. Nothing was denied. Now a state law clock is running, and if the county doesn't act by around September 29, the land could be approved for development automatically. Here's what happened, why it matters, and what it could mean if you live near Nocatee, Ponte Vedra Beach, or 20 Mile.


1. What Happened at the September 1 Commission Meeting

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners met to decide whether 4,462 acres just north of Nocatee should be certified as an “agricultural enclave” — a state designation that clears the way for large-scale residential…

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Almost every phone call I get starts the same way. Someone watched one of my videos, and they ask me the same big question: “What does the new construction process actually look like? How long will it take?”

It's a great question, and it's one every new construction buyer should ask before they sign anything. Northeast Florida has more new home communities and builders than almost anywhere else in the state, which is great news for buyers — but it also means the process can feel confusing fast. So let's break it down step by step, from the day you pick a lot to the day you get your keys.

A quick note before we start: every builder, community, and home size is a little different. The steps below reflect what I typically see across Northeast Florida…

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St. Johns County shows up in a lot of relocation videos, and it's easy to come away more confused than when you started. That's because St. Johns County isn't really one place — it's more like four or five very different areas stitched together under one county name. This guide breaks it down in plain terms: the geography, the master-planned communities everyone talks about, the schools, the fees, the growth, and the honest answers to the questions buyers ask most (yes, including the alligators).


1. St. Johns County Is Really Four Different Areas in One

St. Johns County sits just south of Jacksonville (Duval County) on Florida's northeast coast. It covers about 822 square miles, roughly 601 of which are land, with the rest made up of rivers,…

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Your net proceeds from selling a Jacksonville home equal the contract price minus your mortgage payoff, Florida documentary stamp tax, title and closing fees, brokerage compensation, and any buyer credits. Most costs are negotiable except the statutory doc stamp rate. A local agent can build you a personalized net sheet before you list.

Your net proceeds depend on four moving parts: the final contract price, your mortgage payoff balance, Florida's fixed documentary stamp tax on the deed, and the negotiable closing costs you agree to in the contract. For most Jacksonville sellers in 2026, the gap between list price and actual wire to the bank is larger than they expect, and knowing what drives that gap is the first step to protecting your number.

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As of late August 2026, Jacksonville is a balanced market where well-priced homes still sell within one to two months and close near asking price. Sellers aren't in a frenzy market, but strategic pricing and preparation still produce strong results. It's a reasonable time to sell, not automatic, but far from bad.

As of August 2026, Jacksonville is neither a hot seller's market nor a distressed one. It's a moderately balanced market where well-priced, move-in-ready homes still go under contract within one to two months and close within a few percent of asking price. Sellers who price strategically and prepare their homes can still get strong results, but the days of automatic above-list bidding wars are behind us for now.

Here's what the data…

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St. Johns County doesn't slow down, and this week's Thursday Night Live had a lot to unpack — a possible fast-food newcomer in Nocatee, a hotel permit finally clearing, a big apartment project, and a land-use vote that could shape the north side of Nocatee for years. Here's the roundup, with the rumor separated from what's actually been filed.

1. A Chick-fil-A May Be Coming to Nocatee — But It Isn't Approved Yet

St. Johns County received formal plans on August 24, 2026, for a restaurant identified in filings as Chick-fil-A, proposed at Nocatee and Crosswater Parkways, north of 355 Pine Lake Drive. The county's Development Review Committee is scheduled to discuss the project on September 9, 2026 — you can track the agenda directly through St.…

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Nocatee shows up on almost every "best places to live in Florida" list, and once you drive through it, it's easy to see why. Golf carts roll past water parks, dog parks, and a town center anchored by a Publix. But before you fall in love with the lifestyle, it helps to know how Nocatee actually works — the zip codes, the counties, the fees, and the rules that don't show up in a builder's brochure.

Here are 10 things about Nocatee every buyer should know before they make an offer.


1. Nocatee Is In Ponte Vedra, Not Ponte Vedra Beach

These two names get mixed up constantly, but they're not the same place. Nocatee sits in Ponte Vedra, zip code 32081. Ponte Vedra Beach is zip code 32082. The Intracoastal Waterway is the dividing line between…

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In Jacksonville, buying a home typically requires your down payment, lender and title fees, Florida-specific taxes tied to your mortgage, inspection costs, prepaid escrow for taxes and insurance, and a post-closing reserve cushion. Based on 2026 closed-sale data showing a median price near $290,000, the exact total depends on your loan type, what you negotiate in the contract, and how much your lender requires in reserves after closing.

This is the question I get more than almost any other from buyers who are ready to make an offer but aren't sure if their bank account is actually ready. Let me break it down the way I walk every client through it.

Where Jacksonville Prices Actually Sit in 2026

Before you can figure out how much cash you need,…

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