Top 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Vero Beach, Florida

You've probably heard of Palm Beach and Miami. What if I told you though that there is an option north that could give you the same lifestyle with less crowds for a lot more money? Yes, I'm talking about Vero Beach, Florida, about an hour north of Palm Beach, 3 hours from Miami. Today, I'm going to offer 10 neighborhoods that are worthy of your consideration. And they're all great, but they're all different, all have their own personalities, and I'm going to tell you about each one, price points, who typically likes to live there and why it's worthy of your consideration.

So, let's dive right in. The first one I want to tell you about, it's called McAnsh Park. McAnsh Park is on the mainland. It was developed in the '50s and '60s by one of our founding fathers, and it has a really cool spider web kind of plat, which features big lots, no HOA, park in the middle named Troy Moody Park, and because there's no HOA, you've got everything from two-story colonials to super cool mid-century modern houses. As a result, who likes to live here? Well, number one, families with children that need more land and room for the kiddos to play.

People that also say, "I like Florida, but I don't like this cookie-cutter thing. I like a little visual and architectural interest." What is it going to cost me? Depending on the house, you'll be anywhere from 350 to 399 for something frankly that's going to need work to renovations that are move-in ready up to 7 or 800,000 dollars. And for that, you get a big lot, a super friendly neighborhood, park in the middle, and a community that lives like a true neighborhood. So, if you're looking for charm, no cookie-cutter, big lots, no HOA, put McAnsh Park on your list.

We're going to jump onto the barrier island now, and there's a part of town just loosely known as the southern island into the moorings. From the 17th bridge to the south are a bevy of very interesting communities that typically have larger lots. Often times, there isn't an association, but if there is an association, it's not super spendy. Across the street is a sister community, Sand Point West, where you could get to the river if you wanted to. So, this whole notion of ocean-to-river access is available all along this quadrant of the barrier island.

What you need to understand is the land on the barrier island is valued more, so that pushes prices up. So, what does that mean? It means a fixer is going to be million to a million five, frankly, and brand new like the gorgeous spec house that I'm sitting in can go all the way up to 9 million dollars and in between. So, if resort living is interesting to you in terms of access to the beach, southern island is something you should consider. Now, let's talk about lock and leave. Along our barrier island and pockets on the mainland as well, there's a whole cohort of properties.

Some people call them villas, we call them zero lot line. It means you've got a more diminutive lot, but you own it fee simple, which means you own the dirt and all the improvements on it. But guess what else? It's this hybrid where very commonly the association has developed amenities, and they're going to take care of your yard and your irrigation. And the amenities are going to depend on the community. There's one very popular one known as The Seasons on the northern part of the barrier island, which is where most of these kinds of communities are.

Seasons is lovely because the build caliber is beautiful. It's the only community in Vero of this kind that was built by MNR Homes, a lovely upscale builder from Palm Beach. Many of them, like one I'm bringing to market, DM me if you want to hear about it, has a detached casita. And the original communities that started doing the detached casita just had one room with a bathroom. Seasons did casita 2.0. You have a separate living room or bedroom, another bedroom, and a bathroom in between, and a little kitchenette, too. So, it can be a guest house or can serve two different functions.

The amenities are really nice. There's a beautiful clubhouse, which has a West Indies vibe. There's fitness, there's a pool, there's croquet, there's pickleball, there's a beautiful pool. So, it really does offer all-in-one lock and leave single-family ownership with condo-like convenience. So, who lives in here? It tends to be a combination of empty nesters, frankly, and folks that are using it as a vacation home of all different kinds of ages. What are the prices? Again, like anything, I hate to sound like a broken record, but it depends on condition, etc. Anywhere from 900, if it's original and it's going to need renovation, to a million two, if it has been renovated like the one I'm bringing to market, which has beautiful new floors and beautiful kitchen, all new appliances.

So, it just depends on what the condition of the property is. But if resort living in a very sophisticated architectural style with great club-like amenities where you can ditch the lawnmower is important to you, Seasons should be on your short list to consider. Speaking of resort communities, we're going to hop back onto the mainland and discuss a community known as Grand Harbor. Just off our barrier island is a feeder road that parallels A1A and US1. This feeder road was designed in the '80s to pull traffic off US1, but it also created a corridor of available land for development.

