Serving Port St. Lucie, the Treasure Coast, Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens · RE/MAX Gold
Moving to Stuart, FL: Relocation Guide
Serving Port St. Lucie, the Treasure Coast, Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens · RE/MAX Gold
A riverfront downtown, a boating town at heart, the neighborhoods worth knowing, and the practical things to sort out before you move.
A real downtown, a lot of boats, and buildings that stay low.
Stuart is the county seat of Martin County, and its downtown sits right on the St. Lucie River. The Riverwalk, the Lyric Theatre, restaurants, galleries and shops are all within a few blocks, and on most weekends something is going on.
The water runs everything. The St. Lucie River, its South Fork, the Okeechobee Waterway and the Intracoastal all come together near Stuart, and the St. Lucie Inlet gives boats a short run to the Atlantic. The town calls itself the Sailfish Capital of the World, and a walk past the marinas explains why.
Martin County’s comprehensive plan has kept a countywide four-story height limit since the 1980s. There are no condo towers on the river, and the skyline looks a lot like it did decades ago.
One more thing worth knowing up front: the City of Stuart itself is small, about 19,500 residents by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Many homes with a Stuart mailing address are in unincorporated Martin County or nearby towns.
Stuart steps east from established neighborhoods to the river, a peninsula town and the barrier island.
Downtown sits on the south shore of the St. Lucie River. North River Shores is across the Roosevelt Bridge, Palm City is across the river to the west, and Port Salerno’s waterfront is to the southeast near the inlet.
East of downtown, Sewall’s Point (its own small town) sits on a peninsula between the river and the lagoon. Beyond it, the causeway reaches Hutchinson Island, with public beaches and the gated Sailfish Point community at the island’s south tip.
Six areas that cover most of what you’ll see with a Stuart address.
The streets around downtown mix older cottages and bungalows with condos and townhomes, all within walking or biking distance of the Riverwalk, which runs along the St. Lucie River toward the historic homes on Seminole Street. Condos and townhomes make up a big share of what sells inside the city limits.
An incorporated town of about 2,000 residents on a peninsula with the St. Lucie River on the south and west and the Indian River Lagoon on the east. Much of the housing is waterfront or water-view.
At the south tip of Hutchinson Island, Sailfish Point is a gated community with a marina and golf. Elsewhere on the island you’ll find oceanfront condos with a Stuart address.
A historic fishing village on the Manatee Pocket, near where the St. Lucie Inlet meets the Indian River Lagoon. Working docks, fishing charters, waterfront seafood spots and art galleries share a few walkable blocks.
On the north side of the St. Lucie River across the Roosevelt Bridge, with established single-family streets and river and canal homes, a short drive from downtown.
West and south of downtown are established golf and club communities, including Willoughby and Mariner Sands, along with subdivisions that offer more yard and less water. These areas suit buyers who want amenities and quick access to I-95 and the Turnpike.
A Stuart address can mean a downtown condo, a canal home in Port Salerno, or a house on the island. Before we tour, I’ll ask which kind of Stuart you’re picturing.
| $400K | Typically a condo or townhome, or a smaller single-family home inland. |
| $600K | A single-family home in an established neighborhood. Canal homes occasionally show up near this range. |
| $800K | Larger homes, stronger canal options with ocean access, or condos on the water. |
| $1M+ | River and Intracoastal estates, Sewall’s Point, and Sailfish Point, which runs well beyond $1M. |
General orientation based on recent sales and current inventory, not specific listings. Condition, lot, water access, flood zone and HOA or club costs all move the number. Want this week’s numbers? See the latest market report or ask Jessica for a custom snapshot.
Condos and townhomes, established single-family neighborhoods, and a deep waterfront market.
Martin County’s height limit keeps buildings at four stories or less, and new construction is relatively scarce.
City of Stuart, Sewall’s Point or unincorporated county: each affects taxes and rules.
Downtown on the river, beaches over the causeway, and boats everywhere.
More than 50 locally owned shops, restaurants and galleries in historic buildings, with the Riverwalk boardwalk along the St. Lucie River. On Sundays, live music and a farmers market bring downtown to life.
The historic Lyric Theatre hosts concerts and touring shows. The Stuart Heritage Museum, in the town’s oldest commercial building, and the Court House Cultural Center cover history and art.
On Hutchinson Island, Stuart Beach has courts and oceanfront dining, and Bathtub Reef Beach farther south has calm, reef-protected water at low tide.
The Elliott Museum sits at the Stuart Beach entrance with antique cars, boats and baseball history. Nearby, the House of Refuge at Gilbert’s Bar is the oldest building in Martin County.
A 57-acre center on Hutchinson Island with a large game fish lagoon, a sea turtle pavilion and nature trails.
Sailfish Splash Waterpark has slides, a lazy river and competition pools, and Sailfish Sands offers 18- and 9-hole golf and hitting bays.
Port Salerno is my favorite thing to show people who think they know Stuart. Lunch on the Manatee Pocket, boats coming back from the inlet, then a short drive later you’re walking the Riverwalk downtown.
A plain-language orientation, not legal, tax or insurance advice. I’m glad to introduce you to licensed professionals I trust.
Get a quote on the actual address early, before you’re under contract. Premiums vary a lot from one home to the next depending on the roof’s age and material, the construction, wind-mitigation features, elevation and flood exposure. Older homes often need a four-point inspection, and waterfront homes deserve extra attention to elevation and flood coverage.
Flood zones are parcel-specific, so two homes on the same street can differ. Lenders require flood insurance in high-risk zones, and it’s worth considering outside them. Check the FEMA flood map and ask for an elevation certificate.
Many insurers have roof-age limits. A wind-mitigation inspection documents features like roof-to-wall connections and impact-rated openings, which can lower your premium.
Ask for seawall and dock inspections, confirm dock and lift permits, and check bridge clearances and water depth if you’re bringing a boat.
The St. Lucie estuary is affected at times by freshwater discharges from Lake Okeechobee, which have been linked to algae blooms in past years. If you’re buying on the river, it’s worth reading up.
A Stuart mailing address can be in the City of Stuart, the Town of Sewall’s Point or unincorporated Martin County. The property appraiser’s record shows which, and that affects taxes, services and permitting.
Buildings with three or more habitable stories need periodic milestone inspections and a Structural Integrity Reserve Study, with reserves funded to match. Ask for the latest inspection, the reserve study, the budget and any special assessments.
If the home will be your primary residence, file for the homestead exemption with the Martin County Property Appraiser by March 1. Once it’s in place, Florida’s Save Our Homes rule limits how much your assessed value can rise each year.
June 1 through November 30. Look up your evacuation zone with Martin County Emergency Management and sign up for county alerts before the season starts.
If I could show someone only one downtown on this coast, it would probably be Stuart’s. Buyers tell me all the time it “feels like Florida used to feel.” That’s an impression, not a statistic, but I hear it often enough to pass along. If boating and a walkable downtown are both on your list, start here.
I’m a REALTOR® and Broker Associate with RE/MAX Gold and a licensed mortgage loan officer, so I can help with both questions that usually come up together: where should we live, and what will it actually cost each month? Book a Call and we’ll talk through your options. Stuart’s market is full of homes that look similar on paper and live very differently. I can help you sort out which is which.
Tell me where to send them and I’ll set up a custom search for Stuart homes that match what you’re looking for. No spam, and you can stop anytime.
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