Vilano Beach is garnering much attention these days. Sublimely surrounded by the intracoastal waterway to the east, Atlantic Ocean to the west and St. Augustine to the south, the beach community affords close proximity to Old Town St. Augustine and is often dubbed the First Coast's best kept secret. For many years Vilano Beach offered some of the most favorable real estate values to be had of the beach communities in and around the St. Augustine area. While Vilano Beach edges out much of the state in terms of estimated median home and condo values the area provides the ideal environment to unwind, relax and enjoy the sand and surf. The community remains one of St. Augustine's favorite gathering spots and eclectic beaches. Vacationers mingle with beach residents. Foreigners intertwine with native southerners. The beachfront community remains one of St. Augustine's favored vacation destinations. According to ReMax realtor Elke W. McMenemy, "Sales activity has picked up but only those properties truly priced to sell. The bottom line is that it's still a buyer's market, with plenty of inventory to choose from and with interest rates still at a very low rate." Perhaps such optimism is owed in part to Vilano Beach's ardent base of advocates and strong supporters of homeowner and property rights. For example, just a few years ago, the Board of County Commissioners in St. Johns County sought a property transfer tax. The tax levy would have had to been paid by purchasers of both new or existing properties. Governmental Affairs Director for the Northeastern Association of Realtors Nancy Garcia said the organization openly opposes any such tax on any real estate sales. Garcia admitted that although St. Johns is a growing county, taxing homeowners and home purchasers with undue and unnecessary tax burdens is not the right way to build infrastructure. Nevertheless, Vilano Beach achieved a delicate yet successful balance of mixed use residential living coupled with commerce, an approach which other nearby beach communities strive to emulate. For example, the once sleepy beach town is now attracting major developers. Vilano Beach Development, LLC recently completed work of its most recent project, Water's Edge. The project is billed as a private condominium town center and the developer maintains, "It's effortless to live, work and play in this carefree town center community." The center is self-contained with a full service grocer, restaurants, shops, boutiques, a post office, medical and dental offices and bank. Vilano Beach is now a bricolage of upscale waterfront residential homes, gated communities and condominiums. The result is a pedestrian-friendly, beachfront community with a successful mix of businesses and services. The area beams with activity and it is of little wonder Vilano Beach condos and vacation rentals are in such high demand. Offering a full spectrum of recreational activities, southern charm and opportunities, Vilano Beach offers coastal living at its finest. CondoCompany.com along with its expert staff is dedicated to assisting those seeking to purchase or rent a condo. CondoCompany.com is the largest online provider of condo and vacation rental information. Dining, shopping, entertainment, sun, sand and surf, Vilano Beach has something for all. |
