Home Loans in St. Johns County, FL

About St. Johns County

St. Johns County stretches along Northeast Florida's Atlantic coast between Duval and Flagler counties, with the St. Johns River on its western side. St. Augustine, the county seat, is a historic city where the National Park Service runs Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and the Florida National Guard keeps its headquarters at St. Francis Barracks. St. Augustine Beach, on Anastasia Island, is the other municipality entirely inside the county, so most residents live in unincorporated communities, including Ponte Vedra, Nocatee and Fruit Cove. The federal government counts the county in the Jacksonville metropolitan area, and the University of Florida's estimates place it among the fastest-growing Florida counties from 2020 to 2025.

Much of the growth has come through planned unit developments. The county's planning page describes an interactive tool for residential growth in Planned Unit Development zoning districts, the county maps community development districts, and Ponte Vedra has its own zoning district regulations. In the southwest, Hastings is a farming area with a University of Florida agricultural extension center, and USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture lists vegetables, melons and potatoes as the largest farm sales category.

Water has shaped recent history. Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 put 5 to 7 feet of water above ground along the coast, with more than 2 feet of saltwater on Anastasia Island and up to 4 feet in St. Augustine, according to the National Hurricane Center. The city has since finished a flood mitigation project in the Court Theophelia neighborhood, and inside St. Augustine, historic preservation districts carry design and lighting rules.

Quick facts

County seat: St. Augustine
Region: Northeast Florida
Population: 348,336; 2025 · University of Florida BEBR, Florida Estimates of Population 2025
2026 conforming loan limit: $832,750; One-unit home · FHFA
2026 FHA loan limit: $580,750; One-unit home · HUD
Geography: Atlantic coast, including Anastasia Island
St. Johns River on the western side of the county
Matanzas Inlet, with Fort Matanzas National Monument run by the National Park Service; Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is in St. Augustine
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, which includes land in St. Johns and Flagler counties
Julington, Durbin, Deep and Pellicer's creeks, named in the county's boundary law
Housing types: Historic-district homes in St. Augustine
Planned unit development neighborhoods across the northern county
Beachfront and near-beach homes, including Anastasia Island and Ponte Vedra
Townhomes and multifamily buildings in smaller numbers
Farm and rural parcels around Hastings
Major industries: Vegetables, melons and potatoes were the largest farm sales category in USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture, followed by nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod.

Figures show their source and year. Confirm details with the county offices.

Housing in St. Johns County

St. Johns County is mostly detached single-family housing, and the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey shows a higher share of newly built homes than any neighboring county, along with townhomes and multifamily buildings in smaller numbers. Much of that newer stock sits in master-planned neighborhoods approved as Planned Unit Developments, where the PUD document, the homeowners association and any community development district shape what a buyer can do with a lot and what the tax bill includes.

St. Augustine's historic districts add design rules that can affect renovation plans, and the city's short-term rental rules vary by zoning district. On Anastasia Island and at Ponte Vedra Beach, oceanfront homes face erosion and flood questions that Matthew made visible, with dune lines cut back and beachfront structures undermined. Hastings and the southwest remain agricultural, with farm parcels and a University of Florida extension center.

Financing in St. Johns County

VA loans

VA eligibility depends on service, not address. St. Augustine is home to the Florida National Guard's headquarters at St. Francis Barracks, and Guard members, other service members and veterans can ask a loan officer how their service counts toward a VA loan on a St. Johns County home. Camp Blanding, the Guard's training center, is in neighboring Clay County.

Condominiums

A condominium on Anastasia Island, in St. Augustine or elsewhere in the county is covered by Florida's condominium safety statutes when its building is three habitable stories or higher; those buildings need milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies (Fla. Stat. 553.899 and 718.112). Ask the association for those reports, the budget and reserve balances before the inspection period ends, and expect the lender's project review to add time.

Flood zones and flood insurance

On any coastal or river address, check the FEMA flood zone, the evacuation zone through Know Your Zone, and the home's flood history, including past claims. Federal law requires flood insurance for most mortgages on a building in a high-risk zone. Parts of the coast near St. Augustine Inlet and Matanzas Inlet are in the federal Coastal Barrier Resources System, where federal flood insurance is generally unavailable for buildings built or substantially improved after the area's cutoff date, and its System Units also bar FHA, VA and USDA loans. Check the address on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's CBRS Mapper.

Homeowners insurance

Matthew's storm surge and waves undermined beachfront structures at Ponte Vedra Beach and cut dune lines back, which is why coastal buyers ask early about wind, flood and any local building limits. Homeowners policies generally exclude flood. The state's My Safe Florida Home program lists free wind-mitigation inspections and grants, subject to availability, and a mitigation report can support insurance credits under Fla. Stat. 627.0629.

Homestead exemption

St. Johns County homestead filings go to the county Property Appraiser, who needs ownership and permanent residence on January 1 and an application by March 1. In a fast-growing county, the first tax bill after a purchase can still reflect the seller's reduced value, while the next year's reflects reassessment, so ask a loan officer how escrow will adjust.

