Living in Florida's Space Coast
Island Beach
Island Beach is a pocket of South Merritt Island between South Courtenay Parkway and South Tropical Trail, where the streets carry names like Pine, Palm, Banana and Redwood. There is no association and no assessment of any kind. Homes span 1965 to 2017, 1,269 to 2,814 square feet, and most are on septic. Pricing runs from the mid $200,000s to the mid $500,000s.
Island Beach In Merritt Island, Florida
Island Beach Boulevard gives the area its name, and the surrounding streets read like a plant list: Pine Boulevard, Palm Boulevard, Banana Boulevard, Redwood Road, with Country Woods Place tucked in as a short cul de sac. Everything sits south of Cone Road, reached either from South Courtenay Parkway on the east or South Tropical Trail on the west. Sidewalk runs along both of those main roads, which is why people here walk and bike more than the map suggests.
The build range is unusually wide, 1965 through 2017, with the middle around 1988. That is not one subdivision going up at once, it is sixty years of infill on a grid that was platted early. Two thirds are concrete block with stucco, but frame and wood siding show up on the older houses. Living area runs 1,269 to 2,814 square feet, typically about 1,644, mostly three bedroom and two bath, single story, with one to three car garages.
Utilities are split and this is the single most important thing to check. Eleven of the last fifteen homes to change hands were on septic, four on public sewer. Every home is on public water. If you are looking at a septic property, get the tank located, get the drainfield age, and pull the county permit history before your inspection period runs out. On a 1970s house with an original system, that is the difference between a routine purchase and a five figure surprise.
There is no association here at all, no dues, no architectural review, no gate and no age restriction. That cuts both ways. Nobody tells you where to park the boat or the travel trailer, and nobody tells your neighbor either, so upkeep varies house to house on the same block. Merritt Island is unincorporated, so county code is the only standard that applies. Walk the street at different times of day before you decide how you feel about it.
Pricing has run $275,000 to $565,000 with the middle around $369,900 and closings near $361,500, at about $225 a square foot. That makes this one of the more accessible entry points on South Merritt Island. Time to contract has been about 21 days and sellers have settled near 97 percent of their original asking price. Five of the last fifteen homes had a pool. County tax bills range from roughly $696 to $5,322, with the middle near $3,623.
Island Beach At A Glance
Island Beach at a glance, including the septic question that decides most inspections here.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | South Merritt Island, south of Cone Road between South Courtenay Parkway and South Tropical Trail |
| Built | 1965 to 2017, most homes around 1988 |
| Home size | 1,269 to 2,814 square feet, about 1,644 typical |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 4, most commonly 3 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 3 |
| Lot size | 0.17 to 0.41 acre, about 0.24 typical |
| Construction | Mostly concrete block with stucco, some frame and wood siding on older homes, shingle roofs |
| Levels | Predominantly single story |
| Association | None. No mandatory or voluntary association, no dues, no architectural review |
| Utilities | Public water throughout. Sewer is split, with most homes on septic and a minority on public sewer |
| Pools | In ground pools on about a third of homes |
| Water frontage | None. No canal or river frontage in this pocket |
| Views | Trees and wooded lots, several with heavy canopy |
| Garage | 1 to 3 bays |
| Storm protection | Impact windows and storm shutters on a portion of the homes, not standard |
| Streets | Pine Boulevard, Banana Boulevard, Palm Boulevard, Island Beach Boulevard, Redwood Road, Country Woods Place |
| Gated | No, and no age restriction |
| Price range | $275,000 to $565,000, around $225 per square foot |
Island Beach Details
Nobody Collects Dues Here
No association means no assessment, no approval process for a fence or a paint color, and no risk of a special assessment landing in your mailbox. On a house at this price point, skipping $600 to $1,200 a year in dues is a meaningful piece of the monthly payment.
Room For The Boat And The Trailer
Lots run from 0.17 all the way to 0.41 of an acre and there is no covenant restricting what sits in the side yard. Several homes have fenced side yards and extra parking pads already poured. For anyone who tows something, that is hard to find on Merritt Island without buying acreage.
