Buying a House in America’s Oldest City? The Ghosts Might Already Live There

Thinking about buying a house in St. Augustine, Florida?

Excellent.

Just understand that in America's oldest city, there's a chance somebody else has been living there since 1742.

And they're not contributing to the mortgage.

Welcome to house hunting in St. Augustine during spooky season.

The Ghost Is Honestly the Least of My Concerns

Everyone worries about haunted houses in October.

As a REALTOR®, I'm worried about something much scarier:

The inspection report.

A mysterious noise upstairs at 2 a.m.? We'll investigate.

A 19-year-old roof in Florida?

Now I'm scared.

Flickering lights? Could be paranormal activity.

Could also be an electrical panel that hasn't been updated since your parents were in high school.

And if the seller says:

“We've never had any issues with it.”

Congratulations. We've officially entered the horror portion of the movie.

Old St. Augustine Has Some Stories

St. Augustine was founded in 1565, making it the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States.

So yes, we've accumulated a few ghosts.

The Castillo de San Marcos, old inns, historic homes and narrow downtown streets have produced enough ghost stories to keep St. Augustine's ghost-tour industry busy every October.

But that's part of what makes living here so interesting.

You can spend Saturday walking through streets that are hundreds of years old…

…and Sunday touring a brand-new construction home with a three-car garage and zero known paranormal occupants.

Probably.

Moving to St. Augustine? You Have Options.

Here's what people searching homes for sale in St. Augustine, Florida sometimes don't realize:

Living here doesn't necessarily mean buying a 200-year-old house downtown and sharing your kitchen with Captain Edward from 1797.

St. Augustine and St. Johns County have everything from historic homes and established neighborhoods to golf communities, gated communities, condos and huge master-planned developments filled with newer construction.

Want history and walkability?

We've got it.

Want a newer house, community pool and neighbors who are considerably more alive?

We've got that too.

Want golf, beaches, boating and sunshine in October?

Now you're understanding why people keep moving here.

Don't Let Your Home Search Turn Into a Horror Movie

If you're thinking about moving to St. Augustine, St. Johns County or Northeast Florida, I'll help you find the right house, understand the area and navigate the things that can actually come back to haunt you after closing.

Roof problems?

We'll look into them.

Insurance?

We'll talk about it.

VA financing?

Absolutely.

Commute?

Let's map it out.

Actual ghost living in the guest bedroom?

That's between you, the ghost and your home inspector.

This October, don't be afraid of buying a house in America's oldest city.

Just make sure you have the right REALTOR® walking through the door with you.

-Travis