LIVING IN JACKSONVILLE, FL -JACKONVILLE REAL ESTATE

Where Greg DeTullio would buy in St. Johns County if the budget started at $2 million?

If you had $2 million or more to spend on a home in St. Johns County, where would you buy? That's the question Greg DeTullio, Broker/Owner of the Living in Jacksonville FL Team, set out to answer. Greg spends his days helping buyers navigate new construction and luxury real estate across Ponte Vedra, Ponte Vedra Beach, and Nocatee — and he has strong opinions about which neighborhoods are worth the price tag.

A quick note: This list is Greg's personal opinion, based on his experience living and working in the area and reviewing recent sales. It's not a scientific ranking, and reasonable people can disagree. If you have a different favorite, that's okay — real estate is personal.

Here's how Greg ranks the top five, counting down from number five to his number one pick.

#5 Riverlanding at Nocatee

Riverlanding sits on the Intracoastal Waterway in the northeast section of Nocatee. It's a gated, low-density community — just over 100 homes — inside one of Northeast Florida's most award-winning master-planned communities.

• A custom spec home on the Intracoastal recently sold for around $6.25 million (6,000 square feet, over 200 feet of waterfront)

• A resale waterfront lot (just under an acre, 100+ feet of river frontage) sold for $2.5 million — for the land alone

• Homeowners can buy resale lots after a two-year builder restriction period ends
  
  

Best for: Buyers who want the amenities of a master-planned CDD community with golf-cart access, plus a shot at true waterfront living.

#4 Marsh Harbor

Just south of Riverlanding, on the west side of the Intracoastal, Marsh Harbor is a Parc Group development with waterfront lots for custom builds. The lots run deep — 99 feet wide by about 500 feet deep — and currently list between $1.7 million and $2 million for the lot alone.

• Buyers must use one of roughly 30 developer-approved custom builders

• The community also includes dry lots being built out by Toll Brothers

• Plan on a total project budget of roughly $4–5 million once the lot and custom home are both accounted for
  
  

Best for: Buyers who want a brand-new custom home on the Intracoastal without giving up an HOA-managed, established community feel.

#3 Palm Valley (Roscoe Boulevard area)

Cross the Intracoastal bridge and you land in Palm Valley, on the east side of the water in Ponte Vedra Beach. Unlike Nocatee or Marsh Harbor, this area has no HOA and no CDD fees — appealing to buyers who want waterfront property without the rules that come with a managed community.

Recent sales show the range buyers can expect. A 1995-built, 4,121-square-foot home on 0.7 acres sold for $3.3 million. A much older 1903-built home, just under 7,000 square feet on a deep 100-by-400-foot lot, sold for $3.4 million. And a newer 2019 build on a sprawling 2.5-acre lot sold for $3.1 million — proof that both classic and modern homes command similar prices here once you're on the water.

Greg's caution: some parts of Roscoe Boulevard and Palm Valley have flooded in the past, and elevation varies home to home. Buyers should always verify flood zone status and insurance costs before writing an offer — even though insurance in Northeast Florida tends to run lower than South Florida.

Best for: Buyers who want a large waterfront lot with no HOA restrictions and don't mind an older home that may need updating.

#2 Marsh Landing (Harbor Island)

Marsh Landing is a golf and country club community, and its Harbor Island section puts buyers directly on the Intracoastal — often with a private boat slip included.

• A 1998-built, 5,000+ square foot home with a 50-foot yacht slip sold for $3.9 million

• An 8,300 square foot home on a cul-de-sac with a private water slip sold for $4.65 million

• Expect mostly Mediterranean-style homes from the late 1990s/early 2000s, many of which have been renovated

Best for: Buyers who want golf, a country club membership, and boating access all in one HOA-managed community.

#1 Old Ponte Vedra Beach (near the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club)

Greg's number one pick is Old Ponte Vedra Beach — the area closest to the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, where buyers can walk to the beach and enjoy a club lifestyle that blends golf, tennis, and oceanfront living.

• A 1994-built, 5,847 square foot home one block from the club sold for $9.2 million

• A 1964-built beachfront home (just under 3,000 square feet on 0.46 acres) sold for a record $13 million

• A smaller, renovated 1965 ranch home across from the beach sold for $4.35 million, showing there's still an entry point below $5 million

Membership at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club reportedly carries an initiation fee, and there's typically a waiting list — but for buyers coming from markets like South Florida, Greg notes the pricing here can still feel like relative value.

Best for: Buyers who want the beach club lifestyle — golf, tennis, and beach access — in one of Northeast Florida's most established addresses.

At a Glance: Comparing the Top 5

Riverlanding in Nocatee ranks fifth, offering CDD-governed, gated living with lots starting around $2 million and completed homes reaching $6 million or more. Marsh Harbor takes fourth place with HOA-managed, deep Intracoastal lots priced between $1.7 million and $2 million before construction. Palm Valley's Roscoe Boulevard area comes in third, standing out as the only neighborhood on this list with no HOA, where recent sales landed between $3 million and $3.4 million. Marsh Landing's Harbor Island section takes second, pairing HOA-managed golf and country club living with private boat slips, at prices between $3.9 million and $4.65 million. And topping the list is Old Ponte Vedra Beach, where the beach club lifestyle near the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club has produced sales from $4.35 million up to a record $13 million.

FAQs

Ready to explore Ponte Vedra Beach's luxury market?

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LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR MOVE

Call/Text: (904) 599-2125

Email: greg@livinginjacksonvillefl.com

Website: livinginjacksonvillefl.com

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About the Author

Greg DeTullio is a Florida-licensed Real Estate Broker and the founder of the Living in Jacksonville FL Team. With a decade of industry expertise, he has successfully managed over 200 closed transactions and earned five-star Google reviews. Greg specializes in Jacksonville relocation services and new construction within St. Johns County, proudly serving Nocatee, SilverLeaf, RiverTown, St. Johns, EverRange, Ponte Vedra Beach, and the surrounding Northeast Florida communities.

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