Sixty Years Of Housing Stock On One Grid
Because the area filled in slowly, you can find a 1965 block ranch and a 2017 build within a few hundred feet of each other. That means you can shop by construction era instead of by neighborhood, and it keeps the price range wide enough to fit very different budgets.
Sidewalks On The Main Roads
South Courtenay Parkway and South Tropical Trail both carry sidewalk through this stretch, and the interior streets are low traffic. It is a genuinely walkable pocket by island standards, with Rotary Park and the Merritt Island retail corridor a short ride north.
Mature Canopy
Wooded views and heavy tree cover are a repeated feature here, which is why summer power bills tend to run lower than on the cleared newer plats. Budget for tree work as an ongoing item, particularly for anything overhanging the roof line before hurricane season.
An Honest Entry Price For South Merritt Island
Around $225 a square foot with a median near $369,900 puts this among the more reachable addresses south of State Road 520. Homes still go under contract in about three weeks, so it is not slow, but it is not priced like the waterfront streets a mile away.
Homes For Sale In Island Beach
Current availability in the Island Beach area of South Merritt Island. Because the housing stock spans six decades, compare construction year and sewer type side by side rather than price alone.
Island Beach Frequently Asked Questions
Does Island Beach have an HOA?
No. There is no mandatory association and no voluntary one, so there are no dues, no architectural review board and no community rules beyond Brevard County code. Merritt Island is unincorporated, so the county is the only authority governing what happens on the lot.
Is the area on septic or public sewer?
Both, depending on the address. Most homes are on septic tanks and a minority are connected to public sewer. All are on public water. Confirm which system a specific property uses in writing, and if it is septic, get the drainfield age and the county permit record.
Are there waterfront homes here?
No. This pocket sits inland between the two main north south roads and has no canal or river frontage. If you want dockage on this end of the island, the streets running east toward the Banana River and west toward the Indian River are where you look.
How old are the homes?
They span 1965 to 2017 with the middle around 1988. On the older end, watch for original electrical panels, cast iron or galvanized supply lines, and roofs past their insurance life. On the newer end you are mostly checking the air handler and the roof date.
What do homes cost in Island Beach?
Roughly $275,000 to $565,000, with a typical figure near $369,900 and closings around $361,500. That works out to about $225 a square foot. The spread is wide because the housing stock is, so price per foot is the more useful comparison.
How quickly do homes sell?
About 21 days to contract, with sellers settling near 97 percent of their original asking price. That is a normal, healthy pace for South Merritt Island, and it usually leaves room for an inspection based negotiation without losing the house.
What are property taxes?
County bills have run from roughly $696 to $5,322 with the middle near $3,623. The low figures belong to long term homesteaded owners whose assessed values are capped. A sale resets that, so plan your budget off the upper part of the range.
What is nearby for everyday errands?
The retail corridor along Merritt Island Causeway and North Courtenay Parkway is a few minutes north, with groceries, pharmacy and restaurants. State Road 520 takes you east to Cocoa Beach or west to US 1 and Interstate 95, and the Pineda Causeway to the south is the fast route toward Melbourne.
Island Beach Boulevard, Merritt Island 32952
Island Beach is in the 32952 ZIP code on South Merritt Island, a couple of miles south of State Road 520 and south of Cone Road. South Courtenay Parkway runs along the east side of the pocket and South Tropical Trail along the west, so you can enter from either. Banana Boulevard comes off Courtenay at a sharp angle, Country Woods Place is a three home cul de sac off Tropical Trail, and the rest of the streets connect between them.
Drive times are short in every direction that matters. State Road 520 is a few minutes north for Cocoa Beach to the east or Cocoa, US 1 and Interstate 95 to the west. The Pineda Causeway to the south puts Suntree, Viera and Melbourne within about twenty minutes. Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center are reached by running north on Courtenay to State Road 528, roughly a half hour depending on the light at 520.
Near Island Beach In Merritt Island
Considering Island Beach?
The two things that decide a purchase here are the sewer type and the construction year, and neither one is reliably obvious from the photos. My partner Nichole and I can tell you which addresses are on public sewer, which older homes have had the systems replaced, and what a fair price per square foot looks like block by block. Call or text (321) 212-7676.
