Living in Florida's Space Coast
Rockwell Estates
Rockwell Estates is a 1970s pocket of four bedroom ranch homes sitting between South Courtenay Parkway and South Tropical Trail. Lots run 0.35 to 0.46 of an acre under mature shade, homes run 1,908 to 2,147 square feet, and there is no association of any kind. Most of these houses have been remodeled at least once, and five of the last eight had a pool.
Rockwell Estates In Merritt Island, Florida
Four streets, four bedrooms, no rules. Leslie Drive comes in from South Courtenay Parkway, Saint George Road comes in from South Tropical Trail, and Laurette Road and Linnea Road connect them in the middle. The plat dates to the early 1970s and almost every house here was built in 1972 or 1973, with a few later infill homes finishing up as late as 1989. It is one of the more consistent 1970s streetscapes left on South Merritt Island.
The lots are the headline. Between 0.35 and 0.46 of an acre, typically around 0.40, which is roughly double what a 1990s subdivision a mile away offers. That buys you distance from your neighbor's windows, room for a pool and a shed and a boat trailer, and mature canopy trees that were planted when the houses were new. Several of these parcels sit on higher ground, which is a real consideration on an island this flat.
There is no homeowners association here. None. No dues, no architectural review, no covenants enforcement, no annual meeting. Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County, so county code is the only rule set that applies to your fence, your paint, your RV and your accessory structures. That is exactly why some buyers seek this plat out and exactly why others should look elsewhere: nothing prevents a neighbor from making a choice you would not have made.
The houses are single story block ranches with stucco, four bedrooms, two or three baths and a two car garage. Living area is remarkably consistent, 1,908 to 2,147 square feet, so you are comparing near identical envelopes with very different interiors. Most have been renovated, and the good ones have already had the roof, air handler, water heater and septic replaced. A few have gone to metal roofs and impact windows. Five of the last eight had an in ground pool.
Pricing runs $345,000 to $645,000 with the middle at $515,000 and about $245 a square foot. That spread on nearly identical floor plans tells you the whole story: you are paying for condition, not for size. Homes go under contract in about 34 days and sellers have been settling near 97 percent of their original asking price, so the well updated ones do not linger. The unrenovated ones are where the arithmetic gets interesting.
Rockwell Estates At A Glance
Rockwell Estates at a glance, and the short answer on dues is that there are none.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | South Merritt Island between South Courtenay Parkway and South Tropical Trail, ZIP 32952 |
| Built | 1972 to 1989, with the great majority finished in 1972 and 1973 |
| Home size | 1,908 to 2,147 square feet, about 2,060 typical |
| Bedrooms | 4 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 3, most commonly 2 |
| Lot size | 0.35 to 0.46 acre, about 0.40 typical |
| Construction | Concrete block with stucco, single story ranch and traditional styling, shingle roofs with a few metal replacements |
| Levels | Single story |
| Garage | 2 bays |
| Association | None. There is no homeowners association, no assessment and no covenants enforcement body |
| Pools | In ground pools on a majority of the homes, most of them added after original construction |
| Water frontage | None. No canal, pond or river frontage anywhere in the plat |
| Updates | Widely renovated. Impact windows, metal roofs, tankless water heaters and replaced septic systems all appear |
| Utilities | Public water with septic tank sewer |
| Streets | Leslie Drive, Laurette Road, Saint George Road, Linnea Road |
| Gated | No, and not age restricted |
| Price range | $345,000 to $645,000, around $245 per square foot |
Rockwell Estates Details
Land You Cannot Buy New
Forty hundredths of an acre in South Merritt Island is not something a builder is platting today. The newer subdivisions on this island sit on a sixth to a quarter of an acre. If your list includes a pool, a workshop and somewhere to put the trailer, the lot size here does most of the work.
Zero Carrying Cost From An Association
No dues means no special assessment, no reserve study, no estoppel fee at closing and no letter about your mailbox. On a thirty year hold that is real money, and for anyone who has come out of a heavily governed community it is usually the reason they call about this street in the first place.
