Living in Florida's Space Coast
Live Oak
Live Oak sits off North Wickham Road just south of the Pineda Causeway, three recorded phases of mid 1990s block homes on streets named Erin, Mariah, Rosewood and Caitlin. Lots are small and tidy, roughly an eighth of an acre up to a third. Close to half the houses back to water, and close to half have a screened pool.
Live Oak In Melbourne, Florida
Live Oak is three recorded phases on the east side of North Wickham Road, a short distance south of the Pineda Causeway. The street names are personal rather than thematic: Erin Lane, Mariah Drive, Caitlin Court, with Rosewood Lane running off Mariah. Mariah is the spine and everything else hangs from it. Builders worked through here from 1994 into 1999, which makes this one of the last mid 1990s subdivisions to fill in on this stretch of Wickham.
The mailing address reads Melbourne 32940, and so do the addresses in Suntree and Viera to the north. The difference is that Live Oak actually is in Melbourne. This ground sits inside the incorporated city, so you get Melbourne police, city utilities and city code enforcement, while a house a few miles up Wickham with the same ZIP is unincorporated Brevard County under county code. It stays a small distinction right up until the day you pull a permit.
The houses are concrete block, mostly single story, and sized for their decade: 1,572 to 2,171 square feet, three or four bedrooms, two baths, two car garages with a three car on a few plans. Ceilings vault in the main rooms and the layouts are usually split. Natural gas runs to this neighborhood, which is not universal in Brevard, so gas ranges, gas water heaters and gas heat turn up here instead of an electric strip in the air handler.
Close to half the houses back to water. It is not navigable water, it is the stormwater lakes and non boatable canals the plat was drawn around, and what it buys you is a treeline, a sunset and no rear neighbor rather than a dock. Roughly the same share have a screened pool. Houses here have changed hands between $255,000 and $525,000, with something close to $399,500 sitting in the middle of that spread.
A mandatory homeowners association governs the whole plat, named in the records simply as Live Oak, with an outside agent keeping the books. Nobody should quote you a dues figure off a web page, mine included, because they get reset every year. Ask for the current governing documents, the budget and the estoppel while your inspection period is still open, and read what the covenants actually say about fences, sheds, boats and trailers.
Live Oak At A Glance
Live Oak at a glance, phase by phase.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | Erin Lane, Mariah Drive, Rosewood Lane and Caitlin Court, east off North Wickham Road south of the Pineda Causeway, Melbourne 32940 |
| Jurisdiction | Inside the City of Melbourne, confirmed against Census incorporated place boundaries, unlike much of the 32940 ZIP north of here |
| Recorded phases | Three, Live Oak Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 |
| Built | 1994 to 1999, with most of the plat finished in the first two years |
| Home size | 1,572 to 2,171 square feet, about 1,676 typical |
| Bedrooms | Three and four, with two baths |
| Lot size | About 0.12 to 0.34 acres, roughly 0.15 typical |
| Construction | Concrete block and stucco, single story, vaulted ceilings, split bedroom plans |
| Association | Yes, mandatory. The records name it simply Live Oak and show an outside managing agent. Dues apply and no amount is published here, because they are reset annually. Ask for the current budget in writing |
| Utilities | City water and sewer, plus natural gas service on the street, which is not standard across the county |
| Water frontage | Close to half the homes back to a stormwater lake or a non navigable canal. None of it is boatable |
| Pools | Screened in ground pools on close to half the houses |
| Garage | Two car standard, three car on a handful of plans |
| Gated | No. Live Oak is open, with Mariah Drive carrying almost all of the traffic in and out |
| Price range | $255,000 to $525,000, with roughly $399,500 in the middle |
Live Oak Details
A Melbourne Address That Is Actually Melbourne
The 32940 ZIP is shared with Suntree and Viera, and neither of those is inside a city. Live Oak is. That means city police response, city utility billing and city permitting rather than county, which is worth knowing before you compare two houses with what looks like the same address.
Water You Look At, Not Water You Launch From
Nearly half the lots back to a stormwater lake or a drainage canal that does not connect to anything. Treat it as a view and a buffer. If a boat is the point, this is the wrong plat, and you should be looking at the river side of Merritt Island instead.
Natural Gas Is Here
Gas service reaches these streets, which is uncommon in a lot of Brevard. Cooks notice it first, but the bigger effect is on water heating and on heat in January. Confirm the specific house is connected and check the age of the appliances rather than assuming.
