Port Salerno

Secluded coastal living with water access draws duffers and boaters to the Yacht and Country Club neighborhood of Stuart. Adam Brown, a waterfront-living specialist with Waterfront Properties, says that boating is at the heart of the neighborhood. “Boating is a huge part of the lifestyle here on the Treasure Coast – boating, fishing, sport fishing is a big thing.” Two individual communities make up the neighborhood - the Yacht and Country Club itself, which features channel access through Crooked Creek, and Mariner Cay, which offers docks directly on the Manatee Pocket. Regardless of which community residents opt for, homeowners will enjoy a water-oriented lifestyle and quiet streets lined with lemon, mango and banana trees. A car-dependent neighborhood, this area is a great fit for buyers looking to enjoy proximity to Port St. Lucie and Stuart while still maintaining the privacy of a gated community. Featuring low-slung roofs with deep overhangs characteristic of Florida’s coastal contemporary style, the homes in the Yacht and Country Club neighborhood shine in bright hues of yellow and blue. Open floorplans and large windows are a Florida trademark that works to bring the outside indoors, with every house getting plenty of natural light. The median sales price here is $737,500 and is truly in the middle of this community’s range. For example, two-bedroom villas can be found for as low as $400,000, while freestanding waterfront homes with screened lanais and private docks can go for upwards of $1.2 million. The exclusive Mariner Cay gated community sits directly on Manatee Pocket and features some of the newest builds in the neighborhood. Featuring luxury amenities like scenic water views and deep-water dockage, stainless steel chef’s kitchens, garages, multi-car driveways, pools and more, these rare finds can go for as high as $4 million when they come to market. Nearly every property in the Yacht and Country Club neighborhood features a view of the local golf course or water access in their backyard. In the Mariner Cay community, two pools – one heated – pickleball courts and a tennis court offer fitness options, while the clubhouse features an exercise center. At the larger Yacht and Country Club gated community, residents will find a more extensive facility, with six tennis courts, plus spaces for pickleball, bocce and croquet. Exercise classes are offered for all ages, providing structured workouts – or residents can use the well-equipped fitness facilities solo. The Martin County Christmas Boat Parade takes place right on the doorstep of the Yacht and Country Club community and boat owners from the neighborhood flock to the river every December. “The big Christmas boat parade is a lot of fun!” Brown says. “People decorate their boats with lights, all the way up the mast on the sailboats, and people sit out and watch from the shore, or from out on the water.” In the community of Mariner Cay, they throw an annual party to watch the parade from the comfort of their own community. The Yacht and Country Club hosts a series of private events for members throughout the year, like Triple Crown viewing parties; regular themed dinners; and children’s holiday events around Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. While the Yacht and Country Club features upscale private member dining options, most residents head south to Port Salerno for the plentiful seafood restaurants Brown says. “The neighborhood is great, Port Salerno is almost in walking distance or you can take a boat to the restaurants there, it’s right in the heart of everything.” Fysh Bar and Grill, Shrimpers Grill and Raw Bar and Mangia Clam Bar offer dock-side dining. Alex Haigh, Realtor and Team Lead with EXP Realty and producer of the Living in South Florida Youtube channel, adds “It’s great, there’s bar food, there’s seafood, there’s farm to table sort of stuff.” And when residents want to cook at home, Basin Seafood and Fresh Fish Market or Tausha’s Seafood Market both offer fresh catches of the day. Importico’s Bakery Café offers light fare and café tables al fresco for relaxing with a coffee, while Brooklyn Joe’s has New York-style thin crust pies for a quick meal. For groceries, Winn Dixie, Aldi and Publix are all a short drive away, while Lowe’s and Wal-Mart are also nearby for hardware and household needs. Students within the Yacht and Country Club neighborhood attend the Martin County School District. For kindergarten through Grade 5, students attend Port Salerno Elementary School, a C-minus rated school by Niche. Dr. David L Anderson Middle School houses Grades 6 through 8 and gets a B-plus from Niche. Martin County High School gets an A-minus from Niche and features alternative AP and career and technical curriculums. Private schools serving the area include Montessori schools, charter academies and parochial schools. Yacht and Country Club residents are dependent on their cars to get around outside of the neighborhood, but within it golf carts and bicycles are the common mode of getting around. As with many coastal communities, there is also the option of using a boat to cruise from point to point up and down the Florida coast. For access to emergency health care, the Martin South Hospital is only 4 miles away. For extended travel options, nearby Witham Airfield is a general aviation airport with available hanger space for pilots, while Palm Beach International Airport services national and international destinations, a 40 mile drive away. Both of the gated communities within the Yacht and Country Club neighborhood feature Property Owners’ Associations, or POAs, that advocate for the individual communities. This differs from a Homeowners Association as there are no fees paid and no ruling board; instead, the POA helps to speak as a voice for the communities when it comes to local projects. Residents also need to be cognizant of the annual potential for hurricanes and tropical storms. These newer-construction homes are built to modern standards, but that merely makes them resistant to damage, not immune from it. Community residents are aware of the potential for storms and the damage that comes with them, and they make sure to prepare accordingly. This includes having emergency supplies on hand, and making sure to have plans in place should they need to evacuate.