Living in Florida's Space Coast
Citrus River Groves
Citrus River Groves is a small, wooded pocket on the Indian River side of North Merritt Island, entered at Dove Trail Boulevard off North Tropical Trail. Seven houses, built between 1981 and 1987, sit on lots of half an acre to two thirds of an acre with oaks left standing. There is no association, no dues and no architectural review.
Citrus River Groves In Merritt Island, Florida
The approach is the same one that serves most of this side of North Merritt Island. Go north on Courtenay Parkway over the barge canal, turn west on Hall Road, then right onto North Tropical Trail. Dove Trail Boulevard is the turn into the neighborhood, and it becomes Annette Court once you are inside. Mockingbird Lane, Annalisa Place and Monica Court finish the plat. Everything carries a 32953 address and several streets simply dead end.
The name is literal. This was grove land before it was a subdivision, and the lots reflect that history. They run 0.51 to 0.66 acres with 0.57 typical, which is roughly three times what you get in the 1960s canal plats south of the barge canal. Mature oaks, fruit trees and thick vegetation are common, and several homes look out at woods rather than at a neighbor. Two lots sit on corners with frontage on two streets.
The houses date from 1981 to 1987, with 1985 in the middle. Most are single story stucco with shingle roofs, and the styling splits between contemporary and traditional rather than following one builder pattern, which suggests these went up as individual custom builds. Living area runs 1,725 to 2,803 square feet with 2,046 typical, three or four bedrooms, two or three baths, and a two or three car garage. Three homes have a screened in-ground pool.
With no association, owners here keep boats and recreational vehicles at the house, add workshops and fence what they want. Sewer is septic on all seven and water is public, which is standard for North Merritt Island. Property standards fall under Brevard County code enforcement since Merritt Island is unincorporated. If you are coming from a covenant-controlled community, understand that nothing here obligates your neighbor to match your landscaping standard.
Pricing is the quiet advantage. The range runs $441,000 to $595,000 with $475,000 in the middle, which works out to roughly $232 a square foot, the lowest figure of any established North Merritt Island neighborhood in this size class. Homes go under contract in about five weeks and sellers have generally settled near 95 percent of the original asking number. You are buying land and square footage rather than amenities.
Citrus River Groves At A Glance
Citrus River Groves at a glance.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | Dove Trail Boulevard off North Tropical Trail, North Merritt Island, FL 32953 |
| Built | 1981 to 1987, median 1985 |
| Home size | 1,725 to 2,803 square feet, median 2,046 |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 4, median 4 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 3, median 2 |
| Lot size | 0.51 to 0.66 acres, median 0.57 |
| Construction | Stucco with block or frame, shingle roof, mostly single story |
| Association | None. No dues, no covenants, no architectural review |
| Utilities | Public water, septic sewer |
| Pools | 3 homes, all screened |
| Lot character | Many trees, wooded views, two corner lots, dead end streets |
| Garage | 2 to 3 spaces, 2 typical |
| Boat and RV parking | Unrestricted, no association rules |
| Price range | $441,000 to $595,000, median $475,000 |
| Price per square foot | About $232 |
| Streets | Dove Trail Boulevard, Annette Court, Mockingbird Lane, Annalisa Place, Monica Court |
| Age restricted | No |
Citrus River Groves Details
Lots Three Times The Island Norm
Half an acre to two thirds of an acre gives you real separation from the neighbors, room for a shop, a pad, a garden and a pool without crowding the setbacks. On Merritt Island that kind of ground is getting scarce.
Trees That Were Never Cleared
Oaks and citrus survived the build-out, so the streets read as woods with houses in them. That means shade and privacy, and it also means an honest conversation about limb overhang, roof debris and what your insurance carrier wants trimmed.
Custom Builds, Not A Product Line
The seven houses do not share one elevation or one floor plan. Contemporary and traditional styling sit side by side, which is a signal these went up lot by lot in the mid eighties rather than as a builder rollout.
No Association Of Any Kind
No dues, no covenants, no board. Park the boat, park the coach, build the shed. The tradeoff is that nothing prevents a neighbor from doing the same, so look at the whole street before you fall for one house.
The Lowest Price Per Foot Up North
Around $232 a square foot puts Citrus River Groves below the comparable North Merritt Island neighborhoods. Some of that is the septic and the eighties vintage, and some of it is simply that few buyers know the pocket exists.
Two Minutes To Courtenay Parkway
Hall Road connects straight back to Courtenay Parkway, which puts State Road 528, the Beachline, about four minutes away. That is a genuinely fast route to Kennedy Space Center, Port Canaveral or Orlando.
Homes For Sale In Citrus River Groves
What is on the market in Citrus River Groves. With only seven houses in the plat, availability here is occasional rather than steady.
Citrus River Groves Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Citrus River Groves?
On North Merritt Island in the 32953 ZIP code, west of North Tropical Trail and reached by way of Hall Road from Courtenay Parkway. Dove Trail Boulevard is the entrance and it turns into Annette Court inside the neighborhood.
Is there an HOA in Citrus River Groves?
No. There is no homeowners association, no annual dues and no recorded architectural review. Boat and recreational vehicle parking is unrestricted, and Brevard County code enforcement is the only oversight.
How big are the lots?
They run from 0.51 to 0.66 acres, with 0.57 acres typical. That is substantially larger than the 1960s canal subdivisions on central Merritt Island, which generally sit around a fifth of an acre.
When was Citrus River Groves built?
Between 1981 and 1987, with 1985 in the middle. The houses appear to have been built individually rather than as one production run, which is why floor plans and elevations vary from lot to lot.
What do homes cost here?
From about $441,000 to $595,000, with the middle near $475,000 and roughly $232 a square foot. Square footage and lot size drive the range more than finishes do, since most of these homes have been updated at different times.
Are homes on septic?
Yes, all of them, with public water. Have the tank located and the drainfield inspected as part of your due diligence, and factor that in if you intend to add a pool or an addition on a wooded lot.
Is there water access?
One home in the neighborhood has water frontage. The rest are interior wooded lots. Public boat ramps at Kiwanis Island and Kelly Park East are the practical launch points, and both are a short drive south.
How do I confirm the flood zone?
Contact Brevard County Public Works, Floodplain Administration, at (321) 617-7340. That office is the county's official repository for the FEMA flood map panels and issues written flood zone determinations and elevation certificates by parcel.
Dove Trail Boulevard off North Tropical Trail, Merritt Island 32953
From State Road 528, take Courtenay Parkway north about two miles and turn west onto Hall Road. Follow it a little over half a mile, turn right onto North Tropical Trail, and the entrance at Dove Trail Boulevard comes up shortly after on the right. Inside, the loop runs Annette Court to Mockingbird Lane, with Monica Court and Annalisa Place branching off and ending.
You are on the Indian River side of North Merritt Island, which sets the drive times. The Beachline is about four minutes back down Courtenay Parkway. Kennedy Space Center runs fifteen to twenty minutes north. Port Canaveral is around twenty five minutes. Cocoa Village across the Indian River is about fifteen minutes west, Cocoa Beach around thirty minutes east, and Orlando International Airport just under an hour.
Near Citrus River Groves In Merritt Island
Considering Citrus River Groves?
Seven houses means you cannot wait for the perfect one to appear on a Saturday. My partner Nichole and I keep a running list of buyers watching the small North Merritt Island pockets, and we reach out to owners directly when the right fit is worth asking about. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will add you to it.
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