Nineties Block, Not Nineties Frame
Concrete block and stucco with vaulted ceilings and split plans, built when Wickham Road was still filling in. The bones hold up. What ages is everything bolted to them, so look hard at roof date, air handler date, water heater and the original electrical panel.
Mariah Drive Runs The Show
The plat funnels through Mariah, which keeps cut through traffic out and makes the interior streets quiet. It also means one bad morning at the Wickham light is felt by everybody. Drive it at eight in the morning before you decide.
Two Minutes To The Interstate
The Pineda Causeway interchange with I-95 opened in May 2011 and it changed this stretch of Wickham. From Mariah you can be northbound on I-95 quickly without touching a single downtown light, and eastbound the causeway carries you to the beaches.
Homes For Sale In Live Oak
Whatever is currently on the market in Live Oak shows up below. Turnover here is steady but never heavy, and pond lots with a pool tend to go first, so it is worth watching this list rather than checking in now and then.
Live Oak Frequently Asked Questions
Is Live Oak inside Melbourne city limits?
Yes. This one is genuinely in the incorporated City of Melbourne, which the Census incorporated place boundary confirms. That is not true of everything carrying a 32940 address; Suntree and Viera to the north are unincorporated Brevard County even though their mail says Melbourne.
Is there a homeowners association?
Yes, and it is mandatory. The records name it simply Live Oak and show an outside managing agent handling administration. Dues apply. Ask for the current governing documents, the annual budget and an estoppel letter during your inspection period so you see real numbers rather than an estimate.
Can I keep a boat on the water behind the house?
No. The water here is stormwater lakes and non navigable canals built into the drainage design, not a route to the river. Some owners keep a kayak or a paddleboard. Anything with a trailer is a covenant question, so read the restrictions before you buy.
How big are the houses?
From 1,572 to 2,171 square feet, with about 1,676 typical. Three and four bedroom plans, two baths, two car garages with a few three car versions. These are single story block homes with vaulted living areas and split bedrooms.
Does Live Oak have natural gas?
Gas service does run to this neighborhood, which sets it apart from a lot of Brevard subdivisions. Individual houses vary in what is actually hooked up, so verify the range, the water heater and the heating source for the specific address.
What should I inspect closely on a house from this era?
Roof age first, then the air handler and condenser, then the water heater. Nineteen nineties polybutylene is rare here but worth ruling out. Also look at whether windows have been upgraded to impact rated units, because most of these started with single pane aluminum.
How is the commute from Live Oak?
Wickham Road puts you at the Pineda Causeway in a couple of minutes, and the causeway reaches I-95 and the beaches. Downtown Melbourne and the airport are south on Wickham, the Viera commercial corridor is north, and Patrick Space Force Base is straight out Pineda.
What is the honest tradeoff here?
Small lots. You are buying location, a solid block house and in many cases a water view, not acreage. If you need room for a workshop, an RV or a real yard, this plat will feel tight and you should look further west.
Mariah Drive, Melbourne 32940
Live Oak lies east of North Wickham Road, entered from Mariah Drive, a short run south of the Pineda Causeway. Wickham is the north south artery on this side of Melbourne, and this section of it is the seam between the city and the unincorporated Suntree area that begins just north. Erin Lane and Rosewood Lane run off Mariah into the interior, and Caitlin Court closes off one end of the plat.
From the entrance, the Pineda Causeway is minutes north and takes you west to I-95 or east over the Indian River, across Merritt Island and on to the beaches and Patrick Space Force Base. Head south on Wickham for Melbourne Square, the Eau Gallie arts district and Melbourne Orlando International Airport. Head north for the Viera commercial corridor. Orlando is roughly an hour by way of I-95 and SR 528.
Near Live Oak In Merritt Island
Considering Live Oak?
My partner Nichole and I will tell you which of these streets get the real water views, what a 1990s block house on Wickham should cost you to bring current, and exactly what the covenants allow before you fall for a back yard. We will also pull the association documents so you are reading them, not guessing at them. Call or text (321) 212-7676.
Welcome to this beautifully maintained 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with a 2-car garage in one of Melbourne's most desirable neighborhoods! Priced to sell and move-in ready thi...
- 3 Beds
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- 1081480 MLS