So, Grand Harbor is actually a master country club community where the club is optional. We'll talk about that in a minute. Within it, there's all different micro communities. And what does that mean? It means it's designed to offer different kinds of housing from entry-level condos to grand estates on the river, to condos on the river, to villas and shared wall houses and everything in between. So, who lives in there? All different kinds of folks. The larger the houses, the more the folks tend to be there full-time or at least the majority of the year.

Now, it's been so popular that here's the main road. Across the street, there are some new builds in the section called The Falls at Grand Harbor, which is a slightly newer architecture. The original Grand Harbor was developed during an era when Mediterranean was the thing. So, you're going to see Mediterranean architecture, a lot of terracotta barrel tile roofs set amongst these beautiful live oaks. Across the street at The Falls and the newer larger section called The Reserve at Grand Harbor, currently being developed by GHO, doing a wonderful job, offer newer houses, same great amenities.

What What are your price points, Sally? Condominiums anywhere from three to a million dollars, depending if it's which building and if you're looking at the river, to single-family houses and villas from 4 to 500,000, depending on condition again, all the way up to, you know, multi-million in an estate area known as Saint Andrews. So, depending what you're looking for, Grand Harbor probably has it for you. Now, we're going to hop back onto the barrier island. We're going to talk about a loose acronym known as Central Beach. Central Beach is actually a conglomeration of different communities, but at its core, it's named Central Beach, not officially, but unofficially.

A traditional plat, straight, not a lot of curvature, but the lots are bigger. There's no homeowners association, and it's walk and bike to everything. One proviso, if you were working with me, I would say, "Let's talk about no homeowners association." That means no architectural guidelines. It means you can build what you want or But it also means two things. Number one, boat in your driveway or an RV. Number two, your neighbor could paint their house purple. If those two things, those are good litmus tests, if they would make you crazy, scratch Central Beach and you want an homeowners association.

It's an important part of the due diligence. Pick a trusted advisor like myself or somebody else that understands certain blocks are more transitioned than others. So, what's it going to cost? A fixer that could need a lot of work could be 8 or 900,000, all the way up to brand new builds. I've got one at 425 Holly that's at 2.395, that's a brand new house. There's a couple on Azalea that are 3.2 and everything in between. So, it depends on what's important to you in terms of your priority. Now, we're going to go north to one of my favorite northern communities known as Indian Trails.

First thing you notice about Indian Trails is it has kind of a newer attitude about development where much of the beloved live oaks have been retained. The other thing you notice in Indian Trails is the lots are larger, but you're going to notice different architecture. It also has great amenities. Within Indian Trails, across the street on the ocean, you have your own cabana for the beach with parking. There's bath stations in there, there's a barbecue. So, you've got the ocean component. So, who lives here? Very active owners live here. They are fascinated with all the amenities that are here.

Prices are going to be depending on, again, whether it's Some of the original houses were frame, and they tend to sell a little bit lower, frankly, all the way up to those that are on the river. So, prices will be again based on condition and size, anywhere from 800 for something that's definitely going to need some work, up to 2 and 1/2 million newer houses, and then on the river, more expensive. Indian Trails, if you are interested in action, interesting architecture, Indian Trails should be on your short list. Now, we're going to go back over the island to a community known as Vero Beach Country Club.

Very popular country club that recently did a super smart thing. The great thing is, you don't have to live anywhere to join the club and vice versa. It's completely unbundled. But, a lot of people love the idea of living around the country club. The lots are bigger. There is no homeowners association. And some of them are even on the sort of narrow canals that you can actually twiddle a small boat, not a big craft, and get over to the Indian River Estuary. Cost is going to depend, again, on age and condition.

From 5 to 7 on some of the busier roads, up to multi-million, depending on condition, age, and where they are. But, if you want big trees, close proximity to a club that you might want to consider joining, close to all things Vero, Vero Beach Country Club, it should be on your short list. Now, let's talk about one of our newer communities that is hotter than a pistol. It's known as The Lakes at Waterway. The Lakes at Waterway is the final phase of a developer project that is just off a super popular quadrant of town, just off the intersection of Indian River Boulevard and US 1, up the 53rd Causeway.

