Living in Florida's Space Coast
Bridgewater
You enter Bridgewater through a tunnel of mature oaks off South Courtenay Parkway, pass a gazebo at the lake, and pick up either Barrow Drive or Woodbine Drive. The homes are large for South Merritt Island, 2,249 to 3,071 square feet on sidewalk lined streets, and nine out of ten have a screened pool. Dues are $400 a year.
Bridgewater In Merritt Island, Florida
Two streets carry the whole subdivision. Barrow Drive and Woodbine Drive loop west off Bridgewater Drive, which leaves South Courtenay Parkway about a mile south of Rotary Park, between Watermill and Plantation. The entrance is the part people remember: a canopy of old oaks that closes over the road, then a gazebo sitting at the edge of the community lake where the road bends. Sidewalks run the length of both streets.
Bridgewater Homeowners Association of Merritt Island, Inc. has been an active Florida nonprofit corporation since 1994, which is also when the first homes went up. Assessments have been reported at $400 a year, with a $375 annual figure and a $31.25 monthly figure showing up as well, so plan on roughly $375 to $400 annually. That money maintains the entry, the oaks, the common ground around the lake and the gazebo. There is no clubhouse, no community pool and no gate.
The houses are the reason people pay what they pay here. Living area runs 2,249 to 3,071 square feet, typically around 2,493, in four and five bedroom layouts with two or three baths. Ten foot ceilings, formal living and dining rooms, split bedroom plans, corner fireplaces and three car garages appear repeatedly. Construction is stucco over block and frame with shingle roofs, and storm shutters are common. Lots run up to about a third of an acre with irrigation front and rear.
A private pool is close to standard equipment. Nine of the last ten homes to change hands had one, most of them screened, several heated, and a few with waterfall features and paver decks. Four homes back to the community pond, which is where the sunset views come from. There is no navigable water in Bridgewater, so a pond view is a view and not a boat slip. Understand that distinction before comparing prices to the riverfront streets nearby.
Pricing runs $525,000 to $750,000 with the middle near $638,744, or about $266 a square foot. Homes take around 69 days to go under contract and sellers have been settling near 95 percent of their original asking price. That is a slower, more negotiable market than the small subdivisions farther north, mostly because the price point narrows the buyer pool. Patience works in a buyer's favor here.
Bridgewater At A Glance
Bridgewater at a glance, from the oaks at the entrance to the septic tank out back.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | South Merritt Island, west of South Courtenay Parkway about a mile south of Rotary Park, ZIP 32952 |
| Built | 1994 to 2002, most homes around 1997 |
| Home size | 2,249 to 3,071 square feet, about 2,493 typical |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 5, most commonly 4 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 3, commonly 3 |
| Lot size | Up to about a third of an acre, roughly 0.28 typical |
| Construction | Stucco over block and frame, shingle roofs, ten foot ceilings, storm shutters common |
| Levels | Mostly single story with some two story plans |
| Garage | 2 to 3 bays, three car garages are common |
| Association | Bridgewater Homeowners Association of Merritt Island, Inc., a Florida nonprofit corporation active since 1994. Mandatory, reported at $400 a year, also seen at $375 a year and $31.25 a month |
| Amenities | Community lake with a gazebo, oak canopy entrance, sidewalks on both streets. No clubhouse and no community pool |
| Pools | Private screened in ground pools on nine of every ten homes, several heated, several with waterfalls |
| Water frontage | Pond frontage on a handful of lots. No navigable water and no docks |
| Views | Pond and sunset views on the lake lots, pool and landscape views elsewhere |
| Utilities | Public water with septic tank sewer |
| Streets | Barrow Drive and Woodbine Drive, entered from Bridgewater Drive |
| Gated | No, and not age restricted |
| Price range | $525,000 to $750,000, around $266 per square foot |
Bridgewater Details
The Entrance Does Real Work
The oak canopy over the entry road is not landscaping added later, it is mature tree cover that shades the street and drops the temperature noticeably in August. Combined with the gazebo at the lake, it gives the subdivision an arrival sequence most 1990s plats on this island simply do not have.
Square Footage For The Money
At roughly $266 a square foot you are getting 2,249 to 3,071 square feet, which is larger than almost anything comparable in this price band on South Merritt Island. Four and five bedroom plans with formal rooms are the norm rather than the exception.
