SOUTHPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL

It's a solid fit for buyers who want space and water access in southern Port St. Lucie, with 219 waterfront and 383 pool homes currently on the market. The area leans family-friendly and residential rather than dense or urban. You can see how the neighborhoods lay out on the live map.

It's moderately priced for the region, with a median list price of $369,900 and an average of $308 per square foot. There's a wide spread, though — listings range from entry-level up to 44 homes priced above $1 million, so budgets from starter to luxury are represented.

The median sold price over the past 12 months was $360,000, close to the current median list of $369,900. With a median home size of 1,538 square feet and 315 homes sold in the last year, you get a good read on what your money buys among Port St. Lucie homes for sale.

There are 662 active listings against 315 sales in the past year, and homes take a median 59.5 days to sell. Sellers average about 96% of their asking price, which points to a market where buyers have negotiating room without prices collapsing.

The median HOA runs about $656 per month, though that varies widely since only a portion of the area is in HOA or gated communities — just 67 active listings are gated. Median property taxes come in around $4,767 per year, and the typical rent is about $2,500 per month if you're weighing renting versus buying.