Property taxes

Many St. Johns County neighborhoods sit in Planned Unit Developments, and some are in community development districts, which can levy assessments collected on the county tax bill and must be disclosed in initial sales contracts (Fla. Stat. 190.021 and 190.048). Ask for the district's assessment schedule and homeowners association dues before making an offer, and ask a loan officer how those charges count in the monthly housing cost.

Local homebuyer assistance

The St. Johns County Housing office at San Sebastian View in St. Augustine runs SHIP, and the county's SHIP page lists notices and the local housing assistance plan. Availability depends on funding and household eligibility, and assistance is not guaranteed. Contact the office for current notices before planning around it, and ask a loan officer how any county help would fit with a first mortgage.

Short-term rentals

The City of St. Augustine requires an annual short-term rental registration, and the minimum rental period depends on zoning: one week in RS-1 and RS-2 districts, one month in the HP-1 historic district, and nightly in other districts. Fees depend on bedroom count. Outside the city, other rules may apply, so confirm with the jurisdiction that covers the address before buying a home to rent.

Cities, towns and communities

St. AugustineCityCounty seatCounty seat; home to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and Flagler College, with historic preservation districts that carry design and lighting rules.
St. Augustine BeachCityOceanfront city on Anastasia Island, next to Anastasia State Park; the National Hurricane Center reported storm surge flooding at its sea walls during Hurricane Matthew.
Ponte VedraUnincorporated communityCoastal area in the north of the county covered by the Ponte Vedra Zoning District Regulations; dunes were cut back and beachfront structures undermined at Ponte Vedra Beach in Matthew.
NocateeUnincorporated communityCensus-designated place in the northern part of the county with no municipal government of its own; St. Johns County planning and zoning apply.
Fruit CoveUnincorporated communityCensus-designated place in the northwestern part of the county, governed by St. Johns County rather than a municipality.
HastingsUnincorporated communityAgricultural community in the southwest where the University of Florida runs the Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, which traces its history to a 1923 potato laboratory.

Official local resources

Links go to government offices, not to Mortgage by Ruben.

St. Johns County: common questions

7 questions

Does Know Your Zone tell me whether a St. Johns County home floods?

No. The county Emergency Management page links a Know Your Zone lookup and a Hurricane Preparedness Guide with evacuation and shelter information, which tells a buyer an address's evacuation zone. A FEMA flood zone is a separate lookup, so check both before you make an offer.

What did Hurricane Matthew do to St. Augustine and the beaches?

The National Hurricane Center reported 5 to 7 feet of water above ground along the county coast, more than 2 feet of saltwater on Anastasia Island, and up to 4 feet in St. Augustine near the bayfront. Dunes at Ponte Vedra Beach were cut back and beachfront structures were undermined. Ask beachside sellers about repairs, permits and flood insurance claims.

How do historic preservation districts in St. Augustine affect renovation plans?

The City of St. Augustine applies rules in its Historic Preservation districts, including lighting guidelines and review of exterior work, and its short-term rental page sets a one-month minimum for HP-1 properties. Rules differ by district and by project, so confirm them for the address before you buy, and ask the city what approval a planned change would need.

Can I rent a St. Augustine home by the night?

It depends on zoning. The city's page says RS-1 and RS-2 properties may be rented for one week or longer with an approved registration, HP-1 properties for one month or longer, and properties in other districts nightly, with registration renewed each year. Find the zoning district on the city's zoning map and confirm current rules with the city.

What does a Planned Unit Development mean for a St. Johns County buyer?

A PUD is a zoning district tied to an approved plan, and the county's planning page offers an interactive PUD Residential Activity tool showing approved districts with residential entitlements. Buyers in PUDs should read the PUD documents, homeowners association rules and any community development district disclosure, because those shape lot use and the tax bill. The county's Development Tracker map shows nearby zoning applications.

Is FEMA flood mitigation funding available to St. Augustine homeowners?

In 2025 the City of St. Augustine and St. Johns County hosted workshops for homeowners on FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance funding. The city also completed a flood mitigation project in the Court Theophelia neighborhood. Funding rules and eligibility come from FEMA and the state, so ask the city whether another round is planned if a home has flooded, and do not assume a particular property qualifies.

Does Ponte Vedra have different zoning rules from the rest of St. Johns County?

Yes. The county's Planning and Zoning Division reviews applications against the Land Development Code and the Ponte Vedra Zoning District Regulations, a separate set of rules for properties inside that district. A buyer planning an addition, a pool or an accessory building near the coast should ask the Planning Department whether the Ponte Vedra regulations apply to the address.

Loan programs to explore

VA LoansFor eligible veterans and service members. No monthly mortgage insurance.
Short-Term Rental LoansFinance vacation rentals using short-term rental income.
Condotel and Non-Warrantable Condo LoansFor condos and condo-hotels outside Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac project rules.
Construction-to-Permanent LoansFinance building a home with one closing.
Second Home LoansFinance a vacation home you will use part of the year.
Jumbo LoansFor loan amounts above the conforming limit.

Not sure which program fits? Try the program finder or run your own numbers in the calculators.

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Neighboring counties

All 67 counties

Local information on this page is general, comes from public sources and can change. Loan programs and eligibility do not depend on the county alone, and this page does not determine them. For current facts about a property, check official sources such as the county property appraiser or assessor and FEMA flood maps. This is not a commitment to lend, and program availability varies by lender.