Living in Florida's Space Coast
Hidden Hollow
Hidden Hollow is a single street, Hidden Hollow Drive, running east off South Tropical Trail on the south half of Merritt Island. It is one recorded plat, a cul de sac, and the lots are large by island standards at a third of an acre up to three quarters. The houses are custom, built between 1987 and 1990, under oaks that were already there.
Hidden Hollow In Merritt Island, Florida
Hidden Hollow is about as small as a subdivision gets. One recorded plat, one street name, a cul de sac off South Tropical Trail a few miles below the SR 520 causeway. You turn in and the road ends, which is the entire traffic plan. Houses were built between 1987 and 1990 as custom homes rather than as a builder's product line, so the elevations do not repeat and the floor plans wander in a way that new construction never does.
The lots carry the value. They run from about a third of an acre to three quarters, with the deepest ones at the closed end, and the ground came with mature oaks and citrus already on it. Owners have used the room: terrace gardens, fruit trees, workbenches in oversized garages, screened pools with travertine decking. At least one lot backs to a pond, and irrigation on that house is drawn from it rather than from a meter.
Inside, the houses run 1,975 to 2,328 square feet with three and four bedrooms and two baths, which is a comfortable rather than enormous footprint on this much land. Coquina fireplaces show up, along with formal living and dining rooms, family rooms, kitchenettes and the flexible layouts people asked for in the late 1980s. Two of the three most recent turnovers had a pool, one of them a saltwater pool and spa added new.
There is a homeowners association, small and named for the street, and the records show it applies to every house in the plat. Small associations are their own animal. Ask who is actually running it, whether it is administered by owners or by an outside agent, whether there are reserves, and what the covenants say about fences, sheds, boats and rentals. Get the current documents in writing rather than taking anyone's word for it.
Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County, so county code governs here and permitting runs through the county rather than a city. That matters on lots this size, because setbacks, accessory structures and septic drain field placement are all county decisions. Homes on this street have traded between $425,000 and $665,000, and the spread reflects lot depth, pool and how thoroughly a given house has been brought forward from 1988.
Hidden Hollow At A Glance
Hidden Hollow at a glance, one street's worth.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | Hidden Hollow Drive, east off South Tropical Trail, Merritt Island 32952 |
| Jurisdiction | Unincorporated Brevard County. County code, county permitting and county services, with no city government |
| Recorded plats | One, Hidden Hollow |
| Built | 1987 to 1990, custom built rather than production built |
| Home size | 1,975 to 2,328 square feet, about 2,271 typical |
| Bedrooms | Three and four, with two baths |
| Lot size | About 0.34 to 0.76 acres, roughly half an acre typical |
| Construction | Late 1980s custom homes, coquina fireplaces, formal rooms, flexible floor plans, oversized garages |
| Association | Yes. The records name a Hidden Hollow homeowners association covering the plat, and dues apply. No amount is published here. Ask for the current documents, the budget and confirmation of who administers it |
| Utilities | Septic on this street. Confirm the drain field age and the water source for the specific parcel |
| Waterfront | Limited. At least one lot backs to a pond, with pond fed irrigation on that property |
| Pools | Common, screened and in ground, including a saltwater pool and spa on one lot |
| Garage | Two and three car, several with built in workbenches and heavy storage |
| Street type | Cul de sac. There is one way in and one way out, off South Tropical Trail |
| Price range | $425,000 to $665,000, with the higher end on the deeper lots |
Hidden Hollow Details
A Plat You Can Walk In Ten Minutes
One street, one cul de sac, no through traffic and no second entrance. Everybody who drives past your house lives on it. That is rare enough on Merritt Island, where most of the older subdivisions connect through to a second road.
Half An Acre Under Oaks
Lot sizes here run from a third of an acre to three quarters, and the canopy was standing before the houses were. That combination gives you real separation from your neighbors and real shade, and it also means a tree survey belongs in your due diligence.