The Pool Is Already There
Nine of ten homes here already have a screened pool with a paver deck. Building one from scratch on Merritt Island now costs real money, so buying a house where it exists, is permitted and is already screened is worth more than the price difference usually reflects.
Three Car Garages
Three bay garages show up on most of these homes. On an island where people own boats, trailers, kayaks and project cars, that third bay is the difference between a tidy driveway and a permanent obstacle course. County code governs what you can park outside, so indoor space matters.
Dues That Stay Small
Four hundred dollars a year buys entry maintenance, the common ground and the lake area. There is no community pool to resurface, no clubhouse roof and no gate motor. That is precisely why the assessment has stayed where it has for three decades.
Rotary Park A Mile North
Rotary Park at 1899 South Courtenay Parkway is 37.77 acres with a free nature center, an 1,800 foot boardwalk through native habitat, a 3,270 foot paved pedway and picnic pavilions. It is the closest thing on this end of the island to a walkable green destination.
Homes For Sale In Bridgewater
Whatever is currently for sale inside Bridgewater. This is a two street subdivision, so inventory is limited by definition and a given month may show nothing at all.
Bridgewater Frequently Asked Questions
What are Bridgewater's HOA dues?
Bridgewater Homeowners Association of Merritt Island, Inc. assessments have been reported at $400 a year, and also at $375 a year and $31.25 a month. Budget somewhere in the $375 to $400 range. The money covers the entry, the oaks, the common ground and the lake area.
Is Bridgewater gated?
No. The entrance from Bridgewater Drive is open and there is no guardhouse. It is not age restricted. What keeps it quiet is that Barrow Drive and Woodbine Drive do not connect through to anything, so the only traffic is people who live here.
Are there waterfront homes in Bridgewater?
There is a community pond and several homes back to it, which is where the sunset views come from. There is no canal, no river frontage, no dock and no boat access. If you need to keep a boat behind the house, look at the Banana River and Sykes Creek neighborhoods instead.
Do most homes have a pool?
Yes, and it is close to universal. Nine of the last ten homes to change hands here had a private in ground pool, most of them screened. Several are heated and a few have waterfall features and outdoor kitchens on paver decks.
Is Bridgewater on septic or sewer?
Septic. Public water serves the subdivision but each home runs its own septic tank and drainfield. Have the system inspected and pumped during your due diligence period and ask the seller when it was last serviced or replaced.
How long do homes take to sell here?
About 69 days to contract, with sellers settling near 95 percent of their original asking price. The larger homes and the higher price point mean a smaller buyer pool than the mid range subdivisions, which usually leaves some negotiating room.
What do property taxes run?
Annual county bills have ranged from roughly $2,540 to $8,308 with the middle near $6,365. The high figures belong to homes that changed hands recently, since a sale resets the assessed value, and the low figures to long term homesteaded owners.
How far is everything from Bridgewater?
South Courtenay Parkway is at the entrance. State Road 520 is about ten minutes north for Cocoa Beach or the mainland, and the Pineda Causeway is about ten minutes south for Suntree, Viera and Interstate 95. Everyday shopping is a few minutes either direction on Courtenay.
Barrow Drive, Merritt Island 32952
Bridgewater sits on the west side of South Courtenay Parkway in the 32952 ZIP code, roughly a mile south of Rotary Park and between the Watermill and Plantation entrances. You turn west onto Bridgewater Drive, pass under the oaks, bear left at the gazebo and the lake, and pick up Barrow Drive or Woodbine Drive from there. Neither street connects through, so the loop is self contained. South Tropical Trail and the Indian River shoreline are a short distance farther west.
This is the middle of South Merritt Island, which means you can go either way. State Road 520 is about ten minutes north for Cocoa Beach to the east or Cocoa, US 1 and Interstate 95 to the west. The Pineda Causeway is about ten minutes south and drops you into Suntree and Viera. Melbourne Orlando International Airport is roughly thirty minutes, and Orlando International is about an hour by way of State Road 528.
Near Bridgewater In Merritt Island
Considering Bridgewater?
There are only two streets in here, which means the house you want may not be for sale the week you start looking. That is a solvable problem if someone is watching the subdivision on your behalf and knows the owners who have been thinking about moving. My partner Nichole and I work this end of South Merritt Island constantly. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and tell us what you need on Barrow or Woodbine.
