No CDD fees and low HOA fees make Las Calinas an attractive alternative for St. Johns County living near St. Augustine.
By: Alan Aptheker
Las Calinas, a new home development in St. Johns County, has some hooks to it that are going to bring on the buyers, not the least of which are no CDD fees, and a (very) low HOA fee that's around $475 per year. Compare this $40 a month to the $400-ish HOAs in many other communities of this ilk, and people tend to sit up and take notice. To be clear, this is no Nocatee, so you won't hear about a "Las Calinas lifestyle." But if Nocatee is the state-of-mind community in St. Johns/Ponte Vedra, wherein residents have a sort of spiritual connection to time and place, Las Calinas residents may identify with the pure practicality of living in the cozy woods of St. Johns County on a very relaxed budget.
The architecture is classy, with Spanish and Mediterranean elevations. Many homes back up to a nicely wooded preserve. The amenities are minimal but sufficient, (remember the $40 a month). You get a nice pool and cabana, tennis court, beach volleyball court, basketball court, playground, even a small fishing pier.
Mercedes, Taylor Morrison and Dostie are building in Las Calinas. There's a big range of three to seven bedrooms, 1,700 to more than 4,000 square feet, and prices start in the low $200's.