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Open: Sat 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
$745,000
Active
5
Beds
3
Baths
2869
Sqft
0.95
Acres
307 Edgewater Branch Dr, St Johns, FL 32259
MLS#: 2131259
01
At a glance
Quick Scan: which side fits your real week?
Julington Creek fits when…
- You want school and errands to stay close to the SR-13/Racetrack area most days, so weeknights don’t feel like a long drive.
- Your commute leans toward Southside or the I-95 side, and you like having more than one reasonable route.
- You want river-adjacent parks and preserve trails close enough to actually use them.
Fleming Island fits when…
- You want a daily setup built around US-17 and CR-220, where most errands can be bundled into one pass.
- You want Doctors Lake and the Black Creek trail setup nearby for easy outdoor time.
- You can live with the bridge and main-road reality on the days you’re heading into Jacksonville.
What surprises homebuyers
- School talk is often outdated. “It goes to ___” is only true after you check the address in the official tool.
- One pinch point can dominate your week. If your commute involves I-295 over the St. Johns River, you feel it quickly.
Before you pick a side
- Run your commute on a weekday at your real departure time using Florida’s official traffic tools.
- Verify zoned schools by address and keep screenshots in your notes.
- Confirm HOA/CDD status by documents, not listing wording.
02
District zoning
Schools: district differences and what to verify by address
Schools are often the most emotional part of this decision, and the reason is practical: school logistics are a daily reality. Start times, pickup lines, after-school care, and zoning by address can shape your routine more than people expect.
The only school info that counts
- Julington Creek (St. Johns County): use the Attendance Zone Locator and enter the exact address: stjohns.k12.fl.us/zoning
- Fleming Island (Clay County): use “Find Your School Zone” and enter the exact address: oneclay.net/find-your-school-zone
Treat school zoning like something you verify for each finalist address, not something you “know” once. Two homes that feel like the same area can feed differently.
What “verify by address” really means
1 Confirm zoned schools today
Run the address in the official tool and save a screenshot for your notes.
2 Confirm the full feeder path
Check elementary, middle, and high—especially if your kids will change grade levels during your ownership.
3 Keep choice/program plans honest
If you’re considering anything outside the zone, treat it as a bonus until the district’s process and timing are confirmed for your year.
4 Ask daily-logistics questions
After-school care availability, typical carline timing, and whether transportation is available for your address and program.
5 Re-check before you write
If you’ve been searching for a while, run the address again before you commit to a real estate contract.
If you’re still deciding at the county level (not just these two communities), this guide helps you name what matters before you lock in: Jacksonville vs Clay County vs St Johns County: How to Choose the Right Area.
03
Drive time reality
Commute routes: how people actually get to work
The commute question is really: how does each area connect to Southside, Downtown, and NAS Jax on real weekdays—especially when you hit the same pinch points everyone else hits. The miles may look similar, but the experience can change fast if your route depends on a river crossing or a tight interchange.
Julington Creek routes
- Many day-to-day routes use SR-13 and Racetrack Rd for school life and errands.
- CR-210 and I-95 often come into play for Southside and broader Jacksonville access.
- I-295 can matter when you’re heading toward west-side job centers or planning a backup route around an incident.
Fleming Island routes
- US-17 and CR-220 commonly function as the daily spine for commuting and errands.
- SR-21 (Blanding Blvd) and I-295 are frequent ingredients when your work week is Jacksonville-bound.
- Bridge timing matters more if your daily plan requires crossing the St. Johns River.
The peak-hour pinch points to plan around
- I-295 river crossing: if your commute depends on crossing the St. Johns River on I-295, that can become your biggest daily variable on certain mornings.
- School-time slowdowns: roads like Racetrack can tighten up around drop-off and pickup windows, especially during the school week.
- Incident-day reality: if you don’t have a backup route you’re comfortable with, the commute can feel heavier than the mileage suggests.
Do this before you commit
- Pick your real job center: Southside, Downtown, NAS Jax, or your specific office area.
- Run the route at your real departure time using FL511: fl511.com
- Check it again on a different weekday so you’re not basing your real estate decision on a one-off day.
- Write down your best-case route and your backup route, because the backup route is what you’ll remember on the rough mornings.
If you’re cross-shopping the bigger St. Johns growth path as part of your home search, this comparison can help round out the picture: Nocatee vs Bartram Park vs Durbin: Commute Times, School Zones, and New Construction Reality.
04
Weekly logistics
Shopping and errands: where the weekly run actually happens
Errands are where a place either feels easy or feels like you’re always running behind. It isn’t just groceries. It’s pharmacy, returns, kid-life errands, and the “we forgot one thing” stop that shows up at the worst time.
The quick test: if you can cover groceries + pharmacy + kid-life errand + an easy dinner pickup without feeling like you’re crossing the map, the area usually feels calmer on weeknights.