Identical Envelopes, Honest Comparisons
Because the floor plans are so consistent, it is unusually easy to see what you are paying for. Two houses of the same size a block apart can be $200,000 apart, and every dollar of that gap is condition, updates and finish. That transparency is rare.
Between Two Main Roads
You can leave the plat toward South Courtenay Parkway when you want speed and toward South Tropical Trail when you want the scenic drive along the Indian River side. Very few South Merritt Island neighborhoods have both options at either end of the same loop.
Mature Canopy And Shade
Fifty year old trees change how a house lives in a Florida summer. The shaded lots here run noticeably cooler than the open ones in newer plats, and the mature landscaping is a large part of why this neighborhood shows better in person than on a map.
Renovation Upside Is Still Available
Not every house here has been touched. When an original 1973 interior comes up, the exit price is well established by the renovated homes three doors down, which makes the renovation math easier to underwrite than it is in a neighborhood with no comparable finished product.
Homes For Sale In Rockwell Estates
Current availability in Rockwell Estates. Eight homes changing hands is a slow year for a plat this size, so an empty list here is normal rather than a sign of anything.
Rockwell Estates Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockwell Estates have an HOA?
No. There is no homeowners association, no annual assessment and no covenants enforcement. Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County, so county code is what governs setbacks, accessory structures and parking. Check the county rules for anything you plan to build or park.
How big are the lots?
Between 0.35 and 0.46 of an acre, typically around 0.40. That is roughly double the lot size of the 1990s subdivisions nearby and it is the single biggest reason people buy in this plat.
When were these homes built?
Almost all of them in 1972 and 1973, with a small number of later homes finished as late as 1989. Expect original construction era systems unless the house has been renovated, which most of them have been at least once.
What should I inspect in a home this age?
Roof age, the electrical panel and any remaining original branch wiring, supply and drain plumbing, the air handler and condenser, and the septic tank and drainfield. Ask for permits on any pool, addition or reroof so you know the work was done properly.
Is Rockwell Estates on sewer?
No. Public water serves the neighborhood and every home runs its own septic system. Several sellers have replaced theirs in the past few years, which is worth asking about directly since a replacement is a meaningful expense.
Are there waterfront homes?
No. There is no canal, no pond and no river frontage inside the plat. What you get instead is land and shade. The Indian River shoreline is a short drive west on South Tropical Trail if you want water views on your weekend rather than out your window.
How fast does this neighborhood move?
About 34 days to contract, with sellers landing near 97 percent of their original asking price. Updated homes go quickly because the lot size and the absence of dues appeal to a wide range of buyers at this price point.
What are property taxes?
Annual county bills have run roughly $2,273 to $5,404 with the middle near $3,395. Long term homesteaded owners hold the low figures. A recent purchase resets the assessed value, so budget toward the upper end of that range on a new acquisition.
Leslie Drive, Merritt Island 32952
Rockwell Estates sits in South Merritt Island in the 32952 ZIP code, in the band of land between South Courtenay Parkway on the east and South Tropical Trail on the west. From Courtenay you turn west onto Leslie Drive or Saint George Road. From South Tropical Trail you come in the other side onto Saint George and pick up Laurette Road or Linnea Road. The Indian River shoreline is a few minutes west along the Trail.
You are roughly six miles south of State Road 520, which is about twelve minutes to Cocoa Beach going east or to Cocoa, US 1 and Interstate 95 going west. The Pineda Causeway is about eight minutes south and puts Suntree, Viera and the Interstate within easy reach. Kennedy Space Center and Port Canaveral are around forty minutes north by way of State Road 528, and Orlando International Airport is roughly an hour and ten.
Near Rockwell Estates In Merritt Island
Considering Rockwell Estates?
Every house on these four streets is roughly the same size, so the only thing separating a $400,000 house from a $600,000 house is what has been done to it and when. Reading that correctly is where a local agent earns the fee. My partner Nichole and I can tell you which updates were permitted, which roofs are original and what a full renovation actually costs on this island right now. Call or text (321) 212-7676.
MOTIVATED! - Updated 4/2/2 block pool home that exudes charm and character! Situated on a nearly half acre high and dry shady lot, this home welcomes you with a relaxing ...
- 4 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1078322 MLS
