Living in Julington Creek, Jacksonville

Which Julington Creek this page covers

The name causes confusion, so start here. Julington Creek is a waterway in southern Jacksonville that flows into the St. Johns River, with Durbin Creek as a tributary. It widens near the line between Duval and St. Johns counties. Along the Duval side, in Jacksonville's Mandarin area, there is a city park and the Mandarin Park boat ramp on the creek.

Zillow's Julington Creek neighborhood is inside Jacksonville, in Duval County. That is a different place from Julington Creek Plantation, the large planned community many people mean when they say the name, which is across the line in St. Johns County. Listings and search sites often blur the two. Zillow's boundaries may not match what locals call Julington Creek, so treat the $455,913 figure as the Duval-side area only.

Why the county line changes the purchase

Two homes a short drive apart can sit in different counties, and that affects several costs and processes.

• Property tax rate. Duval County homes pay the consolidated Jacksonville city-county millage. St. Johns County homes pay that county's millage, plus any special district charges. Compare the actual tax bills, then re-estimate from your purchase price.
• CDD assessments. Large planned communities in St. Johns County often use Community Development Districts, which add a line to the tax bill. Duval-side resales may or may not have one. Ask on every listing.
• Property appraiser and permits. Homestead filing, permit history and flood maps come from different county offices. Pull records from the right one.
• Mailing address. A Jacksonville mailing address does not mean the home is in Duval County. Confirm the county on the property appraiser's site.

This page sticks to the Duval side, but a buyer searching Julington Creek should look at both and compare the full monthly cost.

How $455,913 compares across Jacksonville

Zillow puts the upper third of Jacksonville homes above roughly $443,938. Julington Creek's typical home is past that line, so the middle of this neighborhood is the top of the city. Citywide, the typical four-bedroom is about $380,757 and the typical five-bedroom about $555,051. Julington Creek sits between those, which fits an area of larger family homes.

Nearby or similarly priced Zillow areas:

• Golden Glades - The Woods: $467,208, up 1.9% in a year and 22.8% in five
• Beach Haven: $423,541, up 20.5% in five years
• Sans Pareil: $403,644, up 20.2%
• Greenland: $403,637, up 20.8%
• Mandarin Station - Losco: $348,941, up 17.8%

Mandarin Station - Losco gives a sense of the spread inside Jacksonville's higher price bands: about $107,000 less than Julington Creek's typical home. A buyer who likes the south of the city but finds Julington Creek too expensive usually trades down on lot size, home age or distance to the water rather than on the area itself.

At the other end of the citywide range, the lower third of Jacksonville homes sits below roughly $175,465. Julington Creek's typical value is about 2.6 times that figure, which is a reminder of how wide the price range is inside one consolidated city.

Reading the price trend

Julington Creek's 1.3% gain over the past year compares with a 0.4% decline for Jacksonville overall. Over five years its 21.8% gain beat the city's 15.6%. Several of the higher-priced areas on Zillow's list rose over the year while some lower-priced ones fell; Baymeadows, for example, is down 9.8% in a year, and the city's typical condo is down 6.4%.

That steadiness is real, and it also means less room to negotiate on well-kept homes. Expect sellers to price close to recent sales and to hold firm on homes near the water.

What to inspect on a Julington Creek home

Homes near the creek and the river need a closer look at water and insurance.

• Flood zone and elevation. Look up the FEMA zone. Creek-side and riverfront lots can be in AE zones. Ask for an elevation certificate if the seller has one.
• Flood insurance. Required by lenders in high-risk zones, and worth quoting even outside them. NFIP and private policies can differ a lot in price.
• Wind mitigation report. Larger, newer homes often earn meaningful credits for roof shape, roof-to-wall connections and opening protection.
• Roof permit date. Many homes here are new enough that the roof is the first big replacement. Know where it is in its life.
• Docks and seawalls. On creek frontage, inspect the dock, any lift and the shoreline protection, and confirm permits.
• HOA documents. Read rules on boats, fences, exterior changes and any pending assessments.

Who Julington Creek fits

The Duval side of Julington Creek suits buyers who want a larger house in the south of Jacksonville and are comfortable paying a top-third price, with the creek and river nearby. It is less suited to buyers looking for value or a short walk to shops. Those buyers usually find more house for the money in Mandarin's older streets or further west.

If you're deciding between the Duval side and Julington Creek Plantation, compare total monthly cost (tax rate, any CDD, HOA, insurance) on two specific homes side by side. That comparison usually settles it faster than any general description. Zillow's index is the source for every value on this page.