Julington Creek errands
- Many daily basics are handled close to SR-13/Racetrack, which keeps routine tasks from turning into a long drive.
- Most households also lean on one larger errand zone for “everything in one run,” so weeknights don’t become three separate stops.
Fleming Island errands
- A lot of everyday services and shopping sit naturally along the US-17 spine for normal weeks.
- CR-220 is where many people bundle errands into one pass, especially the kind of trips that would otherwise split into multiple stops.
If you want another cross-shop comparison that stays focused on roads and daily logistics, this one pairs well: Fleming Island vs Orange Park: Commute Routes, Schools, and Traffic.
05
Fees & governance
HOA/CDD reality: what’s common, and what you should confirm
In both areas, you’ll run into planned communities where amenities, rules, and extra assessments are part of the deal. Some homebuyers want that structure because it supports amenities and a maintained look. Other homebuyers want fewer rules and fewer layers. Either way, it’s a “know it early” part of a smart real estate search.
Official references
Don’t ask “Does this area have a CDD?” Ask “Does this address sit in a CDD boundary?” The same area name can include neighborhoods with very different fee structures.
If you want the clean explanation of how these fees work (and when they’re worth it), this is the companion read: What Are CDD Fees in Northeast Florida? (And When They’re Worth It).
What to request early
- HOA documents: focus on rentals, parking, boats, sheds, exterior changes, and pets if any of those are personal deal-breakers.
- CDD info: confirm what it funds and how it appears on assessments for that specific address.
- Other community fees: ask early so you’re not surprised after you’re already emotionally attached.
If HOA rules are a make-or-break for you, keep this one close: HOA Rules in Northeast Florida: What Homebuyers Should Verify Before You Buy.
06
Parks & outdoor life
Weekend patterns: parks, water, and the Saturday reality
Weekend fit matters because it shows you what life feels like when you’re not rushing. This isn’t about “things to do.” It’s about whether you have places nearby that are easy enough to use regularly.
A normal-weekend example helps. On the Julington Creek side, many people handle a short errand run and then swing by a river-side park for an hour. On the Fleming Island side, Doctors Lake and the Black Creek trail setup can fit the same low-effort pattern.
Julington Creek: river & preserves
- Alpine Groves Park is a St. Johns County riverfront park with trails, open space, and a pier, and it’s close enough to work as a normal afternoon stop: St. Johns County park page
- The Julington-Durbin Preserve is a recognizable SJRWMD recreation area for trail time and wildlife viewing: SJRWMD preserve info
Fleming Island: water & trails
- Doctors Lake Park has a fishing pier and covered pavilion, and it’s an easy “quick water” stop: Clay County park page
- Black Creek Park and Trail runs along US-17 and includes an 8-mile paved path with multiple trailheads: Clay County trail page
The Saturday test
- Pick a normal errand run: groceries, pharmacy, and one kid-life stop.
- Pick one easy outside plan: a park, a pier, or a trail.
- Compare which side keeps it simple without turning into a long drive.
- Notice the friction points: parking, traffic pinch spots, and how much time disappears.
07
Decision framework
If/then patterns that usually hold up
If: Southside / Town Center / Baymeadows commute
Julington Creek often feels more straightforward because you’re usually aiming toward St. Johns County and I-95-side access instead of depending on an I-295 river crossing as a daily feature.
If: NAS Jax or frequently west-side
Fleming Island can be very practical, but it’s worth testing your I-295 timing and your backup route on real weekdays.
If: schools are the non-negotiable
Treat it as an address-level verification, not a general area assumption.
If: thinking long-horizon resale
Focus on the durable drivers you can verify now: your likely job-center routes, the stability of your school assignment for your target grades, and any HOA/CDD layers that could affect buyer demand later.
08
Your action list
Verify-by-address checklist
If you do nothing else, do this. It’s the difference between liking a listing and feeling good about the decision after you move in.
1
Schools
Run the exact address in the official tool and save a screenshot. St. Johns: Attendance Zone Locator | Clay: Find Your School Zone
2
Commute
Run your route at your real weekday departure time using FL511, and check it on more than one day.
3
HOA rules
Request governing documents early if rentals, parking, boats, exterior changes, or pets are deal-breakers. (Pairs well with the HOA verification guide.)
4
CDD status
Confirm whether the home is inside a CDD boundary and what it funds. Julington Creek Plantation CDD | Fleming Island Plantation CDD
5
Flood risk by address
Don’t guess. Run the property and understand what the map is actually telling you: Flood Zones in Northeast Florida: How to Check a Property and What It Means.
6
Safety (buyer-protective approach)
Use official sources to sanity-check what you’re hearing. Start with FDLE Uniform Crime Reports, then review local resources: Clay County Sheriff’s Office and St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
7
Errands
Map your actual weekly run and see which side stays contained for your habits.
8
Weekend fit
Pick one park/trail/water plan you’ll realistically repeat and confirm how easy it is from your likely neighborhoods.
