Cocoa Beach Insider

Viera Florida is one of the fastest growing areas in Brevard County. Just like any town or community, it’s perfect for some and not quite right for others. To help you decide if Viera could be right for you, here are the Pro’s and Con’s of Viera Florida.

Homeowners Associations

If you do not like the idea of living in a homeowners association, then Viera is not a good match for you. Viera is a Master Planned Community aka Homeowners Association aka HOA. Not only does Viera have its rules, regulations, and HOA docs for you to abide by…more than likely you are living in a sub-association too that will have a few more rules and regulations to follow. Each of these also have its own set of fees to pay too. 

HOA’s could be looked at as a blessing in disguise. Yes, there are rules for you to follow and how your home & property should be kept up in appearance; but this means your neighbors will need to follow these rules too. Some of the HOA’s will have amenities for you to enjoy like a pool, playground or basketball court and your HOA fee pays to keep them maintained. 

Property Taxes are lower

Since you are in unincorporated Rockledge and Melbourne, your taxes are lower than living inside the city limits. The tax millage code for Viera depends upon the area you are living in. The codes are 4200, 4300, 420Y, and 430Y. The millage rate for 2020 is either 13.2032 or 13.1936 depending on where you live in Viera. Compare this to the city of Rockledge 17.2908 or the city of Melbourne 18.1189, property taxes are less. You can see what other municipalities millage rates are here https://www.bcpao.us/TaxRoll.aspx?t=1.1 

Some areas of Viera are part of a Community Development District, also known as a CDD. The CDD was set up during the development of the subdivision & community to help pay for the infrastructure and is included in the property tax bill in the non-ad valorem assessment. Viera East is one of the communities that is set up this way. Here is a link to their website for more information https://vieraeastcdd.com/ 

Homes are newer

Since Viera started building in East Viera late 1980’s/early 1990’s, almost all the homes are less than 30 years old. There are new communities being built in West Viera. All the homes are on city water and sewer (no septic or well water) Homes built after 2002 are built with better hurricane standards. You do not have to be concerned with cast iron pipes, aluminum wiring or Federal Pacific electrical panels. There are some homes that were built in the early 1990’s that have polybutylene plumbing that is a concern. If you are buying a home, you should have a home inspection. Any decent home inspector will be able to determine if the pipes were polybutylene. Here some more info on PB pipes https://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html 

Something to keep in mind since the homes are newer AND you are west of US1, your homeowners insurance will be lower than other parts of the county; especially compared to the homes on the barrier islands. The newer homes are also much more energy efficient, so your electric bills should be less too.

Location

You are on the mainland and centrally located in Brevard County. You have easy access to US 1 and I-95. You are surrounded by great shopping, restaurants & bars. You have parks, paths, and greenspaces everywhere. You have amazing wildlife in these parks and along the many lakes & ponds. There’s great golfing in the area. Plenty of doctors, medical facilities, and the Health First Hospital. If a storm is approaching, you will not be under mandatory evacuation.

BUT, you are at least 20 minutes to the closest beach. If you want to have a home on the river or canal, you are out of luck. Viera is WEST of US1 and does not offer any homes that are on any waterways that are navigable or allow boats or watercraft. 

Traffic

Traffic can be bad in Viera, especially along Wickham Road near the i-95 exit. Stadium Parkway near the USSSA during events and tournaments can become a parking lot and Lake Andrew Drive by the Avenues always seems busy. Then there’s the traffic circle…20 years later people are finally getting the hang of it, but I still get white knuckled when I have to use the roundabout. 

I have been very happy with the 404/Pineda Causeway extension to I-95 and look forward to the soon to be opened connection to Lake Andrew Drive that will connect the southern end of West Viera to the 404. I really like the Viera interchange on I-95 too. When I first heard about the diverging diamond interchange, I thought it would be as bad or worse than the roundabout on Wickham Road in west Viera. It is a very cool design that allows traffic to move quickly and efficiently. https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/12/viera-boulevard-95-diverging-diamond-soft-opening-shift-driving-patterns-bridge/2845343002/

Golf carts are an acceptable way to get around

Golf carts are used throughout the Viera area. I see them at Publix. I see parents picking up and dropping off their kids at the school. I see them going to the community pools and parks. You can use a golf cart on most of the paths throughout Viera and on the subdivision roadways. They do not allow golf carts on Wickham Road, Viera Blvd or Pineda Causeway. https://www.cvcaviera.com/education/golf-carts/

Outdoor activity

If you like outdoor activities, Viera is fantastic. Just drive through the area and you will see runners & walkers, people on bikes, and dogs getting walked. You have parks, basketball & tennis courts in a lot of the communities. 

If you like watching nature, you will be surprised to see what the lakes & ponds attract. You will see the sandhill cranes, anhingas, ibis, storks, and  snowy egrets on a regular basis. You will see turtles, otters, and maybe a little gator in the water. A great spot to visit to see wildlife would be the Viera Wetlands.

If you are planning a move to somewhere in Brevard County, you should definitely consider what Viera has to offer. Every town & community has their negatives/cons of living there BUT Viera does have a lot to offer and I believe the pros definitely outweigh the cons. 

Have you ever lived in Viera or are you living there now? I would like to know what your thoughts are on this Master Planned community.

Do you have questions about Viera? Are you planning on moving soon? Is there anything I can help you with? You can call/text Eric Larkin with REMAX Aerospace 321-795-1854 or complete the information box below.

Eric Larkin is a Broker Associate with Real Broker, LLC. He lives, works, and plays in the Cocoa Beach area. If you have questions about moving or relocating to Cocoa Beach and the Space Coast, let me know! I get calls, texts, direct messages & comments on my posts every day about the real estate market and things that are happening in Cocoa Beach and the Space Coast that I love answering. Ask me your questions on moving, relocating here, or anything about the community. I am here to help. I have been helping buyers and sellers with their real estate needs since becoming a real estate agent in 2003. My focus is always on helping, answering your questions, and doing everything possible to make certain you have a smooth transaction from beginning to end.

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