So, as a result, what did that do? Well, it makes everybody feel like they're not out in the middle of nowhere, and they're just off the barrier island, and it makes it super accessible. There's different sections of this community. This one called The Lakes at Waterway, they all have their own HOA and their own amenity set. The Lakes at Waterway is, by many people's account, the crown jewel. So, if you're interested in really over-the-top resort-style amenities that are remarkably affordable based on the due structure, The Lakes at Waterway should be on your short list.

Prices going to be anywhere from 450 to 550 for a villa with a shared wall, up to 650 to 900,000 for a house. So, if you're okay with driving have no charge to use, park, or ever do anything on the beach or the river. If you're okay with that, Lakes at Waterway should be on your short list. Now, let's talk about a very well-known, well-regarded community known as John's Island. John's Island is a country club community. You may not join the club unless you own real estate. However, there's no guarantee because you own real estate that you will be accepted into the club.

So, that's where you need to hitch your wagon to a trusted advisor like me or somebody like me that can explain the process and what increases your odds to be accepted into the club. In general, prices in John's Island command a premium for the rest of Vero Beach, often 20% more than if it was outside the gates of John's Island. It's a lifestyle that's worthy of your consideration if you want to have everything within your gates, and you want to be on your golf cart to get to everything. John's Island, what's it going to cost?

Depends on condition. There is one building called Island House on the ocean that was actually hotel at one time. So, you're talking 600 square feet, almost a pied-à-terre. Those can be a million to a million five, depending on condition, all the way up to 20 to 60 million for, you know, a place on the ocean that needs reno, you know, it's going to be 10 or 12 million, but you've got an acre to some new builds going on. There's one project on a double lot that's going to be around 60 million.

The prevailing price in here is going to be for a single-family home, is going to be 7 to 8 to 9 to 10 million dollars. So, if that kind of a lifestyle is interesting to you, John's Island should definitely be on your radar, and we can help you break it down. Last but not least, my personal favorite, Old Riomar. If you looked at our barrier island, there is a particular neighborhood that is comprised of shell path roads that are not even paved. Some of them are. Drapey live oaks, and the most elegant, and yet not cookie-cutter houses you can find.

So, in Old Riomar, there's no homeowners association. There are no architectural guidelines. Yet, it remains among our most revered neighborhoods in all of Vero Beach. And the houses are as varied as they are interesting. What I love about Old Riomar is, not only is it a gem, there is respect for what is. What do I mean by that? There's not a rush to take the wrecking ball and knock down houses in Old Riomar. It's very common in Old Riomar for the original house to be your classic rectangle. Many of these houses still have an 8 or 9-foot ceiling when you come in.

The lots are big, they're wide. The original club still exists. The beach club is there. It's fairly low-tech. It's very understated. It's very Vero. So, let me be clear. Just like Vero Beach Country Club, Old Riomar Country Club is not connected to the real estate. You can join if you wish, and you it's going to take you a minute, and you need to know folks that are there. One is not guaranteed with the other. Now, it's not Palm Beach where it's an average of 12 million. But, it's also not inexpensive.

A fixer or a lot might be 2 and 1/2 to 3 and 1/2 million, all the way up to oceanfront estates that can be 20 million. In between, the core there is probably going to be somewhere between 3 to 5 million for a house that probably doesn't need major work. Side note, across the street is a sister community. It is known as Riomar Bay and Riomar Bay 2. Very, very desirable. Why is Riomar, Riomar Bay, Riomar Bay 2, why are they so coveted? One of our strongest trends of the past, I'll say 10 years, is this notion of being in between the bridges.

We've got two fixed bridges in the middle part of the island, and if you reside in this quadrant, the golf cart can be your friend, and you could pretty much dust your car. And again, no HOA in Riomar Bay, Old Riomar. Riomar Bay 2 has an HOA, but this whole notion of no HOA, and you can certainly see at a certain level of scale, you don't need rules and regs to tell folks how to take care of their properties. We've gone over a gaggle of options among my favorites. All of them are worthy of your consideration.

What matters is what's important to you, where do you want to be price-wise, and what kind of lifestyle are you looking for? If you're intrigued, DM me or write to me through our contact form, and we can suss it out together, and I can give you representative ideas of houses in these various neighborhoods to see which one really is worthy of your consideration, and we'll figure it out. Thanks for watching.