Custom, Not Catalog
These were built one at a time between 1987 and 1990. Expect coquina fireplaces, formal living and dining rooms, odd and usable extra spaces, and a floor plan that made sense to whoever commissioned it. Expect also that no two inspections here look the same.
Septic On A Big Lot
The street is on septic. On a half acre that is workable and normal, but it puts the drain field, its age and its location squarely in your inspection. Ask for pumping records and find out where the field sits before you plan a pool or an addition.
A Small Association Is Still An Association
There is one, it covers the plat, and dues apply. With a community this size the questions are practical: who administers it, are there reserves, and how are the covenants actually enforced. Read the documents rather than assuming a small community means a light touch.
Tropical Trail, South Of The Causeway
South Tropical Trail is the island's river road, two lanes and slow on purpose. SR 520 is north for Cocoa Village and the beaches, and the Pineda Causeway is south for I-95 and Patrick Space Force Base. It is a quiet address with two good exits.
Homes For Sale In Hidden Hollow
Anything for sale in Hidden Hollow shows up below. With this few houses on one street, listings are occasional rather than regular, so if a half acre under oaks on the south half of the island is the target, watch rather than wait.
Hidden Hollow Frequently Asked Questions
How many streets are in Hidden Hollow?
One. Hidden Hollow Drive is the whole plat, and it ends in a cul de sac. There is a single entrance off South Tropical Trail, so there is no traffic here that is not going to a house on the street.
Is there a homeowners association?
Yes. The records show a Hidden Hollow homeowners association covering the plat, and dues apply. Because the community is small, ask specifically who administers it, whether reserves exist, and get the recorded covenants and the current budget during your inspection period.
How big are the lots?
From about a third of an acre to three quarters, with roughly half an acre typical. The deeper parcels sit toward the closed end of the cul de sac. Most came with mature oaks, and several have fruit trees that predate the houses.
Are the homes on septic or sewer?
Septic. That is normal for lots this size in unincorporated Merritt Island, but it makes the drain field part of your inspection. Ask for service and pumping history and locate the field before you plan any addition, pool or driveway work.
What is the water situation?
This is not a waterfront street in the boating sense. At least one lot backs to a pond and uses it for irrigation. The Indian River is a short drive west on South Tropical Trail, and public access to the water is nearby rather than in your back yard.
What condition are these houses in?
Mixed, as you would expect from custom homes now approaching forty years old. Roofs have been replaced on several, air conditioning on others. Kitchens, baths, water heaters and electrical panels are the usual work items. Budget for at least one of them.
Is Merritt Island a city?
No. Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County, which means county code, county permitting and county services rather than a municipal government. On large lots that becomes relevant fast, because setbacks and accessory structures are county decisions.
What is the honest tradeoff?
You are buying land and quiet, not square footage. These houses are comfortable rather than large, and they are old enough to need attention. If you want a new build with a warranty, this is the wrong street. If you want half an acre under oaks with one way in, it is hard to beat.
Hidden Hollow Drive, Merritt Island 32952
Hidden Hollow opens east off South Tropical Trail on the south half of Merritt Island, below the SR 520 causeway and above the Pineda. South Tropical Trail is the old road down the Indian River side of the island, two lanes with canopy over long stretches of it, and the character of that road is the character of this address. The plat is set back from it, so you get the location without the road noise.
Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County. Everyday shopping is on South Courtenay Parkway a few minutes east. SR 520 takes you north and then west into Cocoa and Cocoa Village or east to Cocoa Beach. The Pineda Causeway to the south reaches I-95 in one direction and Patrick Space Force Base and the barrier island beaches in the other. Kennedy Space Center is up SR 3, and Orlando is about an hour by way of SR 528.
Near Hidden Hollow In Merritt Island
Considering Hidden Hollow?
My partner Nichole and I will pull the recorded covenants for the parcel, find out who is actually running the association, and give you a straight number on what a late 1980s custom home here needs. Houses on this street come up rarely enough that being prepared is most of the work. Call or text (321) 212-7676.
