Why Jacksonville Is A Great City for Home Builders

If your image of a Florida beachside community is a sleepy hamlet with wall-to-wall tourists and retirees, it's time for you to check out Jacksonville. This vibrant city in northeast Florida offers the very best of big city excitement and Atlantic Coastal beauty. If you're considering living in Jacksonville, it's time to get to know Jacksonville home builders, home building costs, and construction logistics.

Jacksonville Home Construction Costs

Jacksonville is one of the more affordable places to build and own a home in the US. Steady growth and a booming Jacksonville economy have been good to the local job market, and keep the housing market humming along as well. Here are some of the reasons that Jacksonville’s home building costs are lower than other Florida beachfront communities:

• Proximity to a major transportation hub: Because Jacksonville’s beaches are close to I-95 and to Jacksonville’s large downtown corridor, as well as Florida’s third largest seaport, shipping building materials and supplies to Jacksonville is easy and affordable.

• Year-round good weather: Unlike Northern cities which may lose weeks or even months every year to snow and frigid temperatures, Jacksonville is able to keep building year-round. That means a more active and engaged construction infrastructure, with fewer layoffs and more skilled workers.

• Young, vibrant population: Jacksonville’s average resident is almost a decade younger than the average Florida resident, meaning that there are plenty of young workers to fill construction and service jobs in the area.

What determines home building costs?

There are a variety of factors that go into home cost estimates, including the following:

• The Cost of Land

Whether you are buying an empty lot or purchasing an existing home as a teardown, the cost of land is a major part of the cost of new home construction. Land that has not previously been developed can be even more expensive since it will require improvements and infrastructure before it can sustain a home.

• Soft Costs

Soft costs are fees that are paid to a variety of entities, including government offices for permitting, utility companies for infrastructure, HOAs or community organizations for membership, as well as management fees for general contractors.

• Hard Costs

Hard costs include building materials, labor costs, landscaping, hardscape and other costs associated with the actual building itself.

• Financing Costs

Financing costs include both those costs associated with obtaining a construction loan and closing costs. If you are buying your lot and home separately, you may have financing costs and closing costs for each.

One advantage of using a Jacksonville home builder like Pulte for new home construction is the predictability of costs. Other than custom finishes and specific detail requests, you’ll have a fair approximation of the cost of your new home build, giving you a better ability to budget and prepare for your home purchase.

Jacksonville Population Growth

With more than one million residents in the metropolitan area, Jacksonville is the 14th largest city in the United States. According to local station WJCT, Jacksonville ranks seventh in the nation for overall population growth and second in the Southern US, just behind perennial favorite Austin. Over the last ten years, Jacksonville has increased in population by 10%.

Business-friendly policies, a lack of state income tax, and growing employment sectors in a number of in-demand fields is driving the expansion of Jacksonville’s economy. Some projections predict that the metro area will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, doubling in size within the next 25 years.

Jacksonville Climate

Jacksonville's climate is considered among the best in Florida, with generally mild weather all year long. While there is rain here about every three days, these are usually short afternoon showers, common in many coastal cities.

Unlike the subtropical weather you'll find further south, Jacksonville's climate has more in common with Southern coastal cities like Charleston and Savannah. While the summers are hot, the ocean breezes keep things comfortable.

Jacksonville boasts 1100 miles of navigable water, more than any other city in the United States. This includes Atlantic shoreline, Intracoastal waterways, and a long stretch of the St. Johns River. All of these waterways contribute to Jacksonville's beauty and mild climate.

Wherever you are looking for new construction in Jacksonville, you’re sure to find the best location and amenities in a Pulte community. Join in the future of this next, great American city.

Contributed to Your Home blog by Christy Murdock Edgar

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Published 2.23.2020