St. Johns County relocation notes | St. Johns County Living

Before you make an offer

Pull the FEMA flood zone for the exact addressDo this before you fall in love with the house. It changes insurance, and sometimes the decision.
Ask for the elevation certificateOlder homes near the water in St. Augustine and on the beach islands often have one on file. If nobody can produce it, budget for one.
Get a windstorm and homeowners quote on that addressRoof age and roof attachment matter. A quote in month one is better than a renewal shock in month thirteen.
Confirm whether the address carries CDD assessmentsCommunity Development District fees appear on the tax bill separately from HOA dues. Ask for the figure on the exact lot.
Verify the school attendance zone with the districtUse the district boundary tool for the exact address, then confirm with the school. A listing is not authoritative.
Drive the commute at 7:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.US-1 and Nocatee Parkway behave differently at those hours than they do on a Sunday afternoon tour.

Check roof age, attachment, and drainageIn the northwest county, look at retention-pond proximity and how the street drains in a hard rain.
Put documents in the cloud before hurricane seasonDeed, insurance policy, IDs, and medical records. Photograph the meter and the appliances the day you take possession.
Write down your evacuation zone and meet-up planCounty emergency management publishes the zone maps. Do this in month one, while it is still boring.

Set up utilities and confirm city versus county boundariesSome addresses sit inside city limits with different services than the unincorporated county around them.
Register the car and get a Florida licenseThere are windows and appointments involved. Starting early saves weeks.
Find one weekly thing with other people in itA First Friday walk, a splash park, a marina, a church, a run club. This is the step most moving lists leave off.